Steven Spielberg agrees that The Last of Us' Bill and Frank episode is a masterpiece

When one of Hollywood’s legendary filmmakers praises any form of entertainment media, it’s certainly one that should be noted.

While fans of the beloved Naughty Dog series lived in hope that The Last of Us TV show from HBO would at least live up to expectations, I would assume that few genuinely believed that it would exceed those expectations, and then some. Sure, the show can be criticised for its lack of Infected, something that we’re being told is coming by the droves in season two, but few can argue that the chemistry between Pedro Pascal (Joel) and Bella Ramsey (Ellie) wasn't pitch perfect.

Each and every episode was well written, expanding on a cast of characters and lore that perhaps lacked added detail in the video game counterpart. The Last of Us not only proved that video game live-action adaptations can live up to expectations, but they can also welcome a new legion of fans to the product.

One of the highlights of the series was episode three, titled ‘Long, Long Time’, which told the story of the relationship between Bill and his partner Frank. In The Last of Us Part I, we were introduced to Bill in chapter four, named ‘Bill’s Town’. Bill is a grumpy yet lovable conspiracy theorist that turned his small ghost town on the outskirts of Lincoln, Massachusetts, into a deathtrap for any Infected or raiders that dare invade.

We knew very little about Bill, other than the fact that he was once an associate of Joel and Tess, and that he was in a relationship with a man named Frank. The 'Bill’s Town' chapter certainly left fans wanting to know more about the character and his backstory, but he was never seen in the game again.

Thankfully, The Last of Us TV show from HBO provided us with that very opportunity and it went on to become one of the best episodes of season one. This is despite the fact that some decided to review-bomb the episode due to the relationship explored between Bill and Frank. Still, episode three was described as a 'triumph' by critics and one that will likely be spoken about for years to come - and one individual that agrees with that is the legendary movie-maker Steven Spielberg.

As shared by The Hollywood Reporter, Spielberg sent a letter to series showrunner Craig Mazin praising that third episode. The director of ‘Long, Long Time’, Peter Hoar, explained the moment they received the letter from Spielberg. “Well, I didn’t get it directly, but [an actual Spielberg letter] came to Craig Mazin, the writer of my episode on The Last of Us — the writer of all the episodes,” said Hoar.

“He shared it with myself, Nick Offerman, Murray Bartlett and [cinematographer] Eben Bolter. Basically, a whole group of middle-aged men started squealing because their idol had realised who they were. I think he probably knew who everyone else was, but he didn’t know who I was. And now he’s probably forgotten.”

In related news, the release window for The Last of Us season two has seemingly been revealed and a scientist petrifies fans by showing cordyceps growing on muscle tissue, lovely.