Podcast Summary

New Books Network: Adrienne Domasin, The Psychgeist of Pop Culture: The Last of Us (Playstory Press, 2025)

Date: November 23, 2025
Host: Rudolf Indust
Guest: Adrienne d’Omasin

Episode Overview

In this episode of the New Books Network - Game Studies, host Rudolf Indust interviews Adrienne d’Omasin about her new edited volume, The Psychgeist of Pop Culture: The Last of Us. The conversation explores how The Last of Us—both as a groundbreaking video game series and as an HBO adaptation—serves as a potent lens for examining psychological and cultural themes including trauma, grief, survival, morality, and the promise (and peril) of post-apocalyptic societies. D’Omasin shares both personal and scholarly insights into why this story resonates so deeply and how its multidimensional narrative structure challenges audiences across media.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. D’Omasin’s Entry Into the Project ([02:23])

• Interest in Post-Apocalypse:
  D’Omasin’s fascination with post-apocalyptic narratives centers on how societies might restructure after collapse, particularly escaping and reimagining beyond capitalism and racial hierarchies.

• Intersection of Media:
  The HBO adaptation presented a timely opportunity to compare how the same world and characters are reinterpreted across television and gaming—especially captivating due to the immersive interactivity games provide.

  “If it involves zombies, infected, or the Fall of Capitalism, chances are I'm a fan.” — Adrienne d’Omasin [02:35]

2. Why Trauma, Survival, & Grief Resonate ([03:33-05:31])

• Post-Capitalist Utopia:
  D’Omasin frames the world of The Last of Us as a kind of utopia for those disillusioned by capitalist alienation, positing that the series—and post-apocalyptic fiction at large—allows us to imagine more equitable social organizations.

• Example from the Show:
  Refers to Jackson’s commune and its explicit labeling as “communist”—underscoring the possibility of radically equitable systems arising after society’s collapse.

• Audience Resonance:
  Such themes are “rich materials for psychological and cultural analysis,” especially given how they allow viewers to reflect on possibilities for restructuring society.

  “The Last of Us and post-apocalyptic narratives in general become particularly compelling because it doesn't merely depict societal collapse—it reveals how ordinary working people could fundamentally restructure society.” — Adrienne d’Omasin [04:15]

3. Adapting Across Mediums ([05:31-07:17])

• Media Affordances & Constraints:
  Every medium brings its own strengths and limitations; for instance, TV cannot capture the gameplay tension of evading infected, so it must focus elsewhere (e.g., character drama).

• Adaptation Controversies:
  Casting choices (e.g., Bella Ramsey, Pedro Pascal) invoked strong reactions, yet should be understood within the logic of HBO’s production model and broader audience considerations.

  “Television as a narrative medium wouldn't be suitable for exploring gameplay encounters with infected in the same way a game can...We could also discuss casting decisions, which was a particular area of discontent among players.” — Adrienne d’Omasin [06:24]

4. Psychology and Storytelling: Joel and Ellie’s Defining Moment ([08:14-11:55])

• The Hospital Scene:
  D’Omasin highlights the climactic hospital rescue—Joel’s decision to save Ellie at the cost of a possible cure—as the crux where personal trauma, love, survival, and moral ambiguity collide.

• Narrative Consequences:
  Joel’s grief for his daughter Sarah shapes everything; his adoption of Ellie as a surrogate daughter is both psychologically inevitable and narratively fraught.

• Morality in a Collapsed World:
  The game asks players to consider that traditional moral frameworks are no longer applicable—survival requires unthinkable choices.

• Enduring Themes:
  The game’s central message is about embracing vulnerability and love, fighting on after loss, and the deep need for community amid trauma.

  “The moral calculus of the old world simply doesn't apply when survival itself requires actions that would have once been unthinkable.” — Adrienne d’Omasin [10:35]
  “It's kind of perplexing to me that some audiences expect TLOU to deliver a cure in the form of a resolved Hollywood ending. The psychology of TLOU with the themes of survival clearly embodies contemporary social political anxieties, including fragile masculinity, financial anxieties and environmental crises.” — Adrienne d’Omasin [10:55]

5. The Power of Forced Perspective: Playing as Abby ([12:50-14:29])

• Rage and Empathy:
  D’Omasin discusses her initial anger at being forced to play as Abby—who kills fan favorite Joel—in the sequel, and how this emotion ultimately gave way to empathy and understanding.

• Game Design and Ethics:
  One chapter in the book shows how shifting perspective (forcing players into Abby’s role) is intentionally designed to disrupt, challenge, and expand the player’s sense of ethics and identification.

• From Grief to Growth:
  The shift allowed D’Omasin to realize that her rage was less about game design and more about her attachment to Joel and Ellie—demonstrating the productive emotional journey games can spark.

  “The forced perspective of playing as Abby and walking in her shoes, so to speak, helped me to understand her perspective...My initial rage at playing as Abby wasn't about game design at all. It was my grief over Joel and my sympathy for Ellie.” — Adrienne d’Omasin [13:35]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the post-apocalyptic utopia:

  “Of course, a world where 60% of the population is either dead or infected is my particular version of utopia.” — Adrienne d’Omasin [03:55]

• On adaptation anxieties:

  “Players and audiences...have specific ideas of who they wanted to see play Ellie and Joel. Those types of decisions were inevitably informed by HBO executives.” — Adrienne d’Omasin [06:54]

• On Joel’s hospital decision:

  “Joel chooses Ellie's life over the potential salvation of humanity. That one decision generates essential conflict for the entire franchise.” — Adrienne d’Omasin [09:09]

• On the value of perspective shifts in gaming:

  “Playing as Abby became incredibly productive and forced me to confront how right and wrong is always about perspective and who you identify with as a character.” — Adrienne d’Omasin [13:08]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:23] D’Omasin on her background & approach
• [03:33-05:31] Deconstructing utopia, trauma, survival, and post-capitalism in The Last of Us
• [05:31-07:17] Adapting between game and TV: Media differences and adaptation controversies
• [08:14-11:55] Joel & Ellie: Trauma, morality, and the narrative engine
• [12:50-14:29] The Abby perspective: From rage to empathy via game design
• [14:29-end] Closing remarks and gratitude

Tone & Takeaways

The episode is intellectually rich but remains accessible, combining rigorous analysis with personal passion. Both host and guest engage deeply with the emotional landscape of The Last of Us, showing how its world compels audiences to rethink not just storytelling in games but the very idea of morality, community, and survival itself. D’Omasin positions both the series and its fandom as vital sites where psychology and pop culture coexist and ignite necessary conversations about the world we live in—and the worlds we might imagine.