https://www.businessinsider.com/hbos-the-last-of-us-episode-three-review-bombed-homophobic-2023-1
Neil Druckmann, the co-creator of the series who also developed the video game, told The Hollywood Reporter that Bill and Frank's relationship "went over a lot of people's heads" in the game.
"At the time, [the subtlety is] what helped get it in," he said. "It's sad to say, but it would have been controversial otherwise."
i never played the game and have only been watching the show or whatever, so i don't know fuck about shit. i have enjoyed the eps thus far and found this latest one great, of course. i was sort of worried at the beginning at Bill's prepper thing being played unironically, though knowing that the elite panic thing is real [and apparently the driving principle of FEDRA, lmao]. his two lines in the early stages of "not today, jackboots" and the one where he's racking up massive scores while looting and the electric grid cuts off, to him smirking "that didn't take long" made me laugh. what a cynic, i love it!
anyway, i really appreciated the turn it took, away from purely pragmatic survival (as much as i can totally get into that if done well, like The Martian or whatever) and into concepts of community and purpose, how they matter, and the pull of connection. my reaction to them becoming romantic, i was surprised for sure, but my thought was, "oh man, you two really hit the jackpot compared to everybody else." loved seeing Frank pulling Bill into community, but as a bit of a solo project myself, i appreciated the fragile honesty of Bill's paranoia. being careful is just being full of care. but without Frank, what would Bill have become constantly fighting off raiders with those insane anti-personnel traps and watching zombies get capped by his devices while eating dinner? that looked like it was quickly becoming really dark in a totally understandable way.
something in the back of my mind as it evolved was that the gamer freaks would lose their shit, despite everything about their relationship being wholesome, romantic and tastefully portrayed. honestly, i could see that being why some are so pissed since it kind of upsets the whole "being gay is only about lust" thing they seem to all need to believe.