This is the definition of having your cake and eating it too. We get a perfect adaptation with iconic moments from the game recreated and then also get knockout episodes like this
If this keeps up like this it might be one of the best adaptations of anything I've ever seen. Never have I seen something stay so faithful to the source material while adding absolutely perfect new things like this. The Bill section in the game is really not that essential story-wise, we got to the exact same place by the end of this episode as they do from Bill's town in the game, so what they chose to do here was just incredible (though I would have loved some Ellie/Offerman banter). Don't even know what else to say, just taking the very basics of the Bill/Frank stuff and creating a story as beautiful as this is just truly inspired. And holy shit, did not know Nick Offerman had this in him. Not familiar with the other actor but he was absolutely incredible too
What a great fucking episode. This version of Bill and Frank’s story was leagues better than in the game. Such a beautiful love story they decided to show instead.
Phenomenal episode. Not familiar with the game at all, so what’s the backstory/endgame of Bill and Frank in the game? Also, the way people talked up the Bill/Frank storyline, I figured they were going to be mainstays throughout this season, so I really had no idea where this was going all episode, but it was beautiful.
In the game, Bill and Frank were together but are split up and living apart by the time Joel and Ellie get to them. Bill begrudgingly helps Joel get a battery and a car. During their quest, they end up at Frank's house and discover that Frank had been infected and hung himself before turning. He left a note for Bill. ----- Well, Bill, I doubt you'd ever find this note cause you were too scared to ever make it to this part of town. But if for some reason you did, I want you to know I hated your guts. I grew tired of this shitty town and your set-in-your-ways attitude. I wanted more from life than this and you could never get that. And that stupid battery you kept moaning about -- I got it. But I guess you were right. Trying to leave this town will kill me. Still better than spending another day with you. Good Luck, Frank
This episode was devastating and beautiful and perfect and somehow still found several ways to make me go “hey just like the game!” Such a bummer we won’t get that Ellie and Bill back and forth, especially between Bella and Offerman. Speaking of, give Nick Offerman a pile of awards.
Not having played the games or knowing any of the backstory I thought things were gonna go south so many times for Frank and Bill, such a good episode love a good flashback how we got here in a post apocalypse show
I am glad that they went with a genuinely touching story that didn’t have some unnecessary twist or was all grimdark like Druckmann loves.
Nick Offerman better win some awards for this episode. I love him, but did not know he had this in him. Seriously what an amazingly beautiful, touching and crushing episode of television.
Just for people that didn't play the game, game spoilers: you get to the town (which is much bigger in the game, it's more of a small city) and you have to avoid all of Bill's traps. You eventually run into Bill and he guides you through the town to find the car battery. You fight a bunch of infected, and he eventually takes you to the school of the town where there's a big set piece and I think you find the battery here? Eventually you find a house and see Frank's corpse, and a note that @Joe included in his post. You never actually see Frank at all, and it's only strongly implied that he and Bill were together instead of outright stated iirc. Bill is also around Joel's age and not old like the end of this episode. Eventually Joel and Ellie get the car and leave; Bill doesn't die in the game. So obviously a ton different. I can see why they totally changed this because it's more of an action-oriented bit of the game and probably would have felt too similar to the last episode with them going through the ruins and fighting the clickers. Next episode looks like it's back to being similar to the game though