Long, Long Time

"Long, Long Time" is the third episode of the first season, and the third episode overall, of HBO's The Last of Us. The episode was directed by and written by series creator . The episode aired on HBO on January 29, 2023.
== Synopsis ==
Doomsday prepper prepares to ride out the apocalypse alone... until upends his plans. Years later, and seek Bill's guidance—and find themselves at a crossroads.
== Cast and characters ==
 Main cast 
* as 
* as 
 Guest starring 
* as 
* as 
* as 
 Co-starring 
* Kevin Sateri as in cellar
* as infected at fence
* Rumbie Muzofa as mother
== Plot ==
=== Seeking guidance ===
Ten miles west of on the morning after 's death, Joel wordlessly assembles a cairn along the riverside before returning to meet Ellie at a nearby campsite. Joel ignores Ellie's attempts to start a conversation, leading her to raise the topic of Tess's death. He tells Ellie he does not want any apologies, which she scoffs at; she points out that Tess and Joel made the choice to escort her for their own selfish reasons, therefore he should not even be blaming her for what happened. Joel does not respond, and they continue on their five hour hike to and 's house.
The journey proves relatively uneventful, though Joel remains on the lookout for any raiders. Ellie notices a gunshot wound Joel sustained to his head: Joel claims he was shot at by a guy who missed, and he in turn shot back but missed. Ellie once again asks if she can have a gun, which he immediately shuts down. They arrive at an abandoned Cumberland Farms gas station where Joel stored one of his stashes years before. Ellie excitedly fools around with a broken Mortal Kombat II arcade machine, claiming taught her about the game. While Joel searches for his stash, Ellie looks for any items missed by scavengers. She finds the door to a cellar in a backroom, climbing down to find the shelves empty save for a box of tampons, which she eagerly grabs. Her excitement is interrupted by the screech of an ; however, it proves harmless as it is trapped, still alive, underneath a pile of rubble. Ellie approaches it with her knife and makes a cut along its forehead, exposing the Cordyceps growth beneath the skin. With sudden aggression, she stabs the knife into the infected's head, killing it. She returns to Joel, who has found his stash, without telling him what happened. To her disappointment, Joel chooses to leave behind the rifle he stole from Lee, as he is unlikely to find ammunition for it in the wild; again, he refuses to let Ellie take it.
The pair continue on their walk. Ellie notices the wreckage of a crashed airplane from on a nearby hill. She marvels at it and the prospect of Joel having traveled in the sky: Joel shuts down her excitement, noting flying was never very pleasant and those who were onboard the plane at the time would agree. She inquires about the events of Outbreak Day which she never learned about in school. Joel explains when Cordyceps mutated to infect humans, it got into the food supply (theorized to be flour or sugar) and then into some widely distributed products, which hit the shelves on Thursday, September 25, 2003. As the population ate it over the course of the following Friday, they started to get sick before eventually being influenced to violently attack others to spread the fungus. "And by Monday, everything was gone."
Joel stops Ellie, suggesting they take a different route because of something disturbing along the path. Ellie brushes him off, only to see what he was referring to: a mass grave full of skeletal remains. Joel explains during the week following the outbreak the government evacuated small towns with the promise of taking them to quarantine zones. However, if the quarantine zones filled up, random citizens, most of whom likely were not infected, were killed by soldiers. The logic, Joel explains, was that by killing them it meant they would not be infected.
=== Bill meets Frank ===
In the immediate aftermath of Outbreak Day, the citizens of , , are evacuated, including some of the ones who will be killed in the mass grave Joel and Ellie will find in twenty years. In a sub-basement bunker, a bearded man watches on a security camera as soldiers comb through his house, grabbing his gun and muttering, "Not today, you New World Order jackboot fucks." Eventually, the soldiers depart alongside the evacuated citizens. The man climbs out of the bunker and makes sure his house and the surrounding town is clear. Satisfied, he climbs into his truck and goes to work converting the town into his personal compound, filling up on fuel, lumber, generators, and other equipment from nearby areas. He sets up an electrified fence and various traps along the perimeter to protect himself from infected and other humans alike. Having built a fully self-sufficient compound with running water, gas stove, heating, and electricity, he prepares a fancy steak dinner for himself, complete with wine pairing, and watches with glee on a security camera as an infected is killed by one of his traps.
