In the game, Bill was alone, and at one point, you find Frank’s corpse in an abandoned house where he got bitten and hanged himself, and left a venomous suicide note for Bill because they’d clearly had some sort of falling out that led him to try and leave. Game!Bill was more of a cautionary tale of what Joel could become if he didn’t let people in, while in the show, he’s basically an example of what he could gain if he did. His note basically says as much with “I was wrong to believe that living alone was the way to be”. This way was *so. much. better* and has made me sob with every single reaction
The best thing about this change is that it serves the same narrative purpose. The game version shows a potential dark future warning Joel of the price of keeping people out, and the show version is a lesson on the value of letting people in.
Food for thought: In this world everything fell apart in September 2003. In the real world their home state of Massachusetts was the first to pass same-sex marriage laws, but not until May 2004, so in the show/game's timeline Bill & Frank lived in a world where society collapsed before marriage would have been an option for them. Makes the wedding ceremony on their last day all the more important in the context of the world they lived in.
I'm gonna add my observation on my fave scene. During the Piano scene, Frank felt Bill's loneliness and longing to love and to be loved through his performance. Frank asked Bill "so who's this girl you're singing about?" It does sound like Frank is fishing to affirm his suspicion about whether or not Bill is gay, but actually, that question is not for Frank to know...He knew...that question is for Bill to reflect on himself whether or not he has accepted himself for being gay, because Bill was a closeted gay guy who has been repressed. Bill hated the world because the world didn't accept him. When they kissed, you can see that Frank cried and after you saw for a moment Frank just stood there silently. In that moment, Frank felt Bill's emotions...he thought "this is a man who has been lonely all his life, not just after the outbreak. A man who has never known love." (Aside from his mother of course). After Bill left for shower, Frank stood there speechless, his heart broke for Bill. Kinda like how we feel after watching this episode.
According to the producers Bill's piano playing and singing was when Frank realized he wanted Bill. He already knew Bill was gay while Bill was sizing him up at the hole. Everything else just confirmed it to Frank. Frank was going to take advantage of the situation. And basically whore himself out for a place to stay. That's why he pointedly said to Bill, he's not a whore. Even for a great lunch. He was basically confessing to Bill. In a denial way. But Bill probably didn't get it. Since he's never had a gay relationship nor gay friends. Not everything is romanticized. Like Frank said, he had bad days with Bill. But more good ones. They led a fulfilling life together. That's a win.
We both have played the game! And we absolutely love the changes they made. We think the changes works better for the show vs trying to keep to what the game did. It allow us as viewers to see bill who was very Jaded to the world around him (like Joel is) learn to protect someone. Like last episode when Tess tells Joel save who you can save and then with the note Bill left Joel telling him that the right people are worth fighting for. And gives Joel the means to learn from these encounters.
I want to point out one thing that very few have commented on is the scene where Frank sits in the wheelchair and looks at Bill sleep all night. One of the most beautiful things to do is watch your loved one sleep. Frank gets up in the middle of night and watches Bill sleep one more time before his "one last good day". Frank realizes that he will never be healthy again and his debilitating condition will drag Bill down with him. Instead of being a huge burden to Bill, Frank decides to end his life the way he wants--which is very true to his character and personality. Frank is the dominant person in this relationship dynamic--he leans forward to kiss Bill first, he wants to decorate the house, make friends and even grow a strawberry garden. During the toughest conversation in the living room, Frank even jokes about not having door-to-door MRI salesperson and making toast to start the "one last good day". Frank is emotionally strong, whereas Bill cries uncontrollable listening to Frank's request. What a brilliant portrait of a common relationship dynamic by Nick and Murray.
This is the best episode of tv that I have seen in quite some time. Beautiful and heart breaking. Bill knew how to survive. Frank showed him how to live and love.
I cried once every 15 minutes this entire episode. This is one of the most beautiful and emotionally powerful episodes of tv I’ve ever seen. This felt like a movie that I guarantee would be on every critic’s shortlist for best picture at the Oscars. Neil Druckman said in the BTS video after the episode that he and Craig Mazin had this philosophy on the show “when should we deviate and when should we come back, if it’s kinda the same or worse then they stay (completely faithful to the game), if it’s better we deviate”. I’m SO DAMN HAPPY THEY DEVIATED! And I’m so happy that it ended with them dying together instead of Bill just forever living alone like in the game. Also I loved the Mortal Kombat 2 cameo. And of course Ellie’s favorite character would be Mileena. Tragically 7 days ago Annie Wershing who played Tess in the game passed away at 45 due to cancer. So when they showed the flashback with Tess and Joel I cried. Rest In Peace Annie Wershing.❤❤
I love how Bill watches Frank drink till the last drop... Then he is sure to drink his. Also, did you notice when Frank was alone in the dining-room reflecting and kind of sad.. but when Bill walked into the dining-room his face changed to a happy face 😁❤️
Perfect adaptation. In the game Bill is a warning of what Joel could be if he stays closed off where in the show he is an inspiration for what Joel could be if he opens up. Both versions show Bill as a survivor who owns a town, uses traps, and gets Joel a working truck.
The front door slammed when Joel cracked the bedroom door, because the draft was going 'out' the bedroom window. The direction of the draft was the only reason Bill's plan for the smell worked.
100%! Best cries I had due to a TV show/movie in a long time, and both are quite recent!! Bill & Frank feels like a bottle episode within the show, but completely fits the thematic, and reminded me of the ‘Dream of a Thousand Cats’ from the Sandman! I don’t wanna jinx it, but…, seems like bringing the creators of the source material to work with amazing talents of the medium they are translating their work from really works!!! Can’t wait for the next episodes of TLOU and The Sandman S2!!! What a time to be alive 😊
I started crying at the piano scene, I mean it was super emotional as is but I knew that Frank wasn't going to make it out of the episode so my heart broke even more for Bill. Since they had stuck so close to the game up to this point, I totally was not expecting it to end the way it did. Such a beautifully devastating story.
Absolutely love the game, this episode was so beautiful, beautifully written and beautifully acted by the actors. I love this episode so much as heartbreaking as it is, it added so much more to the story imo
Yea this this episode nothing like the game, but it was amazingly done. It would have been nice to see it play out in the show how it did in the game, but I'm not mad how they decided to go with this. Believe it or not, this is actually the happier ending to their story.
I’m pretty sure Frank had MS. I recognized so many similarities between him and my late partner who also had MS. This episode was just so amazing and so heartbreaking.
I suspected as much but was glad that they didn’t say it, my partners mother has MS and I‘m glad he didn’t get that full on confrontation of what the future might hold.
Besides Bill and Frank's story, another highlight of this episode is watching Joel gradually slip back into "dad" mode without admitting it or even being really aware of it, whether it's not wanting Ellie to see the mass grave or helping her put her seat belt on. Even his rules for their journey, while the first one (no talk of Tess or their past) is him trying to be emotionally closed off, the latter two rules are wholly about keeping Ellie safe. And then the whole Linda Ronstedt thing at the end, where he openly smiles.
Im also impressed by the aging make-up. I didnt know pedro before this show and i thought he was actually in his 50’s. I will say trying to make him look 36 was a bit of a challenge….when I first saw him and he said he was turning 36, i said ‘why did they cast this guy to be 36, he clearly isnt’ 😆.
Just finished watching episode 3. And it was so powerful, I forgot its a streaming series. Thought I was watching a movie for a moment there. I'll admit, I got a little emotional.
