The Passage, a TV series based on a trilogy of novels by Justin Cronin, follows Agent Wolgast as he transports orphaned Amy Bellafonte to a secret government facility called Project Noah, where scientists hope to weaponize a vampire-like virus against an impending plague.. As a recent review notes, the show offers a compelling father-daughter dynamic that will resonate with fans of The Last of Us — but its source material predates that HBO series by several years. The review, published online, positions The Passage as a timely binge for viewers awaiting more post-apocalyptic storytelling.

Why Agent Wolgast and Amy Bellafonte echo Joel and Ellie

According to the review, the emotional core of The Passage is the instant bond between the gruff, ex-military Agent Wolgast and the clever, resilient Amy. The report describes Wolgast as someone who “almost immediately abandons his orders to protect Amy” after only knowing her for a few hours, and praises the “fantastic familial chemisttry” between actors Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Saniyya Sidney. This mirrors the father-daughter relationship in The Last of Us, where Joel and Ellie form a similarly fierce attachment amid a brutal world. The review emphasizes that this dynamic is what will draw in viewers who loved the HBO series.

Dr. Sykes and Dr. Lear: The scientists behind Project Noah's controversial mission

The review identifies two key scientists at Project Noah: Dr. Sykes and Dr. Lear, who are attempting to harness a virus that causes vampirism as a potential cure or weapon against a pandemic. As the source reports, their goal is “combating an oncoming plague” — a premise that echoes real-world anxieties about medical ethics and biosecurity. The show uses this scientific angle to set up moral dilemmas : Wolgast must deliver Amy to be experimented on, but his conscience soon rebels. The scientists represent the cold calculus of survival versus individual humanity, a theme that resonates beyond the fictional vampire outbreak .

How a book series that predates The Last of Us sets this story apart

The review is careful to note that The Passage is “based on a series of books that predate The Last of Us,” heading off any accusations of plagiarism. While the HBO show (and the 2013 video game it adapts) popularized the stoic guardian-orphaned child template, Cronin’s novels have been circulating since the early 2010s. This distinction matters: The Passage is not a copycat but a separate adaptation of a literary work that combines post-apocalyptic survival with gothic horror elements — vampires instead of fungal-infected zombies.. The source argues that the show delivers its own “unique brand of eerie, thrilling storytelling,” rooted in a world that feels distinct despite surface similarities.

What the review leaves out: Is Project Noah still active on screen?

The review focuses entirely on the show’s strengths for The Last of Us fans and does not address the status of the television series itself. The Passage aired a single season on Fox in 2019, and there has been no renewal announcement. The report does not mention whether the show is available on streaming platforms or if a second season is in development. Similarly, the review omits any mention of the cast members other than the leads — characters like Doctor Sykes and Doctor Lear are named but not developed. For a reader considering a binge, these are practical questions: Is the story resolved in one season? Will there be more? The source does not say.