Four years later, in 2007, the man is doing some welding in his basement when he notices one of his pit traps outside the fence has been activated. Walking out with a gun to put down its victim, he is surprised to hear a human voice call out from inside the trap that he is not infected. The man in the pit, who eventually reveals his name is Frank, explains he is unarmed and just trying to get to Boston. He is the last survivor from a group of ten who escaped the overrun Baltimore QZ. Frank is eventually helped out of the pit, but his request for food is denied: the man claims "every bum you talk to about it is gonna show up here looking for a free lunch, and this is not an Arby's." Frank, after pointing out that Arby's did not have free lunch, senses some kindness in the man's heart and promises not to tell anyone about it. The man relents and lets Frank come into his house, letting him take a hot shower and giving him a new set of clothes.
Frank sits in the dining room, privately impressed by the accouterments, such as an antique piano in the living room. The homeowner emerges with a well-plated dish of rabbit, to Frank's amazement, and even pairs it with a glass of Beaujolais, which Frank compliments his increasingly bashful host for. Frank finishes and politely turns down an offer for seconds. Before he goes, he asks to use the man's piano, finding a copy of the sheet music for 's "". His performance leaves a lot to be desired, prompting the man to take over and show off his own piano and singing ability, which he sings with passion behind the lyrics. Frank questions "who's the girl?" to which the man replies there is no girl. Frank admits he knew, and the pair share a hesitant, yet passionate, kiss. The man finally says his name is Bill, and Frank instructs Bill to take a shower.
The pair soon climb into bed with each other, where Bill admits he has never personally had an experience with another man. Frank offers to be gentle, but declares he will not be a "whore" in having sex in exchange for lunch, instead offering to stay for the next few days.
=== Living together ===
Now 2010, Bill and Frank get into an argument over Frank's desire to tidy up the compound: Frank feels Bill is tied to his post-9/11 doomsday prepper isolation, and that they should do some cleaning up of the town, including the stores, so they can have friends over. Bill scoffs that they do not have friends, only for Frank to reveal he has been talking to "a nice woman on the radio." The "nice woman" is revealed to be a younger Tess who, along with Joel, joins Bill and Frank for a pleasant lunch to discuss partnering on a smuggling operation. Frank and Tess immediately hit it off, while Bill keeps his gun on the table. Joel understands Bill's paranoia, but argues that he and Tess are probably Bill and Frank's best option for people to let into their home; they can offer books, medicine, and machine parts from within the QZ. Bill claims he and Frank are self-sufficient and do not need Joel and Tess nor what they can offer. Joel points out Bill's electric fence is already starting to rust, and offers to get some long-lasting wire to keep him and Frank protected.
The meeting ends well, with Frank proposing a music-based radio code to Tess, suggesting 80s music could signal trouble. Joel tells Bill that FEDRA will not come looking for them and the fence and traps are more than sufficient to deal with infected, but he should be mindful of raiders. Bill assures Joel that he and Frank will be fine.
Cut to 2013. The outer fence has been even more fortified with stronger traps and a wall of cars. Frank takes Bill on a run through town to show him a surprise he prepared: a garden of strawberries he planted using seeds provided by Joel and Tess, traded for one of Bill's guns. As they eagerly sample the fresh strawberries, Bill voices his concern that he is growing old faster than Frank, and that he may have to leave Frank unprotected, though Frank insists he not worry about that. Bill remarks that he "was never afraid before [Frank] showed up."
One rainy night, a group of raiders attempt to ambush the compound, only to set off Bill's far more deadly traps. Bill ventures outside in the pouring rain with a rifle to defend the compound but gets shot. Frank drags the injured Bill back into the house while the traps finish off the raiders. As Frank dutifully tends Bill's wounds, Bill deliriously calls out instructions on how to tend the house and insists Frank call Joel, claiming Joel will be able to protect him in Bill's stead.
