This is the best suggestion I’ve heard for this season’s Ellie problem. I don’t know how people who haven’t played the game feel about this season, but Ellie’s drive for being in Seattle in the first place has felt wildly inconsistent. It’s like she’s flipping a switch on and off, whereas game Ellie is constantly, noticeably pensive, processing, simmering with growing rage. And it’s so important to the rest of the story that I honestly wonder if they’ll be able to save it at this point.

Maybe more Joel was exactly what they needed to keep things on track, keep Ellie’s focus. Because I sure wasn’t feeling it.