The Last Of Us Episode 3 Review - 8 Ups & 0 Downs

6. Incredible Visual Storytelling & Attention To Detail

What's particularly great about the episode's storytelling is that, rather than being told about how the characters have changed over 20 years, we're instead shown. Yeah we get dialogue-heavy scenes, with the pair arguing about whether or not to make friends with strangers, how they’re going to make this fortified street a home, etc. But their relationship is primarily portrayed visually.

My supremely talented colleague Psy pointed out on Twitter the way actors are framed and how much that says about the way character relationships evolve. In their first dinner, for instance, Bill and Frank are seated as far apart as possible. In their final dinner, Bill is right there in the seat next to him, having bridged the gap physically as much as he has emotionally.

The episode is full of little touches like this, from the symbolism of Frank swapping one of Bill’s guns for strawberry seed - literally swapping a symbol of violence out for a symbol of love in this case, to Bill watering flowers that he previously would have found as frivolous and unimportant to his day to day chores. The set design does a lot of heavy lifting in this regard too, as Bill and Frank’s home transforms from a drab, functional house, to one full of colour and art.