absolute masterpiece. Going down as one of the best in history
Wow. That was some compelling sh*t.
What a fantastic episode. All the feels. Anything is possible. True love can't be stopped. Even in a Zombie Pandemic.
Usual disclaimer: never played the game, so I'm judging the series - not how much it resembles the videogame or how much it portrays my love for it.
Saying this cause of the amount of overenthusiastic reviews by fans of the game, which put this next to the greatest series ever after 2 episodes...
I found out a thing I never thought about before: the show is suffering a little for bringing too faithfully the videogame experience in some scenes. Which translated to a series some standard horror movie choices. It happened last time with the clicker sitch: it happens that they have to pass through a dark museum, creates a great setting for a videogame bit, but it's a little forced for a series/movie. Here again when Ellie goes in the basement alone. Come on. We can create 270 horrors by having a protagonist go into every basement, every corridor, every empty house and dark corner.. but it should have a solid motivation, not "girl thinks it's a good idea to go alone in a manhole in a infected-creatures world, finds a creature and decides to go close cause why not".
It does its best when it's telling a story and showing a world: through flashbacks, interactions, travelling.. when it goes too much into the "videogame level" kind of stuff, it gets redundant.
The part with Bill & Frank was remarkable, sweet and tragic and human at once. A depiction of a life spent together and what makes it worth living.
small IMO: Nick Offerman should try to convey emotions with his voice as well, his tone hardly changes
An absolutely stunning hour of television with a triumph of a performance from Nick Offerman. Gorgeously crafted so that the horror comes from your own expectations based on the genre + what has come before in the series so far. And it was an amazing adaptation from the game in that it introduced a vital character and moved the story along as it needed to, but in a new and exciting way. This did NOT go the way that I (or anyone who has played the game) thought it would- and that's a good thing.
Superb , a super episode ; I don’t know why but It reminds me of The Leftovers . Both actors are just incredible … “But from an objective point of view It’s incredible romantic……”
Gosh, this episode was beautiful.
It’s always strawberries. From Shakespeare to Firefly to The Last of Us.
wow, I want a spin off series about Bill & Frank!!
Wait, how the hell would Ellie even begin to know what a damn deodorant stick is?
This episode is one thing above all: boring. And an unnecessary gap filler.
And the Emmy goes to....
Nick Offerman!
For his performance in The Last of Us episode 3!
Nick receives the Emmy to a standing ovation and mumbles " this should also go to Murray Bartlett, he deserves this as much as I do"
" But thank you, nonetheless"
Walks of stage with the statue held up high to a roaring applause
This was an absolutely outstanding piece of drama - not at all expected but wonderfully put together and juxtaposing Joel dealing with the loss of Tess in the previous episode.
the one not needed, it is just the shove LGBTQ in our faces, they extinct. worse episode ever.
It was strange that they added a gay couple in the story. What was the need for this? In my opinion, the third episode had little quality and it was possible that the story could have gone in a different way.
An uncomfortable subject matter for an old fogey like me, it took awhile for me to get thru it.
But, holy cow! I had tears in my eyes at the near end!
One of the best single episodes I’ve seen in a long long time! Nick offerman and Murray Bartlett are fantastic as bill and frank!
I think it’s a bit of a plot hole to expect them to not be over run by someone at some point but it doesn’t detract at all from the episode!
A 15 out of 10!
In the realm of episodic television, the series’ latest instalment has already garnered a reputation as a potential masterpiece. It is also divisive, as it deviates significantly from the source material in some key aspects. While some fans may appreciate the creative liberties taken by the showrunners Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin, others may feel betrayed by the changes that alter the characters’ essence and relationships.
First and foremost, we must talk about Nick Offerman’s masterful performance—it’s easily the best of his career and a testament to his acting abilities. He brings the character to life in a way that’s nothing short of skilful. Offerman delivers a nuanced and layered portrayal in his portrayal of Bill, a gruff and paranoid survivalist who hides his vulnerability behind a mask of cynicism and sarcasm.