20:13 So this episode was insanely beautiful both because of the story and also because NONE of this entire episode happened in the game except for a few lines of dialogue. this is how the game went play by play: 👍👍 (there's no spoilers past what we saw in the shows third episode) In the game we never meet Frank, but we meet bill for about an hour or two. Joel and Ellie are right outside of bills town and Joel gives Ellie the same exact speech about Tess and never bringing her up because Joel is a super calloused person who doesn't like to dwell on the past. Ellie asks how Joel knows bill and Joel replies that "we've done a couple runs together here and there, but as far as i know its just him".. implying that Joel and Tess have only ever known bill to live there alone for the entire 20 years. In the game bill is super psychotic and hard ass like he was in the beginning. (also it kinda gives the vibe that Bill from the game still always hid the fact that he was gay for the entire 20 years) Throughout the duration of finding bill you have to navigate through all of his towns traps which also implies that Bill never even trusted Joel either or allowed them unsupervised access to the town. Joel gets caught in one of the traps and Bill gets tipped off and helps them out of it. long story short Bill helps Joel put together a truck and gets pissy with Joel since Bill keeps bringing up and asking about Tess,.. but Joel being Joel he never answers or tells Bill what happened. Bill puts on a tough exterior and tells Joel that "caring for someone in this world is only good for one thing. getting you killed." Joel tells Bill that Bill doesn't understand the weight of the situation and bill just scoffs and denies it. later on after going to hell and back to fix up a car for Joel and Ellie they fail and get swarmed inside of a house. after the infected die down they look around the house for a "plan B all the way to fucking Z" as Bill puts it, Bill tells Joel to tell Tess that she can take the job and abandon it because its a loss cause, until bill and Joel look over to see feet dangling and a corpse hanging from the ceiling fan... Bill gets emotional and Joel asks "who the hell is frank" Bill proceeds to explain that franks was his partner and all of the intricacies of how well he knew him, and how frank hung himself because he was sick. Joel consoles Bill and gives him solace in the fact that Frank didnt suffer. They immediately conclude their conflict with each other and instantly bond over the loss of a loved one and bill asks if "we're square" and the two agree to be on friendly terms again and Bill asks them to leave so he can spend the rest of his days alone in the town to Mourne The reason this episode is so beautiful is because in the game bill never dies and is way younger. In fact in the show bill was probably the same age in 2003 that he was in modern day in the game. We got to see bill's entire life after the outbreak instead of stumbling upon a bitter and lonely man. Their love story and the intimacy that Bill and Frank had was always hinted at but never shown in the game. Frank was the sole reason that Bill left his comfort zone and made Bill socialize and enhance their day to day life. Bill and Frank also serve as a parallel of how the preservation of humanity and what makes us ourselves matters so much and is so worthwhile. In the end Bill told Joel everything Joel needed to hear in that very moment, and in a weird and symbolic way its almost like we got to see Bill's fantasy of how he wished he would've gotten to live the rest of his life with frank after Joel and Ellie left his town. All together its super beautiful and they used a ton of Music from very crucial parts of the games. I wont say what though Hope yall enjoyed that explanation of the game. I saw that yall asked at the end of the video so i jumped right on it
Great episode. I loved that at the end the song playing in the car was the song Bill played for Frank on the piano. A Long long time sung by Linda Ronstadt. Linda suffers from MS and cannot perform any more and has not for years. It would be fitting if Frank was in a wheelchair because of MS. That would certainly be poetic.
I think a part of the reason Bill “hated the world and was happy everyone died” is due to him not being able to come out and live life as himself. Frank allowed him to live as himself for the rest of his life ❤
I enjoyed it very much. As someone who has played the game the section with Bill didn't have much impact on the overall plot & was more of a gameplay heavy section. When we meet Bill he was this angry bitter man & by the time we leave him he was still an angry bitter man. Other than some big gameplay set pieces & great banter between Bill & Ellie that part of the game was just a fetch quest for a truck battery. In the game i personally never really cared for his character. The tv episode made me care. And even though it deviated from the game the end results were still the same. Joel & Ellie got their vehicle. However the episode also served a purpose that the game didn't, it gave Joel the motivation to take responsibility for Ellie. Bill's letter was the catalyst for Joel's change in character towards Ellie. I appreciated that.
I've seen some complaints about this episode from people saying "it's typical bury your gays" but it absolutely isnt. These characters had a whole episode dedicated to their life together, and in the scope of this post apocalyptic world, they arguably had the best lives and the nicest deaths possible. The world around them died but they LIVED, not survived, lived. And when the most likely cause of death is being torn apart or turning into a cannibalistic fungus puppet, getting old and falling asleep in the arms of the person you love is a win. Sorry for rambling. This episode blindsided everyone, whether they'd played the game or not. And its hit a very deep spot for so many people
The infected are still conscious to an extent until they become a clicker. Full consciousness at the "runner" stage and semi-consciousness at the "stalker" stage. The infected that Ellie finds is partway between runner and stalker so still has a certain degree of consciousness. If you look closely, it appears to slightly nod at her. Almost asking her to kill it.
I've played through both "The Last of Us" games several times and I really enjoyed this episode and the different approach to Frank and Bill's characters. It's really nice to get more insight into their relationship and characters in general. That being said, I also really enjoyed the part of the game with the original Bill, because he's such a grumpy and constantly angry guy and Ellie, as smart and sassy as she is, knew exactly how to piss Bill off. Or rather, they pissed each other off while Joel had to try to mediate between the two, even though he's not exactly the most empathetic guy for that sort of thing. It's hilarious. All in all, though, as I said, I'm very glad that the episode allows for a different view of Bill. :)
Love this episode so much! I really appreciate their approach to the series, improving on what the game's story introduced, what it has or doesn't have, creating a more impactful drama piece that even the game itself may not deliver.
It’s too bad you chose to omit the intimate scene after the piano, it was a beautiful, tender and innocent moment of how vulnerable Bill is, having suppressed his true self his whole life. That scene, is one of the sweetest I’ve seen, and done so respectfully with a same sex couple.
With the change to Bill and Joel’s relationship, I kind of wished that after walking outside and crumpling up Bills note, Joel had a moment of regret, tried to smooth it out and fold it into his pocket
27:00 Ellie's spaceship comment was a nod to Mando flying Grogu around in his spaceship in Pascal's other show. Either that, or it comes to play later in the game.
Aww, dammit, I waited for you two to see this episode. The love those two characters have is something I wish to gain. Dustin, be like Bill and protect your Frank at all costs.
Beautiful episode! I never played the game, so this is all amazing and fresh to me. I also didn't start watching the aftershow discussions until now, so I have several to catch up on.
@The Movie Couple, 20:42 Craig Mazin said that it was either MS or ALS that Frank suffers from--they didn't actually decided on one, but it is one of those deceases ='( We knew about Frank because of the Letters he left behind. There were ups and downs, but it sounded like a lot more downs, and Frank had had enough. He decided to leave Bill, got bit and decided to hang himself. Joel and Ellie find him and deliver a final letter to Bill (if the player decides to pass it on to Bill) and you can see the hurt these two had and that letter didn't help their situation. This story was soooooooo much better and I think the change made to their story makes the story as a whole better, as Joel and Ellie are learning life lessons that's going to come into play as their story moves forward. This was a really, really good story. Bill was a 50 year old outcast that wasn't accepted by society. He was very likely pushed out of the social circles his parents were in--he tried, but just didn't fit in. Becoming a survivalist was what he needed to be in this world that wouldn't let him be the man he was, a man who didn't even know who he was either, but he knew women weren't for him. Bill and Frank's first date is awkward and very interesting. Bill was courting Frank the moment he let him in his home. He let Frank shower, gave him a new pair of clothes, cooked him a 3 star Michelin meal along with some fine wine--who does that?! Frank would have been happy with a sandwich or beef jerky, but he got a meal much finer than any QZ ever served its people. At the table, while Frank ate, bill tossed his hair to the side, and that didn't go unnoticed by Frank, lol. Bill was so uncomfortable for a number of reasons, but probably more so because of the feelings he was having and not being to understand them. When Frank asked him to play the piano, Bills true true feelings were expressed on the keys and by his voice, which is why he touched Frank the way he did. Frank was able to add all that hospitality up, real quick. I think this story could have been the one Bill and Frank had in the game, but one told in letters we never got to find--we got to see the resource management side of Bill that ticked Frank off. Bill never knew how to live. He's always had to survive. We don't know much about his family, but he only spoke of his mother and it sounds like he was pretty close to her--"it's my mother's...could you not..." 2003 wasn't that long ago, sure, but not that long ago when you consider LGBTQ+ rights over the years, many of which are really, really new. Bill was 50 in 2003, so he grew up at a time that wouldn't have been tolerated. Bill was always in survival mode. It sounded like he tried to make his parents happy--he tried things out with a girl once, and knew immediately that that wasn't for him. Even after falling for Frank, Bill was still the survivalist, and it wasn't until the couple started falling out and Bill started really listening to Frank did he finally learn to live. Frank was happy to be able to survive, and live a life that was experiencing time in a bubble, unaffected by what the rest of the world was experiencing. Bill knew a lot and could do everything, accept live. That was the one gift, the only gift, Frank could give Bill and he did his best to teach it too him and he did. It started with simple things like dusting the house and keep it clean, to taking care of the lawn and surround plant life, but Frank didn't stop there as their first on screen argument showed. Frank wanted more than their house to be upkept. He wanted the neighborhood to look like a neighborhood! And he wanted the two of them to have friends. And in the end, we see, Bill sees, that Frank was right. Had Frank not did what he did, Bill would have been dead 10 years ago, and Frank likely sooner. They had medicines because of Tess and Joel. They had comforts of old like strawberries because of Tess and Joel. Bill knew how to survive, and Frank knew how to live. This was a great story, and there story is going to have a lasting impact on both Joel and Ellie moving forward. I think this change makes the overall story stronger. Can't wait for the next story to drop!
