Warning: Contains spoilers for The Last of Us Episode 3
The Last of Us delivered what has been referred to by many as one of the greatest episodes of a TV series ever on Sunday. The third episode of the apocalyptic drama featured very little of its lead characters of Joel and Ellie, instead charting the relationship of long-term survivors Frank and Bill. The change in pace, along with the lack of action and central love-story, was not welcomed by a small few, but according to writer Craig Mazin, it was necessary to “take a breather” and also expand the story of Bill and Frank beyond their game characters.
In the video game version of The Last of Us, the focus of the game is obviously on the characters of Joel and Ellie throughout. On TV, there is a need for a less linear story, and more depth to be brought to characters that are usually found on the fringes of the story in the game. That is the main reason why the story of Frank and Bill is there. At point in the game when episode 3’s bookends take place, Joel and Ellie make a detour to see Bill and Frank. When they arrive, Frank is dead, having taken his own life after being infected, but Bill is alive and helps out Joel and Ellie in their journey. When addressing the changes, Mazin told Entertainment Weekly:
“I had an instinct that we would probably need to take a breath as an audience after the first two episodes. I wanted a way to show some of the passage of time between Outbreak Day and the current day of the show without doing more of the same, of the world falling apart.”
Many Fans Of The Last Of Us Welcomed the Expanded Storyline of Episode 3
The story of Bill and Frank is one that puts humanity front and center over the horrors of the video game’s driving narrative. The episode is not a blood-and-guts, constant barrage of no-context monsters and guns. Instead, it takes a break to look at how people react to a situation around them, how relationships can grow from nothing and how building a character’s story can give them an impactful death rather than just seeing them become another victim of a creature.
Many fans were quick to voice their opinions on the show’s decision to break the narrative to depict a gay love story that didn’t rely on shock or cliché. One viewer noted:
Even writer/director Mike Flanagan took to his Twitter account to share his feelings on the episode, commenting:
“I have never felt more shock and unpreparedness than going into the last of us episode 3 thinking I’m about to see some spooky mushroom zombies and father Pedro and instead witnessing the most reverently romantic representation of gay love I have ever seen.”
While the episode was almost unanimously praised, there were still some people who took issue with the central love story of the episode featuring two men, but this minority were very much shouted down by those lining up crown the episode, and the series so far, as one of the greatest TV shows of all time.
“Tonight’s episode of The Last of Us is one of the best episodes of television I have ever seen.”