Yet, while there is much to admire in the third instalment, I can’t help but air out some concerns about the changes made. While I don’t mind the alterations to Bill and Frank’s storyline—since that is par for the course nowadays—I do mind the portrayal of Ellie by Bella Ramsey. Ramsey’s depiction of the character is distant from the Ellie we know and love from the games. The personality traits and characteristics that made Ellie such a complex and interesting character are lost in this adaptation. The acting is tonally inconsistent, lacking in nuance and failing to evoke any sense of empathy from the viewer. Ramsey looks nothing like Ellie from the game, which is not necessarily a problem if she can embody her personality.
The writing is also to blame for not giving the character any complexity or emotion, lacking the fire, bravery, compassion, and vulnerability that made Ellie so real and relatable in the game. Her relationship with Joel also suffers from a lack of development and chemistry. The father-daughter bond that is essential to the story seems to be neglected in the series so far. I hope that these issues will be resolved in the remaining episodes because they are holding back an otherwise superb show.
That said, we’re only three episodes in, and there’s still plenty of time for the show to course-correct and iron out these issues. While I’m not a purist who only insists on 100 per cent faithful adaptations of the source material, changes must be made with great care and attention to detail.
01x03 - Long, Long Time: 7.8/10 (Good)
The Frank and Bill portion of this episode, which felt like most of it, would have made for a lovely short film, and it was excellently executed to the point that I was holding back tears near the end of the couples' lives, but it felt shoehorned in and didn't really serve the main plot, other than Joel being able to get the truck and extra supplies.
This episode justifies the entire show existing wowie.
This show started off dull, 3 whole episodes in, it's boring as hell. I doubt it could get any worse if they tried.
Rather disappointed with this episode. While it's very well written, I fail to see the purpose of exploring a character and his backstory, if you are going to kill him off in the same episode and not use any of that material for further development. I'm also sad that we did not get to witness the epic banter between Ellie and Bill that was one of the highlights for me from the game. I'm left confused by the choices HBO is making here. We'll see where the rest of it goes.
Bill's story was always a bit under cooked in the game. What a great way to rewrite it. Offerman and Bartlett are perfect.
Definitely why I don't run for fun! A cautionary tale. It will age and kill you essentially overnight :)
Meh, at least we got over it quickly so we can move on to the real stuff without interruptions.
Episode 3 was maybe the best character driven story in any zombie tv show ever written, even without any zombies in the episode (well, none that were pivotal to the plot, anyhow). Bill and Frank were lucky to find each other. Bill wouldn't have made it all that much longer on his own.
Those who rate it with a 1 because A) think a love story that also connects to the main characters doesn't serve this show or B) think this love story is put in so HBO can check the 'lhbt inclusion' box are so wrong. A) well, self-explanatory, B) as someone who's gay and anti-woke I can say this is nowhere near propaganda. It's beautifully written and performed and it serves the story so well. I didn't expect to cry so much in a zombie-themed series and definitely wasn't ready for it! For those who missed zombie action, I think there will be plenty of killin' in the following episodes.
I feel like I’ve been shot.
the grumpy one is soft for the sunshine one ugly sobs
I cried throughout the entire episode!
Anyone who didn’t cry through this is a FireFly…and a fart
My heart just shattered into one million pieces
Linda Ronstadt - Long long time:
Love will abide, take things in stride
Sounds like good advice but there's no one at my side
And time washes clean love's wounds unseen
That's what someone told me but I don't know what it means
'Cause I've done everything I know to try and make you mine
And I think I'm gonna love you for a long long time
Caught in my fears
Blinking back the tears
I can't say you hurt me when you never let me near
And I never drew one response from you
All the while you fell all over girls you never knew
'Cause I've done everything I know to try and make you mine
And I think it's gonna hurt me for a long long time
Wait for the day
You'll go away
Knowing that you warned me of the price I'd have to pay
And life's full of flaws
Who knows the cause?
Living in the memory of a love that never was
'Cause I've done everything I know to try and change your mind
And I think I'm gonna miss you for a long long time
'Cause I've done everything I know to try and make you mine
And I think I'm gonna love you for a long long time
Literally bawled my eyes out so much during this episode:sob: it was so beautiful and I loved seeing bill and franks life together they are amazing and I love them
A really unnecessary episode tbh.
Trash filler crap dookie episode
Ouch! My heart hurts. That was such beautiful storytelling. It was so moving.
Why they put lgbt shit in shows ?
