The Last of Us director opens up about the backlash surrounding episode 7. The series, which is based on the hit game of the same name, was created for television by Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin and stars Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey. Episode 7 was based on a DLC titled Left Behind, which provided a deep look into Ellie’s (Ramsey) life before she met Joel (Pascal), including the traumatic moment when she got bit. The episode also included an LGBTQ+ relationship, a relationship already established in the DLC, which led to some backlash and review bombing online.

During a recent interview with Screen Rant for Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie, Johnson opened up about the backlash to The Last of Us episode 7. The director started off describing her process of looking at the word of mouth surrounding her projects, saying that she follows advice from Joan Didion, who said, “It’s like there’s a dumpster fire burning out your window, and if you don’t know it, it’s dangerous.” After praising the performances from Ramsey and Storm Reid, Johnson says that it’s sometimes actually good if a project sparks controversy. Read her full comment below:

Liza Johnson: Well, someone told me — it was the actress Christine Lahti, actually — “Just don’t read your reviews, because if you believe the good ones, you have to believe the bad ones, or else you’re crazy. So, just don’t read them.” And I was like, “Really?” Because that’s not what Joan Didion says, she says, “It’s like there’s a dumpster fire burning out your window, and if you don’t know it, it’s dangerous.” I took her advice, and I have taken it ever since she told it to me. What I think is that it’s a really beautiful episode. It’s also what happens in the game, so it’s not like adding new changes to make something different. Also, I couldn’t be more delighted with the work of those two young women who were legit, like, very young. At most 20. I think, actually, they were 18 at the time. But, legit very young people who did performance work that was as sophisticated as any that I’ve ever seen.

I think people really love that series, and when I went to the hair salon, the guy in the chair next to me was talking about how profound he experienced it, philosophically. I was sitting there texting Craig what he was saying. I think it’s a hit, and if there are some people that wish it was a different story, I would encourage them to just get good enough at the game so that you can get to the place where that chapter is, because that’s just what happens. I just want everyone to love me. That’s what I want, but the truth is, it’s not bad for the work if it sparks controversy. It’s not what I’m going for, but it’s actually not bad for the work. I feel really optimistic, too, that [Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie] will be seen by a lot of people and that people will be able to find it. So, I’m really excited about that.

The Last Of Us Episode 7 Is The Lowest Rated So Far

Despite The Backlash And Review Bombing, The Last Of Us Was A Success

As said above, the controversial seventh episode of The Last of Us is based on a DLC from the game. Nothing was changed, Johnson simply adapted something that already existed. Despite being faithful to the game, the episode saw its fair share of backlash and review bombing. Because of this, it’s the lowest-rated episode on IMDb, as while it has 19 thousand perfect scores (making up 28.4% of all the ratings), it also has 8.9 thousand (13.1%) one-star reviews, giving it an overall rating of 7.4.

This wasn’t the first time The Last of Us saw review bombing and backlash because of its LGBTQ+ representation. Episode 3 saw a relationship between Bill and Frank, played by Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett respectively. Offerman gave a stellar performance and the episode featured an intimate use of Max Richter’s heartbreaking “On the Nature of Daylight.” While the episode should have been lauded for its deeper dive into the relationship between Bill and Frank, particularly since their relationship in the game is only alluded to and not fully shown, the episode was review bombed with almost 60 thousand one-star reviews.

Despite the controversy and review bombing, The Last of Us persisted and was quickly renewed for a season 2 in January 2023 and won eight Primetime Emmys. Its success can be attributed to how faithful the show was in adapting a game that already provided such a cinematic story and a strong foundation upon which to build. Its budget was also utilized efficiently, creating sets and monsters that closely mirrored those of the game.