The Last Of Us Could Have A Stranger Things Season 5 Problem, And I Think It's A Terrible Trend

The Last of Us season 1 may have been a huge hit, but many fans weren't impressed with season 2, which doesn't bode well for season 3. I don't think that it makes sense that so many complained about Joel's (Pedro Pascal) death considering that it's a huge and important part of the game. However, I understand how frustrating it can be to love a show that has an excellent first season and a lackluster second one.

Now that fans have had some time to think about the season 2 finale, I'm curious about what the response to the third season is going to be. I'm also wondering if The Last of Us season 3 is going to suffer from the same issue that Stranger Things season 5 has had.

There Could Be A Long Wait For The Last Of Us Season 3, Which Repeats The Frustrating Stranger Things Season 5 Delay

Joel and Ellie in the last of us episode 6

There is no official release date for The Last of Us season 3 as of yet, and it could be a while before fans get the chance to watch it. In a recent interview with Variety, Isabel Merced was asked when production would begin on the third season. She said, "I think it should be next year." This makes me think that the show won't come back until 2027, which isn't the best news.

I would argue that the two-year wait before The Last of Us seasons 1 and 2 hurt the show, especially since ratings were lower for season 2, and many fans of the game prefer Joel and Ellie to the new character Abby. When fans have to be patient, they can lose the momentum of watching a show, and it's easier to have a negative response to the new episodes. I'm worried that The Last of Us season 3 will repeat the problem that Stranger Things season 5 has: the long delay has become upsetting and irritating for fans, who, at this point, are more focused on the lengthy wait than the actual story the show is telling.

I think it's a shame when the pop culture conversation shifts from "what's going to happen next?" to why there is a two or three-year wait between seasons. After sharing theories about Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and trying to guess how Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) will lose, fans shifted their focus to trying to guess the Stranger Things season 5 release date. It's tough when fans have to wait years to see their favorite characters again, and it seems that this is a trend that is continuing. I think it's great that a show like The Bear has a consistent release schedule and comes out every June, and I wish more could do that.

Several fans discussed The Last of Us season 3's release date on Reddit, and they aren't thrilled that the new episodes likely won't come out next year. Redditor @JustShimmer wrote:

"I am so tired of these shows taking more than a year to continue. I’ve stopped watching so many because I don’t remember and I’m not going to watch again and recaps don’t do it."

Redditor @Jealous_Energy_1840 wrote:

"I think 'prestige' TV shows are gonna need to rethink their production schedules at some point cause it’s getting ridiculous."

How Do Fans Feel About The Last Of Us Season 3 Telling Abby's Story?

Showrunners Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin confirmed that The Last of Us season 3 will mainly be about Abby, and those who played the game knew that this was likely coming. The season 2 ending also featured Abby with the words "Seattle: Day One," which hinted that the next season would change the main character from Ellie to Abby.

Fans were mostly unimpressed with season 2, and many are uncertain about how good season 3 is going to be. While it makes sense that the showrunners would follow the game, not everyone wants to see an entire batch of episodes that are about Abby, not Ellie. One Redditor wrote:

"I think season 3 will almost without a doubt be longer than 2 because of the backlash. Then season 4 will have an equal amount of Ellie and Abby probably, meaning they'll have ended up giving Abby overall more screen time than Ellie for the part 2 story which is just wild."

Another wrote:

"Abby’s section was my favorite part of the game but I literally cannot get excited for it in the show because they ruined the second season so much."

While several fans praised Kaitlyn Dever's great acting, others are unsure that they want to keep watching now that Joel is gone and Ellie won't get as much screen time. It will be interesting to see how The Last of Us season 3 brings Abby to life even more.