Nick Offerman Hits Back Against The Last Of Us Haters After Episode 3

Actor Nick Offerman, who starred in the latest episode of HBO’s The Last of Us, has responded to haters who criticized the newest episode, “Long Long Time.” Spoilers for The Last of Us follow below.

In the episode, Bill meets Frank (Murray Bartlett) and they fall in love in what critics are calling the best episode so far and one of the best episodes of TV in years. But not everyone liked it, due in part to the episode’s gay romance storyline. Offerman is now hitting back at the haters. He replied to a tweet from someone who said the Episode 3 storyline “ruined” the show for them. The episode is getting “review-bombed” on IMDB, with tens of thousands of one-star reviews.

Offerman said, “Buddy, your brand of ignorance and hate is exactly why we make stories like this.”

Bill’s backstory and his life with Frank was hinted at in the 2013 Last of Us video game. But “Long Long Time” spent nearly the entire episode on an extended flashback that showed Frank stumbling into town and meeting Bill, their budding romance, and their life together in a apocalyptic Boston suburb.

The episode spanned multiple decades, leading up to the death of both Bill and Frank after they drink a cocktail of wine and pills together and die in bed side by side. Joel (Pedro) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) eventually come to town and find a note from Bill explaining the situation and leaving a key to Bill’s car for Joel and Ellie.

For lots more on the episode, check out GameSpot’s in-depth breakdown in the video above. “Long Long Time” had the best Sunday night viewership for the series so far.

The episode began with a shot taking place “10 miles west of Boston,” but in reality, the scene was filmed more than 2,000 miles away in Canada. It also used the Linda Ronstadt song “Long Long Time,” but the singer herself will not make a penny from its use on the show.

New episodes of The Last of Us air Sunday nights on HBO, leading up to the Season 1 finale on March 12. HBO just recently announced that Season 2 is in the works, and fans believe it will follow the events of The Last of Us: Part II, and introduce Abby, among other characters.

For more, check out a trailer for this Sunday’s next episode.