I like how Bill's section, in both mediums, makes the plot arrive at similar conclusions and serve similar purposes for Joel's character. Joel & Ellie leave Bill's town with some supplies and a car. As for Joel... Bill serves as a cautionary tale of being closed off to love. Here, Bill serves as a reminder of the beauty that comes with love + reminds Joel of (what Joel sees as) his failures and of his purpose. Really cool stuff, imo! Cuz we get the same/siimilar things from the character in the adaptation, while also gaining a beautiful love story of two people essentially winning the apocalypse.
People who didn’t catch he was gay in the game are outraged. People who think the story change doesn’t have the same impact (when it does, I’d say even more so cause bill was willing to die rather than be alone), when it does. It almost feels like the people who have been looking for an excuse to pick apart the show got their “ammo” Like why would you rather have bill be the way he was in the game? His impact was WAY heavier than the game.
That's what I thought after watching it.. It doesn't actually divert at any point. The goal of Bills place was to get the car/car battery, during that journey you met Bill and if you picked up the pieces you know that him and Frank had a falling out but at once they were a loving couple. While it would of been nice to see Bill/Ellie scenes, I don't think it would of added anything.. And it may of been boring to have another episode to sneak around clickers/runners. While I didn't like Tess's death, I loved this change for the adaption.
This episode had more to do with Joel's character than many realize. Even if you haven't seen him. Bill and Joel are both bitter and alone. However, the development of Bill clearly showed the differences, as one of them was willing to let a person into his life. As a result, despite the almost similar mindsets at the beginning, Bill got a long full and happy life. Joel, on the other hand, is stuck. So yes, the episode was important and not just because of the farewell letter at the end. It showed that there is hope, even if Joel doesn't have one yet. This episode showed that people are important to be happy. We are usually herd animals. The parallel to the infected is Frank here in this episode. The head is clear, but his multiple sclerosis or ALS (probably) has control over his body. The infected are at least partly aware of their actions, at least in the first stage. In the game, they even cry. They also cry while eating their friends. And through this episode we also know that Tess and Joel have known each other for more than 13 years and that they were still "decent" people 7 years after the outbreak. Tess told Ellie that they weren't good people and just before her death she told Joel to do all the shit they did right. Btw. Joel doesn't miss Bill, but Tess. "keep Tess save" was the reason for Joel to leave the house and be on the verge of collapse.
Well said! I think that moment with Ellie killing the infected was also an important look into her thoughts- the angry look on her face was likely due to her feelings abt what happened with Riley. We're seeing more signs of Ellie dealing with her survivor's guilt and thinking abt how she could've turned into one of those things if it hadn't been for her immunity.
@@beccazach I think Ellie had to kill Runner-Riley. I think the torture and kill scene with the infected should show two things. First, she wanted to know if Riley was still able to feel pain when she killed her. And secondly, she was angry at the infected who bit her.
Very well said. It's really telling that a portion of people (you know the type) went all over the internet to say this episode was terrible, an objective worse route to the story than what happened in the game, but if you see their "points", there are only generic, empty claims, with most being demonstrably false, like "it didn't advance the plot", "didn't develop any of the important characters", "focused on irrelevant stuff that I didn't sign up for when I chose to watch TLOU", etc. This episode was awesome.
Nick Offerman said of their relationship, Frank was the flower. Bill was the soil. People talk about how tragic and said the episode is, and while it's emotional and endings are always sad, what I got more than anything else was a sense of beauty. They had a wonderful life together, irregardless of the apocalypse.
This is certainly one of the best episodes of TV I have ever seen. If one of these actors doesn't win an Emmy for their performance, it will be a total crime. Also: You have really hit your stride covering this series.
This was the episode that that broke me and finally got me to cry. Two middle aged men growing old, finding purpose again in a world so divided and ill-advised on tearing itself apart and actually being able to die in peace as everything crumbles around them. A tsunami of tears left me by then.
19:10 You see all of Frank's paintings, then here you see him trying to paint Bill, but he can't because he doesn't have the muscle control anymore. That's when he decided it was time to go. Yes, it was the first meal they had together. And the same wine. The only thing I missed from the game version is the interactions between Bill and Ellie.
One of the subtle narrative things I really liked was that when Bill was having dinner for the first time with Frank he didn't have a gun on the table, but he did have a gun on the table when he was having lunch(?) with Tess and Joel, almost to hint that he felt he now finally had something to lose that he didn't before.
True, but he did have one on his hip. And with Joel and Tess, he had two people he didn't know 3 ft away from him instead of just one person 8 ft away from him. Bill had a brief realization of how much he had let his guard down when he came out of the kitchen expecting Frank to be on the other side of the room and he was just a few feet away and Bill had both hands full of plates.
