Episode 3 of HBO’s adaptation of The Last of Us has created a great deal of controversy—and rightly so. This installment diverges boldly from the first video game, giving us a new and intimate introduction to the bond between Bill and Frank. Gamers will remember Bill as a gruff, lone survivor in a booby-trapped town, where little is revealed of his relationship with Frank. The series itself, however, goes much further, providing a touching and engaging narrative that is unique to the show’s overall narrative.
Joel and Ellie journey to the town of Lincoln in hopes of finding Bill, who may have a car to aid them on their quest. Bill is shown to be a nervous loner, and the extent of his relationship with Frank is only inferred from a heartbreaking suicide letter. The game is mostly about survival and action, and much of their past and their connection has to be imagined by the player.
The television series does things differently. Episode 3 spends almost its entire length detailing Bill and Frank’s life together, building a poignant love story amidst the devastation of a world devastated by an apocalypse. Nick Offerman’s Bill is a grizzled survivalist who has militarized his town to the point where it is all but impenetrable. When Frank, portrayed by Murray Bartlett, unwittingly sets off one of Bill’s traps, their lives become connected in surprising and lovely ways. What ensues is a poignant examination of love, friendship, and the pursuit of meaning in a shattered world.
Executive producer Craig Mazin has said that this episode is not just about survival, but about finding purpose and deciding how to live and die on one’s terms. That richer understanding of Bill’s experience is a refinement of the game’s more solitary and melancholy vision for the character, adding themes of love and satisfaction to an otherwise bleak environment.
Reactions to this episode have been varied. Numerous critics and audience members have responded positively to it, commending its emotional resonance and how it further develops the series. Others have criticized, complaining that the episode deviates too much from the original storyline of the game by developing a subplot that does not advance the main plot directly. Nevertheless, the warm and honest relationship that is shown on screen is immensely powerful, providing a new angle on the post-apocalyptic storyline.
In the end, Episode 3 of The Last of Us stands as a brilliant demonstration of how adaptation can take old ideas and give them fresh life. Whether a veteran of the game or new to the narrative, this episode provides a deeply moving and unforgettable encounter that attests to the lasting strength of love in the darkest of times.