Why Critics Love The Last of Us Season 2 but Fans Hate It

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The Last of Us Season 2 is being acclaimed as a critical hit by Rotten Tomatoes, as declared this week. The platform has bestowed upon it the title “Certified Fresh” with an impressive 94% score on their Tomatometer, based on 238 professional reviews. However, it’s interesting to note that there’s no mention in the announcement about the show’s lower audience rating, which stands at 39%.

#TheLastOfUs Season 2 is Certified Fresh at 94% on the Tomatometer, with 238 reviews:

— Rotten Tomatoes (@RottenTomatoes) May 26, 2025

The significant difference between how critics and audiences perceive popular shows indicates a rising pattern in entertainment analysis. Notably, well-known media outlets shower high-rated series with glowing reviews, while viewer dissatisfaction and opinions from independent online platforms are often overlooked or disregarded. This discrepancy is particularly noticeable in this specific instance.

Critics have voiced concerns about the creative decisions made in The Last of Us Season 2, as shown by its low audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes’ Popcorn Meter. Fans were particularly upset about Joel’s early exit and the focus shifting to Abby, a character that debuted in The Last of Us: Part II, a game that was divisive when it came out in 2020.

Even though some feedback has been received, Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann have confirmed that Season 3 will carry on with the Abby storyline. In a recent conversation on the Sacred Symbols+ podcast, Druckmann emphasized that creative minds like themselves should disregard media and audience opinions and instead stay committed to their convictions and continue with what they believe in.

Some media sources argue that the poor ratings of the show might be a result of “review bombing” by certain individuals or groups. In an article on Collider, Rahul Malhotra suggested that the significant difference in scores could be due to malicious actors and internet trolls. Although the comment was likely made humorously, critics have expressed concern about the increasing practice of disregarding audience criticism without addressing the root causes of the negative response.

For a full editorial picking this take apart, click here.

Collider frequently defends The Last of Us against its critics, often lumping negative viewers together as internet trolls and expanding the criticism to include those who dismissed other prominent progressive films like Captain Marvel and the 2016 Ghostbusters reboot.

In a different piece, Malhotra proposed that the criticism originated from resistance towards “moderately liberal political views,” an interpretation that many supporters find questionable.

In the realm of entertainment criticism, some have reacted diversely. YouTube critic Grace Randolph openly expressed her strong dislike towards a recent episode of The Last of Us, choosing instead to abstain from further reviews rather than delivering continued critical analysis. Randolph explained that she wished to avoid being overly negative about the series and decided it was best for her to withdraw completely.

Despite a promising start for Season 2, the number of viewers tuning in to watch the show has been fairly stable around 600,000 to 700,000. The latest episode before the finale attracted only 701,000 viewers and a 0.16 rating among the 18-49 age group, which equates to approximately 160,000 viewers in that specific demographic. Interestingly, the previous episode reached its lowest viewer count of the season with 652,000 total viewers and a 0.14 rating within the same demographic.

The widening gap between awards given by the industry and public responses is generating its own intriguing discussion. The ongoing argument about whether fan critiques hold weight or are just instances of “review spamming” remains a contentious topic, causing disagreement among critics and spectators.

The second season of ‘The Last of Us’ came to an end on Sunday, May 25th, airing on HBO. Plans for a third season are currently underway.

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2025-05-27 18:55