The Last of Us: “With the long, long time episode, I won my place in Hollywood”

The upsetting story of Bill and Frank scored season 1 and the small screen. Craig Mazin is well aware of this, but admits that we have not tried to reproduce the experience in season 2 …

You have certainly never heard this song of Linda Ronstadt before winter 2023 and this overwhelming episode of The Last of Us. In “Long, Long Time”, Nick Offerman And Murray Bartlett embody Bill and Franktwo apocalypse survivors who will end up falling in love, barricaded in their isolated house. An overwhelming Love Story, rewarded at the Emmy Awards and who marked viewers, as much as its author:

“Frankly, I love this episode” answers Craig Mazin at first. The creator of The Last of Us confides:

“Long, Long Time has always had a special place in the heart of the team of the series. But I did not expect such a reaction from the public at all. I even thought that people were going to get annoyed … Because concretely, we break the rise of the story very early in season 1! We have just met Joel and Ellie, they have just left the duo and suddenly Not at all.

The episode in question – directed by Peter Hoar – has earned enormous recognition from industry and a ton of letters to Craig Mazin,, “Really strong, very moving emails. From there, I realized what was going on and I said to myself: ok, I think I did something good. I think I won my place in Hollywood!”

So, did he try to reproduce the miracle for season 2? While the rest of The Last of Us has just started (on Max in France), do not expect to review an episode in the “Long, Long Time”.

“No, we did not try … because we hadn’t really tried to do that, already, for season 1. Suddenly, we did not say that we had to reproduce the sensation and make a special episode for season 2.”

Despite everything, Craig Mazin reveals to us that there is “One or two episodes which, in their own way, stand out this season.”

He explains: “It will not be quite like” Long, Long Time “, but an episode in particular can be considered as a spiritual cousin … It does something quite similar in the sense that it focuses on two people and their relationship. It is true that The Last of Us is a series of action and I also love the big show. But sometimes, the most spectacular thing is just two people who will be discussed in a year.

Season 2 of The Last of Usin 7 episodes, started this Monday, April 14, 2025 on Monday on Monday on Max. A new episode every week.