The Last of Us Season 1 Episode 3 review: Long, Long Time

If there is one thing The Last of Us has given us, it’s sheer heartbreak in a cruel world. The episode “Long, Long Time” is no exception.

But sometimes love comes along that you can’t deny. Even though death is right on the edge, there are moments to live in the present that you have to let yourself feel.

We got to see that example in season 1 episode three of The Last of Us. The best episode of the series so far and many believe the best of the entire season.

This episode really set the bar for romance in an apocalyptic show. I doubt we will see anything like it again.

When the episode aired, we already knew that Joel and Ellie were presently making their way to Bill and Frank for help. As that happens, the audience got the fortune to see these two men change from enemies to lovers.

A trope that’s been tried in apocalyptic dramas but has never been done to this level of perfection, chemistry, and intimate love. Choosing each other in a time of need but also, it’s very real at the same time.

You can sense if these two met in the outside world before all this happened, they would hit it off and replay what we are seeing now. At first Joel is obviously carrying the weight of losing Tess.

He’s even more quiet that usual, as Ellie keeps asking question after question. He’s a silent but a kind caregiver for her.

Ellie is using Joel’s jacket as a blanket to keep her legs warm. When she asks if he wants it back, he declines.

She tells Joel not to blame her for something that isn’t her fault. He nods to her in agreement.

It was Joel and Tess’s choice to bring her so he could get his battery and other supplies. In that moment, he did need to realize that.

Upon hitting the jackpot with some Tampax pearls, Ellie gets her first kill underground in a place Joel took her to get some supplies he left. We really get to see a closeup at the infected man’s face and what the fungus is doing do it, before she angrily stabs him in the head.

It is a little bit humorous what Ellie can get away with under Joel’s eye. The power dynamic and sarcasm between Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey are spot on.

Bella is marvelous at keeping the comedy on the rise in such serious situations. We finally get to see Joel say more than a few words to her.

Ellie asks Joel how everything started. Obviously, she wasn’t around for the fall and has only been told stories about it.

He explains to her his best explanation for it, which is food supply contamination. She thanks him for telling her.

Joel even goes so far to try to protect her from seeing some bad things on the road. He wants to cut across the field, but the fearless child wants to see it.

But they come across a bone graveyard. He tells her soldiers came across the countryside and went through some towns, telling the people they’d be going to the QZ.

If there was no room, they were all executed.

The Last of Us Season 1 Episode 3 – Welcome to Bill’s universe

We travel all the way back to December of 2003, to where the greatness all began. The soldiers are rounding people up to take away and we get to meet Bill.

He has guns, ammo, superior security, everything you would ever need in an underground bunker. When the coast is clear Bill takes a truck and rounds the city for all the supplies to last him a long while.

This includes gas for his high-powered generator, plants his own garden for fresh food, chickens, and a supply of wine that rivals the best of them. He even sets up sneaky offensive weapons for anything that gets too close.

Frank comes along getting stuck in one of Bill’s traps. He has set up quite the security fence around his property, that of military grade.

Frank tells him he’s just trying to get to Boston. Anyone who steps on his land is an enemy.

Bill is very cautious and paranoid, scanning him to make sure he’s not infected, and he isn’t.

The Last of Us Season 1 Episode 3 – This is not an Arby’s

Frank pleads for a bite to eat before he goes to Boston. Bill being Bill, is not about to let that happen.

If he does than everyone Frank comes across could potentially tell the tale and people would know where to find him. In a post-apocalyptic world what Bill has built is like heaven on Earth.

In a change of events, he does let Frank come in and get a shower. Even offering him some new clothes to change into before dinner.

Bill is still weary, but he comes in setting a lovely dinner down of meat and vegetables along with a bottle of wine. Frank comes across his piano and gets excited to find some Linda Ronstadt material.

He sits down to play and sing…well with a voice only a mother would love. Bill soon sits down and plays next.

Though he’s no Linda, it’s a much nicer tune. It’s the first time we get to see them bond and Frank is really impressed, enjoying every note of it.

The title of the show is derived from this song.

The Last of Us Season 1 Episode 3 – I think I’m gonna love you, for a long, long time

Frank asks who the girl is he’s singing about, even though he knows there’s no girl. He can already sense who he is, like any soulmate would.

As Frank puts his hand on his shoulder, Bill tenses a little and looks at him as he leans in close. But he does lean in, just as Frank leans in, and they share a strong emotional kiss.

Frank waits for him on Bill’s bed as he takes a shower. You can tell Bill is nervous, he’s only done this one time before.

But for a big, rugged man, Frank is gentle. He’s simple and slow for him.

Frank tells him if this happens, he’s going to stay a little longer. This isn’t just for the lunch, it’s because he feels something.

He made it a point to let Bill know he doesn’t do this, he’s not a whore. In return, Bill has no objections to him staying.

Frank takes a long look into his eyes before making love to him. The love scene was done so logically.

Not forced. Honing into each other’s emotions after feeling connected and then broadening that connection even deeper.

The Last of Us Season 1 Episode 3 – Bill and Frank three years later

Of course, Frank didn’t hold true to his word. It cuts to four years later and they are together at the house having an argument.