24:03 Far different time line explored in the game. This TV series still gives more depth and back story to the character that will make playing the game that much more impact-full.
As a person who played the game, I loved this deviation from the game's story. This gave you more insight on Bill and Frank's relationship and Bill gave Joel more motivation to open up and start loving again through his letter. So far in the story of the show, Joel has been closed off and afraid to love since he lost Sarah. He was with Tess for a long period of time and even she said he didn't feel the way she felt. He couldn't even show emotion and mourn Tess's death. This episode will help with establishing the relationship with Joel and Ellie even more as the season goes along.
The general storyline here is similar to that in the game in terms of endpoints, but they expand upon the smaller details hinted at in the game version
Even moreso than mandalorian, this lines up with another pedro pascal project….Prospect. In it, he is an astronaut-type guy who helps a teen girl on her journey. And since u gave already finished this season, I can also say there is a parallel in that the teen girl has to save him and provide medical care. It’s crazy how much its like last of us lol. From 2018.
@themoviecouple It's ok Wendy I was crying alot during h episode too!!!That was crazy when the item fell in your kitchen and you both jumped. That let's you know how intense a show is lol.
I was so tense thinking Bill was going to die during the raiders' assault, I totally forgot in episode 2 Tess said "Bill and Frank will take her in", and when Ellie asked if Bill and Frank were nice, Joel said "Frank is", meaning both Joel and Tess knew they were both alive in 2023 (though they had no way of knowing about the suicide as apparently it happened only a couple weeks prior). This episode took me for such a ride I forgot about information the show gave us twice
While I don’t watch TLOU TV Show, but I love how they put Mortal Kombat II (1993) arcade & mentioning Mileena💖.🐲💛💙 I honestly can’t wait for the MK Movie sequel.
This episode was lovely and perfect for the Last of Us Part 1 themes, and this is coming from a gamer perspective. It's a story about love winning. Bill and Frank won. They found each other in an apocalypse, stayed together for 16 years while living in luxury, safety (most of the time), and peace (most of the time). When their time came, they chose the when and how they would die. In addition to showing us the goodness and love in human beings (and this giving us a reason why humans should be saved), they gave additional reasons too - art, music, food, invention, etc. Until now, all we have seen is a lot of evil when it comes from people. But Frank and Bill have shown a lot of reasons why humanity should be saved. So Bill's Town in the game functions for two main things: Joel and Ellie get a car and Joel has a reason to start bonding with Ellie. The same purpose was accomplished in the show. Bill in the game served more as a warning character to Joel, what he could become if Joel continues pushing away other people (Ellie) and going to survival only. In the show, Bill became a role model for Joel, encouraging him to bond and protect others (Ellie). The game section is hilarious with Bill and Ellie snarking at each other, but it really is just a giant fetch quest. In other words, it's not a big deal that they changed this section in the game. Though fun, it's not an important section.
I agree with comments I'm seeing about the differences between game bill and show bill and how they're two sides of the same coin and I won't add much more to that. It was a beautiful episode. But additionally, this episode is showing Ellie's nature. We know she was raised in a military school, we've seen her lash out at Joel, be curious about what Joel & Tess were capable of, stab the guard, drawn in & staring (rather than horrified) at Joel going ape, continually asking for a gun, being fascinated by the stalker, getting a gun. Ellie is not Sarah. Sarah hid and looked away in fear, Ellie does not and is drawn to the violence. Sarah tells Joel's story, but she does not tell Ellie's. This isn't your typical "Lone Wolf and Cub" story.
This episode went way off the reservation when it comes to the game, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. The only thing that I was disappointed about, was that we didn't get to see the dialog between Bill and Ellie that was so good in the game.
SPOILERS for the game as I want to answer the question about how I felt as someone who knew the story from the game. I was SO happy about this change because of how much it changed for me. In the game I didn't really like Bill, he was just such an angry, bitter and unpleasant man. When he saw Frank hanging dead from the ceiling after having hung himself I saw a hint of humanity, and the letter from Frank, and the knowledge that Frank had been his partner romantically made me soften slightly as it showcased something more to Bill hiding behind the surface, but yeah... we didn't get enough to make him a character I liked or cared about much. The show made him one of my favorite characters by showing us his amazing love story with Frank. It was so beautiful to see Frank get through that armor of his, get him to enjoy life again by actually living instead of just surviving, and just giving him that love that he so desperately needed, wanted and deserved. In the game we never met Frank, so I had no real connection with the character, but I LOVED getting to know him in this adaptation, and I 100% understood why Bill fell in love with him. I hope other characters in the future will get the same kind of depth and backstory, because it elevates an already incredible story and makes it even more amazing and beautiful.
In the game, when Joel and Ellie come to Bill, he's alone in a neighborhood he has heavily boobytrapped (like in the show). You never meet Frank, but he is mentioned a lot as Bill's partner (heavily implied romantic partner, but never explicitly stated) who left due to some disagreement with Bill that they never reconciled. As you go through the Bill section of the game, you eventually come across Frank's body and it's revealed he was bit and hung himself to keep form turning. This section of the game is Joel going to Bill because he and Bill have worked together in the past and he knows Bill, being the super resourceful survivalist that he is, would either have a battery or know where to find one. It's not a very long section of the game, maybe a couple of hours, Bill lives, but you never see Bill again for the rest of the game (his fate is unknown, but I like to think the tough SOB is still alive and well...well, not well...but, ya know...alive). The way the show adapts this section, for me, is so much better than the game. Incredible episode.
light spoliers, no specifics. While it was a stand-alone episode, there are moments and themes that will inevitably come back later on. the musical score is something y'all should put a pin on and pay attention to 😉😉. to add, this short story was the song's bridge but we definitely go back home to joel and Ellie.
