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Long, Long Time (The Last of Us)

February 27, 2023

"Long, Long Time" is the third episode of the American post-apocalyptic drama television series The Last of Us. The episode was written by series co-creator Craig Mazin and directed by Peter Hoar. It aired on HBO on January 29, 2023. In the episode, Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) travel to Lincoln, Massachusetts, to find Bill (Nick Offerman). Flashbacks follow Bill over twenty years as he survives in his town and meets his partner Frank (Murray Bartlett). The episode's title is taken from the 1970 song by Linda Ronstadt, which plays an important role in Bill and Frank's relationship.

"Long, Long Time"
The Last of Us episode
The final crane shot of Bill and Frank's bedroom was inspired by the video game's title screen,[1] signifying promise and loss[2] and allowing a final moment with the characters.[3]
Episode no.Season 1
Episode 3
Directed byPeter Hoar
Written byCraig Mazin
Produced by
  • Greg Spence
  • Cecil O'Connor
Featured music
Full list
Cinematography byEben Bolter
Editing byTimothy A. Good
Original air dateJanuary 29, 2023 (2023-01-29)
Running time75 minutes[4]
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
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"Please Hold to My Hand"
List of episodes

Mazin wanted to expand on Bill's story from the video game; he felt it allowed a deeper look at love, happiness, and the passage of time. Filming for the episode took place in the former Beachwood area of High River, Alberta, in September 2021; production designer John Paino and his team constructed the town of Lincoln in around six to twelve weeks. Critics overwhelmingly considered the episode the season's best, with Offerman and Bartlett's performances, Mazin's writing, and Hoar's direction receiving particular praise. It was watched by 6.4 million viewers on its first day.

Plot

Traveling on foot to Lincoln, Massachusetts, Joel (Pedro Pascal) searches for his stashed provisions while Ellie (Bella Ramsey) enters the basement and stabs a trapped infected to death. Encountering a pile of human skeletons, Joel explains the military culled some survivors to conserve food and living space.

Twenty years earlier, in Lincoln, Bill (Nick Offerman) monitors the evacuation from an underground bunker after the outbreak. He ransacks abandoned businesses for supplies and materials to build a generator, electric fence, and traps. Four years later, he encounters Frank (Murray Bartlett), who bargains for a hot meal, shower, and fresh clothes. He and Bill play "Long, Long Time" on the piano. He deduces Bill has never had anyone. Frank kisses him, and they sleep together. Three years later, Frank invites Tess (Anna Torv) and Joel to establish a smuggling operation. Joel convinces the misanthropic Bill to accept Frank's plan by pointing out deficiencies in the town's defenses they can help fix. Later, raiders attempt to infiltrate the town, injuring Bill before being repelled by his defenses.

Ten years later, Bill and Frank are elderly, with a degenerative disease leaving Frank with limited mobility; he asks Bill to help him die. Bill takes Frank to dress in new suits and they marry in their living room. After dinner, Bill places a lethal dose of sleeping tablets in Frank's wine and reveals he spiked his own drink as well, admitting he has no desire to live without Frank. They retire to their room.

Several weeks later, Joel and Ellie reach Lincoln. Ellie finds a letter from Bill addressed to Joel, leaving him his truck, weapons, and any supplies he needs. Bill describes how caring for and protecting Frank gave him a purpose, and states both he and Joel have a mission to save and protect the worthy. When Joel discovers Bill was referring to Tess, he becomes emotional. He and Ellie agree to take Bill's truck and travel to Wyoming to find Tommy, who may be able to help transport Ellie to the Fireflies. Joel sets new rules for Ellie: neither of them is to address Tess or their histories; Ellie is to keep her condition a secret; and she has to follow Joel's orders. They stockpile from Bill's stash; unbeknownst to Joel, Ellie finds a gun and hides it in her backpack. The two drive away with Ronstadt's song playing on cassette.

Production

Conception and writing

 
The episode was written by series co-creator Craig Mazin.[5]

"Long, Long Time" was written by The Last of Us series co-creator Craig Mazin and directed by Peter Hoar.[5] The Directors Guild of Canada revealed Hoar was assigned to direct an episode in July 2021.[6] Hoar had played The Last of Us (2013), the video game on which the series is based, but not its sequel The Last of Us Part II (2020). He "dreamed about being part of" the series after it was announced, and was contacted by executive producer Rose Lam about directing an episode.[7] Rotten Tomatoes revealed the episode's title in December 2022.[8] Mazin wanted the episode to be "a break from fear" of the previous episodes, exploring hopefulness without the constant threat of danger.[9] In preparing the episode, Mazin mapped out Bill's area and researched how long natural gas would last in his setup.[10] His original script was "quite a bit longer" than the final episode.[11] Hoar's original version was around 77 minutes long; he cut it down to 72 but Mazin insisted they reinserted some elements, resulting in the final 75-minute runtime. Hoar felt a 59-minute episode would have failed.[12]