This was a beautiful, beautiful hour of TV. When it was announced that they were making a TLOU series, I was a bit skeptical, because even if they did it justice, I felt the game was so cinematic already, I couldn't see the story gaining anything from the transition. I thought it would be redundant. But this adaptation is making sure both the series and the game stand on their own, while clearly sharing the same DNA. This episode took a completely different path, but arrived at the same destination. The Bill section of the game, from a character development point of view, mostly serves to use Bill as a cautionary tale for Joel, showing people who close themselves off for the sake of survival end up bitter and alone. And this episode did that, but in a very different way. It even gave some time to Joel to acknowledge the loss of Tess in a way that I don't remember the game doing (could be wrong there). What we lost was some zombie action, which would feel redundant after the second episode, and the banter between Bill and Ellie, which, granted, I missed, but I think it was worth it. The scene with the strawberries, to me, is just pure The Last of Us. It sits along the giraffe scene and Ellie's birthday at the museum as a great scene of people managing to find joy and beauty in a world that was torn apart.
"There was someone worth saving. And that's what I did. I saved him." - Bill I hope Joel uses this same line at the beginning of Season 2 when he tells Tommy about what he did with the fireflies (TLOU Part 2). This will show that Bill's words had that much impact on Joel.
It's always amazing seeing someone watch this episode for the first time. Thanks for your reaction! Apart from you knowing the games, I love how quick you are. You pick things up the moment the writers put them down. Looking forward to more reactions!
Hey Cyn, love your gaming channel and also your reactions, keep it up ^^ I was very glad you brought up the radio from episode 1, because of all the reactions i've seen, you were the only one who cared for this detail. Although, I think there is more to it than just an automatic mechanism that turned it on. The Song that played at the end of ep1 was "Never let me down again" by Depeche Mode (80s of couse). And if you go through the lyrics, I think that Bill turned this song on specifically to wish his goodbyes: I’m taking a ride With my best friend I hope he never lets me down again He knows where he’s taking me Taking me where I want to be I’m taking a ride with my best friend We’re flying high We’re watching the world pass us by Never want to come down Never want to put my feet back down On the ground (just the first part of the song) What an incredible episode, no doubt. Looking forward to your reaction of episode 4 ^^
21:49 Also, fun fact: the original cut of this episode, according to the show runner, was over 2 hours long. And even they were crying after it was all over.
Cyn has such a mastery over her emotions but she still can convey her thoughts normally. So when I see her sobbing over this ep I'm like mwahahahahaha.... Before descending into the same headache inducing sobbing fit I had the first time watching this episode (;_;)
Literally one of the greatest episodes of television ever... one of the greatest love stories ever told in under 40 mins... the ability that Craig and Neil have to make us fall in love with characters soooo quickly is astonishing. As gamers we already love them but watching the reactions of the non-gaming community has been incredible.
I'm really enjoying your reactions. Wonderful passion and humor. This was such an amazing episode of television. It was nice to see it through your eyes. Keep up the excellent content, and thanks.
All of the other reactors I’ve watched have never played the game. I enjoy their responses, but it’s another thing entirely to see the show through the eyes of someone who knows the game so well. Thank you!
The thing that kills me about them getting married: the world basically ended in 2003, so the right for same-sex marriage never happened. This was just a dream for them, not yet a reality, but in some strange beautiful way, Bill and Frank got to live a long, normal (considering the circumstances) life together. 😭
I love watching reactions; it's a way I can effectively re-feel the emotions from when I watched or played some things originally but through others. After having watched gameplay where I felt you could be far more stoic than me, your reaction in this very much broke me again in a way I wasn't expecting 😅 Thanks for helping me feel the emotion again in this episode.
Obviously most of the episode had me tearing up, but the part that really hurt my heart was after Ellie reads the letter and gets to the "keep Tess safe part", and then Joel tells her to stay there and he walks outside. The look on Joel's face at that moment when he's standing outside on his own... Pedro's acting was so amazing in that without any words being said, you could read so much in Joel's face -- sadness that two people he liked are now gone, pain in that it's reminding him what it feels like to lose someone, anger/frustration that he has to feel this way again, and the world just keeps beating him down...
She wont. She has not finished a single show or movie series she watches. her Star Wars reaction made it clear. She doesn't have the attention span to finish a series
Wonderful purge of the old waterworks! Straight from the feels! (Just makes me glad that the codyceps don't spread via tears, or we'd be getting re-infected with every episode!)
The show's co-creator Craig looked at Bill and Frank's story and thought "What if we could show what a gay love story for older men was like?" and when Neil (who was worried about script changes) read the script he said "Holy shit why didn't I think of that?" .. the rest is history😇
A love story to rival most love stories, it's beautiful and rather fitting that he go with frank to the end While the interactions with bill and ellie were funny I think they made the right choice to flesh out this relationship and it's insanely tragic 'Wasn't a cure for this even before the world fell apart' nails home how bleak the situation is, Nick Offferman is the best live action choice he delivers his dry as desert humor and world view expertly I would feel lucky to find love now but to find it in the apocalypse is truly something special.