I was waiting for this reaction. Last of Us changed my perception of games when I played it a few years ago. It changed my life. I was a casual gamer back then and now I'm a gamer lol, all because of Last of Us. I was so looking forward to this episode. Spoilers, but in the game Bill and Ellie keep insulting each other and it's pretty entertaining. Bill has a truck at a safe house ready to go but just needs a battery, so he leads Joel and Ellie to a High School where there's a destroyed vehicle with a good battery in it, but Frank took it already by the time they get there. Now, in the HS gym is the first time they face a bloater, the big infected you've seen in the trailers, and Bill "helps" kill it. Bill is famous for being bad at helping in the original and remastered versions lol. He's so much better in the remake lol. Afterward, they eventually get to the safe house and they find out that Frank has hung himself. He leaves a suicide note that says he had been bitten. The game makes it clear that they were together in a relationship, but Frank had enough and was willing to risk going on his own rather than spend another day with Bill. Bill's function is the same in both game and show, although the story is different. They both show Joel his future self. I love both versions equally for the storytelling. Game is more pessimistic with hate and despair, but the show is more love and hopeful. I'm a little sad that we won't see Nick Offerman and Bella Ramsey insult each other but what we got was so touching and so wonderful that it's hard to complain. Also, the use of Max Richter's On the Nature of Daylight was just perfect. Can't wait for Sunday! Great reaction guys. BTW Bill doesn't die in the game. He thinks Joel should ditch Ellie, but you can tell he's a softie that's just paranoid and hard to deal with. He owes Joel so that's why he helps him. But Joel's brother isn't the reason he wanted a battery, it's just to get to the destination faster. Later, out of lack of choices, he finally decides to seek out his brother to let him finish the job of escorting Ellie.
I must be more cold-hearted than I've always thought I was, because I haven't shed a tear watching this show yet. Maybe it's because I have no intentions of meeting someone, falling in love, and starting a family. I suppose if I did, I would be crying like so many reactors that I've seen. I don't know what this says about me... but I really like that I'm not emotionally attached. I also refuse to have pets, so I'm covered there too.
This episode had more to do with Joel's character than many realize. Even if you haven't seen him. Bill and Joel are both bitter and alone. However, the development of Bill clearly showed the differences, as one of them was willing to let a person into his life. As a result, despite the almost similar mindsets at the beginning, Bill got a long full and happy life. Joel, on the other hand, is stuck. So yes, the episode was important and not just because of the farewell letter at the end. It showed that there is hope, even if Joel doesn't have one yet. This episode showed that people are important to be happy. We are usually herd animals. The parallel to the infected is Frank here in this episode. The head is clear, but his multiple sclerosis or ALS (probably) has control over his body. The infected are at least partly aware of their actions, at least in the first stage. In the game, they even cry. They also cry while eating their friends. And through this episode we also know that Tess and Joel have known each other for more than 13 years and that they were still "decent" people 7 years after the outbreak. At least that's what Joel says to Bill here. But that is doubtful. Tess told Ellie that they weren't good people and just before her death she told Joel to do all the shit they did right.
I've loved the game so much. It honestly spoiled me because, at my late age, was the very first video game I ever played. And nothing has compared. The show is doing the same thing giving me all the feels.
Game Spoilers below for anyone that wants to avoid. Only up to where the show is, not beyond. What happens in this chapter of the game is totally different. Lots more fighting thru infected, less love and heart. Frank and Bill had been a couple, but it ended badly and Frank left. You find his body after he killed himself bc he got bitten while trying to leave town. You find a letter from him to Bill. It's pretty bitter and harsh. You can choose to share it with Bill or not. If you do he crumples it and throws it, like Joel did. I think what was in the game was fine for a game you play thru, but not great for a show you watch. What they did in this show is a million times better, as a story in general imo, but specifically for this kind of content. It was so beautiful. Also Bill served the same purpose here as he did in the game, but sort of thru the looking glass version. In the game, Bill is paranoid and closed off and went fully that direction to the point he drove off the one person he loved who loved him. Here he goes the other way and let's Frank pull him toward love and humanity and connection. In both cases it's a look for Joel at who he could become. In the game Bill is a warning about what happens when you shut off from everything and in the show he is proof of what you can have if you take a risk and allow yourself to be vulnerable. At the end of the show, exactly like the end of this chapter of the game, Joel and Ellie drive off in the truck Bill gives them. It gets from the same point A to point B, but the journey as a passive viewer is so much more emotional and satisfying as a show. Contrast in the game, the active participation toward the goal makes more sense. I love this change.
Hi Can you react to the Hulu series *Reservation Dogs* by Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi ? It is the first series to feature all indigenous writers and directors along with the cast being mostly Indigenous actors and actresses
It's so much better than the game in terms of emotional storytelling. The game version made sense for the game flow, but it was more of a quick cautionary tale. Somehow they made it so Bill still teaches Joel the same lesson about needing to open your heart to others despite Bill making completely different decisions to get there. Just beautiful. Great reaction video. Thank you. 💗
This episode is a huge deviation from the game and majority think its great. I won't say much about the game to avoid spoilers in-case you're interested in playing or just watching cut scenes. But I think the main similarity this episode has with the game is the message, lesson or just realization Joel gets from Bill. And Bill and Frank being gay is hinted at in the game but never truly explored upon, and being someone who has played the game I find this episode to be a wonderful addition.
While I am bummed we didn't get to see a snarky interaction between Ellie and Bill, and that they omitted one of the better sections of the game, trying to pull off that entire sequence within a single episode would have been a near impossible task. Nevertheless, I'm completely satisfied with this beautiful character study of Bill. Excited to see where they take the series next.
I think it's too early in the series to think it deviated too much. Frank and Bill can still return later in Seasons 2 or 3 cause there is a 10-13 year gap of a relationship with Tess and Joel they haven't told yet. So Im thinking maybe a lot of what happened in that thirteen years can still be made into stories later on.
![เปิดคำทำนาย นอสตราดามุส - บาบา วานก้า ปี 2025 คนทั่วโลกต้องเจออะไรบ้าง? | แฉ 11 ธ.ค. 67 [2/3] |GMM25](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/xmTIKWJUMPM/mqdefault.jpg)
Bill’s traps were so effective in the show that he caught a husband
Lmao
😂
The ultimate man trap ;)
Take my like.
LMAO love this
"I'm old. I'm satisfied. And you were my purpose." I'm not crying, you're crying.
That line breaks me every time. I was holding it together the whole episode, and when he drops that, all the tears came out.
In the game, Bill was alone, and at one point, you find Frank’s corpse in an abandoned house where he got bitten and hanged himself, and left a venomous suicide note for Bill because they’d clearly had some sort of falling out that led him to try and leave. Game!Bill was more of a cautionary tale of what Joel could become if he didn’t let people in, while in the show, he’s basically an example of what he could gain if he did. His note basically says as much with “I was wrong to believe that living alone was the way to be”. This way was *so. much. better* and has made me sob with every single reaction
The best thing about this change is that it serves the same narrative purpose. The game version shows a potential dark future warning Joel of the price of keeping people out, and the show version is a lesson on the value of letting people in.
Food for thought: In this world everything fell apart in September 2003. In the real world their home state of Massachusetts was the first to pass same-sex marriage laws, but not until May 2004, so in the show/game's timeline Bill & Frank lived in a world where society collapsed before marriage would have been an option for them. Makes the wedding ceremony on their last day all the more important in the context of the world they lived in.
Same sex marriage laws was passed in Massachusetts but in November of 2003.. so a few months after the world fell.
Also Frank probably lost friends to Aids if he was already out in the 80ies.
Thank you so much for that extra piece of information. This makes it even better than it already was!!
Nick Offerman needs to be doing serious dramatic roles a lot more often. He totally aced it here.
He did creepy/menacing really well too in “Devs”. That was the first non-comedic role of his I’d seen.
@@ModeMan101 He was in The Founder with Michael Keaton. WITHOUT Mustache. Shit. Dude could double for Jackie Gleason.
@@ModeMan101 Devs was amazing and deserves more attention. Loved it!
I'm gonna add my observation on my fave scene.
During the Piano scene, Frank felt Bill's loneliness and longing to love and to be loved through his performance. Frank asked Bill "so who's this girl you're singing about?" It does sound like Frank is fishing to affirm his suspicion about whether or not Bill is gay, but actually, that question is not for Frank to know...He knew...that question is for Bill to reflect on himself whether or not he has accepted himself for being gay, because Bill was a closeted gay guy who has been repressed. Bill hated the world because the world didn't accept him. When they kissed, you can see that Frank cried and after you saw for a moment Frank just stood there silently. In that moment, Frank felt Bill's emotions...he thought "this is a man who has been lonely all his life, not just after the outbreak. A man who has never known love." (Aside from his mother of course). After Bill left for shower, Frank stood there speechless, his heart broke for Bill. Kinda like how we feel after watching this episode.