Frank is going a little stir crazy. He wants to make things a little more his own at this point.

He wants them to have friends and it comes off as more of an order. Bill does not want friends but Frank’s been talking to a nice woman on the radio who happens to be Tess.

It moves to the four of them Frank, Bill, Joel, and Tess having a meal and wine outside together for the first time. Conspiracy theorist Bill is holding his gun the entire time.

Of course, people in this world should not be trusting of strangers but we can always count on Bill taking it a little too far.

Joel sympathizes with Bill saying he would do the same. Tess is overjoyed to have a meal in such a beautiful atmosphere.

She thanks them even if things don’t work out on a professional standpoint. Frank takes Tess inside to show her some things, ignoring Bill’s dismissal of it.

Though Joel does understand he doesn’t take too kindly to guns facing him. He tells Bill they could help each other out.

There are things at the QZ that they don’t have and can’t find like books, machine parts and medicines. He finally puts his gun away.

He’s dismissive but Joel already tells him the things he noticing at his place that will fail. Bill is without a doubt stubborn, but Frank is happy to one day see them again.

The Last of Us Season 1 Episode 3 – 2013

Frank stays in impeccable shape. Survivalist Bill not so much.

He shows him a deal of the trade between him and Tess and Joe. A strawberry patch which Bill is just floored over.

They will go great with those romantic nights with the wine. The two of them are now getting older and Bill is starting to fear it.

Before Frank appeared he never feared for anything, but loving somebody so much and the thought of losing them is heartbreaking to even think about in his mind.

Just as Joel predicted, some raiders came at night and Bill was shot in the crossfire. He takes care of his wound like a pro, but Bill begs him to call Joel.

He will take care of him. He doesn’t want him there alone.

Just as it looked like Bill as meeting his fate, we move on to Frank being in a wheelchair ten years later. A turn of events because Bill thought he would be the first of them to go.

Now he is the one taking care of him. He waters flowers as Frank paints, and they are more in love than they’ve ever been.

But they both know it’s a matter of time. Frank finds his breaking point and he can’t do this anymore.

He decides it’s his last day. His mind is made up, he’s ready.

Bill knows he has to let him go but doesn’t want to. He asks Bill to give him one last good day, while he rubs his hand and goes through his list of wishes for his last good day.

Even including marriage. At the end, he wants his pills crushed up and to slowly die in his arms.

The Last of Us Season 1 Episode 3 – Romeo and Juliet

We never hear what all is said at the wedding ceremony. But it’s very loving and intimate, followed by a romantic dinner with their wine as usual.

But soon it will be Frank’s last glass of wine. Bill pours larger glasses and empties the pill contents into his glass.

In a twist of fate, there were already pills in the bottle of wine. Bill is old and he’s satisfied with the life he’s led and wants to end it with the only person in the world he’s ever loved.

He did not support this move, but Frank found it to be incredibly romantic. Bill takes him to bed and their fate is sealed as they die in each other’s arms.

The way soulmates dream about going, together.

We don’t often see a gay love story between two older men. But this was done so well and so beautifully.

I was not expecting to fall in love with these two so quickly, but Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett carried out masterful performances that will stand strong in television history for years to come. This episode as a whole left us all in tears.

I wish we could have had a whole season on these two, but what The Last of Us was able to accomplish in just one episode is astounding. I’m expecting all the awards for them very soon.

At the end of the episode, Ellie and Joel walk inside the house. Joel calls out their names to no response.

They could just be gone but Joel knows better from the look of things. Ellie finds a letter with a key.

When Joel comes upon her, she says it’s from Bill. She starts to read it off.

Bill locked the door so they wouldn’t have to witness them.

"“So I’m going to tell you something because you are probably the only person who will understand. I used to hate the world and I was happy when everyone died. But I was wrong, because there was one person worth saving. That’s what I did. I saved him. Then I protected him. That’s why men like you and me are here. We have a job to do. And God help any mother f&*(%ers that stand in our way.”-Bill to Joel in the letter."

He leaves all his weapons and equipment to Joel to keep Tess safe. Only he didn’t know Joel couldn’t do that.

Maybe keeping Ellie alive will be his way of making things up to Tess now. But he doesn’t want Tess’s name brought up again.

It’s too painful for him. Ellie finally gets her hand on a gun that she was so longing to have.

How it comes into effect, we will see later. Possibly she will end up saving Joel in a predicament.

After grabbing some supplies, they get in Bills truck and are on their way to find Tommy after a long journey. They listen to a Linda Ronstadt’s A Long, Long Time.

It really comes full circle and almost an homage to Bill and Frank. It is very fitting that such a loving relationship has such a strong taste for one of the best female vocalists of all time.

Linda always had some of the richest love songs. She was diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy, and incurable degenerative disease.

Similar to the symptoms Franks was having. While it’s not fatal, it severely hinders the quality of your life.

This episode of The Last of Us surpassed 6.4 million viewers. The first season is now averaging 21. 3 million between the first two episodes of the stellar hit.

How did you feel about the latest episode of The Last of Us? Let us know in the comments below, we would love to read them!

Tune in next week to HBO and HBO Max and help those numbers grow even higher. You won’t regret it.