Mazin approached series co-creator Neil Druckmann, who wrote and co-directed the video game, with the idea of expanding Bill and Frank's story from the games;[13] he felt Bill's inclusion in the game was built around gameplay whereas the television series would allow a deeper look at the character.[14] Druckmann approved as he felt it improved the overall series narrative;[13] he considered a positive relationship a smart inclusion as the series already featured several examples of dark outcomes.[12] He found the game's version of events—wherein Bill saves Joel's life in the present and Frank is already dead—would have been too boring as a television episode without player agency, and likewise the show's story lacked the action sequences required for gameplay.[2]: 26:03  Mazin enjoyed the ability to demonstrate the passage of time and the events within the first 20 years of the outbreak, which was not featured in the games.[15] He considered the episode an opportunity to show that happiness and peace was still achievable;[16] he wanted the episode to explore the dichotomy of loving someone—a recurring theme in the series—and how love manifests in the post-apocalypse.[17]

The episode intentionally avoids specifying Frank's degenerative illness; Mazin said it was either multiple sclerosis or early ALS.[2]: 35:26  One of Bill's lines—"This isn't the tragic suicide at the end of the play"—was inspired by Mart Crowley's play The Boys in the Band (1968); Mazin wanted to avoid the trope of equating homosexuality with tragedy.[2]: 38:07 [18] The final shot of the open window was a reference to the game's title screen. Mazin and Druckmann had envisioned each episode's HBO Max page opening on a unique window shot before the episode started, akin to a title screen, and the final shot was framed to match this; while the idea was later scrapped, the shot remained in the episode.[19] Mazin felt it implied promise and loss, while signifying Bill and Frank were at peace with each other.[2]: 46:35  Hoar felt the shot allowed one final moment with Bill and Frank.[19] Bartlett considered it romantic and Offerman found it emotional;[20] Mazin considered it a happy ending.[13][17] Druckmann considered Bill's suicide note a reminder of Joel's failure at protecting his daughter Sarah and partner Tess in the two preceding episodes.[21]: 3:05 

Casting and characters

Murray Bartlett and Con O'Neill's casting as Frank and Bill was announced on July 15, 2021.[22] Bartlett was unfamiliar with the source material but was drawn to the show after he read the script.[23] He researched the game after receiving the role and found it cinematic, citing the characters, narrative, and themes.[24] According to Mazin, the producers cried during Bartlett's audition.[25] Druckmann expected some fans to be upset by Frank's inclusion in the show due to the divergence from the game's narrative.[26] On December 5, Bartlett claimed Nick Offerman would appear on the show in a role close to his;[27] two days later, Offerman was announced to be playing Bill, replacing O'Neill who was forced to drop out due to scheduling conflicts with Our Flag Means Death.[2]: 13:36 [28] Mazin wanted gay men to play Frank and Bill, but after O'Neill's departure, he was drawn to casting Offerman at the suggestion of executive producer Carolyn Strauss.[9]

Mazin felt inspired to cast a comedic actor like Offerman because "funny people have soul", a mantra he learned from Vince Gilligan, citing performances like Bryan Cranston in Breaking Bad and Bob Odenkirk in Better Call Saul.[29] A scheduling conflict originally prohibited Offerman from accepting the role but he decided to take it after his wife Megan Mullally read the script;[9] he felt attached to the material and found a kinship with Bill due to his experience in crafting.[12] Hoar, executive producer Evan Wells, and co-executive producer Jacqueline Lesko met Offerman and Bartlett and had dinner before production to better understand the characters.[7] Offerman was cleanshaven with short hair when he began working on the show; the production team decided to add long hair and a beard to demonstrate Bill's inability to express himself.[7] Bill's first line in the episode—"Not today you New World Order jack-booted fucks"—was originally written as a description but Offerman insisted on saying it aloud.[30] Offerman selected some of the books and videos to place in Bill's entertainment area.[20]

A singing coach helped Offerman and Bartlett prepare for the piano performances; Bartlett was specifically coached to sing worse.[31] Offerman rehearsed the song with Mullally, a singer.[32] Cinematographer Eben Bolter recalled seeing Offerman's hands shaking between takes of the performance.[31] Mazin and Offerman—both heterosexual—sought advice and approval from gay men involved in the production, including Bartlett, Hoar, editor Timothy A. Good, and unit production manager Cecil O'Connor. Mazin ultimately considered their age more important than their sexuality as he wanted to explore a long, committed relationship;[2]: 13:54  having been married for 27 years, he understood "there's a different kind of love" in long-term partnerships.[15] Mazin felt Offerman's inexperience in playing gay men added to the role, as Bill is similarly inexperienced in exploring his sexuality.[25] Offerman considered the role important as he hoped the representation helped to "break down [the] walls" of gender stereotypes.[33] In the sex scene, Offerman found Bill's discomfort "easy to channel" due to the crew members watching on set.[25]

Music

 
Linda Ronstadt's song "Long, Long Time" is featured heavily in the episode as it represents unfulfilled and unacknowledged love.[34][35]

Mazin wanted Bill and Frank to initially connect through a song about lonely heartache[2]: 16:40  and "making your peace with the fact that you will always be alone".[36] Struggling to find a song, he spoke to his friend Seth Rudetsky in February 2021, requesting a show tune like "I Miss the Music" from the musical Curtains (2006). Rudetsky suggested "Her Face" from Carnival! (1961), which Mazin felt was "perfect".[34] After discovering the scenario involved a closeted man singing to an openly gay man, Rudetsky suggested Linda Ronstadt's "Long, Long Time", written by Gary White; he felt the lyrics represented the lack of acknowledgement from one's love. Rudetsky received a consultancy credit for the episode.[34] The song exhibits themes of unfulfilled love and how time heals wounds. The moment with Frank at the piano marks the beginning of profound change for Bill, who finds himself in an unexpected long-term, loving relationship that eventually sees him care for another individual. Bill and Frank's relationship is echoed in the lyrics:[35]