Ellie and Joel were also in game outfits after their showers. Ellie in the Red T and grey long sleeve undershirt, and Joel in the denim and green flanel.
"Joel, come live here with Tess. Give it a chance, and be happy together. What's mine is now yours." Bill. Goddamnit.... And also, what a romantic story that is. Bill living in a small town with traditional families and never getting a chance to be himself. Trying sex one time, with a girl, and probably being a disaster. Followed by years of loneliness, prepping for survival, hating the world. Then again, more years and time with 0 communication with anyone but himself, at all, until this handsome man ends up at his town, out of nowhere. Frank quickly realized Bill is gay, but gave him the chance to confirm it ("Who's the girl you're singing about?") , saying "I know" (aka I know there never was a girl, and I see you as you are) and leaning in to show his intention. Also, that compliment "I know I don't seem like the type" - "No, you do." - Bill got so shy there, it was adorable. "Did he just flirt with me? Did he pay me a compliment?? RELAX, BILL, IT'S NOTHING, YOU IMAGINED IT!!!" One of the best romances ever.
Also, based on assumed ages both Bill and Frank were in the 20s/30s during the height of the Aids epidemic, another reason to never do anything and hide who you are.
@@Tensen01 + Since everything hit at 2003, gay marriage wasn't legal yet, so Frank's proposal just hits harder. Like, let's just take care of it ourselves.
Bill showed Frank how to survive. Frank showed Bill why to survive. Nick Offerman was incredible in this. Oh, and yes, for the first portion of their relationship, Frank was providing aesthetic upkeep in and around the house because, like he said, it's how he showed his love. BUT Frank fell ill... and Bill did all those things in his place, because that was Bill showing his love, for Frank.
The adaptation, with it's challenges to move into a different medium, provides opportunity for Neil to re-examine and re-imagine telling The Last of Us in a new way and I'm sure most creators don't want to just simply repeat what they've already done, even if it's a guaranteed easy way out. He found a great showrunning partner in Craig Mazin, who's claimed to be a big fan of the game, proven himself with the show Chernobyl, and asked Neil many questions that prompted areas for change that don't take away from the main beats but enhances the story for TV. Craig wanted to explore things outside Joel's perspective to add depth where possible, it was his idea to change Tess' faceoff from FEDRA to the infected, and reportedly this was largely his episode.
Love hearing your thoughts. I felt the episode was very effective, and in isolation its 10/10. But I do feel conflicted because it is not what I wanted out of Bill personally. It is at odds with the message we got in the game from him. But yeah the shows great either way
I think she just wanted to see if this thing still feels something like pain. After that, she killed it with hatred. I think she had to kill Runner-Riley and has been wondering ever since, if it was painful for her when she killed her. I think she wanted to get a clue. Then she thought of the infected who bit Riley and killed it here with hatred.
The show is doing a good job of highlighting how much the outbreak in September 2003 changed history - same-sex marriage wasn't legal anywhere in the US until Massachusetts in November 2003. This is an episode that punches you in the feels and keeps punching. If you're interested Jessie Gender has a deep dive into how and why this story is better than the corresponding Bill and Frank relationship in the game.
My guy and I are PC gamers, so we were entirely unprepared for this story. We ended up sobbing like babies in each other's arms, especially because of the song Ellie and Joel innocently ended up listening to, not knowing the significance like we do. I think the best adaptations feel like the best fanfiction: more flesh goes onto the same bones. What a beautiful story. Every awards show that misses this will end up losing all credibility in the eyes of the public, because WOW.
Bill delivers the same message to Joel in the game, albeit, in the opposite way. After losing Tess it would be natural for Joel to shut himself off from emotional attachment. The game gives a realistic look at a guarded life through Bill's pain and isolation. As Joel gives Frank's resentful letter to Bill the game shows Joel his future if he doesn't open up to love. While Bill's letter in the show reassures Joel of the life he could have if he continues to grow emotionally. Absolutely love both stories. The dark and the light.
btw you should consider checking out the companion podcast (if you haven't already) it's hosted by the voiceactor for Joel (Troy Baker) and features Neil Druckmann (the videogame writer) and Craig Mazin (the show writer) they discuss the episode, you can find it on youtube and basically all podcast platforms
The other thing about their marriage that makes it so important is that it wasn’t just about formality. Gay marriage wasn’t even legal at the time of their pandemic so there wasn’t a framework or formality. It wasn’t allowed. They decided to do it anyway because it felt right to them. Love your reaction!
You're young so you might not remember this but gay marriage was only first legalized in Massachusetts (the first state) in 2004, after the collapse of society in this universe. So Bill and Frank never lived in a time where they could legally get married.
Im going to pursue a class action suit against HBO, Naughty dog and Ron Swanson, for emotional and punitive damage, and compensation for therapy and other expenses. This WRECKED ME!, anybody interesting in being the class representative plaintiff?