Legit one of the best cinematic stories told in a filler episode of a tv show.
Had to watch this show again, just because of this episode. I needed something wholesome and this did the tricks as I suspected.
THIS EPISODE IS DEDICATED
TO "ANNIE WERSCHING"
(The Original Tess
From the video game).
Who Has Sadly Passed
Away From Cancer.
Craig Mazin
Has Confirmed A
Special Tribute Has
Been Added To
This Episode.
She's Definitely My
Favourite.
Very Very Sad
Bless Her Soul.
Her Portrayal
Of Tess Was Flawless,
What An Outstanding performance.
Thank-You Annie
For The Best Version
Of Tess.
8.5/10
Sensational
Well that was left field
and no iconic meeting
of Ellie and Bill
plus the upside down
survival set-piece scene,
I was really looking forward
to seeing that all
play out in the live
action show it would have
been Epic.
that being said
and having a hole
1H 17M
deviation by the end I
was sold on the massive
change up.
Bill and Frank's sexual
preference was never
ever stated in the game
Bill only refers to
Frank as his partner*
because originally
Neil Druckmann
wrote Bill and Frank
as police Detectives
before the world went
to hell in a hand basket,
hence partner*
but later Neil rewrote
Bills back story so
the
audience/game players
could interpret for
themselves
If they believed
Bill and Frank
were Straight or Gay.
Neil purposely left
that open in the game
for everyone to have
their own personal
Interpretation,
but not once is it
ever stated either way
After Neil changed it
before the games official
release
(June 14th 2013).
So okay we've had
No interpretation
Interpretation
No Question speaks
for itself.
Do I prefer the games
Events at that part
Yes definitely
(If it ain't broke..)
was this episode a
Gamble, yes
but at the end of this
episode for me it
Landed and hit me right
in the feels so it still got
the job done of what it
needed to achieve.
craig mazin, hack of the year, said this libertarian is a good person cuz he's a GAY libertarian jfc
Everything good that is said about this chapter is true.
thoughts during ep3
damn bro i wasnt in for this
I'm glad I can watch in fast forward..... On to the next episode where hopefully something will happen. Really thought this was going to be fun having Oferman show up, but then blahhhhh.
Eh. It was a nice story but done wayyyyyyy better in the game. It was way funnier that Frank left out of loathing of Bill and left a really scathing, hateful letter after hanging himself before succumbing to an infection. Also Bill gets to live in the game and interact with Ellie.
This gave me chills of the Arrival movie soundtrack…
I am deeply emotionally unstable after this episode. just fucking gutted. Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett absolutely destroyed me as Bill and Frank. Their tender romance and its tragic end have left me utterly discombobulated. And Joel getting that letter in the end eviscerated me.
Episode 3 is a well written well acted bunch of disconnected nonsense. Again Hollywood just pushing their unwanted culture shift agenda. Totally unnecessary but predictable.
That said it is very high production value, both scripting and pacing are top notch.
I wanted scary, not sad. The episode is very slow, and honestly felt like it was over 2 hours long. While it was heartfelt, as already stated, it’s waaaaayyy too early for a filler episode. This hurt the series for me, and I’ve already lost some interest because of it
Did a whole lot of skipping on this episode. I get it your trying to tie things end, but this episode dragged on way to long. What annoys me is you for a secure base with traps and guarded fences. Home. Food. Bunker full of Weapons. Electricity. Gas. Hot showers. and you choose to leave. WTF??
Definitely the best episode so far. Maybe because there isn't Ellie?
This was seriously depressing shit. Didn't like it.
Also major goof: Joel and Ellie walk across a path in the forest that's been treaded so often its free of vegetation.... Wait. What? It's it zombie-highway? After 10 years that would be overgrown. For sure.
The grass near the crashed plane looks also as if it was neatly cutted by a machine last week.
Until this episode, I was positively surprised how good the series retold the story of game. But this episode added so much the story but just changing a few things. And damn it hit right in the feels.
It was beautiful indeed, but honestly i kinda was expecting for more... Don't get me wrong, the whole story of Bill and Frank is soooo beautiful. It's basically a grown-up version of "All That's Left in World" or a apocalyptic gay version of "UP". I loved it, but just wishing there could be more stories about them, and more scenes of the days of their lives together... But after all, I'm still very touched, and grateful that finally, we can see a gay love story portraited like this, in a mainstream tele show. Good work HBO!