According to the producers Bill's piano playing and singing was when Frank realized he wanted Bill. He already knew Bill was gay while Bill was sizing him up at the hole. Everything else just confirmed it to Frank. Frank was going to take advantage of the situation. And basically whore himself out for a place to stay. That's why he pointedly said to Bill, he's not a whore. Even for a great lunch. He was basically confessing to Bill. In a denial way. But Bill probably didn't get it. Since he's never had a gay relationship nor gay friends. Not everything is romanticized. Like Frank said, he had bad days with Bill. But more good ones. They led a fulfilling life together. That's a win.
We both have played the game! And we absolutely love the changes they made. We think the changes works better for the show vs trying to keep to what the game did. It allow us as viewers to see bill who was very Jaded to the world around him (like Joel is) learn to protect someone.
Like last episode when Tess tells Joel save who you can save and then with the note Bill left Joel telling him that the right people are worth fighting for. And gives Joel the means to learn from these encounters.
I want to point out one thing that very few have commented on is the scene where Frank sits in the wheelchair and looks at Bill sleep all night. One of the most beautiful things to do is watch your loved one sleep. Frank gets up in the middle of night and watches Bill sleep one more time before his "one last good day". Frank realizes that he will never be healthy again and his debilitating condition will drag Bill down with him. Instead of being a huge burden to Bill, Frank decides to end his life the way he wants--which is very true to his character and personality. Frank is the dominant person in this relationship dynamic--he leans forward to kiss Bill first, he wants to decorate the house, make friends and even grow a strawberry garden. During the toughest conversation in the living room, Frank even jokes about not having door-to-door MRI salesperson and making toast to start the "one last good day". Frank is emotionally strong, whereas Bill cries uncontrollable listening to Frank's request. What a brilliant portrait of a common relationship dynamic by Nick and Murray.
It’s been a whole week and i’m still crying WTF!
This is the best episode of tv that I have seen in quite some time. Beautiful and heart breaking. Bill knew how to survive. Frank showed him how to live and love.
Between this and Andor, we really are living in an era of peak TV.
I cried once every 15 minutes this entire episode. This is one of the most beautiful and emotionally powerful episodes of tv I’ve ever seen. This felt like a movie that I guarantee would be on every critic’s shortlist for best picture at the Oscars. Neil Druckman said in the BTS video after the episode that he and Craig Mazin had this philosophy on the show “when should we deviate and when should we come back, if it’s kinda the same or worse then they stay (completely faithful to the game), if it’s better we deviate”. I’m SO DAMN HAPPY THEY DEVIATED! And I’m so happy that it ended with them dying together instead of Bill just forever living alone like in the game. Also I loved the Mortal Kombat 2 cameo. And of course Ellie’s favorite character would be Mileena.
Tragically 7 days ago Annie Wershing who played Tess in the game passed away at 45 due to cancer. So when they showed the flashback with Tess and Joel I cried. Rest In Peace Annie Wershing.❤❤
I love how Bill watches Frank drink till the last drop... Then he is sure to drink his. Also, did you notice when Frank was alone in the dining-room reflecting and kind of sad.. but when Bill walked into the dining-room his face changed to a happy face 😁❤️
Perfect adaptation. In the game Bill is a warning of what Joel could be if he stays closed off where in the show he is an inspiration for what Joel could be if he opens up. Both versions show Bill as a survivor who owns a town, uses traps, and gets Joel a working truck.
The front door slammed when Joel cracked the bedroom door, because the draft was going 'out' the bedroom window. The direction of the draft was the only reason Bill's plan for the smell worked.
This, and The Sound of Her Wings from Sandman were two of the most heartbreakingly beautiful episodes of any show i have ever seen
100%! Best cries I had due to a TV show/movie in a long time, and both are quite recent!!
Bill & Frank feels like a bottle episode within the show, but completely fits the thematic, and reminded me of the ‘Dream of a Thousand Cats’ from the Sandman! I don’t wanna jinx it, but…, seems like bringing the creators of the source material to work with amazing talents of the medium they are translating their work from really works!!! Can’t wait for the next episodes of TLOU and The Sandman S2!!!
What a time to be alive 😊
A nice segue between the two, frank & bill both went with a kind word & a friendly face
Yes. Both deal so gracefully and compassionately with the themes of life, love, loss and death. They make it look easy. (It's not.)
I started crying at the piano scene, I mean it was super emotional as is but I knew that Frank wasn't going to make it out of the episode so my heart broke even more for Bill. Since they had stuck so close to the game up to this point, I totally was not expecting it to end the way it did. Such a beautifully devastating story.
The kitchen jump scare 😆
Absolutely love the game, this episode was so beautiful, beautifully written and beautifully acted by the actors. I love this episode so much as heartbreaking as it is, it added so much more to the story imo
Nick Offerman really said I DO ACTINGGG! This episode made me cry so much 😭
😢😢 me to i hope he gets an award this yr
Yea this this episode nothing like the game, but it was amazingly done. It would have been nice to see it play out in the show how it did in the game, but I'm not mad how they decided to go with this. Believe it or not, this is actually the happier ending to their story.
06:01 the best timing ever lol
I’m pretty sure Frank had MS. I recognized so many similarities between him and my late partner who also had MS. This episode was just so amazing and so heartbreaking.
Yes, the co-creator, Craig Mazin, confirmed it was either MS or early ALS; they didn’t want to specify.
There were a few cue they gave that led me to that conclusion as well.
I am sorry for your loss.
I suspected as much but was glad that they didn’t say it, my partners mother has MS and I‘m glad he didn’t get that full on confrontation of what the future might hold.
I’m sorry for your loss ❤
Besides Bill and Frank's story, another highlight of this episode is watching Joel gradually slip back into "dad" mode without admitting it or even being really aware of it, whether it's not wanting Ellie to see the mass grave or helping her put her seat belt on. Even his rules for their journey, while the first one (no talk of Tess or their past) is him trying to be emotionally closed off, the latter two rules are wholly about keeping Ellie safe. And then the whole Linda Ronstedt thing at the end, where he openly smiles.
Im also impressed by the aging make-up. I didnt know pedro before this show and i thought he was actually in his 50’s. I will say trying to make him look 36 was a bit of a challenge….when I first saw him and he said he was turning 36, i said ‘why did they cast this guy to be 36, he clearly isnt’ 😆.
You 2 are so damn awesome. Your personalities earned a sub. As someone who never played the game I love your perspective. I will stay tuned.
Thank you!
Got the feels... All over again!!!
🥺
Just finished watching episode 3. And it was so powerful, I forgot its a streaming series. Thought I was watching a movie for a moment there. I'll admit, I got a little emotional.
This is like San Junipero in Zombie.And every bit as beautiful!
20:13 So this episode was insanely beautiful both because of the story and also because NONE of this entire episode happened in the game except for a few lines of dialogue.
this is how the game went play by play: 👍👍 (there's no spoilers past what we saw in the shows third episode)
In the game we never meet Frank, but we meet bill for about an hour or two. Joel and Ellie are right outside of bills town and Joel gives Ellie the same exact speech about Tess and never bringing her up because Joel is a super calloused person who doesn't like to dwell on the past. Ellie asks how Joel knows bill and Joel replies that "we've done a couple runs together here and there, but as far as i know its just him".. implying that Joel and Tess have only ever known bill to live there alone for the entire 20 years. In the game bill is super psychotic and hard ass like he was in the beginning.