Love will abide, take things in stride
Sounds like good advice, but there's no one at my side
And time washes clean, love's wounds unseen
That's what someone told me, but I don't know what it means.[35]

In the hour after the episode's broadcast, Ronstadt's "Long, Long Time" saw a 4,900 percent increase in streams on Spotify in the United States over the previous week; outlets compared it to the 2022 resurgence of Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill" after its use in the fourth season of Stranger Things.[37][38][39] According to Luminate, from January 28 to 30, daily streams of the song in the United States increased from under 8,000 to almost 149,000—a spike of 1,776 percent—and daily sales jumped to over 1,500, a 13,782 percent increase.[40] For the first time,[a] the song topped three Billboard charts in the week preceding February 11: Rock Digital Song Sales, due to 6,000 downloads (an 11,181 percent increase) in the United States; LyricFind U.S., from a 3,013 percent increase in lyric search and usage; and LyricFind Global, a 2,047 percent increase. It ranked sixth on the Hot Trending Songs chart.[41] Ronstadt, who sold rights to her music in 2021, said "I still love the song and I'm very glad that Gary will get a windfall."[42]

Montages in the episode use "I'm Coming Home to Stay" by Fleetwood Mac and "White Room" by Cream.[43] Bill and Frank's final scene features an instrumental piece by Max Richter, "On the Nature of Daylight".[18] Hoar had tried to use the song in It's a Sin (2021) but it was removed. He used it as temp music for the episode and HBO approved the licensing;[44] Bolter had assumed it would be replaced during editing but was "so moved and delighted" by its inclusion.[45] Richter responded by performing the song on piano in a TikTok video, which he dedicated to Bill and Frank.[46]

Filming

 
Bill's town of Lincoln, Massachusetts, was recreated in the former Beachwood area of High River, Alberta.[9][47]

"Long, Long Time" was filmed in September 2021;[19] preparation and filming took around 20 days each.[12] Some of the larger sequences were filmed roughly in order.[7] Eben Bolter worked as cinematographer.[1] The opening scene of Joel at the river was filmed in Banff, Alberta; the production team discussed digitally removing mountains in the background to more closely resemble Massachusetts, though they were ultimately included. Bolter wanted the opening shots to resemble an "early morning feeling when the sun's just about to come up".[48] The following scenes with Joel and Ellie was filmed at Sheep River Falls;[49] Bolter had large lights in place in case clouds covered the sun.[48] The walking sequences were filmed in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area, at a stone bridge in Fish Creek Park, and the Priddis General Store near Alberta Highway 22. Some of Bill's early montage scenes were filmed at a gas plant in Mazeppa, and the closed Lowe's Home Improvement store in Shawnessy, representing The Home Depot.[49]

Bill's town of Lincoln was recreated in the former Beachwood area of High River, which was abandoned following the 2013 Alberta floods.[49] On July 12, the High River town council approved the production team's request to film in Beachwood between July 12 and October 31;[47] in exchange, the production paid CA$100,000 to the town of High River for community funding, which was ultimately split between the High River Bike Park Society (80 percent) and Spitzee School (20 percent). The production team removed three trees in the area, for which they reimbursed the town an additional CA$15,000.[50] Production designer John Paino and his team constructed the town of Lincoln in around six to twelve weeks; greenery was transported from Vancouver to replicate Lincoln's foliage, which was expanded to demonstrate the passage of time.[9] The buildings lacked roofs, requiring the visual effects department to add them into every shot.[25] The scene at the strawberry patch was filmed in the last moments of available light during the day; Hoar considered it among his favorite moments "because it's so natural and so real".[7] The piano scene was filmed with three cameras—separate cameras for Offerman and Bartlett, and a roving camera to move between them—as Mazin wanted it recorded as a live performance.[48]

Most interiors were built on a soundstage, including Bill's house and bunker.[9] The front room of Bill's house existed both on a soundstage and on location; the latter version was used to allow the camera to move from inside to outside during an action sequence. Hoar used minimal lighting for the action scene, limited to fire and occasional lightning.[25] Mazin assisted in directing the scene, filming additional close-ups.[12] Paino felt Bill's family were likely among the "first settlers" of the town, demonstrated by their house's central placement, and therefore it contained old artifacts.[9] Bolter, a fan of the games, pitched the final shot of the window to Mazin as a tribute to the first game's title screen; the corner of the bedroom interior was constructed on a platform to allow the crane shot to move from outside to inside.[1] He said they "had to fight for that shot".[3] The last scene filmed was Bill and Frank in their bedroom on their final day.[7] Principal photography concluded on October 5, 2021.[51]