31:01 About the next two episodes - 1. Joel & Ellie's "pit stop" has been changed from Pittsburgh, PA to Kansas City, MO; 2. the character of Sam is now younger than Ellie, and he's also deaf and has a pre-existing condition (not related to infection); 3. There are new characters in KC that pose a new threat to Henry & Sam; 4. You're gonna get a bloater, and he's got a whole ARMY of infected. Enjoy the agonizing heartbreak to come!
I genuinely hope she did not read your comment! why would you type any of that? and why stop at spoilers for just the next two episodes? why not tell her the entire rest of the show's plotline, so she doesn't have to go to all the time and trouble of watching it for herself?
there's a small, but vocal minority of pathetic homophobes who hated this episode, and I almost feel sorry for them being unable to enjoy such a beautiful episode. But it was fucking fantastic.
The thing with those despicable people is that a portion are open with their homophobia, but others hide behind "I'm just criticizing, bro, I'm I not allowed to dislike something?". When the stuff is terrible, like Netflix's The Witcher was, they have a lot of things to deflect to and hide the true feelings, but a lot still expose themselves by basically ignoring the mountains of more relevant problems and focusing on things like the diverse cast or the underlining politics. In TLOU, there are very few problems one can really point to and defend as actually bad decisions and not subjective things you personally disliked, so the amount of bending over backwards to paint somethings as bad to then have something to criticize that I've been seeing from the "internet critics" is really funny -- those people either have no idea what they're talking about, or, well, are just homophobes that are still ashamed to be open about it (or are uncounsciously prejudiced). For example, there was one moron that agued that the episode didn't portray gay people in a way that made their image better to the overall public, just made straight people uncomfortable and that's counter-productive, thus it's a stupid episode, as if every gay representation has to be carefully crafted as to further their movement or appeal to straight people so they hate them less lol. Same energy as "this diverse character has no complex purpose or overall depth! Why are they here?" as if stories don't necessarily have such entities which are there to build the atmosphere, help develop the more important characters and other aspects of the world lol.
One good things about that, this eps as a filter. I unsubscribed directly to those reactor that doesn't get this eps, some of them said eps 3 is dead eps lol insecure masculinity n homophobes detected
It was Craig Mazin’s idea to change Bill and Frank’s story and I’m so happy he did.
I like how Bill's section, in both mediums, makes the plot arrive at similar conclusions and serve similar purposes for Joel's character. Joel & Ellie leave Bill's town with some supplies and a car. As for Joel... Bill serves as a cautionary tale of being closed off to love. Here, Bill serves as a reminder of the beauty that comes with love + reminds Joel of (what Joel sees as) his failures and of his purpose.
Really cool stuff, imo! Cuz we get the same/siimilar things from the character in the adaptation, while also gaining a beautiful love story of two people essentially winning the apocalypse.
People who didn’t catch he was gay in the game are outraged. People who think the story change doesn’t have the same impact (when it does, I’d say even more so cause bill was willing to die rather than be alone), when it does.
It almost feels like the people who have been looking for an excuse to pick apart the show got their “ammo”
Like why would you rather have bill be the way he was in the game? His impact was WAY heavier than the game.
That's what I thought after watching it.. It doesn't actually divert at any point. The goal of Bills place was to get the car/car battery, during that journey you met Bill and if you picked up the pieces you know that him and Frank had a falling out but at once they were a loving couple. While it would of been nice to see Bill/Ellie scenes, I don't think it would of added anything.. And it may of been boring to have another episode to sneak around clickers/runners. While I didn't like Tess's death, I loved this change for the adaption.
Episode 3 already?! LET'S GO, I'M READY TO CRY!
I thought the Bill episode would be a more lighthearted one so i got high and by the end i was like dry heaving i was crying so hard 😭
I sobbed for days
This episode had more to do with Joel's character than many realize. Even if you haven't seen him. Bill and Joel are both bitter and alone. However, the development of Bill clearly showed the differences, as one of them was willing to let a person into his life. As a result, despite the almost similar mindsets at the beginning, Bill got a long full and happy life. Joel, on the other hand, is stuck. So yes, the episode was important and not just because of the farewell letter at the end. It showed that there is hope, even if Joel doesn't have one yet.
This episode showed that people are important to be happy. We are usually herd animals.
The parallel to the infected is Frank here in this episode. The head is clear, but his multiple sclerosis or ALS (probably) has control over his body. The infected are at least partly aware of their actions, at least in the first stage. In the game, they even cry. They also cry while eating their friends.
And through this episode we also know that Tess and Joel have known each other for more than 13 years and that they were still "decent" people 7 years after the outbreak. Tess told Ellie that they weren't good people and just before her death she told Joel to do all the shit they did right.
Btw. Joel doesn't miss Bill, but Tess. "keep Tess save" was the reason for Joel to leave the house and be on the verge of collapse.
Well said! I think that moment with Ellie killing the infected was also an important look into her thoughts- the angry look on her face was likely due to her feelings abt what happened with Riley. We're seeing more signs of Ellie dealing with her survivor's guilt and thinking abt how she could've turned into one of those things if it hadn't been for her immunity.
