[This post contains spoilers for The Last of Us episode three]
The Last of Us did the unthinkable: it made me care for a conspiracy theory-obsessed survivalist.
Episode three of the HBO series, “Long Long Time,” largely sidelined Joel and Ellie heading west in favor of introducing Bill (played by Parks and Recreation star Nick Offerman) and Frank (The White Lotus favorite Murray Bartlett). They have the cutest of meet cutes: Frank falls into one of Bill’s traps outside of his otherwise deserted compound. It’s a familiar story from there: Bill threatens to shoot and kill Frank if he doesn’t leave, but instead ends up making him dinner. By the end of the night, they’re playing Linda Ronstadt songs on the piano and having sex. Twenty years later, they’re still together.
It’s a lovely, emotional episode, with incredible casting. The Last of Us co-showrunner Craig Mazin was inspired by another prestige drama when he offered the part of Frank to Offerman. “Well, I remember Vince Gilligan, who is, you know, even though I’ve never taken a class with Professor Gilligan, I’m happy enough to know him, and I’ve studied his work,” he told TV Insider. “And one of the things that Vince Gilligan has always said is when in doubt, hire funny people, cast funny people.”
Bryan Cranston going from Malcolm in the Middle to Breaking Bad is the definitive example of this, but Offerman (who was also excellent in Devs) entered the funny guy-in-a-dramatic role pantheon after one episode — and only one episode, as Frank and Bill decide take their lives on the same day. “You were my purpose.”
“Long Long Time” (named after the Ronstadt song) has people emotional.
Bill & frank hit me harder now in live action i can’t handle iti’m sobbing rainbows#TheLastOfUs #TheLastOfUsHBO #tlou pic.twitter.com/YSqHtGcMnt
— Mirr Save Motherland: Fort Salem (@shinebrightx_x) January 30, 2023
Im@not well…BILL FRANK FUCKKK pic.twitter.com/EczSsAtX2e
— brynnie (@arcane_brainrot) January 30, 2023
the wedding &’ wine scene between Bill & Frank #TheLastOfUs pic.twitter.com/LNyOiecEAO
— cariño (@VSTROB0Y) January 30, 2023
there’s something so painful about bill & frank because while all the other deaths in the show were based the apocalyptic circumstances, frank is dying from a human problem that existed even before the pandemic, it’s definitely the hardest death for me to grasp in #tlou so far
— cass ♡ | OSCAR NOMINEE PAUL MESCAL (@friendstoIover) January 30, 2023
bill & frank got me bawling
— derek hale’s baby mama (@TheHorrorHottie) January 30, 2023
my heart is in pieces !!! i’d watch a whole series on bill + frank if i could #TheLastOfUs
— sana (@sanatrbI) January 30, 2023
I just want the writers of #TheLastOfUs on @hbomax to know what a beautiful, perfect, job they did on Bill & Frank’s backstory. pic.twitter.com/Xu5wemBZPF
— Geefbird (@GeefBird) January 30, 2023
me the entirety of the bill+frank storyline during last of us episode 3 pic.twitter.com/Wdrrydrx7c
— eda (@gaywardd) January 30, 2023
#TheLastOfUs EP.3 brings so much depth to Bill & Frank’s relationship that the game only alluded to. THIS is why this show was made. It’s not just retelling the story of the game, it’s adding weight to previously unexplored territory that the game only briefly mentioned. pic.twitter.com/OZ1RXZVoKP
— Sam (@samspeaksmovies) January 30, 2023
That episode was top tier!! The emotion I feel for Bill & Frank!!! *chefs kiss * #LastOfUs #LastofUsHBO
— Chev Shaunae (@Heir2Malibu) January 30, 2023