=== August 2023 ===
Ten years later, Bill and Frank have slowed down with age, Frank in particular is wheelchair-bound due to an unspecified illness that affects his motor skills. He spends most of his days painting in their art studio while Bill maintains their plants outdoors and helps him perform basic tasks including eating and taking medication. Frank finally declares that he no longer wishes to suffer in pain and that he is ready to die. Bill proposes finding a doctor, but Frank knows this would be futile: even if they had the medical equipment a doctor could use, Frank's illness had no cure even before the outbreak. He comforts Bill by proposing what to do on his last day: they will go to the nearby boutique to pick out suits and rings, get married, Bill will serve him dinner, and at the end of the night he will take a package of crushed sleeping pills, mix them into Frank's wine, and he will fall asleep in Bill's arms.
Bill does what Frank requests, and even serves his long-time partner the exact same meal of rabbit and wine they first had the day they met all those years ago. When the time comes for post-dinner wine, Bill mixes the crushed pills into a glass, which Frank gulps down quickly. Bill then pours himself a glass that he gulps down with the same speed. Frank, surprised, realizes Bill had already put a lethal dose of pills in the wine bottle. Bill refuses to let their story end tragically with one of them alone, pointing out he is also old and ready to go, not seeing any reason to continue living without Frank. Frank voices his disapproval, yet finds the gesture romantic, and the two husbands head to bed together.
=== Arrival in Lincoln ===
Weeks pass, and Lincoln has become overgrown with neglect. Joel and Ellie arrive at the compound to find the house seemingly empty, though Joel notices the bedroom is locked. Ellie looks around the house, noticing the rotting remains of Bill and Frank's last meal, and finds a letter Bill left for Joel, which she reads aloud. In the note, Bill explains his and Frank's bodies are in the bedroom which he discourages Joel from inspecting as he imagines it's "quite a sight," although they left the window open so it would not stink up the house. He explains he used to hate the world and was happy when it ended, only to find his purpose in "one person worth saving," Frank. He tells Joel that people like the two of them have the duty to protect one person worth saving, and offers Joel all of his weapons and equipment so he can keep Tess safe. Briefly overcome with emotion, Joel runs out of the house and has a tearful moment to himself outside.
Joel heads to the garage, where he finds Bill's truck and the supplies he needs for a fresh battery. He heads back inside and asks to see Ellie's bite mark: seeing for himself it is healed, he explains that they can go to Wyoming to meet his brother who used to be part of the and can help her get to the lab. Ellie, mellowed by the letter, tries to bring up Tess again but is stopped as Joel declares he needs to lay some ground rules: from this point on they never mention Tess again; she can never tell anyone about the bite mark as most people will not take the time to hear her out; and she needs to do everything he tells her to. Ellie agrees.
They head down to the sub-basement, where they find Bill's wall of guns and the radio broadcast, which is still blasting 80s music: the system was automatically set to start playing the "trouble" playlist if it was not reset every few weeks. Ellie once again asks Joel if she can take one of Bill's guns, and again he refuses. They rummage through the house for supplies, with Ellie getting a hot shower and a change of clothes. While waiting for Joel to finish his shower, Ellie finds Frank's gun in a drawer. When she hears Joel approaching, she quickly hides it in her backpack.
The pair get into Bill's truck, which Ellie marvels at, comparing it to the experience of finding a spaceship, despite Joel's evaluation that it is a bad car. After getting Ellie to use a seatbelt, they drive towards the main gate of the compound. Ellie rummages through the glove compartment and finds a cassette tape, which she puts into the car radio: the tape turns out to be "Long, Long Time". Joel lets her keep it on, declaring that Linda Ronstadt is good music; Ellie is unimpressed, though she clocks Joel's melancholic reaction to it. They drive away from the compound as the camera lingers on the open window of Bill and Frank's bedroom.
== Reception ==
The third episode aired on January 29, 2023 and was watched by 6.4 million viewers in the U.S. overnight.Selome, Hailu (February 6, 2023). "'The Last of Us' Episode 4 Hits New Series High Viewership Despite Grammys Competition". Variety. Retrieved February 08, 2023. 