@@beccazach I think Ellie had to kill Runner-Riley. I think the torture and kill scene with the infected should show two things. First, she wanted to know if Riley was still able to feel pain when she killed her. And secondly, she was angry at the infected who bit her.
Very well said. It's really telling that a portion of people (you know the type) went all over the internet to say this episode was terrible, an objective worse route to the story than what happened in the game, but if you see their "points", there are only generic, empty claims, with most being demonstrably false, like "it didn't advance the plot", "didn't develop any of the important characters", "focused on irrelevant stuff that I didn't sign up for when I chose to watch TLOU", etc. This episode was awesome.
Nick Offerman said of their relationship, Frank was the flower. Bill was the soil.
People talk about how tragic and said the episode is, and while it's emotional and endings are always sad, what I got more than anything else was a sense of beauty. They had a wonderful life together, irregardless of the apocalypse.
This is certainly one of the best episodes of TV I have ever seen. If one of these actors doesn't win an Emmy for their performance, it will be a total crime. Also: You have really hit your stride covering this series.
This was the episode that that broke me and finally got me to cry. Two middle aged men growing old, finding purpose again in a world so divided and ill-advised on tearing itself apart and actually being able to die in peace as everything crumbles around them.
A tsunami of tears left me by then.
19:10 You see all of Frank's paintings, then here you see him trying to paint Bill, but he can't because he doesn't have the muscle control anymore. That's when he decided it was time to go.
Yes, it was the first meal they had together. And the same wine.
The only thing I missed from the game version is the interactions between Bill and Ellie.
He has Parkinson’s
One of the subtle narrative things I really liked was that when Bill was having dinner for the first time with Frank he didn't have a gun on the table, but he did have a gun on the table when he was having lunch(?) with Tess and Joel, almost to hint that he felt he now finally had something to lose that he didn't before.
True, but he did have one on his hip. And with Joel and Tess, he had two people he didn't know 3 ft away from him instead of just one person 8 ft away from him. Bill had a brief realization of how much he had let his guard down when he came out of the kitchen expecting Frank to be on the other side of the room and he was just a few feet away and Bill had both hands full of plates.
19:26 Oddly enough, that's probably my favorite painting in the episode.
Ive seen a lot of your reactions, Cyn. This is the high water mark gold standard so far. Great job. *sniffles*
This was a beautiful, beautiful hour of TV. When it was announced that they were making a TLOU series, I was a bit skeptical, because even if they did it justice, I felt the game was so cinematic already, I couldn't see the story gaining anything from the transition. I thought it would be redundant. But this adaptation is making sure both the series and the game stand on their own, while clearly sharing the same DNA. This episode took a completely different path, but arrived at the same destination.
The Bill section of the game, from a character development point of view, mostly serves to use Bill as a cautionary tale for Joel, showing people who close themselves off for the sake of survival end up bitter and alone. And this episode did that, but in a very different way. It even gave some time to Joel to acknowledge the loss of Tess in a way that I don't remember the game doing (could be wrong there). What we lost was some zombie action, which would feel redundant after the second episode, and the banter between Bill and Ellie, which, granted, I missed, but I think it was worth it.
The scene with the strawberries, to me, is just pure The Last of Us. It sits along the giraffe scene and Ellie's birthday at the museum as a great scene of people managing to find joy and beauty in a world that was torn apart.
"There was someone worth saving. And that's what I did. I saved him."
- Bill
I hope Joel uses this same line at the beginning of Season 2 when he tells Tommy about what he did with the fireflies (TLOU Part 2). This will show that Bill's words had that much impact on Joel.
Well, Bill and Frank tore my heart out but they also showed that I still have one so Bravo HBO
This is the first time I’ve seen you this emotional
I was waiting for your reaction to this episode! I really loved it, it made me cry so much lol
It's always amazing seeing someone watch this episode for the first time. Thanks for your reaction! Apart from you knowing the games, I love how quick you are. You pick things up the moment the writers put them down. Looking forward to more reactions!
Lovely reaction Cyn.
Hey Cyn, love your gaming channel and also your reactions, keep it up ^^
I was very glad you brought up the radio from episode 1, because of all the reactions i've seen, you were the only one who cared for this detail. Although, I think there is more to it than just an automatic mechanism that turned it on.
The Song that played at the end of ep1 was "Never let me down again" by Depeche Mode (80s of couse). And if you go through the lyrics, I think that Bill turned this song on specifically to wish his goodbyes:
I’m taking a ride
With my best friend
I hope he never lets me down again
He knows where he’s taking me
Taking me where I want to be
I’m taking a ride with my best friend
We’re flying high
We’re watching the world pass us by
Never want to come down
Never want to put my feet back down
On the ground
(just the first part of the song)
What an incredible episode, no doubt. Looking forward to your reaction of episode 4 ^^
21:49 Also, fun fact: the original cut of this episode, according to the show runner, was over 2 hours long. And even they were crying after it was all over.
