Movies - TV
How The Last Of Us Episode 3 Compares To The Original Video Game
By ALLYSSA CAPRI
Spoiler Warning!
This story contains spoilers for “The Last of Us” Season 1, Episode 3.
“The Last of Us” reached its most uncharted territory yet in Episode 3, "Long, Long Time." This one-episode arc revolves around the love story of Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank (Murray Bartlett), while Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) are barely featured. Yet, the former pair delivered a gut-punching performance that perfectly captured the game's main themes.
In the game, players aren't given much information about Bill's past, but he tells Joel, “Once upon a time, I had somebody that I cared about. It was a partner. Someone I had to look after.” Ellie later finds a Playgirl magazine at Bill's place — both moments appear to be the game writers' subtle way of implying that Frank and Bill were romantically involved.
The show also took Bill and Frank's relationship with Joel and Tess (Anna Torv) further than the game because Joel only knew Bill, as Frank had already left Bill on bad terms and died by suicide after becoming infected before Joel and Ellie meet up with Bill in the game. In contrast, Joel not only knew of Frank in the TV series but had spent time with him at dinners with Bill and Tess prior to going to him for the car battery.
Although very little from this episode appeared in the game, somehow it felt just as heartfelt as what players experienced in “The Last of Us.” For loners like Joel, Ellie, Bill, and others, surrendering to love also means shackling yourself to another person's emotional baggage — and the dreadful decisions they may make as well.