July Csar

I went into The Last of Us series without much knowledge of the original game. Visually, it’s impressive — great cinematography, acting, and world-building. But as the season progressed, something started to feel off. It seemed like the show leaned heavily into social messaging, particularly with feminism and LGBTQ themes. I’m not against representation at all — it’s important — but here it felt excessive and at times forced. Most of the leaders across different groups were women or LGBTQ characters, while male characters were often either in the background, portrayed as villains, or shown in a less competent light. I later learned that in the original game, male characters typically led hostile or militant groups, while female characters led more idealistic or moral factions — which sounds like a balanced and natural dynamic. But in the show, that contrast is pushed much further, almost to the point of feeling like a hidden agenda. It’s a well-produced series, and I can see why some people love it. But for me, the heavy-handed approach to modern social themes got in the way of what could have been a more grounded and compelling story.