Season 2 of The Last of Us has officially come to a close, and Ben and Brian are joined by John Siracusa to talk about Seattle Day 3, the season overall, and (in a very special extended spoiler slot) how we think Season 3 can turn out. We’ll see you in a few years!

The Video Game is the Book

Ben Rice McCarthy and Brian Hamilton with John Siracusa

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Who’s ready for a nice calm break from the chaos of Seattle? Casey Liss joins Ben and Brian for an all-flashback episode where we finally get the context for Joel and Ellie’s falling out that we’ve been missing up until now. Grab your Walkman and a cassette, we recommend listening to this one with your eyes closed in a lunar module.

A Taste of Joel

Ben Rice McCarthy and Brian Hamilton with Casey Liss

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Seattle, Day Two. This week’s episode is designed to get Ellie from one place to another, both physically and emotionally. Bella Ramsay’s performance finally pays off after weeks of setup, which has Ben and Brian very excited for the rest of this season. Plus, what’s the difference between a culty Seraphite and a fair-weather Seraphite? What happens when the video game makes you push the Square button?

Office Supplies = Death

Ben Rice McCarthy and Brian Hamilton

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Seattle, Day One. It’s time for a pretty big conversation about the Seraphites and the WLF, but we also get some incredible recreations of jaw-dropping moments from the video game. Plus, how warped are the records in the record store? Does U-Haul still exist in the apocalypse? How will the rest of the season be structured?

A Great A-ha Moment

Ben Rice McCarthy and Brian Hamilton

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How could somebody describe S2E3 of The Last of Us as a “filler episode”? Sometimes, a chance to catch our breath and mourn is a good thing. Ben and Brian are surprised by one character’s redemption arc, grateful for some beautiful Western cinematography, and extremely excited about a scene in a tent, for some reason. No, F is not for Fleetwood Mac. Plus, what could Washington need to be liberated from?

Give Sarah My Love

Ben Rice McCarthy and Brian Hamilton

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This episode of The Last of Us is the emotional equivalent of a barrel of gasoline being thrown at the audience and set on fire. We hope you’re doing okay and that this conversation can help you process some of your feelings, because your hosts certainly needed this. Plus, Seth makes a mean steak sandwich and a wire fence is the second worst villain of the episode.

Roasted Mushrooms Double Tap

Ben Rice McCarthy and Brian Hamilton

Kaitlyn Dever Channeled Losing Her Mom Into ‘The Last of Us’

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The Last of Us is back with Season Two, and so is The Cast of Us! Despite how much we want to talk about the entire second game, Tiff, Ben, and Brian will keep each episode spoiler free for those who haven’t played The Last of Us Part II. How faithful is this first episode to the video game? How are they going to deal with the non-chronological nature of the story? How many White Stripes songs exist in the apocalypse? Tune in to find out!

People Are Gay in the Apocalypse

Ben Rice McCarthy and Brian Hamilton with Tiff Arment

Mushroom Ragu with Potato Gnocchi - YouTube

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It’s been ten years since we first had this debate, and now that the non-gaming public can also experience the end of The Last of Us, we get to have this debate again. Long time listener first time caller John Siracusa is our very special guest for the final episode of The Cast of Us Season 1.

Thank you all for your support these last nine weeks, and we’ll see you when Season 2 comes out.

We finish what we started.

Ben Rice McCarthy and Brian Hamilton with John Siracusa and Tiff Arment

For more The Last of Us content from The Incomparable:

The Good People Are Dead Already - The Incomparable Mothership #208 - The Incomparable

Sometimes the Drawer is Empty - The Incomparable Mothership #536 - The Incomparable

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It’s a meaty one this week, folks. Is David actually religious? How have on-screen creeps evolved? Is that really how penicillin works? Is the horse okay? Ben, Tiff, and Brian tuck into a heaping helping of analysis and… Venison. We promise it’s venison.

A Burrito of Horror

Ben Rice McCarthy and Brian Hamilton with Tiff Arment

Rationalizing Brutality: The Cultural Legacy of the Headshot - YouTube

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Listen, if you’ve played The Last of Us, then the title “Left Behind” emotionally prepared you for what would happen on Sunday’s episode, but HBO did some narrative and structural magic tricks to heighten the tension. Grab your tissue boxes and a book of puns, because you’ll need them both.

Ben Rice McCarthy and Brian Hamilton with Tiff Arment

❤️ on Twitter: “Never thought I’d see an apocalyptic Cambridgeside Galleria and never thought I’d be so emotional about it. Perfectly done. #TheLastOfUs https://t.co/G941IGu7Ei” / Twitter

Bisexual lighting - Wikipedia

Mooshroom - Minecraft Wiki

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