(also it kinda gives the vibe that Bill from the game still always hid the fact that he was gay for the entire 20 years)
Throughout the duration of finding bill you have to navigate through all of his towns traps which also implies that Bill never even trusted Joel either or allowed them unsupervised access to the town. Joel gets caught in one of the traps and Bill gets tipped off and helps them out of it.
long story short Bill helps Joel put together a truck and gets pissy with Joel since Bill keeps bringing up and asking about Tess,.. but Joel being Joel he never answers or tells Bill what happened. Bill puts on a tough exterior and tells Joel that "caring for someone in this world is only good for one thing. getting you killed." Joel tells Bill that Bill doesn't understand the weight of the situation and bill just scoffs and denies it.
later on after going to hell and back to fix up a car for Joel and Ellie they fail and get swarmed inside of a house. after the infected die down they look around the house for a "plan B all the way to fucking Z" as Bill puts it, Bill tells Joel to tell Tess that she can take the job and abandon it because its a loss cause, until bill and Joel look over to see feet dangling and a corpse hanging from the ceiling fan... Bill gets emotional and Joel asks "who the hell is frank"
Bill proceeds to explain that franks was his partner and all of the intricacies of how well he knew him, and how frank hung himself because he was sick. Joel consoles Bill and gives him solace in the fact that Frank didnt suffer.
They immediately conclude their conflict with each other and instantly bond over the loss of a loved one and bill asks if "we're square" and the two agree to be on friendly terms again and Bill asks them to leave so he can spend the rest of his days alone in the town to Mourne
The reason this episode is so beautiful is because in the game bill never dies and is way younger. In fact in the show bill was probably the same age in 2003 that he was in modern day in the game. We got to see bill's entire life after the outbreak instead of stumbling upon a bitter and lonely man. Their love story and the intimacy that Bill and Frank had was always hinted at but never shown in the game. Frank was the sole reason that Bill left his comfort zone and made Bill socialize and enhance their day to day life. Bill and Frank also serve as a parallel of how the preservation of humanity and what makes us ourselves matters so much and is so worthwhile.
In the end Bill told Joel everything Joel needed to hear in that very moment, and in a weird and symbolic way its almost like we got to see Bill's fantasy of how he wished he would've gotten to live the rest of his life with frank after Joel and Ellie left his town. All together its super beautiful and they used a ton of Music from very crucial parts of the games. I wont say what though
Hope yall enjoyed that explanation of the game. I saw that yall asked at the end of the video so i jumped right on it
the sequence before the title/opening credits is called cold open 😉
Great episode. I loved that at the end the song playing in the car was the song Bill played for Frank on the piano. A Long long time sung by Linda Ronstadt. Linda suffers from MS and cannot perform any more and has not for years. It would be fitting if Frank was in a wheelchair because of MS. That would certainly be poetic.
Ah it has arrived. Welcome to the feels! 😭
I never played the game so I wasn't expecting an emotional love story in the middle of a zombie series. It was very well done.
I think a part of the reason Bill “hated the world and was happy everyone died” is due to him not being able to come out and live life as himself. Frank allowed him to live as himself for the rest of his life ❤
I enjoyed it very much. As someone who has played the game the section with Bill didn't have much impact on the overall plot & was more of a gameplay heavy section. When we meet Bill he was this angry bitter man & by the time we leave him he was still an angry bitter man. Other than some big gameplay set pieces & great banter between Bill & Ellie that part of the game was just a fetch quest for a truck battery.
In the game i personally never really cared for his character. The tv episode made me care. And even though it deviated from the game the end results were still the same. Joel & Ellie got their vehicle. However the episode also served a purpose that the game didn't, it gave Joel the motivation to take responsibility for Ellie. Bill's letter was the catalyst for Joel's change in character towards Ellie. I appreciated that.
14:26 what a beautiful tear 😢❤
The sad music for their last day reminded me of "Stuff We Did" from UP.
Also loved the seatbelt moment with Joel and Ellie
The song is called On The Nature of Daylight by Max Richter. It was also used in the film Arrival
This is one of the finest pieces of television we have ever had! Absolutely brilliant and beautiful from start to finish...
Just in time to keep crying 🤣😂😅😥😢😭😭
I've seen some complaints about this episode from people saying "it's typical bury your gays" but it absolutely isnt.
These characters had a whole episode dedicated to their life together, and in the scope of this post apocalyptic world, they arguably had the best lives and the nicest deaths possible. The world around them died but they LIVED, not survived, lived. And when the most likely cause of death is being torn apart or turning into a cannibalistic fungus puppet, getting old and falling asleep in the arms of the person you love is a win.
Sorry for rambling. This episode blindsided everyone, whether they'd played the game or not. And its hit a very deep spot for so many people
The infected are still conscious to an extent until they become a clicker. Full consciousness at the "runner" stage and semi-consciousness at the "stalker" stage. The infected that Ellie finds is partway between runner and stalker so still has a certain degree of consciousness. If you look closely, it appears to slightly nod at her. Almost asking her to kill it.
Was waiting for your reaction on this episode. I cried so much even if deviating from the game
I like to imagine the "hehehehehehehe" in the letter was like Ron Swansons "hehehehehehehe" moments
You could make a great 'How it started/How it's going' meme from this video. Starting out with smiles, and then...
I've played through both "The Last of Us" games several times and I really enjoyed this episode and the different approach to Frank and Bill's characters. It's really nice to get more insight into their relationship and characters in general.
That being said, I also really enjoyed the part of the game with the original Bill, because he's such a grumpy and constantly angry guy and Ellie, as smart and sassy as she is, knew exactly how to piss Bill off. Or rather, they pissed each other off while Joel had to try to mediate between the two, even though he's not exactly the most empathetic guy for that sort of thing. It's hilarious.
All in all, though, as I said, I'm very glad that the episode allows for a different view of Bill. :)
Pedro Pascal, the world's favourite Adoptive Father
Love this episode so much! I really appreciate their approach to the series, improving on what the game's story introduced, what it has or doesn't have, creating a more impactful drama piece that even the game itself may not deliver.
16:15 "Oh no! Oh." 😁
that was a quick 180
I was the same way Wendy. Nick starts playing piano and bring on the waterworks
It’s too bad you chose to omit the intimate scene after the piano, it was a beautiful, tender and innocent moment of how vulnerable Bill is, having suppressed his true self his whole life. That scene, is one of the sweetest I’ve seen, and done so respectfully with a same sex couple.
Joel told Sarah to put on her seat belt in the first episode, and he told Ellie to put on her seat belt in this episode. He was already in Dad mode.
With the change to Bill and Joel’s relationship, I kind of wished that after walking outside and crumpling up Bills note, Joel had a moment of regret, tried to smooth it out and fold it into his pocket
27:00 Ellie's spaceship comment was a nod to Mando flying Grogu around in his spaceship in Pascal's other show. Either that, or it comes to play later in the game.
Aww, dammit, I waited for you two to see this episode. The love those two characters have is something I wish to gain. Dustin, be like Bill and protect your Frank at all costs.
We have been able to watch this and His Dark Materials because there is a free week preview of HBO and both are very good
Beautiful episode! I never played the game, so this is all amazing and fresh to me. I also didn't start watching the aftershow discussions until now, so I have several to catch up on.
Bill wires his whole town with explosives and traps in the game lol. Quite impressive.
@The Movie Couple,
20:42 Craig Mazin said that it was either MS or ALS that Frank suffers from--they didn't actually decided on one, but it is one of those deceases ='(
We knew about Frank because of the Letters he left behind. There were ups and downs, but it sounded like a lot more downs, and Frank had had enough. He decided to leave Bill, got bit and decided to hang himself. Joel and Ellie find him and deliver a final letter to Bill (if the player decides to pass it on to Bill) and you can see the hurt these two had and that letter didn't help their situation. This story was soooooooo much better and I think the change made to their story makes the story as a whole better, as Joel and Ellie are learning life lessons that's going to come into play as their story moves forward.
This was a really, really good story.
