'The Last of Us' creator Craig Mazin: 'If there is a moment that is upsetting, it is in and of itself a reminder of the way things were'

The Last of Us premiered its second season premiere on Sunday .

Creator Craig Mazin says the show is partially stuck in 2003 , because that's when the world ends on the show.

In 2025 , queer people, specifically trans folks, are facing a barrage of attacks from President Donald Trump ’s administration.

The Last of Us can be a mirror, a reminder that attempts to make a place “great again” are inherently retrograde.

It also forces the show to treat its characters, particularly its queer ones, in inhumane ways.

After HBO aired the “Long, Long Time” episode, the homophobic backlash was swift.

Obviously, the writers have the best intentions and wanted to bring authentic representation, and they might have missed the mark a little bit with that. ”Attempts to show people in all their complexity, though, might mean occasionally missing the mark. The Last of Us offers complicated and messy queer characters and politics rather than relying on trite stereotypes. And messiness means sometimes people will feel uncomfortable. Sunday night ’s episode marks the show’s first breath-holding moment of the season; it won’t be the last..