Craig said it was so sad he was physically in pain.
I kinda hope that cut turns up somewhere or is released as a stand alone movie.
@@theoriginalshew Fingers crossed
Cyn has such a mastery over her emotions but she still can convey her thoughts normally.
So when I see her sobbing over this ep I'm like mwahahahahaha.... Before descending into the same headache inducing sobbing fit I had the first time watching this episode (;_;)
Literally one of the greatest episodes of television ever... one of the greatest love stories ever told in under 40 mins... the ability that Craig and Neil have to make us fall in love with characters soooo quickly is astonishing. As gamers we already love them but watching the reactions of the non-gaming community has been incredible.
I'm really enjoying your reactions. Wonderful passion and humor.
This was such an amazing episode of television. It was nice to see it through your eyes. Keep up the excellent content, and thanks.
All of the other reactors I’ve watched have never played the game. I enjoy their responses, but it’s another thing entirely to see the show through the eyes of someone who knows the game so well. Thank you!
have been loving these reactions but i knew i would cuz i watched your game playthroughs!! so excited to see your next one too
The thing that kills me about them getting married: the world basically ended in 2003, so the right for same-sex marriage never happened. This was just a dream for them, not yet a reality, but in some strange beautiful way, Bill and Frank got to live a long, normal (considering the circumstances) life together. 😭
😭 Why did you have to say this! I didn't even consider this fact. They never saw gay marriage legalized in this timeline. Omg. I'm dying again
@@CynReactions this story has so many layers, and each layer brings fresh pain. 😔
@@jubelbrosseau7966 pain reminds us we’re still alive
@@CynReactions Where Is Episode 4? 5? 6? 7? 8? 9?
@@CynReactions Not in America anyway
The best hour of TV I've ever seen.
I love watching reactions; it's a way I can effectively re-feel the emotions from when I watched or played some things originally but through others. After having watched gameplay where I felt you could be far more stoic than me, your reaction in this very much broke me again in a way I wasn't expecting 😅 Thanks for helping me feel the emotion again in this episode.
I love the window shot at the end, like Bill and Frank were watching Joel and Ellie head off on their quest.
the way they stabbed my heart with a million knives by using the giraffe scene music
Obviously most of the episode had me tearing up, but the part that really hurt my heart was after Ellie reads the letter and gets to the "keep Tess safe part", and then Joel tells her to stay there and he walks outside. The look on Joel's face at that moment when he's standing outside on his own... Pedro's acting was so amazing in that without any words being said, you could read so much in Joel's face -- sadness that two people he liked are now gone, pain in that it's reminding him what it feels like to lose someone, anger/frustration that he has to feel this way again, and the world just keeps beating him down...
He didn't even cry but we could feel the sadness..
Hello Cyn Reacts! Love this channel just as much as your gaming channel! Keep it up 👍!
I hope you’re doing okay I’ve been waiting for the rest of your series of reactions I can’t wait for you to post the rest!
She wont. She has not finished a single show or movie series she watches. her Star Wars reaction made it clear. She doesn't have the attention span to finish a series
Two similar comments on two completely different videos- go outside
@krypticraptors9863 - Doing well! Just insanely busy. The final half of the series is going through editing now!
Wonderful purge of the old waterworks! Straight from the feels! (Just makes me glad that the codyceps don't spread via tears, or we'd be getting re-infected with every episode!)
The music when Bill and Frank go into their bedroom to pass on is the same music from when Ellie and Joel find the giraffe in the game.
The show's co-creator Craig looked at Bill and Frank's story and thought "What if we could show what a gay love story for older men was like?" and when Neil (who was worried about script changes) read the script he said "Holy shit why didn't I think of that?" .. the rest is history😇
Absolute masterpiece!
A love story to rival most love stories, it's beautiful and rather fitting that he go with frank to the end
While the interactions with bill and ellie were funny I think they made the right choice to flesh out this relationship and it's insanely tragic
'Wasn't a cure for this even before the world fell apart' nails home how bleak the situation is, Nick Offferman is the best live action choice he delivers his dry as desert humor and world view expertly
I would feel lucky to find love now but to find it in the apocalypse is truly something special.
I really enjoyed your insight. Very knowledgeable enjoyed your reaction
Ellie and Joel were also in game outfits after their showers. Ellie in the Red T and grey long sleeve undershirt, and Joel in the denim and green flanel.
Ron Swanson killed it
"Joel, come live here with Tess. Give it a chance, and be happy together. What's mine is now yours."
Bill.
Goddamnit....