Reception

Broadcast and ratings

The episode aired on HBO on January 29, 2023.[52] Annie Wersching, who portrayed Tess in the video game, died on the same day;[53] the episode was altered several days later to add a dedication.[54] The episode had 6.4 million viewers in the United States on its first night, including linear viewers and streams on HBO Max—an increase of 12 percent from the previous week and 37 percent from the premiere.[55] On linear television, it had 747,000 viewers on its first night, with a 0.21 ratings share.[56]

Critical response

 
 
The performances of Murray Bartlett (left) and Nick Offerman (right) were widely praised by critics.[5][57][58]

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, "Long, Long Time" has an approval rating of 98 percent based on 45 reviews, with an average rating of 9.9/10. The website's critical consensus said the episode "richly deepens" the show's story, "beautifully played by guest stars Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett".[59] Critics overwhelmingly considered the episode the season's best,[5][60][61] and some named it among the greatest television episodes;[62][63][64] The Hollywood Reporter's Daniel Fienberg felt it elevated the series to a new level,[4] Empire's John Nugent called it "moving, surprisingly romantic, and one of the finest hours of television in recent memory",[65] and The Guardian's Andy Welch described it as "absolutely magical television".[66] CNN's Brian Lowry wrote the final shot "represented the perfect close to an almost-perfect hour of television".[67] Some critics compared Bill and Frank's story to the opening sequence of Up (2009) for its ability to tell a simultaneously heartwarming and heartbreaking story within a limited time.[68][69][70]

Offerman and Bartlett's performances were highly praised;[5][57][58] Complex's William Goodman described them as a "career-best"[71] and Inverse's Dais Johnston found them Emmy-worthy.[72] TV Guide's Kat Moon similarly considered them deserving of Emmy nominations but felt Offerman's performance "demands special attention".[73] Regarding the recasting of Bill, The Guardian's Welch wrote "it's now hard to imagine anyone other than Offerman in that role".[66] Reviewers lauded Offerman's ability to portray Bill's gentler side, and Bartlett's eager and charismatic attitude as Frank;[74][75][76] TVLine named them the Performers of the Week.[77] Den of Geek's Bernard Boo wrote their "performance as a pair is pitch-perfect",[64] and Vulture's Keith Phipps praised their ability to convey emotions without dialogue.[78] Conversely, Vulture's Jackson McHenry found Offerman and Bartlett were "stuck in wooden roles acting out maudlin dynamics".[79] Pascal and Ramsey's performances were well received.[76][80]

The A.V. Club's David Cote praised Mazin's writing for its humor and heart without overt cheesiness.[81] Push Square's Aaron Bayne applauded the decision to tell a different story from the game;[82] Mashable's Belen Edwards felt the episode's beauty would have been impossible otherwise.[83] Slate's Victoria Ritvo lauded the connection to the larger story while remaining largely self-contained.[84] IGN's Simon Cardy called Bill and Frank's final day "remarkably touching from start to finish";[76] Den of Geek's Boo said it was "overwhelming to watch", an impressive feat considering the limited time with the characters.[64] Evening Standard's Vicky Jessop felt, while beautiful and moving, the episode lacked explanation for viewers unfamiliar with the video game.[85] Vulture's McHenry wrote it "tries so hard to imitate what we think of prestige television that it forgets to say anything at all".[79] IndieWire's Steve Greene praised Hoar's physical direction and Paino's production design,[75] and Total Film's Bradley Russell lauded Hoar's ability to elevate small moments into significance, citing the strawberry patch scene.[86]

Radio Times's Adam Starkey felt the depiction of a mature gay relationship set a benchmark for the medium;[87] Slate's J. Bryan Lowder recognized the importance of normalizing a gay relationship amidst anti-LGBT rhetoric including anti-gender movements and LGBT grooming conspiracy theories.[88] Kotaku's Kenneth Shepard appreciated the relationship's ties to pre-apocalypse LGBTQ+ history that, as other characters and relationships in the franchise illustrate, were no longer common knowledge.[89] The Washington Post's Riley MacLeod thought it suffered from tropes like Frank's illness and the couple's isolation, though acknowledged these were partly due to the apocalypse rather than their sexuality.[90] The episode was the subject of review bombing on IMDb and Metacritic, which journalists largely attributed to homophobia.[91][92][93]

Notes

  1. ^ "Long, Long Time" previously peaked at 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 1970.[41]

