India, April 14 -- For fans of Pedro Pascal who have been counting down the days with an emotional support clicker in hand, we're glad to report that the wait is officially over. The Last of Us is officially back with Season 2, and if the first episode is any indication, the plot has zero interest in letting your heart rest. Kicking off with a five-year time jump, we find Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) settled in Jackson, Wyoming, trying to live out a version of peace that feels, quite frankly, too fragile to last.

Set on New Year's Eve 2029, the premiere leans into a soft, wintery atmosphere. Lights twinkle, people smile, and you almost forget the world outside is crumbling under the weight of a fungal apocalypse. But the ...