In the bloody wake of #CancelYourGays, which has seen a surge in cancellations of shows featuring queer characters, I never thought that a show centering around the zombie apocalypse would prove to be the balm for my weary soul. Admittedly, I have been watching at least a quarter of the first two episodes of The Last of Us on mute, and based on the number of cauliflower-headed Clicker jump scares, I had been wrestling with bowing out from this watch party altogether. But, thank god I stayed – mostly due to wanting to continue to support Bella Ramsey, who played my favourite character from Game of Thrones.
But, instead of watching episode 3 on mute, scared out of my damn mind by zombies, I found myself crying at the BEAUTY OF ROMANCE because of NICK OFFERMAN. Wild and unexpected times. Honestly, if you just watch this episode in isolation I think you will be just fine.
We meet Bill (Nick Offerman), a survivalist/doomsday prepper who ignores the round-up of the townsfolk at the outbreak of the infection to supposedly go to a QZ (Quarantine Zone.) Instead, he hides in his secret bunker ‘til they move on out before beginning the work of setting up his neighbourhood as a protected compound with electric fencing and a plethora of booby traps. Life looks like it continues on “normally” for many years until one day a man (Murray Bartlett) – not a zombie – falls into a trap outside the compound. Thus begins an epic love story that seems to hit out of nowhere, as you follow their lives together over 20+ years.
Do yourself a favour and watch it if you get the chance. I’m so glad this episode hit when it did, and was given the time and space (running at a longer 1 hour 15 mins) to weave a beautiful backstory for a video game character – of all things. Thank you, Bill and Frank. You really found love in a hopeless place.