References

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External links

  • "Long, Long Time" at IMDb

February 27, 2023
long, long, time, last, long, long, time, third, episode, american, post, apocalyptic, drama, television, series, last, episode, written, series, creator, craig, mazin, directed, peter, hoar, aired, january, 2023, episode, joel, pedro, pascal, ellie, bella, ra. Long Long Time is the third episode of the American post apocalyptic drama television series The Last of Us The episode was written by series co creator Craig Mazin and directed by Peter Hoar It aired on HBO on January 29 2023 In the episode Joel Pedro Pascal and Ellie Bella Ramsey travel to Lincoln Massachusetts to find Bill Nick Offerman Flashbacks follow Bill over twenty years as he survives in his town and meets his partner Frank Murray Bartlett The episode s title is taken from the 1970 song by Linda Ronstadt which plays an important role in Bill and Frank s relationship Long Long Time The Last of Us episodeThe final crane shot of Bill and Frank s bedroom was inspired by the video game s title screen 1 signifying promise and loss 2 and allowing a final moment with the characters 3 Episode no Season 1Episode 3Directed byPeter HoarWritten byCraig MazinProduced byGreg SpenceCecil O ConnorFeatured musicFull list I m Coming Home to Stay by Fleetwood Mac White Room by Cream Long Long Time by Linda Ronstadt On the Nature of Daylight by Max RichterCinematography byEben BolterEditing byTimothy A GoodOriginal air dateJanuary 29 2023 2023 01 29 Running time75 minutes 4 Guest appearancesAnna Torv as Tess Nick Offerman as Bill Murray Bartlett as FrankEpisode chronology Previous Infected Next Please Hold to My Hand List of episodesMazin wanted to expand on Bill s story from the video game he felt it allowed a deeper look at love happiness and the passage of time Filming for the episode took place in the former Beachwood area of High River Alberta in September 2021 production designer John Paino and his team constructed the town of Lincoln in around six to twelve weeks Critics overwhelmingly considered the episode the season s best with Offerman and Bartlett s performances Mazin s writing and Hoar s direction receiving particular praise It was watched by 6 4 million viewers on its first day Contents 1 Plot 2 Production 2 1 Conception and writing 2 2 Casting and characters 2 3 Music 2 4 Filming 3 Reception 3 1 Broadcast and ratings 3 2 Critical response 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksPlot EditTraveling on foot to Lincoln Massachusetts Joel Pedro Pascal searches for his stashed provisions while Ellie Bella Ramsey enters the basement and stabs a trapped infected to death Encountering a pile of human skeletons Joel explains the military culled some survivors to conserve food and living space Twenty years earlier in Lincoln Bill Nick Offerman monitors the evacuation from an underground bunker after the outbreak He ransacks abandoned businesses for supplies and materials to build a generator electric fence and traps Four years later he encounters Frank Murray Bartlett who bargains for a hot meal shower and fresh clothes He and Bill play Long Long Time on the piano He deduces Bill has never had anyone Frank kisses him and they sleep together Three years later Frank invites Tess Anna Torv and Joel to establish a smuggling operation Joel convinces the misanthropic Bill to accept Frank s plan by pointing out deficiencies in the town s defenses they can help fix Later raiders attempt to infiltrate the town injuring Bill before being repelled by his defenses Ten years later Bill and Frank are elderly with a degenerative disease leaving Frank with limited mobility he asks Bill to help him die Bill takes Frank to dress in new suits and they marry in their living room After dinner Bill places a lethal dose of sleeping tablets in Frank s wine and reveals he spiked his own drink as well admitting he has no desire to live without Frank They retire to their room Several weeks later Joel and Ellie reach Lincoln Ellie finds a letter from Bill addressed to Joel leaving him his truck weapons and any supplies he needs Bill describes how caring for and protecting Frank gave him a purpose and states both he and Joel have a mission to save and protect the worthy When Joel discovers Bill was referring to Tess he becomes emotional He and Ellie agree to take Bill s truck and travel to Wyoming to find Tommy who may be able to help transport Ellie to the Fireflies Joel sets new rules for Ellie neither of them is to address Tess or their histories Ellie is to keep her condition a secret and she has to follow Joel s orders They stockpile from Bill s stash unbeknownst to Joel Ellie finds a gun and hides it in her backpack The two drive away with Ronstadt s song playing on cassette Production EditConception and writing Edit The episode was written by series co creator Craig Mazin 5 Long Long Time was written by The Last of Us series co creator Craig Mazin and directed by Peter Hoar 5 The Directors Guild of Canada revealed Hoar was assigned to direct an episode in July 2021 6 Hoar had played The Last of Us 2013 the video game on which the series is based but not its sequel The Last of Us Part II 2020 He dreamed about being part of the series after it was announced and was contacted by executive producer Rose Lam about directing an episode 7 Rotten Tomatoes revealed the episode s title in December 2022 8 Mazin wanted the episode to be a break from fear of the previous episodes exploring hopefulness without the constant threat of danger 9 In preparing the episode Mazin mapped out Bill s area and researched how long natural gas would last in his setup 10 His original script was quite a bit longer than the final episode 11 Hoar s original version was around 77 minutes long he cut it down to 72 but Mazin insisted they reinserted some elements resulting in the final 75 minute runtime Hoar felt a 59 minute episode would have failed 12 Mazin approached series co creator Neil Druckmann who wrote and co directed the video game with the idea of expanding Bill and Frank s story from the games 13 he felt Bill s inclusion in the game was built around gameplay whereas the television series would allow a deeper look at the character 14 Druckmann approved as he felt it improved the