Yup, Steven Spielberg Stans 'The Last of Us' Gay Love Story Episode Too

The Last of Us’s gay standalone episode focusing on two survivors played by Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett, “Long, Long Time,” was one of the best TV episodes of the year — and we’re not the only ones who think so.

In a Director’s Roundtable with The Hollywood Reporter, Peter Hoar, who directed the episode, said that one of his director heroes was also a huge, huge fan.

“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,” Hoar said. “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 realized 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.”

Paris Barclay, who directed Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, and was also participating in the roundtable, also praised the episode.

“As a gay man who’s been with the same person for 25 years, imagine watching this episode and just feeling completely emotionally devastated. I thought it was one of the most moving things I’d seen in my entire life,” Barclay said to Hoar. “You and Craig managed to make it connect to all sorts of people. I could do a whole hour and a half just asking you questions, because it really is a moment in history for television, for representation, and broadening the tent.”

“Long, Long Time” tells the story of Bill (Offerman), a survivalist who has transformed his abandoned small town into an anti-zombie fortress and is living an isolated life when Frank (Bartlett) stumbles into one of his traps.

At first, Bill is reluctant to welcome the stranger into his home, but is drawn to him. After a romantic home-cooked meal, some piano playing, and a shower, the two make love. The rest of the episode follows their life as it unfolds throughout the zombie apocalypse.