And also, what a romantic story that is. Bill living in a small town with traditional families and never getting a chance to be himself. Trying sex one time, with a girl, and probably being a disaster. Followed by years of loneliness, prepping for survival, hating the world. Then again, more years and time with 0 communication with anyone but himself, at all, until this handsome man ends up at his town, out of nowhere. Frank quickly realized Bill is gay, but gave him the chance to confirm it ("Who's the girl you're singing about?") , saying "I know" (aka I know there never was a girl, and I see you as you are) and leaning in to show his intention. Also, that compliment "I know I don't seem like the type" - "No, you do." - Bill got so shy there, it was adorable. "Did he just flirt with me? Did he pay me a compliment?? RELAX, BILL, IT'S NOTHING, YOU IMAGINED IT!!!"
One of the best romances ever.
Also, based on assumed ages both Bill and Frank were in the 20s/30s during the height of the Aids epidemic, another reason to never do anything and hide who you are.
@@Tensen01 + Since everything hit at 2003, gay marriage wasn't legal yet, so Frank's proposal just hits harder. Like, let's just take care of it ourselves.
Bill showed Frank how to survive. Frank showed Bill why to survive.
Nick Offerman was incredible in this.
Oh, and yes, for the first portion of their relationship, Frank was providing aesthetic upkeep in and around the house because, like he said, it's how he showed his love.
BUT Frank fell ill... and Bill did all those things in his place, because that was Bill showing his love, for Frank.
The adaptation, with it's challenges to move into a different medium, provides opportunity for Neil to re-examine and re-imagine telling The Last of Us in a new way and I'm sure most creators don't want to just simply repeat what they've already done, even if it's a guaranteed easy way out. He found a great showrunning partner in Craig Mazin, who's claimed to be a big fan of the game, proven himself with the show Chernobyl, and asked Neil many questions that prompted areas for change that don't take away from the main beats but enhances the story for TV. Craig wanted to explore things outside Joel's perspective to add depth where possible, it was his idea to change Tess' faceoff from FEDRA to the infected, and reportedly this was largely his episode.
Love hearing your thoughts. I felt the episode was very effective, and in isolation its 10/10. But I do feel conflicted because it is not what I wanted out of Bill personally. It is at odds with the message we got in the game from him. But yeah the shows great either way
Ouch... Just ouch...
hope you upload the rest of the episodes
Ellie was simply trying to see what's inside that head, when it wasn't humanity, she angrily ended it.
This is just my interpretation, I could be incorrect.
I think she just wanted to see if this thing still feels something like pain. After that, she killed it with hatred.
I think she had to kill Runner-Riley and has been wondering ever since, if it was painful for her when she killed her. I think she wanted to get a clue. Then she thought of the infected who bit Riley and killed it here with hatred.
@@TomTomson81 I think you are correct.
@@TomTomson81 You said what I wanted to say better than I was able to convey?
14:40 Oh Bill, don't you know the .45 is a desert pistol.
The show is doing a good job of highlighting how much the outbreak in September 2003 changed history - same-sex marriage wasn't legal anywhere in the US until Massachusetts in November 2003.
This is an episode that punches you in the feels and keeps punching. If you're interested Jessie Gender has a deep dive into how and why this story is better than the corresponding Bill and Frank relationship in the game.
Fun fact: Nick Offerman's wife told him to take the role of bill after she read the script because he was going to turn the role down.
Something that always gets me in tv and movies... None of the houses have screens in the windows 🤣
My guy and I are PC gamers, so we were entirely unprepared for this story. We ended up sobbing like babies in each other's arms, especially because of the song Ellie and Joel innocently ended up listening to, not knowing the significance like we do.
I think the best adaptations feel like the best fanfiction: more flesh goes onto the same bones. What a beautiful story. Every awards show that misses this will end up losing all credibility in the eyes of the public, because WOW.
There is nothing more to say. I totally agree with everything you said.
I've never enjoyed watching two men eat strawberries so much. Masterpiece!
The strawberries! Making me cry over berries
Bill delivers the same message to Joel in the game, albeit, in the opposite way. After losing Tess it would be natural for Joel to shut himself off from emotional attachment. The game gives a realistic look at a guarded life through Bill's pain and isolation. As Joel gives Frank's resentful letter to Bill the game shows Joel his future if he doesn't open up to love. While Bill's letter in the show reassures Joel of the life he could have if he continues to grow emotionally. Absolutely love both stories. The dark and the light.
What an episode..
"10 miles west of Boston".....suddenly you're in Banff Alberta Canada
So waiting for your actions on three and four. So looking forward to them please get them out soon
I just thought it'd be cool if we start the episode where Tommy's in with a flash back of him in Desert Storm.
man, i tought that the bill part on the video game couldn`t get anny better, but boy i was wrong.