overall series narrative 13 he considered a positive relationship a smart inclusion as the series already featured several examples of dark outcomes 12 He found the game s version of events wherein Bill saves Joel s life in the present and Frank is already dead would have been too boring as a television episode without player agency and likewise the show s story lacked the action sequences required for gameplay 2 26 03 Mazin enjoyed the ability to demonstrate the passage of time and the events within the first 20 years of the outbreak which was not featured in the games 15 He considered the episode an opportunity to show that happiness and peace was still achievable 16 he wanted the episode to explore the dichotomy of loving someone a recurring theme in the series and how love manifests in the post apocalypse 17 The episode intentionally avoids specifying Frank s degenerative illness Mazin said it was either multiple sclerosis or early ALS 2 35 26 One of Bill s lines This isn t the tragic suicide at the end of the play was inspired by Mart Crowley s play The Boys in the Band 1968 Mazin wanted to avoid the trope of equating homosexuality with tragedy 2 38 07 18 The final shot of the open window was a reference to the game s title screen Mazin and Druckmann had envisioned each episode s HBO Max page opening on a unique window shot before the episode started akin to a title screen and the final shot was framed to match this while the idea was later scrapped the shot remained in the episode 19 Mazin felt it implied promise and loss while signifying Bill and Frank were at peace with each other 2 46 35 Hoar felt the shot allowed one final moment with Bill and Frank 19 Bartlett considered it romantic and Offerman found it emotional 20 Mazin considered it a happy ending 13 17 Druckmann considered Bill s suicide note a reminder of Joel s failure at protecting his daughter Sarah and partner Tess in the two preceding episodes 21 3 05 Casting and characters Edit Murray Bartlett and Con O Neill s casting as Frank and Bill was announced on July 15 2021 22 Bartlett was unfamiliar with the source material but was drawn to the show after he read the script 23 He researched the game after receiving the role and found it cinematic citing the characters narrative and themes 24 According to Mazin the producers cried during Bartlett s audition 25 Druckmann expected some fans to be upset by Frank s inclusion in the show due to the divergence from the game s narrative 26 On December 5 Bartlett claimed Nick Offerman would appear on the show in a role close to his 27 two days later Offerman was announced to be playing Bill replacing O Neill who was forced to drop out due to scheduling conflicts with Our Flag Means Death 2 13 36 28 Mazin wanted gay men to play Frank and Bill but after O Neill s departure he was drawn to casting Offerman at the suggestion of executive producer Carolyn Strauss 9 Mazin felt inspired to cast a comedic actor like Offerman because funny people have soul a mantra he learned from Vince Gilligan citing performances like Bryan Cranston in Breaking Bad and Bob Odenkirk in Better Call Saul 29 A scheduling conflict originally prohibited Offerman from accepting the role but he decided to take it after his wife Megan Mullally read the script 9 he felt attached to the material and found a kinship with Bill due to his experience in crafting 12 Hoar executive producer Evan Wells and co executive producer Jacqueline Lesko met Offerman and Bartlett and had dinner before production to better understand the characters 7 Offerman was cleanshaven with short hair when he began working on the show the production team decided to add long hair and a beard to demonstrate Bill s inability to express himself 7 Bill s first line in the episode Not today you New World Order jack booted fucks was originally written as a description but Offerman insisted on saying it aloud 30 Offerman selected some of the books and videos to place in Bill s entertainment area 20 A singing coach helped Offerman and Bartlett prepare for the piano performances Bartlett was specifically coached to sing worse 31 Offerman rehearsed the song with Mullally a singer 32 Cinematographer Eben Bolter recalled seeing Offerman s hands shaking between takes of the performance 31 Mazin and Offerman both heterosexual sought advice and approval from gay men involved in the production including Bartlett Hoar editor Timothy A Good and unit production manager Cecil O Connor Mazin ultimately considered their age more important than their sexuality as he wanted to explore a long committed relationship 2 13 54 having been married for 27 years he understood there s a different kind of love in long term partnerships 15 Mazin felt Offerman s inexperience in playing gay men added to the role as Bill is similarly inexperienced in exploring his sexuality 25 Offerman considered the role important as he hoped the representation helped to break down the walls of gender stereotypes 33 In the sex scene Offerman found Bill s discomfort easy to channel due to the crew members watching on set 25 Music Edit Linda Ronstadt s song Long Long Time is featured heavily in the episode as it represents unfulfilled and unacknowledged love 34 35 Mazin wanted Bill and Frank to initially connect through a song about lonely heartache 2 16 40 and making your peace with the fact that you will always be alone 36 Struggling to find a song he spoke to his friend Seth Rudetsky in February 2021 requesting a show tune like I Miss the Music from the musical Curtains 2006 Rudetsky suggested Her Face from Carnival 1961 which Mazin felt was perfect 34 After discovering the scenario involved a closeted man singing to an openly gay man Rudetsky suggested Linda Ronstadt s Long Long Time written by Gary White he felt the lyrics represented the lack of acknowledgement from one s love Rudetsky received a consultancy credit for the episode 34 The song exhibits themes of unfulfilled love and how time heals wounds The moment with Frank at the piano marks the beginning of profound change for Bill who finds himself in an unexpected long term loving relationship that eventually sees him care for another individual Bill and Frank s relationship is echoed in the lyrics 35 Love will abide take things in stride Sounds like good advice but there s no