Bill was a 50 year old outcast that wasn't accepted by society. He was very likely pushed out of the social circles his parents were in--he tried, but just didn't fit in. Becoming a survivalist was what he needed to be in this world that wouldn't let him be the man he was, a man who didn't even know who he was either, but he knew women weren't for him.
Bill and Frank's first date is awkward and very interesting. Bill was courting Frank the moment he let him in his home. He let Frank shower, gave him a new pair of clothes, cooked him a 3 star Michelin meal along with some fine wine--who does that?! Frank would have been happy with a sandwich or beef jerky, but he got a meal much finer than any QZ ever served its people. At the table, while Frank ate, bill tossed his hair to the side, and that didn't go unnoticed by Frank, lol. Bill was so uncomfortable for a number of reasons, but probably more so because of the feelings he was having and not being to understand them. When Frank asked him to play the piano, Bills true true feelings were expressed on the keys and by his voice, which is why he touched Frank the way he did. Frank was able to add all that hospitality up, real quick.
I think this story could have been the one Bill and Frank had in the game, but one told in letters we never got to find--we got to see the resource management side of Bill that ticked Frank off. Bill never knew how to live. He's always had to survive. We don't know much about his family, but he only spoke of his mother and it sounds like he was pretty close to her--"it's my mother's...could you not..." 2003 wasn't that long ago, sure, but not that long ago when you consider LGBTQ+ rights over the years, many of which are really, really new. Bill was 50 in 2003, so he grew up at a time that wouldn't have been tolerated. Bill was always in survival mode. It sounded like he tried to make his parents happy--he tried things out with a girl once, and knew immediately that that wasn't for him.
Even after falling for Frank, Bill was still the survivalist, and it wasn't until the couple started falling out and Bill started really listening to Frank did he finally learn to live. Frank was happy to be able to survive, and live a life that was experiencing time in a bubble, unaffected by what the rest of the world was experiencing. Bill knew a lot and could do everything, accept live. That was the one gift, the only gift, Frank could give Bill and he did his best to teach it too him and he did. It started with simple things like dusting the house and keep it clean, to taking care of the lawn and surround plant life, but Frank didn't stop there as their first on screen argument showed. Frank wanted more than their house to be upkept. He wanted the neighborhood to look like a neighborhood! And he wanted the two of them to have friends. And in the end, we see,
Bill sees, that Frank was right. Had Frank not did what he did, Bill would have been dead 10 years ago, and Frank likely sooner. They had medicines because of Tess and Joel. They had comforts of old like strawberries because of Tess and Joel. Bill knew how to survive, and Frank knew how to live.
This was a great story, and there story is going to have a lasting impact on both Joel and Ellie moving forward. I think this change makes the overall story stronger. Can't wait for the next story to drop!
24:03 Far different time line explored in the game. This TV series still gives more depth and back story to the character that will make playing the game that much more impact-full.
me and my gf made the mistake of not having tissues next to us while watching this but i loved the ep
As a person who played the game, I loved this deviation from the game's story. This gave you more insight on Bill and Frank's relationship and Bill gave Joel more motivation to open up and start loving again through his letter. So far in the story of the show, Joel has been closed off and afraid to love since he lost Sarah. He was with Tess for a long period of time and even she said he didn't feel the way she felt. He couldn't even show emotion and mourn Tess's death. This episode will help with establishing the relationship with Joel and Ellie even more as the season goes along.
joel and ellies actors have great chemistry as father daughter. i totally buy it. i know its gonna be gut wrenching finale, gonna break me. cant wait
The general storyline here is similar to that in the game in terms of endpoints, but they expand upon the smaller details hinted at in the game version
This episode reminds me of the montage in UP but with a couple of fellas.
I was not expecting this.🥺. Notice Joel was wearing Frank's plaid shirt. I feel that Bill's letter was the key point for Joel to protect her.
Even moreso than mandalorian, this lines up with another pedro pascal project….Prospect. In it, he is an astronaut-type guy who helps a teen girl on her journey. And since u gave already finished this season, I can also say there is a parallel in that the teen girl has to save him and provide medical care. It’s crazy how much its like last of us lol. From 2018.
@themoviecouple It's ok Wendy I was crying alot during h episode too!!!That was crazy when the item fell in your kitchen and you both jumped. That let's you know how intense a show is lol.
I was so tense thinking Bill was going to die during the raiders' assault, I totally forgot in episode 2 Tess said "Bill and Frank will take her in", and when Ellie asked if Bill and Frank were nice, Joel said "Frank is", meaning both Joel and Tess knew they were both alive in 2023 (though they had no way of knowing about the suicide as apparently it happened only a couple weeks prior). This episode took me for such a ride I forgot about information the show gave us twice
Pedro Pascal, will be on Saturday night live this Saturday, Yaaaa daddy………… with cold play
While I don’t watch TLOU TV Show, but I love how they put Mortal Kombat II (1993) arcade & mentioning Mileena💖.🐲💛💙
I honestly can’t wait for the MK Movie sequel.
This episode was lovely and perfect for the Last of Us Part 1 themes, and this is coming from a gamer perspective. It's a story about love winning. Bill and Frank won. They found each other in an apocalypse, stayed together for 16 years while living in luxury, safety (most of the time), and peace (most of the time). When their time came, they chose the when and how they would die. In addition to showing us the goodness and love in human beings (and this giving us a reason why humans should be saved), they gave additional reasons too - art, music, food, invention, etc. Until now, all we have seen is a lot of evil when it comes from people. But Frank and Bill have shown a lot of reasons why humanity should be saved.
So Bill's Town in the game functions for two main things: Joel and Ellie get a car and Joel has a reason to start bonding with Ellie. The same purpose was accomplished in the show. Bill in the game served more as a warning character to Joel, what he could become if Joel continues pushing away other people (Ellie) and going to survival only. In the show, Bill became a role model for Joel, encouraging him to bond and protect others (Ellie). The game section is hilarious with Bill and Ellie snarking at each other, but it really is just a giant fetch quest. In other words, it's not a big deal that they changed this section in the game. Though fun, it's not an important section.
I cried😢 just finished this ep hope this ep or nick offerman gets nominated
😢 It was a sad and wonderful episode 😢. You're cool guys ❤
I agree with comments I'm seeing about the differences between game bill and show bill and how they're two sides of the same coin and I won't add much more to that. It was a beautiful episode.
But additionally, this episode is showing Ellie's nature. We know she was raised in a military school, we've seen her lash out at Joel, be curious about what Joel & Tess were capable of, stab the guard, drawn in & staring (rather than horrified) at Joel going ape, continually asking for a gun, being fascinated by the stalker, getting a gun.
Ellie is not Sarah. Sarah hid and looked away in fear, Ellie does not and is drawn to the violence.
Sarah tells Joel's story, but she does not tell Ellie's.
This isn't your typical "Lone Wolf and Cub" story.
Dustin, where’d you get your Westworld shirt and does it light up? 😃
This episode went way off the reservation when it comes to the game, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. The only thing that I was disappointed about, was that we didn't get to see the dialog between Bill and Ellie that was so good in the game.
SPOILERS for the game as I want to answer the question about how I felt as someone who knew the story from the game.
I was SO happy about this change because of how much it changed for me. In the game I didn't really like Bill, he was just such an angry, bitter and unpleasant man. When he saw Frank hanging dead from the ceiling after having hung himself I saw a hint of humanity, and the letter from Frank, and the knowledge that Frank had been his partner romantically made me soften slightly as it showcased something more to Bill hiding behind the surface, but yeah... we didn't get enough to make him a character I liked or cared about much.
The show made him one of my favorite characters by showing us his amazing love story with Frank. It was so beautiful to see Frank get through that armor of his, get him to enjoy life again by actually living instead of just surviving, and just giving him that love that he so desperately needed, wanted and deserved. In the game we never met Frank, so I had no real connection with the character, but I LOVED getting to know him in this adaptation, and I 100% understood why Bill fell in love with him. I hope other characters in the future will get the same kind of depth and backstory, because it elevates an already incredible story and makes it even more amazing and beautiful.
