Episode Grade: (7.9/10)
Joel and Ellie’s journey takes them to Bill’s town, where they finally manage to get a truck and set off West.
Plot (39/50)
To say that this episode was surprising would be an understatement. When I said the writers would need to get creative to fill up these episodes after killing off Tess so soon, this is definitely not what I was thinking. If anything, telling a positive, human story of a couple living a decent life amidst a dark post-apocalyptic world was original. Before we get into the few plot developments that occurred in this episode, let’s briefly address the obvious political commentary being made. At first glance, it seems like the paranoia of a stereotypical middle-aged white “survivalist” is being validated, as he evades the military’s evacuation of the town by hiding in his bunker. I say validated because the military ended up executing the townsfolk on the premise that there was no more room in the QZs, so killing them would at least ensure that they don’t get infected. This would’ve upset the far left side of the aisle. However, it turns out that this seemingly stereotypical, gun-wielding “survivalist” is actually gay, so now the far right side of the aisle is upset. This was some high-level trolling by the writers that turned into a fully-developed sub-plot with meaningful implications for the main plot, the biggest being that Joel finally got his truck. Joel and Tess had been invited to town by Frank, Bill’s partner, several years back, so it made sense that Joel would go to Bill for help. I didn’t expect Frank and Bill to die before Joel arrived. What they did with the letter was a nice touch (more on that later). Other developments include Ellie killing an infected and acquiring a gun (both behind Joel’s back) and Joel setting rules for Ellie as he agrees to take her to the Fireflies out west.
Character Development (11/15)
Bill and Frank’s story was told in its entirety throughout the episode. The connection between them and the pair of Joel and Tess was an important revelation, as it added weight to Bill’s suicide note. The note touches Joel and has such a significant impact on him that he decides to dedicate himself to protecting Ellie. In a sense, he’s honoring Tess by fulfilling her dying wish of getting Ellie to the Fireflies in the West with the hope that she might help them develop a cure for Cordyceps. I really thought that Joel would associate Ellie with his daughter, and that he would dedicate himself to ensuring her safety because of that, but that doesn’t seem to be the catalyst. Bill’s suicide note also forces Joel to grieve the loss of Tess, even if it was momentary. Finally, Ellie’s insolence continues as she intentionally hides things from Joel. Something tells me she won’t be adhering to Joel’s rules very closely…
Theme/Messages (4/5)
- Looks can be deceiving (cliché, but true).
- People are capable of terrible things, but they’re also capable of great things.
Acting (12/15)
Pedro Pascal (Joel) was good, as was Nick Offerman (Bill).
Cinematography (13/15)
- Haunting shot of a calm, sunny day in town, expected there are no people besides Bill (18:37)
- Symbolic shot of Bill wheeling Frank to the run-down boutique that made them look very small in comparison to the world around them (56:05)
- Circularity with Bill and Frank’s final meal being the same as their first, except now Bill is sat next to Frank instead of at the other end of the table with sad music playing in the background; there’s a tense silence after the meal that’s broken by utensils clanking, wine pouring, fire crackling, etc.. (57:15 onwards)
- Powerful shot of Joel and Ellie driving away in the distance as the camera backs up to reveal the open window of Bill’s room where he and Frank now lay dead (1:15:22)