“Please Hold to My Hand” is a solid episode of The Last of Us but it almost feels like a filler episode in terms of story. Outside of the story there are great performances in the episode. The episode feels like it exists to help deepen the relationship between Joel and Ellie while also showing how life outside of the QZ isn’t any better life inside the QZ. There are also hints at what will happen in the next episode.
Melanie Lynskey is absolutely terrifying as Kathleen, who is an original character to the series. She pairs well with Jeffrey Pierce, who was Tommy in the video game, as they serve as higher ups for the revolutionaries in Kansas City. Both Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey are great as their relationship deepens. Ramsey even knocks it out of the park with how Ellie comes to terms the world that she’s been thrust into.
“Please Hold to My Hand” lets the music breath and support the story of the episode. It even ends with a nice cover of a New Order song, which I didn’t expect to dig an acoustic cover of “True Faith”. The preview for the next episode made it feel like this was the calm before the storm. The episode lets the previous episode breath and give us time to see how our central characters are growing to care for each other, right before they get thrown into danger again. I give “Please Hold to My Hand” 7 pun books out of 10.