The Last of Us – Long, Long Time review S1 E3

It was a pretty bold move for The Last of Us to put the infected zombies on time out to focus on a love story in its third episode.

Maybe even more surprising was how effective it was in showing the series’ dexterity and its refusal to be typecast as just another brainless zombie show.

The episode opens with Joel still struggling to process his emotions over Tess’ death. He’s clearly hardened his emotions since losing his daughter Sarah, but Tess’ death hits different.

Elle tries to engage him in conversation before giving up and reminding him that she didn’t force him or Tess to do anything. He can be upset that Tess is dead, but Joel can’t take it out on her. Fair.

With that minor victory accomplished, Elle tries for another one and asks about the pistol Joel has since he’s got the rifle. Joel isn’t biting but does entertain Elle’s amazement over seeing a crashed plane and his insight on the cause of the pandemic.

Elle stumbles onto the mass grave Joel wanted her to avoid — the handiwork of soldiers “evacuating“ people. Dead people can’t be infected, Joel coldly states.

The luxury of a series over a game is the show can take an episode on a subplot that might get briefly mentioned in the game.

In this case we’re taken back to 2003 when a community was evacuated. The truly horrifying aspect was seeing the woman with her baby in the same clothes adorning the skeletons in the mass grave.

One lone guy (Nick Offerman) doesn’t take the trek. He’d been prepared for something — maybe not a viral outbreak — but like any good survivalist he was ready. He’s got surveillance feeds, booby traps and was ready to raid from local stores and homes for any and all supplies he needs to run his generators. The dude even has chickens and cattle for steaks!

Fast forward four years and our dude is still surviving and thriving. And one of his traps snares a polite enough guy who introduces himself as Frank (Murray Bartlett).

Bill seems awkward but it’s not quite clear if it’s because he’s intrinsically suspicious or for lack of human interaction in four years. No, it turns out he’s digging Frank. And the interest is mutual.

Three years later, Frank and Bill are in a normal routine like an old married couple. Frank’s been communicating via radio with sole familiar faces — Tess and Joel — who actually swing by for a visit. Frank is big on trading and he and Tess hit it off like old friends while Joel and Bill are kindred spirits in their distrust of strangers.

Joel is impressed with their setup but warns Bill that while the infected will be taken care of by his defenses, raiders will come for them. Bill isn’t worried though. It took three years, but Joel’s warning of raiders comes true as a group of raiders come on an invasion run only to get repelled by Bill’s defense system. Bill had everything covered from barb wire, electrified fencing to flame throwers. In that fray, Bill gets shot and it seems like he’s going to die a seriously painful and senseless death.

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Plot twist. Bill survived and we’ve advanced another decade to 2023. Ironically, Frank is in terrible shape now and is moving around in wheelchair. There’s the suggestion that Frank is dying from cancer but no real confirmation of the disease/illness that’s been slowly killing him.

Bill dutifully cares for him and has been a loving/supportive partner but doesn’t know if he can go along with Frank’s request to perform an assisted suicide. Eventually, Frank’s plea convinces Bill, who takes it a step further and adds enough pills in the wine bottle, so he’ll die with his love.

It’s a touching and emotional conclusion to their arc — one that didn’t have a lot of craziness besides that one shoot out with the raiders. This was basically Love in the Time of Infection exploring a nearly 20-year romance with two people making the most of this weird period of their life with someone they could love right until the end. We should all be so fortunate.

Joel and Elle arrive at the compound/sanctuary and as one of the few people with the access code, Joel gets pass the traps and defenses already leery of his friends’ fate. Elle actually finds the farewell note and keys to a car in the garage. Joel keeps his composure, but losing two more friends in addition to Tess is clearly weighing on him.

Elle is amazed at Bill’s gun collection, yet Joel still won’t let her have one. This doesn’t seem like the most reasonable approach, but Joel probably doesn’t want someone who doesn’t know how to shoot getting him killed in a shootout. Not that he’d know about Elle’s shooting prowess. No matter since Elle finds a gun in Bill’s desk while Joel is showering and stows it in her backpack. This will clearly come into play later this season.

While they were in a quarter of the episode, Joel and Elle’s dynamic got some needed progression. Elle can be legitimately thrilled and amazed at small things like an old Mortal Kombat II arcade game or the little intricacies of a car yet still have a rebellious, mischievous streak like opening the letter addressed to Joel (or whomever) and sneaking a gun.

At the same time, Joel is starting to thaw out and not be as distant with Elle. Keeping a healthy distance from attachment is a good strategy for Joe to avoid losing any more people he cares about, but it’s also a lonely way to live.

Long, Long Time feels like an episode that will age very well in the history of the series despite its lack of larger meaning to the series beyond a supply drop for Joel and Elle. Between the genuinely touching performances of Offman and Bartlett it showed how fluid The Last of Us is in telling stories beyond fighting off the infected and shady people. Sometimes it’s just about the courage to experience life with a true love.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10

Photo Credit: HBO

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