The episode was incredibly well received by critics, who critically acclaimed its presentation of LGBTQ+ relationships, citing how love was integral to the story and marked it as the series' standout episode for drama. However, some criticism was given for its detachment from the main plot, given the episode is the longest in the series but features the least amount of screentime for the main characters, Joel and Ellie. 
The episode also faced review bombing on multiple public review networks, with many reviews contrasting with the critical consensus and actually slandering the episode for its inclusion of LGBTQ+ characters. As a consequence, it is the most reviewed episode of the entire series, highlighted in the episode having 222,000 reviews on IMDB alone, more than twice the amount of the next most reviewed episode, "When You're Lost in the Darkness". Episode 3 remains the most divisive episode of the series because of this. Despite the review bombing, it still holds an 8.1 rating out of 10 overall."The Last of Us" episode 3: Long, Long Time, IMDB, (Accessed October 23, 2023).
== Transcript ==
== Behind the scenes ==
=== Featured music ===
* "" by , plays during the montage of Bill gathering supplies and fortifying his neighborhood.
* "" by , plays as Bill returns home from a scavenging trip in 2007.
* "" by , plays during Bill's and Frank's last day montage.
* "" by , plays from the computer (part of an '80s playlist) as Joel and Ellie enter Bill's bunker.
* "" by , plays as Joel and Ellie drive away in Bill's truck, continuing into the end credits (a cover by is also featured after Bill's and Frank's first dinner together). The episode takes its title from the song, which was used on the recommendation of radio host and Craig Mazin's friend Seth Rudetsky. Rudetsky, who is known for his near-encyclopedic knowledge of musical theater, was originally approached by Mazin to recommend a show tune about expressing longing and heartache, similar to "I Miss the Music" from Curtains. Rudetsky originally recommended "Her Face" from Carnival!, but upon hearing the song would be sung by a closeted gay man to an openly gay man, he immediately changed his recommendation to "Long, Long Time", feeling the lyrics more accurately reflected the feeling of unacknowledged love. Rudetsky completely forgot about the interaction for two years until he suddenly received texts from friends thanking him after Mazin credited Rudetsky on The Last of Us podcast.Evans, Greg (February 3, 2023). "‘The Last Of Us’ Has Made A New Hit Of Linda Ronstadt’s 53-Year-Old Song ’Long Long Time’ – All Because Seth Rudetsky Knows Everything". Deadline. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
=== Original score ===
* "It Can't Last" by , plays during the scene where Bill and Frank eat strawberries.
* "Vanishing Grace (Childhood)" by Gustavo Santaolalla, plays during the scene where Bill and Frank go to bed for the last time.
=== Production ===
* 's first line, "Not today you New World Order jackboot fucks," was originally just a description of Bill's thoughts in the stage directions of the script. Nick Offerman insisted on saying the line out loud, feeling it was too good not to include.
* This episode aired on January 29, 2023, the same day as the death of who portrayed Tess in the game. The HBO Max version of this episode includes a tribute to her at the start, added a few days after its initial release.
=== Easter eggs and references ===
* While at Cumberland Farms, finds a cabinet, an arcade fighting game from 1993. This is a reference to an optional conversation from the original game, where it was instead known as The Turning. She alludes to teaching her about the game, something which will be expanded upon later in the season.
* 's mandatory evacuation notice—seen in the town square when are trucking away civilians—is almost an exact copy from the game, albeit with an altered date.
* Bill's letter to mirrors Frank's letter in the game. Joel even crumples up the letter just like Bill did.
* The ending shot of the open window in Bill and 's bedroom is a reference to the open window from the main menu of the game. Originally, and considered opening every episode with a different view of a unique open window to represent the feeling of hope and loss players may associate with the image, and replace the "Skip Intro" button that appears on streaming services with "Press Play" in a nod to the game. Although different shots of an open window were filmed during production (including the one used in this episode), the concept was eventually dropped as the co-creators decided it would not really work.HBO's The Last of Us Podcast episode 3: "Long, Long Time"
=== Mistakes ===
* The Cumberland Farms logo used in this episode was not introduced until 2009.
