We continue to follow the twists and turns of events in the series "The Last of Us."
The third episode of the series "The Last of Us" served as a kind of lyrical digression, where the main characters are the secondary characters Bill and Frank. What is love like in a post-apocalyptic world?
Previous recaps:
Warning: spoilers ahead for Episode 3 of "The Last of Us"
Meet the New Characters – Bill
Bill (Nick Offerman) is the most stereotypical survivalist, whose basement is filled with weapons and his house has long been prepared for the apocalypse. At the beginning of his storyline, he mysteriously watches from hidden cameras as the neighbors of his carefree small town are taken away by FEDRA agents. The residents don't know yet, but they are being taken to their certain death.
Bill himself is rather enjoying it. He creates a utopia around himself, where there is him and his small agrarian world.
TV series Bill is very different from game Bill. In the game, we observe a seasoned but extremely grumpy and hysterical, even cowardly smuggler, while in the series we have a silent warrior ready for any hardship. The authors introduce Nick Offerman as almost the main star of the series, his face is not shown immediately; in a sweeping panorama, he heroically tears off his mask.
In my opinion, this is inappropriate and slightly caricatured. The general audience knows the actor from the series "Parks and Recreation", where his Ron Swanson was obviously also ready for any Armageddon. But Offerman (with all my love) is not Sylvester Stallone for such a striking appearance, so I personally did not appreciate this visual game.
Frank
One day, Frank (Murray Bartlett) accidentally falls into Bill's trap – an extremely lucky city dweller, the only survivor from the QZ in Baltimore. The man invites himself to dinner, and the lonely survivalist eventually falls in love with him.
Frank is obviously a romantic soul. He restores shops in their utopian town, paints portraits of his beloved, gets to know Tess over the radio, not at all afraid of marauders and raiders.
Eventually, Frank falls ill with an incurable disease that confines him to a wheelchair (precisely "confines," so bookishly shown on screen). Suffering, he tells Bill that he wants to spend his last day as their wedding day.
The loving couple very picturesquely dines "like on the day they met" on rabbit and Beaujolais, takes a lethal dose of medication, and, embracing each other, dies in their bedroom.
The story of the game's Bill and Frank is much sadder. Cowardly Bill, unwilling to leave the already explored and safer town, refuses Frank's suggestions to see what's beyond the walls. Frank steals a battery and some supplies, and, unable to handle the infected, commits suicide in a nearby house. Joel, Ellie, and Bill find Frank hanged when they search for that missing battery. In a note, the former lover says how much he hates the survivalist.
Oh, and by the way, what about Joel and Ellie?
The episode begins with Joel. He stands by a stream, examining his bloody fist. The scene resembles Iñárritu's film "The Revenant" in color grading and landscape.
Ellie waits for Joel by a tree. The girl offers condolences for the loss of Tess but makes it clear that she is not to blame for what happened.
The main characters walk through the forest to Bill and Frank, stopping by a former store where the apocalypse friends leave each other useful supplies.
Here an unexpected scene occurs – curious Ellie sneaks into the basement and finds a drying infected. Making an incision on its forehead, she sees that its former flesh already resembles the texture of perennial mold or a toadstool, but still, blood flows.
It is worth noting with what love the infected are recreated. The grown fungi and the actors' prosthetics look convincing and spectacular. In this regard, "The Last of Us" continues to impress.
At the men's house, the heroes find a posthumous note addressed by Bill to Joel. In it, he reflects on purpose, that some survive to protect others – and that is their main goal. The man meant Tess, but Joel, with a dramatic look directed at the girl, hints to the viewer what his purpose now is.
What do we learn new?
Actually, we don't learn much about the world of "The Last of Us." Joel tells Ellie that the government killed uninfected people to avoid housing and saving them, but also to prevent them from turning into walking killer mushrooms.
Joel dispels our guesses and says directly – the spread occurred through flour or sugar (recalling that pancake mix from the first episode).
We also learn more about Tess. In the game, little attention was paid to the relationship between the main character and his companion. The series tells us that they were together for a long time (about ten years), and apparently their relationship was touching and close, if Bill compared himself and Frank to our pair.
What wasn't shown to us?
In the game, when meeting Bill, the player finds themselves in an awkward situation: trapped, they must shoot infected while hanging upside down. This vivid scene was omitted in the series, but I assume we will see something similar in the following episodes.
We haven't been shown the Bloater yet. We first encounter it also with the survivalist when looking for the battery. Again, we hope that the most dangerous stage of infection will be introduced to the viewer in the coming week.
Impressions
The episode is obviously drawn out. As a result, the dynamics sag significantly. The story itself is lyrical and touching. It reminds us of humanity, of loneliness, and that people also die from diseases, but... have we already forgotten? Before the viewer's eyes, only Tess has died from the infected so far (and an entire town in Texas, of course).
Despite my grumbling, the episode sticks in the soul. This kind of post-apocalyptic parable has a bright musical theme, its own special mood, and just like Bill has his own purpose, not to advance the plot, but to give us the opportunity to see how love blooms and saves despite everything.
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