one at my side And time washes clean love s wounds unseen That s what someone told me but I don t know what it means 35 In the hour after the episode s broadcast Ronstadt s Long Long Time saw a 4 900 percent increase in streams on Spotify in the United States over the previous week outlets compared it to the 2022 resurgence of Kate Bush s Running Up That Hill after its use in the fourth season of Stranger Things 37 38 39 According to Luminate from January 28 to 30 daily streams of the song in the United States increased from under 8 000 to almost 149 000 a spike of 1 776 percent and daily sales jumped to over 1 500 a 13 782 percent increase 40 For the first time a the song topped three Billboard charts in the week preceding February 11 Rock Digital Song Sales due to 6 000 downloads an 11 181 percent increase in the United States LyricFind U S from a 3 013 percent increase in lyric search and usage and LyricFind Global a 2 047 percent increase It ranked sixth on the Hot Trending Songs chart 41 Ronstadt who sold rights to her music in 2021 said I still love the song and I m very glad that Gary will get a windfall 42 Montages in the episode use I m Coming Home to Stay by Fleetwood Mac and White Room by Cream 43 Bill and Frank s final scene features an instrumental piece by Max Richter On the Nature of Daylight 18 Hoar had tried to use the song in It s a Sin 2021 but it was removed He used it as temp music for the episode and HBO approved the licensing 44 Bolter had assumed it would be replaced during editing but was so moved and delighted by its inclusion 45 Richter responded by performing the song on piano in a TikTok video which he dedicated to Bill and Frank 46 Filming Edit Bill s town of Lincoln Massachusetts was recreated in the former Beachwood area of High River Alberta 9 47 Long Long Time was filmed in September 2021 19 preparation and filming took around 20 days each 12 Some of the larger sequences were filmed roughly in order 7 Eben Bolter worked as cinematographer 1 The opening scene of Joel at the river was filmed in Banff Alberta the production team discussed digitally removing mountains in the background to more closely resemble Massachusetts though they were ultimately included Bolter wanted the opening shots to resemble an early morning feeling when the sun s just about to come up 48 The following scenes with Joel and Ellie was filmed at Sheep River Falls 49 Bolter had large lights in place in case clouds covered the sun 48 The walking sequences were filmed in the Ann amp Sandy Cross Conservation Area at a stone bridge in Fish Creek Park and the Priddis General Store near Alberta Highway 22 Some of Bill s early montage scenes were filmed at a gas plant in Mazeppa and the closed Lowe s Home Improvement store in Shawnessy representing The Home Depot 49 Bill s town of Lincoln was recreated in the former Beachwood area of High River which was abandoned following the 2013 Alberta floods 49 On July 12 the High River town council approved the production team s request to film in Beachwood between July 12 and October 31 47 in exchange the production paid CA 100 000 to the town of High River for community funding which was ultimately split between the High River Bike Park Society 80 percent and Spitzee School 20 percent The production team removed three trees in the area for which they reimbursed the town an additional CA 15 000 50 Production designer John Paino and his team constructed the town of Lincoln in around six to twelve weeks greenery was transported from Vancouver to replicate Lincoln s foliage which was expanded to demonstrate the passage of time 9 The buildings lacked roofs requiring the visual effects department to add them into every shot 25 The scene at the strawberry patch was filmed in the last moments of available light during the day Hoar considered it among his favorite moments because it s so natural and so real 7 The piano scene was filmed with three cameras separate cameras for Offerman and Bartlett and a roving camera to move between them as Mazin wanted it recorded as a live performance 48 Most interiors were built on a soundstage including Bill s house and bunker 9 The front room of Bill s house existed both on a soundstage and on location the latter version was used to allow the camera to move from inside to outside during an action sequence Hoar used minimal lighting for the action scene limited to fire and occasional lightning 25 Mazin assisted in directing the scene filming additional close ups 12 Paino felt Bill s family were likely among the first settlers of the town demonstrated by their house s central placement and therefore it contained old artifacts 9 Bolter a fan of the games pitched the final shot of the window to Mazin as a tribute to the first game s title screen the corner of the bedroom interior was constructed on a platform to allow the crane shot to move from outside to inside 1 He said they had to fight for that shot 3 The last scene filmed was Bill and Frank in their bedroom on their final day 7 Principal photography concluded on October 5 2021 51 Reception EditBroadcast and ratings Edit The episode aired on HBO on January 29 2023 52 Annie Wersching who portrayed Tess in the video game died on the same day 53 the episode was altered several days later to add a dedication 54 The episode had 6 4 million viewers in the United States on its first night including linear viewers and streams on HBO Max an increase of 12 percent from the previous week and 37 percent from the premiere 55 On linear television it had 747 000 viewers on its first night with a 0 21 ratings share 56 Critical response Edit The performances of Murray Bartlett left and Nick Offerman right were widely praised by critics 5 57 58 On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes Long Long Time has an approval rating of 98 percent based on 45 reviews with an average rating of 9 9 10 The website s critical consensus said the episode richly deepens the show s story beautifully played by guest stars Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett 59 Critics overwhelmingly considered the episode the season s best 5 60 61 and some named it among the greatest television episodes 62 63 64 The Hollywood Reporter s Daniel Fienberg felt it elevated the series to a new level 4 Empire s John Nugent called it