I wasn't ready for this.
(321-word review) My first thought after the episode was over is that critics and your average audience are incredibly extravagant, especially with their words. Critics considered this episode the season's best by far, with some considering it among the best television. Most average viewers seemingly agree on top of the ocean of tears accompanying that. Extravagant.
Regardless, this episode was different than the game, and I'm not saying that negatively. Its intention, in my opinion, seemed to concern filling in a gap/expanding the backstory of Bill and Frank since there wasn't any of this in the game; the outcome/ending of everything related to that, however, strayed off the source material path. I'm sure some people didn't like that part, but I didn't care that much. Let's face it. If you're not Joel, Ellie, or Tommy, you're not that important, with less screen time to boot in the game. That applies to who I'm talking about, whether people like it or not.
While I never became all choked up or full-on bawling, which is 100% the reaction by the majority and is a little baffling, this episode was well-done.
The cinematography by Eben Bolter was great, and that first shot (as Joel walks away from the stream) took me a second to realize what a fantastic one it was. The score, especially the cue during the montage of Bill and Frank leading up to the dinner, was good.
Nick Offerman's acting was good, and from the sound of his voice, he also tapped into the consciousness of Nicolas Cage; Murray Bartlett's acting wasn't as good but still decent, and I noticed Frank's resemblance in the present to Jordan Peterson. And the final scenes with Joel and Ellie were their best moments yet.
The catch is I wasn't on board with the arguable point of this episode, which was swaying the emotions and opening the tear ducts. That's not me.
Sufficiently entertaining, though.
They 100% didn’t have to do hit us with the flashback reel of bill and Frank:sob::sob::sob::sob::sob:, this is probably the best episode I’ve seen in a show in awhile
Halfway through and this episode is fucking amazing omg
watching the third episode is like watching a great movie! never played the game before.
Lol, ypu crazy … :eyes::eyes::laughing::laughing:
Aww, man. I was doing fine until the letter
Wow I wasn't ready for this! This episode was an emotional rollercoaster. What a masterpiece! Ive been crying rivers. Wow! Pure perfection!
I seriously thought that Frank will at some point kill Bill. Haha, what a twist “Kill Bill”. It turned out to be a total surprise. This episode is not scary and creepy at all, which makes it special compared to the first two. If Don’t expect a adrenaline rush here.
One of the greatest love stories on television. I haven't cried with an episode for a long time and that episode hurt my heart so bad
I think I have depression now. HBO knows for sure how to keep me hyped til House of the Dragon 2. PEAK TV
Just so different compared to the fist two episodes
A masterpiece. Kino of the highest order.
Well, guys... Was it beautiful? Yes it was. Was it The Last of Us? Nope.
Thou shall not diss on any episode where the great Offerman appears.
Nick and Murray are absolute fantastic actors. Top notch episode for a top notch show. Acting, writing, directing, cinematography is all blowing my mind. Pedro is awesome. This is the way.
Wow never seen so many comments straight after the airing of an episode and they were completely divided
Thanks for this tiny beautiful story.
Did not see that one coming! Still loved it!
Best tv episode of anything I have seen in forever
This episode perfectly builds up Joel’s newfound devotion to Ellie. He is broken from failing at saving his daughter and Tess, but through Bill’s encouragement, is able to lean into his purpose as a protector, just like Bill. Great acting, especially Pedro Pascal’s at the end, and brilliant directing/writing.
Damn...! That was such a emotional rollercoaster......
Absolutely incredible episode. Loved every minute of it esp relationship between Bill and Frank was portrayed so well.
What an emotional rollercoaster! This is by far the best episode yet!
What a beautiful episode; I'll never be able to hear that Linda Ronstadt song again without thinking of it. Can Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett be considered for guest acting awards in tandem?
Loved the Cumberland Farms shout out.
Shout by Ilko AngelovBlockedParent2023-01-31T11:59:31Z
Truly one of the best TV episodes ever made. I love that the show is building so much on what was already heavily implied in the game, but also staying incredibly true to it. I'm having trouble seeing how they are going to continue to top themselves with future episodes as the first three have been masterpieces.