The second season premiere of The Last of Us introduced expected elements such as tension, trauma, a time jump, and infected-adjacent horrors, while also featuring the unexpected scene of Joel, played by Pedro Pascal, receiving counseling from a therapist named Gail, portrayed by Catherine O’Hara.
In an interview with Variety, co-showrunner Craig Mazin revealed that he had initially intended to explore the therapy concept in the first season of the popular HBO series, but it could not be incorporated due to time constraints. When planning for the second season, he decided to revisit the concept.
Mazin explained that in a closed economy, certain skills would become more valuable, such as shoe repair or, more prominently, therapy. He noted that everyone has experienced trauma and no one can claim to have had a pleasant time. Therapy serves as a tool to reveal not just hidden thoughts but also the topics individuals avoid discussing.
This idea drives the interaction between Joel and Gail, as she mourns a significant loss for which she holds Joel responsible, despite knowing he had no other choice. She raises this issue to provoke him into discussing the violent decision he made to save Ellie, portrayed by Bella Ramsey, at the end of the first season. Mazin described their exchanges as a "shootout" of words.
Mazin shared his enthusiasm for the therapy scene, stating that his experience in therapy sessions informed the writing, capturing the rapid shifts from laughter to tears to anger as buried emotions are uncovered. He expressed his enjoyment in writing, filming, and editing the scene, citing it as one of his favorites across both seasons, particularly due to witnessing the performances of the two accomplished actors.
New episodes of The Last of Us air on Sundays on HBO and Max.
