This post contains spoilers for "The Last of Us" franchise.

It's time to venture back into the land of the Infected with season 2 of HBO's "The Last of Us," which is set to explore the aftermath of the decision Joel (Pedro Pascal) made for Ellie (Bella Ramsey) at the end of the first season. This new season closely follows Naughty Dog's gripping, divisive "The Last of Us Part II," a game that wades through the darkest, most uncomfortable human impulses to etch compelling character arcs. Most of the criticism levied against "Part II" are directed at its bleak, exhausting core, which bleeds into every second the player spends navigating this violent post-apocalyptic world. At times, these overwhelmingly oppressive themes feel a bit too on the nose, too jarring to stomach at certain dramatic junctures. But that is the very essence of "Part II:" it consciously makes us question our actions,...