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The Last of Us, episode 3

Discussion in 'Too Hot for Swamp Gas' started by dangolegators, Feb 3, 2023.

  1. dangolegators

    dangolegators GC Hall of Fame

    Apr 26, 2007
    If you haven't seen it, don't read any further.

    Really good episode. It stands alone as its own short story. But of course right-wingers are upset about the homosexuality, even though everything else about the episode was a right-winger's wet dream.

    Opinion | ‘The Last of Us’ Is a Very Conservative Show. Really.

    I don’t mean this as an argument against “The Last of Us”; I enjoy the show quite a bit and found the third episode truly moving. But I’ve been surprised that its conservative politics have been so obscured by the conversation about representation. Some right-wingers were infuriated when, in an interview, the episode’s director spoke of having to “sort of trick” straight viewers into investing in a gay love story. It’s “more proof that these modern-day entertainers see themselves as would-be priests of modernity,” Brandon Morse wrote in RedState.

    But “The Last of Us” has also sort of tricked sentimental liberals into rooting for a resource-hoarding gun nut defying evil pandemic authorities. If the right hadn’t worked itself into such a panic about homosexuality, it might be able to take the win.
     
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  2. wgbgator

    wgbgator Premium Member

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    They turned Ron Swanson gay!

    [​IMG]

    Though with that mustache, I already suspected
     
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  3. tampagtr

    tampagtr VIP Member

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    Amazing television. I thought of putting it on here, but I wasn't sure how it would be received. Just a beautiful piece of writing and acting, touching on the eternal truths and verities of the human heart
     
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  4. mdgator05

    mdgator05 Premium Member

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    It really was a terrific episode and one of the most weirdly touching love stories ever on TV (HBO has found a niche with this sort of thing after turning Dr. Manhattan into a weirdly touching love story as well).

    Having read that paragraph that you quoted, it is an interesting point. (Spoiler alert if you haven't seen the episode, and, if you haven't, you should go watch it if you can).

    I almost think you could view it as an allegory of the societal need for both philosophies. The liberal guy needed the libertarian hoarder to survive, but the libertarian hoarder needed the liberal guy to make life actually worth living. In the end, neither one of them survived and lived a life worth living without the other, but with each other, they both found ways to live good lives. It is a common theme in zombie stories, the balance of survival vs. meaning in life. But it is hard to miss there being a few political angles that could be taken from that episode.
     
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  5. Sohogator

    Sohogator GC Hall of Fame

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    If you want an uplifting pandemic apocolypse movie watch Station 11. The last episode is perfect. That said like this show a lot. The two leads are great. Really like Pedro in Game of Thrines
     
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  6. wgbgator

    wgbgator Premium Member

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    I don't know if I would call it uplifting, maybe just making the best of a bad situation lol
     
  7. ThePlayer

    ThePlayer VIP Member

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  8. AndyGator

    AndyGator VIP Member

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    It was more vivid than I would have preferred. But I like the series.
     
  9. wgbgator

    wgbgator Premium Member

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    Honestly, I didn't get that either of them were really fleshed out politically speaking
     
  10. slayerxing

    slayerxing GC Hall of Fame

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    “You live in a psycho bunker where 9/11 was an inside job, and the government are all Nazis.”

    “The government ARE ALL NAZIS!” Bill retorts, to which Frank replies,

    Well, yeah, now, but not then!”
     
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  11. tampagtr

    tampagtr VIP Member

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    BTW, pretty sure that Pedro Pascal is hosting SNL this week, obviously between The Last of Us and Season 3 of the Mandalorian coming up, hot property
     
    Last edited: Feb 3, 2023
  12. archigator_96

    archigator_96 GC Hall of Fame

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    I really like the show and the episode but, maybe I'm weird. I didn't find the homosexuality shocking or affecting me in perhaps the way they intended it to. Just two people in a difficult situation that fell in love and created a life together.
    I thought it was more important in that it filled in some holes relative to the main story about the origin of the music (60's, 70's or 80's for example) and some interesting time line info.
    Based on some info from my son, the events in this episode were not in the game but it did help with the story arc.
     
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  13. AndyGator

    AndyGator VIP Member

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    At the end of each episode there is a short segment interview of the producer discussing the nuances of the particular episode. He mentioned the political angle there.
     
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  14. g8trjax

    g8trjax GC Hall of Fame

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    A zombie apocolypse male gay love story? That's must see tv! :emoji_joy:
     
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  15. sas1988

    sas1988 All American

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    It was a great love story with a heartbreaking end. I've loved women my entire life and have always wanted the kind of relationship those two dudes had. Jealous.
     
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  16. AndyGator

    AndyGator VIP Member

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    Not the series, just a major part of a single episode. If it makes you feel better, the gay guys are dead.
     
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  17. tampagtr

    tampagtr VIP Member

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    That was some great dialogue
     
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  18. tampagtr

    tampagtr VIP Member

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    I highly recommend the companion podcast as well.

    I would watch anything Craig Mazin does based upon this show and Chernobyl. But he viewed it as both of them "winning", to the extent that term can never be applicable in a global apocalypse, as they chose their own fate and lived life their own way
     
  19. ThePlayer

    ThePlayer VIP Member

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    Is it just me or does Pedro remind you of an old Burt Reynolds?
     
  20. sas1988

    sas1988 All American

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    I was sitting in my chair saying to myself, in this world with few humans and no entertainment I would never just let the love of my life go to sleep forever without joining them. Then that dinner table scene just ruined me for ten minutes. So powerful, so sweet, so loving, and so REAL. The acting was phenomenal from both men.
    The only gay oriented material that I've ever seen that comes close to the love story in this episode was, of course, "Brokeback Mountain". That movie and the love story it told was so beautiful and heartbreaking that I place it in my top 20 movies ever. The shirt scene at the end is devastatingly perfect.
    Agree on the Craig Mazin endorsement as Chernobyl was gripping as all hell.
     
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