Now we just need to see how they fix the whole Debbie plot of the 2nd game. At least Debbie is what pewdiepie called her
wait for episode 5, u will bawl
peter and gwen are the most heartbreaking couple to me and bill and frank are up there
Congratulations you're the lucky winner of the ongoing giveaway text me on telegram to claim your prize
Bill: “The whole god damn town is booby trapped , best stick right on my ass”
Ellie : “can’t miss it”
❤
nice cry! see you next video.
btw you should consider checking out the companion podcast (if you haven't already) it's hosted by the voiceactor for Joel (Troy Baker) and features Neil Druckmann (the videogame writer) and Craig Mazin (the show writer) they discuss the episode, you can find it on youtube and basically all podcast platforms
The other thing about their marriage that makes it so important is that it wasn’t just about formality. Gay marriage wasn’t even legal at the time of their pandemic so there wasn’t a framework or formality. It wasn’t allowed. They decided to do it anyway because it felt right to them. Love your reaction!
Rip your emotions. Hope you can recover to enjoy the rest of the show. Or any other TV episode ever, for that matter.
Don't worry Cyn, it got me too lol
You're young so you might not remember this but gay marriage was only first legalized in Massachusetts (the first state) in 2004, after the collapse of society in this universe. So Bill and Frank never lived in a time where they could legally get married.
In the show, the outbreak occurs in 2003
damn she cried harder at this than when lee died lol
Im going to pursue a class action suit against HBO, Naughty dog and Ron Swanson, for emotional and punitive damage, and compensation for therapy and other expenses. This WRECKED ME!, anybody interesting in being the class representative plaintiff?
In an interview with Bella Ramsey hbo there’s gonna be a season 2.
Where Is Episode 4? 5? 6? 7? 8? 9?
You skipped the first bedroom scene. :(
I followed you because you were reacting to The Boys…Are you going to react to S2 & S3 ?
They hint at Joel’s aim here but I swear he has better aim here then me in the game 💀 I stayed missing all my shots
subtitles?
31:01 About the next two episodes -
1. Joel & Ellie's "pit stop" has been changed from Pittsburgh, PA to Kansas City, MO;
2. the character of Sam is now younger than Ellie, and he's also deaf and has a pre-existing condition (not related to infection);
3. There are new characters in KC that pose a new threat to Henry & Sam;
4. You're gonna get a bloater, and he's got a whole ARMY of infected.
Enjoy the agonizing heartbreak to come!
I genuinely hope she did not read your comment! why would you type any of that? and why stop at spoilers for just the next two episodes? why not tell her the entire rest of the show's plotline, so she doesn't have to go to all the time and trouble of watching it for herself?
Joel is wearing Frank's shirt :_(
Funniest part...Pittsburgh of the game matches reality...
The boys plz
Actually they were together 20 years not 16
Bill was alone for 4 years before he met Frank. 2007 to 2023 is 16 years
@@thomasvlund On the podcast they said 20 years
Just waiting for all the homophobes to show up 😂
That's all your small existence is about. Sad really.
Most content creators has been blocking those comments, as they should.
@Salty Bunghole Tears "censorship is good, everything must align with government approved opinions :^l " - NPC#46532
ok
Not a fan of the woke culture, but nothing against "normal" gay people.
Love this episode. Beautiful in the extreme.
All gay people are normal. Straights however? Someone should check on them
ew wtf
Did you look in the mirror again?
whoever wrote this episode can burn in hell.
No you 😘
there's a small, but vocal minority of pathetic homophobes who hated this episode, and I almost feel sorry for them being unable to enjoy such a beautiful episode.
But it was fucking fantastic.
I wish it was small
The thing with those despicable people is that a portion are open with their homophobia, but others hide behind "I'm just criticizing, bro, I'm I not allowed to dislike something?". When the stuff is terrible, like Netflix's The Witcher was, they have a lot of things to deflect to and hide the true feelings, but a lot still expose themselves by basically ignoring the mountains of more relevant problems and focusing on things like the diverse cast or the underlining politics. In TLOU, there are very few problems one can really point to and defend as actually bad decisions and not subjective things you personally disliked, so the amount of bending over backwards to paint somethings as bad to then have something to criticize that I've been seeing from the "internet critics" is really funny -- those people either have no idea what they're talking about, or, well, are just homophobes that are still ashamed to be open about it (or are uncounsciously prejudiced).
For example, there was one moron that agued that the episode didn't portray gay people in a way that made their image better to the overall public, just made straight people uncomfortable and that's counter-productive, thus it's a stupid episode, as if every gay representation has to be carefully crafted as to further their movement or appeal to straight people so they hate them less lol. Same energy as "this diverse character has no complex purpose or overall depth! Why are they here?" as if stories don't necessarily have such entities which are there to build the atmosphere, help develop the more important characters and other aspects of the world lol.
One good things about that, this eps as a filter. I unsubscribed directly to those reactor that doesn't get this eps, some of them said eps 3 is dead eps lol insecure masculinity n homophobes detected
@@yohanespaskal9352 there are people who hate romance subplots in general
@@DjapeKosticwho gives a shit, I'm obviously only talking about the people who were mad that they showed a gay relationship
Thanks to this show I’m puffy eyed walking into my 9-5 job every Monday morning. If Monday mornings weren’t bad enough as is 🥹