why i hate bill in the last of us show
The Last of Us is literally my favorite game ever. However, I just really couldn't bring myself to watch the show. As a lesbian, I am all for gay content and characters. Even those in the grey areas like Destiel. Give me all of it. However.... The knowledge of the Bill episode in the show adaption made me homophobic and got me complaining about the gay agenda like a Republican.... So let me explain myself.
Through our time with Bill, there were mentions of his partner Frank. It seemed like they did not leave on good terms and there was a lot of tension between them. However, when Frank's body is found, Bill was clearly shaken. We also see his suicide note written as a goodbye to Bill. Between the note and the voice acting, I always felt that there was some underlying subtext that Bill & Frank weren't just partners - they were partners. The gay insinuation was there and that added depth to the situation.
The original tragedy was heart wrenching when it's all laid out. They were two peas in a pod in this small town together. Then over time, the isolation caused tension and they went their separate ways. Frank did not survive long without Bill. The two never got to reconcile or say proper goodbyes. Bill was not only alone, but suddenly had no hope being with Frank again. We leave Bill alone with his loneliness and grief and never hear from him again. This gives me chest pains. This is the apocalypse. Happy endings are pretty much rare.
Now the idea that the show would go back and delve deeper into Frank & Bill was exciting. That was a story able to be expanded upon thanks to a show format. We got to see the origins and the chemistry. What really happened before Joel & Ellie find Bill? Well here it is.
Except the death ruined everything. Frank gets sick then Bill does a joint suicide thing? I don't remember. I just know it was stupid. Like they did this whole Romeo & Juliette die together thing and some people liked it I guess. But this meant Bill never met Ellie. All of those iconic lines and interactions - gone. People who only watched the show probably went to the game and were like wtf there was more? To me - the game's tragic ending was better. The fact that they end up dying alone instead of together had more weight and despair. The show's version was sad but not as heavy in comparison.
As a lesbian, I love gay representation. But there is a right way and a wrong way to do it. Shoving the gay down people's throat is wrong. Adapting a pre existing story to fit some gay narrative is wrong. Making a character's sexuality their whole personality is wrong. Having the coming out speech last 10 minutes is wrong. Like just have them exist. Don't make it a big deal. Just let them be..... simply gay. Hollywood is so keen on cutting out homophobic viewers from all corners of the consumer population but sometimes it's just too much, even for me. Again, a lesbian, complaining about how the gay agenda is real and can actually be a problem.
I had no problem delving deep into Bill & Frank's complicated situationship. Give me all the gay content, whatever. But you wasted perfect casting. You had Nick freaking Offerman there and ready to go but you didn't let him rift with Bella Ramsey? What a slap in the face to bring in an iconic comedic actor that would've delivered all of the best comedic lines interacting with this punk ass teenager in the apocalypse.
THAT is the reason I hate the Bill episode in the Last of Us.