moving surprisingly romantic and one of the finest hours of television in recent memory 65 and The Guardian s Andy Welch described it as absolutely magical television 66 CNN s Brian Lowry wrote the final shot represented the perfect close to an almost perfect hour of television 67 Some critics compared Bill and Frank s story to the opening sequence of Up 2009 for its ability to tell a simultaneously heartwarming and heartbreaking story within a limited time 68 69 70 Offerman and Bartlett s performances were highly praised 5 57 58 Complex s William Goodman described them as a career best 71 and Inverse s Dais Johnston found them Emmy worthy 72 TV Guide s Kat Moon similarly considered them deserving of Emmy nominations but felt Offerman s performance demands special attention 73 Regarding the recasting of Bill The Guardian s Welch wrote it s now hard to imagine anyone other than Offerman in that role 66 Reviewers lauded Offerman s ability to portray Bill s gentler side and Bartlett s eager and charismatic attitude as Frank 74 75 76 TVLine named them the Performers of the Week 77 Den of Geek s Bernard Boo wrote their performance as a pair is pitch perfect 64 and Vulture s Keith Phipps praised their ability to convey emotions without dialogue 78 Conversely Vulture s Jackson McHenry found Offerman and Bartlett were stuck in wooden roles acting out maudlin dynamics 79 Pascal and Ramsey s performances were well received 76 80 The A V Club s David Cote praised Mazin s writing for its humor and heart without overt cheesiness 81 Push Square s Aaron Bayne applauded the decision to tell a different story from the game 82 Mashable s Belen Edwards felt the episode s beauty would have been impossible otherwise 83 Slate s Victoria Ritvo lauded the connection to the larger story while remaining largely self contained 84 IGN s Simon Cardy called Bill and Frank s final day remarkably touching from start to finish 76 Den of Geek s Boo said it was overwhelming to watch an impressive feat considering the limited time with the characters 64 Evening Standard s Vicky Jessop felt while beautiful and moving the episode lacked explanation for viewers unfamiliar with the video game 85 Vulture s McHenry wrote it tries so hard to imitate what we think of prestige television that it forgets to say anything at all 79 IndieWire s Steve Greene praised Hoar s physical direction and Paino s production design 75 and Total Film s Bradley Russell lauded Hoar s ability to elevate small moments into significance citing the strawberry patch scene 86 Radio Times s Adam Starkey felt the depiction of a mature gay relationship set a benchmark for the medium 87 Slate s J Bryan Lowder recognized the importance of normalizing a gay relationship amidst anti LGBT rhetoric including anti gender movements and LGBT grooming conspiracy theories 88 Kotaku s Kenneth Shepard appreciated the relationship s ties to pre apocalypse LGBTQ history that as other characters and relationships in the franchise illustrate were no longer common knowledge 89 The Washington Post s Riley MacLeod thought it suffered from tropes like Frank s illness and the couple s isolation though acknowledged these were partly due to the apocalypse rather than their sexuality 90 The episode was the subject of review bombing on IMDb and Metacritic which journalists largely attributed to homophobia 91 92 93 Notes Edit Long Long Time previously peaked at 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 1970 41 References Edit a b c Dutta Debopriyaa January 31 2023 The Final Shot Of This Week s The Last Of Us Was Designed To Honor The Video Game Exclusive Film Static Media Archived from the original on January 30 2023 Retrieved January 30 2023 a b c d e f g h Baker Troy Mazin Craig Druckmann Neil January 29 2023 Episode 3 HBO s The Last of Us Podcast Podcast HBO Archived from the original on January 30 2023 Retrieved January 30 2023 a b Watson Fay January 30 2023 The Last of Us director explains episode 3 s final shot and why they fought for it Total Film Future plc Archived from the original on January 30 2023 Retrieved January 31 2023 a b Fienberg Daniel January 10 2023 The Last of Us Review Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey in HBO s Powerful Video Game Adaptation The Hollywood Reporter Eldridge Industries Archived from the original on January 10 2023 Retrieved January 11 2023 a b c d e Ettenhofer Valerie January 10 2023 The Last Of Us Review A Thrilling Character Driven Achievement For Game Fans And Newcomers Alike Film Static Media Archived from the original on January 10 2023 Retrieved January 11 2023 DGC Alberta Production List PDF Directors Guild of Canada July 26 2021 p 5 Archived PDF from the original on July 26 2021 Retrieved July 27 2021 a b c d e f Monteil Abby January 29 2023 The Last of Us Tells a Hauntingly Beautiful Story of Gay Survival in its Third Episode Them Conde Nast Archived from the original on January 30 2023 Retrieved February 2 2023 The Last of Us Rotten Tomatoes Fandango Archived from the original on December 19 2022 Retrieved December 19 2022 a b c d e f g Quah Nicholas January 29 2023 A Rosetta Stone for The Last of Us How Two Non player characters Unlocked the Adaptation Vulture New York Media Archived from the original on January 30 2023 Retrieved January 30 2023 Canfield David January 29 2023 Inside The Last of Us s Tragic Gorgeous and Surprising 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Last of Us review bombed by trolls because gay people don t exist in the apocalypse apparently PinkNews Archived from the original on February 2 2023 Retrieved February 2 2023 Clark Travis February 1 2023 The latest episode of HBO s The Last of Us is getting review bombed by angry gamers Business Insider Axel Springer SE Archived from the original on February 2 2023 Retrieved February 2 2023 Maskell Emily February 1 2023 HBO s The Last of Us review bombed by angry homophobes Attitude Stream Publishing Limited Archived from the original on February 2 2023 Retrieved February 2 2023 External links Edit Long Long Time at IMDb Portals LGBT Television United States Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Long Long Time The Last of Us amp oldid 1141866496, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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