Editor’s note: The following contains spoilers for the third episode of “The Last of Us,” which premiered January 29 on HBO.
CNN —
If the hype surrounding “The Last of Us” in the first two episodes felt like overkill at all, the third chapter of the HBO series lives up to the weight of all the hype and lays early claim to what is almost inevitably discussed as one of the best TV hours 2023.
Injecting a standalone story into the larger canvas of this dystopian, zombie-ravaged world, the show unveils a tale of love and tenderness amidst chaos and violence while making overly good use of Linda Ronstadt’s haunting ballad, “Long, Long Time.” just to underline things.
Almost like an episode of an anthology series—think Tales of the Last of Us—the centerpiece revolved around Bill (Nick Offerman), a grumpy doomsday prepper who reluctantly takes care of the weary traveler Frank (“The White Lotus “) records. Murray Bartlett, who somehow seems to be everywhere at once these days).
After eating together, Frank plays Bill’s piano, kisses him and ends up staying, well, for the rest of their lives. This culminates in Frank falling ill, taking his own life after one last sumptuous dinner, and Bill deciding to join him in bidding farewell to this cruel world.
“I’m satisfied. And you were my target,” Bill says to Frank, who responds by saying, “I don’t support that. … But objectively, it’s incredibly romantic.”
It was, and the sounds of Ronstadt’s voice should spark interest in her 1970 hit faster than you can say “Running Up That Hill,” the 1985 Kate Bush hit that got an unexpected resurgence thanks to “Stranger Things.” experienced. (HBO, like CNN, is a unit of Warner Bros. Discovery.)
The real emotional blow came at the end when Joel (Pedro Pascal), who knew the couple, and his traveling companion Ellie (Bella Ramsey) find Bill’s suicide note, in which he talks about “rescuing” Frank and how his love for him changed his morbid, cynical attitude.
“I used to hate the world and was happy when everyone died,” he writes. “But I was wrong.”
The last shot through the window where they were lying down together was the perfect end to an almost perfect hour of television.
Thanks to its association with the award-winning game, The Last of Us was laden with expectations that almost inevitably lead to disappointment or, once the media machine is in overdrive, backlash. Yet the show has met that challenge, and while the third episode is probably the best of the nine, it has company that at least comes close before the season ends.
Joel and Ellie must face new dangers, and the story continues with the unreasonable announcement that HBO has renewed it for a second season. Either on its own or in that broader context, a series-defining episode like this is worth enjoying for now and maybe for a long, long time to come.