* When Ellie is beginning to open the trapdoor in the floor at Cumberland Farms, her flashlight is seen strapped to her shoulder. As she tries to look into the area below the trapdoor, she takes her flashlight out of her bag.
* When Ellie slides the garage key to Joel, it makes lines in the dust on the table. These marks vary somewhat between shots, creating a continuity error.
== Gallery ==
=== Promotional images ===
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HBO Max Nordic The Journey 2.jpg|"The Journey" graphic released by HBO Max Nordic.
TLOU HBO Promotional Image 07.png|Promotional image released by Arby's.
=== Official stills ===
S1E3 Joel 1.jpg|Joel listens as Ellie reads Bill's letter.
S1E3 Ellie 1.jpg|Ellie spies a trapped infected in the dark.
S1E3 Ellie 2.jpg|Ellie spots a hidden door at the garage.
S1E3 Joel and Bill talk.jpg|Joel and Bill talk about raiders.
S1E3 Joel 2.jpg|Joel eating dinner at Bill and Frank's house.
S1E3 Bill 1.jpg|Bill eats dinner with Joel, Tess and Frank.
S1E3 Bill 2.jpg|Bill watches Frank and Tess enter their house.
S1E3 Bill 3.jpg|Bill with his shotgun outside his fence.
S1E3 Frank 1.jpg|Frank having dinner with Bill, Tess and Joel.
S1E3 Bill 4.jpg|Bill wearing his bandolier.
S1E3 Frank 2.jpg|Frank treats Bill's gunshot wound.
S1E3 Bill and Frank 1.jpg|Frank asks Bill to sing for him.
S1E3 Bill 5.jpg|Bill cries after playing for Frank.
S1E3 Bill and Frank 2.jpg|Bill watches Frank prepare to sing Long, Long Time.
S1E3 Bill 6.jpg|An emotional Bill.
S1E3 Ellie and Joel.jpg|Joel and Ellie see corpses in the distance.
S1E3 Ellie 3.jpg|Ellie asks Joel not to blame her for Tess' death.
S1E3 Ellie 4.jpg|Ellie shows Joel her healed bite mark at Bill's house.
S1E3 Joel and Ellie 2.jpg|Joel tells Ellie his conditions for her coming with him.
S1E3 Frank 3.jpg|An aged Frank.
S1E3 Ellie 5.jpg|Ellie reads Bill's letter to Joel.
S1E3 Bill and Frank 3.jpg|Bill professes his love for Frank.
S1E3 Frank 4.jpg|Frank looking at Bill.
S1E3 Bill and Frank 4.jpg|Bill and Frank marry in Bill's home.
S1E3 Bill 7.jpg|Bill prepares to marry Frank.
S1E3 Bill 8.jpg|An aged Bill eating.
S1E3 Bill and Frank 5.jpg|Bill and Frank eat together in 2023.
S1E3 Ellie 6.jpg|Ellie by Bill's fence.
S1E3 Joel and Ellie 3.jpg|Ellie and Joel enter Bill's house.
S1E3 Bill 9.jpg|Bill prepares traps outside his wall.
S1E3 Tess 1.jpg|Tess eating with Bill, Frank and Joel.
S1E3 Bill and Frank 6.jpg|Frank comforts Bill.
S1E3 Bill and Frank 7.jpg|Bill and Frank shortly after marrying.
S1E3 Bill and Frank 8.jpg|Bill and Frank profess their love to each other.
S1E3 Bill and Frank 9.jpg|Frank asks Bill to help him commit suicide.
S1E3 Bill and Frank 10.jpg|Bill is devastated that Frank wishes to die.
=== Behind the scenes ===
S1E3 Bill and Frank BTS 1.jpg
S1E3 Bill BTS.jpg
S1E3 Infected BTS.jpg
S1E3 Bill and Frank BTS 2.jpg
=== Videos ===
Episode 3 Preview - The Last of Us - HBO Max
The Last of Us - Inside the Episode - 3 - HBO
Episode 3 - The Last of Us Podcast - HBO Max
== External links ==
* 
* 
* "Long, Long Time" at 
== References ==
Category:HBO's The Last of Us episodes
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