Television is a vehicle built for vicarious experiences, a medium fueled by feeling and thus prone to engaging in manipulation. Some of us are unashamedly expressive about everything, welcoming catharsis in all its forms. But most of us demand that shows earn our heightened reactions with evident arguments.
If the closing moments of “The Last of Us” second season finale left you feeling a little unsteady, if not confused or betrayed, you are not alone. Gamers who survived “The Last of Us II” felt a lot like that when they virtually lived and died as the game’s hero, Joel, only to be blindsided by the creators’ choice to make them play his killer.
