‘The Last of Us’ Episode 3 Release Date and Time: Say Hello to Bill and Frank
The Last of Us Episode 3 will introduce two new characters, Bill and Frank, and expand on their story from the video game. Here’s more on what to expect from the next episode and when it will arrive on HBO.
[Spoiler alert: The following story contains spoilers for The Last of Us Episode 2.]
‘The Last of Us’ Episode 2 recap
The Last of Us Episode 2 opened with another unsettling glimpse at the start of the Cordyceps pandemic. This time, viewers were taken to Jakarta, Indonesia, where a mycologist studied the unusual fungal infection on a deceased woman. The woman had attacked several people at a flour mill, and her symptoms were quickly spreading throughout the city. The mycologist realized there was no cure, so she instructed the military to bomb the city.
Meanwhile, in the present day, Joel (Pedro Pascal), Tess (Anna Torv), and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) made it to the outskirts of Boston. They escaped FEDRA soldiers, but an even bigger threat was on the horizon: hordes of infected people. The trio decided to take a shortcut through the museum, where they ran into Clickers.
After a near-death encounter with the zombies, Joel, Ellie, and Tess made it to the Capitol building, where they were supposed to drop Ellie into the Fireflies’ care. However, the infected had already swarmed the building and killed the Fireflies. Joel wanted to turn back, but Tess insisted that he had to take Ellie to the west on his own. Tess revealed that she was bitten by a Clicker and would soon turn into a zombie herself.
In an emotional and slightly disturbing final scene, Tess sacrificed herself by distracting the infected while Joel and Ellie escaped. One of the zombies made contact with Tess, spreading its tendrils into her mouth. She flicked open her lighter and dropped it onto the gasoline-covered floor, igniting an explosion.
When is ‘The Last of Us’ Episode 3 out?
Joel and Ellie will continue their journey without Tess in The Last of Us Episode 3, which has a release date of Sunday, Jan. 29. Fans can watch the episode live on HBO or stream it on HBO Max starting at 9 p.m. ET. As ComicBook noted, episode 3 will be 80 minutes long.
Here are the release dates for the rest of the season:
- Episode 3: Sunday, Jan. 29, at 9 p.m. ET
- Episode 4: Sunday, Feb. 5, at 9 p.m. ET
- Episode 5: Sunday, Feb. 12, at 9 p.m. ET
- Episode 6: Sunday, Feb. 19, at 9 p.m. ET
- Episode 7: Sunday, Feb. 26, at 9 p.m. ET
- Episode 8: Sunday, March 5, at 9 p.m. ET
- Episode 9: Sunday, March 12, at 9 p.m. ET
‘The Last of Us’ Episode 3 preview: Who are Bill and Frank?
The Last of Us Episode 3 trailer, as seen above, introduces Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank (Murray Barlett). But who are they, exactly? As fans may recall, Joel and Tess mentioned Bill and Frank in the premiere episode as two of their smuggling contacts. Joel and Ellie will head to Bill’s town to see how he can help them.
Fans of the video game should be warned: Bill and Frank’s story will look a little different in HBO’s adaptation. While the game didn’t provide much background on the couple, the show will explore their relationship. The Last of Us co-creator Neil Druckmann explained the changes in an interview with Kakuchopurei.
“Craig said, what if we told this whole other story, this thing that was hinted at in the game, this Bill and Frank relationship,” Druckmann said. “What if we fleshed that out and built a beautiful story of, like, the love these two felt for each other and like, we can jump around throughout the years in a way we couldn’t in the game because in the game, we’re always on Joel and Ellie’s perspective.”
New episodes of The Last of Us drop every Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.
