The Last of Us has never attempted to be a frame-for-frame remake of the games, and it’s this willingness to take risks that has made the HBO series such a success. The core of the Joel/Ellie narrative has remained untouched, but the show has certainly expanded its world by bringing in new characters who feel painfully real to the series. Which makes it all the more sad to know that one of the best additions to Season 2 of the show won’t be returning in Season 3, and yes, it’s going to hurt.
The Last of Us Season 3 moves forward without Gail
One of the standout additions to Season 2 of the series was the character of Gail Lynden, played by the late Catherine O’Hara, who was created specifically for the series. O’Hara, best known for her iconic work in comedy, gave a performance here that was unexpectedly gut-wrenching. She played the role of Jackson’s only psychotherapist, a woman who was charged with helping an entire town deal with the trauma of what they had been through, but was herself drowning in her own grief.
What set Gail apart from the rest of the Jackson community was her connection with Joel. For most people in Jackson, Joel is a hero, but for Gail, Joel is a complex figure with a much more painful side. Joel is the man who did not allow Gail to see her dying husband, Eugene, after he contracted cordyceps. All their sessions were filled with unresolved tension and resentment towards Joel.
The value of Gail lies in the fact that she represented the moral consequence of survival. Through Gail’s character, the show taught us that an action necessary for survival could be a source of pain for another character. Gail also made us confront our own need to sympathize with Joel, a man whose actions are more complex.
While Joel is expected to change his focus in the upcoming Season 3, with more emphasis on Ellie and Abby’s parallel journeys, the absence of Jackson will be felt more because of Gail’s absence. Gail is the face of the pain Joel has caused over the years.
The Last of Us will continue with its story as it always has, but Gail’s brief time on the show is a testament to how good the show can be if it allows its original characters to live, breathe, and feel as they should. Some deaths are more painful than others, but Gail’s will be remembered.
