Bill and Frank: Love In The Time of Apocalypse

Disclaimer: If you haven't seen The Last of Us and are actively avoiding spoilers or major plot points, this post might not be for you. However, Bill and Frank, the third episode of the first season is a "bottle episode", aka, episodes which have a niche storyline so that they become standalone, not requiring the viewer to necessarily be aware of the show's premise for context.

So, Bill and Frank. Perhaps the greatest love story never told. The entire foundation of their relationship stems from an apocalyptic pandemic, and leaves behind one pertinent question: was their love true, or just untested? Was it real or just circumstantial?

Imagine a pandemic where a parasitic fungal infection has brought mankind to its knees and survival has become a rare gift. Amid the scared and frenzied population, there is a group of people called "survivalists"- those who spend most of their lives believing that the apocalypse could come knocking any day and it is one's personal responsibility to be prepared for it. Here is one such survivalist Bill- a roughened, middle-aged survivalist who has grown to have a certain disdain for regular human beings. Armed with an ocean of knowledge and skills, he manages to survive (and to some extent, thrive) while the pandemic was wreaking havoc in people's lives.

Bill is, from what I could judge from the series, a man who has been hardened by life's hardships. He shows almost no emotions, and has probably never practiced self-expression. He is practical, gruff and almost always frowning. Never one for communicating and talking, he is more than content living by himself, surrounded by the literal (and metaphorical) walls he has built to keep himself safe. In simpler terms, he is lonely.

Frank, on the other hand, is one of those who barely escaped the infection and had to live in a military run quarantined zone. While his zone collapsed, he escaped and landed up in Bill's fortified, fully functioning neighborhood. Technically, he landed in one of the traps set surrounding Bill's area, and ended up calling for help. Thus, laying the foundation of what would eventually become a decade(s)-spanning, soul-stirring and heart-wrenching love story.

Frank is a painter, with a charming, charismatic and affectionate man with an appropriately expressed emotional range. He is deeply communicative- both in verbally and non-verbally. His charisma stems from his profound empathy, artistic inclinations and a deep desire to see the romantic side of a practical situation, much unlike Bill. But perhaps, when your back is against the wall and a full blown pandemic is your opponent, someone with a viewing glass with a lens different from yours could be both- your mightiest ally and closest confidante.

As we see the episode unfold, we witness the beautiful journey of these two men building something no one can possibly imagine of in a world ruined to shambles- a life. Bill is constantly on high-alert, suspicious and foul. Meanwhile, Frank is like a ray of sunshine- talkative and always receptive to having company or offering help to those in need. Despite such stark differences between the two protagonists, what the creators want us to clearly witness is the thread of affection and love tying these two together. The way someone can mold themselves to fit into your life, specially when you thought you are better off alone, is perhaps one of life's greatest blessings. Bill and Frank's love story is one which is told through kind eyes peering over wine glasses, decadent home-made meals shared across a small dining table, surviving the world outside while building anew inside and the promise of a long and blissful life with one's partner.

If you feel that the episode progresses to become yet another tale of a gay-romance (or as the actor Nick Offerman, who played Bill, articulated so well in his Independent Spirit Awards acceptance speech- "It's not a gay story, it's a love story."), you are in for a huge surprise. Catch this bottle episode and see for yourself. Love in the time of apocalypse- perhaps quarantining isn't so bad after all, if you get to do it with the right person.