The Last of Us Season 1 Episode 4 Review: Please Hold My Hand

The Last of Us Season 1 Episode 4, “Please Hold My Hand” dips as a transitory episode, but doesn’t fail to hold our expectations. 

Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey continue to deliver dynamic performances. Their bond continues to grow as they traverse the country and bond, despite Joel referring to Ellie as “cargo.” The jokes that Ellie continues to tell Joel over the course of the episode, regardless of whether he enjoys it adds some levity to their bond. 

Seeing them slowly start to form an affection for one another, especially when Joel gets pinned down by insurgents. Ellie’s desire to help them strengthens their bond and her reaction in the aftermath shows just how similar they are. 

Their relationship is the bright spot in an episode that could have easily eclipsed them as we enter the Kansas City insurgency.

The Last of Us is a beauty series that presents some interesting dynamics and relationships. However, at its core, these early episodes are struggling to showcase the danger. We get an overall idea of how the infected are treated, and how most people view FEDRA, but so few characters have a compelling motive as to why they’re doing what they’re doing. 

Right now, the series gives us the main objective of Joel having to deliver Ellie to see if her immunity may provide a cure for cordyceps. However, the rest of the series appears to be about trying to survive in a world against FEDRA.

It feels like there’s no general threat except other people trying to survive, which is what makes the Kansas City insurgency compelling. 

Kathleen and Perry feel like a breath of fresh air injecting the story with a new impetus even if their motives seem misguided and short-sighted. Their storyline feels largely like they’re only there to bridge the gap and get viewers into the arc with Henry and Sam.  

However, it’s Kathleen’s unhinged nature that makes for the real threat. There’s no need for Kathleen to kill the Doctor just because Brian died, but that unpredictability can be necessary to the story at large.

Looking back, Kathleen’s first scenes remind me so much of how Helena Cain was introduced on Battlestar Galactica. She seems severe and untempered, but with a deep understanding of who she’s hunting.

Since “Please Hold My Hand” has the shortest runtime of all The Last of Us episodes so far, it does feel like there could have been some room in the story to explore motivations and really flesh out Kathleen and Perry’s characters. 

There’s something to be said for the fact that FEDRA and other parts of the danger don’t have a face, but it also feels like the series is missing an impetus. As we continue to follow Joel and Ellie to Wyoming we need a reason to see them achieve their goal. 

I am hopeful that the series will continue to cultivate strong relationships between the characters and as a result, make the series more compelling, but “Please Hold My Hand” feels like a weak bridge between two pillars. 

What did you think of this episode of The Last of Us? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Critic Rating:

User Rating:

 

The Last of Us airs Sundays at 9/8c on HBO and HBO Max. 

 Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram!

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!

15 Supernatural Teen TV Shows to Sink Your Teeth Into if You’re Excited About ‘Wolf Pack’