The following contains spoilers for The Last of Us Season 1, Episode 3, "Long Long Time," which debuted Sunday, Jan. 29 on HBO.
Emotional reactions to the third episode of HBO's The Last of Us have not gone unnoticed by series co-creator Neil Druckmann.
"Why is everyone crying? That was the happy episode!" Druckmann tweeted following the premiere of Episode 3, "Long Long Time" and its tragic, live-action take on the Bill/Frank dynamic, first seen in 2013's The Last of Us video game. Co-game director of The Last of Us Part II Kurt Margenau responded to Druckmann's tweet by saying, "Life with Neil Druckmann."
Unlike the first two episodes of The Last of Us, "Long Long Time" deviated from its source material by focusing specifically on survivalist Bill's (Nick Offerman) history with his "partner" Frank (Murray Bartlet), a queer relationship only alluded to in Naughty Dog's 2013 game. Beginning in 2003 -- the year the Cordyceps pandemic started -- Episode 3 tracked Bill and Frank's romance through various time jumps, such as their first meeting in Bill's walled-off town, becoming a couple, and eventually meeting Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Tess (Anna Torv).
How Bill and Frank's Story Informs The Last of Us' Major Themes
Co-showrunner Craig Mazin explained the reasoning behind this major The Last of Us story change and how it will impact the story going forward. "The idea was to show these two people functioning in a relationship, two very different people who have different concepts of how to love," he said. "And in their relationship and their two different ways of loving, both outward and inward, we create a kind of thematic codex for the whole show."
Reviews for "Long Long Time" have been overwhelmingly positive, with critics deeming it the best episode of the HBO adaptation so far. CBR's The Last of Us review praised Offerman and Bartlet's performances and the episode's bittersweet, yet hopeful tone, calling it, "a much-appreciated standalone story that still brings the immense level of heartbreak fans have associated with the franchise."
Looking ahead, the promo for Episode 4 of The Last of Us teased that Joel and Ellie will navigate multiple scenes pulled straight from the game's Pittsburgh level, though its in-show location has been changed to Kansas City. Druckmann confirmed that the show will adapt unused content from his and Bruce Straley's game, including a flashback centered on Ashley Johnson as Ellie's mother, Anna. Following its nine-episode run, The Last of Us will return for a second season, though it's unknown if the show will adapt the game's award-winning, but controversial sequel The Last of Us Part II.
A release date for Season 2 has not been confirmed yet. New episodes of The Last of Us premiere Sundays at 9 p.m. EST on HBO and HBO Max.
Source: Twitter