I believe that showrunners confirmed that Frank’s illness was either MS or ALS, although episode never specified.
of course we did
In the game, when Joel and Ellie come to Bill, he's alone in a neighborhood he has heavily boobytrapped (like in the show). You never meet Frank, but he is mentioned a lot as Bill's partner (heavily implied romantic partner, but never explicitly stated) who left due to some disagreement with Bill that they never reconciled. As you go through the Bill section of the game, you eventually come across Frank's body and it's revealed he was bit and hung himself to keep form turning.
This section of the game is Joel going to Bill because he and Bill have worked together in the past and he knows Bill, being the super resourceful survivalist that he is, would either have a battery or know where to find one. It's not a very long section of the game, maybe a couple of hours, Bill lives, but you never see Bill again for the rest of the game (his fate is unknown, but I like to think the tough SOB is still alive and well...well, not well...but, ya know...alive).
The way the show adapts this section, for me, is so much better than the game. Incredible episode.
The reason why they didn't detect the smell is because it's been a long time since Joel visited. A the minimum, probably months.
light spoliers, no specifics.
While it was a stand-alone episode, there are moments and themes that will inevitably come back later on. the musical score is something y'all should put a pin on and pay attention to 😉😉. to add, this short story was the song's bridge but we definitely go back home to joel and Ellie.
Gotta start keeping a count of surprised “oh!”s from Dustin.
LOVED this episode and your reaction AND I will never look at bean sprouts the same way again! 🤢
Lol same
I was waiting for this reaction. Last of Us changed my perception of games when I played it a few years ago. It changed my life. I was a casual gamer back then and now I'm a gamer lol, all because of Last of Us. I was so looking forward to this episode. Spoilers, but in the game Bill and Ellie keep insulting each other and it's pretty entertaining. Bill has a truck at a safe house ready to go but just needs a battery, so he leads Joel and Ellie to a High School where there's a destroyed vehicle with a good battery in it, but Frank took it already by the time they get there. Now, in the HS gym is the first time they face a bloater, the big infected you've seen in the trailers, and Bill "helps" kill it. Bill is famous for being bad at helping in the original and remastered versions lol. He's so much better in the remake lol. Afterward, they eventually get to the safe house and they find out that Frank has hung himself. He leaves a suicide note that says he had been bitten.
The game makes it clear that they were together in a relationship, but Frank had enough and was willing to risk going on his own rather than spend another day with Bill. Bill's function is the same in both game and show, although the story is different. They both show Joel his future self. I love both versions equally for the storytelling. Game is more pessimistic with hate and despair, but the show is more love and hopeful.
I'm a little sad that we won't see Nick Offerman and Bella Ramsey insult each other but what we got was so touching and so wonderful that it's hard to complain. Also, the use of Max Richter's On the Nature of Daylight was just perfect. Can't wait for Sunday! Great reaction guys.
BTW Bill doesn't die in the game. He thinks Joel should ditch Ellie, but you can tell he's a softie that's just paranoid and hard to deal with. He owes Joel so that's why he helps him. But Joel's brother isn't the reason he wanted a battery, it's just to get to the destination faster. Later, out of lack of choices, he finally decides to seek out his brother to let him finish the job of escorting Ellie.
I must be more cold-hearted than I've always thought I was, because I haven't shed a tear watching this show yet. Maybe it's because I have no intentions of meeting someone, falling in love, and starting a family. I suppose if I did, I would be crying like so many reactors that I've seen. I don't know what this says about me... but I really like that I'm not emotionally attached. I also refuse to have pets, so I'm covered there too.
that timing of something fell over HAHAHA
Impeccable
This episode had more to do with Joel's character than many realize. Even if you haven't seen him. Bill and Joel are both bitter and alone. However, the development of Bill clearly showed the differences, as one of them was willing to let a person into his life. As a result, despite the almost similar mindsets at the beginning, Bill got a long full and happy life. Joel, on the other hand, is stuck. So yes, the episode was important and not just because of the farewell letter at the end. It showed that there is hope, even if Joel doesn't have one yet.
This episode showed that people are important to be happy. We are usually herd animals.
The parallel to the infected is Frank here in this episode. The head is clear, but his multiple sclerosis or ALS (probably) has control over his body. The infected are at least partly aware of their actions, at least in the first stage. In the game, they even cry. They also cry while eating their friends.
And through this episode we also know that Tess and Joel have known each other for more than 13 years and that they were still "decent" people 7 years after the outbreak. At least that's what Joel says to Bill here. But that is doubtful. Tess told Ellie that they weren't good people and just before her death she told Joel to do all the shit they did right.
I've loved the game so much. It honestly spoiled me because, at my late age, was the very first video game I ever played. And nothing has compared. The show is doing the same thing giving me all the feels.
Game Spoilers below for anyone that wants to avoid. Only up to where the show is, not beyond.
What happens in this chapter of the game is totally different. Lots more fighting thru infected, less love and heart. Frank and Bill had been a couple, but it ended badly and Frank left. You find his body after he killed himself bc he got bitten while trying to leave town. You find a letter from him to Bill. It's pretty bitter and harsh. You can choose to share it with Bill or not. If you do he crumples it and throws it, like Joel did.
I think what was in the game was fine for a game you play thru, but not great for a show you watch. What they did in this show is a million times better, as a story in general imo, but specifically for this kind of content. It was so beautiful.
Also Bill served the same purpose here as he did in the game, but sort of thru the looking glass version. In the game, Bill is paranoid and closed off and went fully that direction to the point he drove off the one person he loved who loved him. Here he goes the other way and let's Frank pull him toward love and humanity and connection. In both cases it's a look for Joel at who he could become. In the game Bill is a warning about what happens when you shut off from everything and in the show he is proof of what you can have if you take a risk and allow yourself to be vulnerable.
At the end of the show, exactly like the end of this chapter of the game, Joel and Ellie drive off in the truck Bill gives them. It gets from the same point A to point B, but the journey as a passive viewer is so much more emotional and satisfying as a show. Contrast in the game, the active participation toward the goal makes more sense. I love this change.
The movie couple yes last of us tv show series are awesome
Hi Can you react to the Hulu series *Reservation Dogs* by Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi ?
It is the first series to feature all indigenous writers and directors along with the cast being mostly Indigenous actors and actresses
It's so much better than the game in terms of emotional storytelling. The game version made sense for the game flow, but it was more of a quick cautionary tale. Somehow they made it so Bill still teaches Joel the same lesson about needing to open your heart to others despite Bill making completely different decisions to get there. Just beautiful.
Great reaction video. Thank you. 💗
I love this more but in the game we get to see Ellie and Bill bark at each other.
This episode is a huge deviation from the game and majority think its great.
I won't say much about the game to avoid spoilers in-case you're interested in playing or just watching cut scenes. But I think the main similarity this episode has with the game is the message, lesson or just realization Joel gets from Bill. And Bill and Frank being gay is hinted at in the game but never truly explored upon, and being someone who has played the game I find this episode to be a wonderful addition.
in the game bill was just a rearm and a truck then theyve gone their separate ways. so this episode doesnt ruin the game.
Tampons have a general shelf life of 5 years. 20 is... probably not a good idea.
While I am bummed we didn't get to see a snarky interaction between Ellie and Bill, and that they omitted one of the better sections of the game, trying to pull off that entire sequence within a single episode would have been a near impossible task. Nevertheless, I'm completely satisfied with this beautiful character study of Bill. Excited to see where they take the series next.
Writers say Frank had MS or early-ALS. Not cancer.
I think it's too early in the series to think it deviated too much. Frank and Bill can still return later in Seasons 2 or 3 cause there is a 10-13 year gap of a relationship with Tess and Joel they haven't told yet. So Im thinking maybe a lot of what happened in that thirteen years can still be made into stories later on.