The second season of The Last of Us has generated controversies among fans, especially due to the changes made in the adaptation. One of the most debated points has been the omission of a shocking scene: the death of Alice, the dog that is killed by Ellie in the aquarium. This decision has led to multiple reactions within the viewer community.
Never kill the dog (unless you are John Wick)
Craig Mazin, showrunner of the series, has addressed this issue in a recent interview with Polygon, explaining that the decision not to graphically depict Alice’s death is based on one of the so-called “cardinal rules” of Hollywood: to avoid the death of animals, especially dogs, to not overly disturb the audience. According to Mazin, there are two fundamental rules in the film industry: do not spend your own money and do not kill dogs.
Mazin argued that, since The Last of Us is a live-action series, the representation of violence becomes more intense and disturbing. Despite having shown the death of dogs in his previous series, Chernobyl, he explained that killing them on screen is a shocking decision and can only be done once in a lifetime. However, the showrunner questions the validity of the rule, citing examples such as the box office hits I Am Legend and John Wick, where the death of a dog had no negative consequences for either the narrative or audience reception.
The controversy intensifies as fans analyze the creative decisions in the series and reflect on the implications of Hollywood rules. Although the omission is justified from a narrative standpoint, many fans wonder if this decision truly meets the expectations of the original story and its emotional impact.
