SPOILERS

The Last of Us has been a fantastic show so far. I never played the video game that the show was based upon so I have been coming at this fresh and it has been so great. Coming into Sunday night, I enjoyed the show’s format and the emotional power.

Sunday night’s episode started off differently. There was no flashback to kick off the show. Instead, we found our way to Joel and Ellie right away. Little did I know that the flashback was still coming and that it would be the major chunk of the show.

Not only was it still coming, but it was involving two characters that we had not met or had any connection to. It was a strange decision to me, but it paid off big time.

We spent most of this episode with the love story/relationship of Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank (Murray Bartlett). It was weird at first, but it did not take long to be engaged with the drama.

I have heard some people claiming this was one of the greatest hours of TV ever. I may not go quite that far, but it was clearly a brilliant episode that was not afraid to spend most of the episode diving into the relationship of two characters that we did not know. As I said, those early doubts washed away quickly.

The connection between the two actors was amazing. You believed everything that they did and said to each other. As their relationship grew, each obstacle presented a new challenge or conflict, but they faced each one together.

We saw Joel and Tess make an appearance in the flashback, helping Bill and Frank out with some chain fence tips and friendship. That would set up the final scenes with Joel and Ellie arriving at Bill’s house at the end of the show.

Before that happened, we got some of the most touching and painful moments between the two men. The love between these two unlikely lovers was on display here and how much they completed the other. As Frank was suffering through some kind of unspecified problem, he made a decision that he would take control of fate and have one more day before ending his life. He and Bill had a wonderful day together, including a marriage and a perfect dinner. It was ended with a drug laced wine that was intended to end his life. Bill had a surprise for Frank, saying that he was his reason for living, his purpose. Bill would join Frank in death.

Sad, yet remarkably romantic.

This was an outstanding episode that, apparently, was not included in the actual game. They were able to add details to the character of Bill from the game and we learned about the relationship between the two men. It shows that The Last of Us is nto afraid to exceed the content and to improve it.