1 week Ago By Yahoo TV UK
Warning: This article contains some spoilers for The Last of Us series 2 episode 1. The Last of Us was always going to appeal to the gays regardless of whether there was actually any queer content in the show to speak of. Gaymers make up a large chunk of the gay community, and obsessive fans of Pedro Pascal represent an even higher percentage.
In that regard, it probably didn't help that Pedro proclaimed himself to be " your cool slutty daddy " on the red carpet premiere for season one. But it's not like he was the only cool slutty daddy in the show. Episode three introduced us to Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank (Murray Bartlett), two survivors who carved out a home for themselves in each other, safe from the mushroom apocalypse going on outside.
Two years on, this remains one of the most affecting gay love stories ever committed to film, which is even more impressive when you realise that all we saw of Frank in the original game was his corpse dangling from the ceiling. Seriously, just bury that gay already! Offerman and Bartlett both received Emmy nominations for their roles as Bill and Frank in this mostly self-contained love story. Offerman actually won his, but you already know that if you're gay.
Thankfully, queerness in The Last of Us wasn't self-contained to this one episode in the same fashion. A few weeks later, another flashback episode revealed that Ellie's (Bella Ramsey) best friend Riley (Storm Reid) was actually the kind of bestie you make out with. Because — to paraphrase Jessica Lange in The Politician — that's what gays do: "They munch butts and kiss their friends and celebrate halloween.
" It's remarkable that a mainstream sci-fi horror this popular and this critically acclaimed could also be so undeniably queer. That shouldn't be a big deal, but in a world of endless cancellations, not to mention the annoying straight people behind them, it absolutely is still. Yet both of these episodes, as gorgeous and moving as they are, were each set in the past, which begs the question: Where are the cool slutty daddy's (and mummy's) we need now in the present? Thankfully, it looks like the team working on season two acted on my endless letters and emails, despite that restraining order, because the first episode already brings the gay in a big way.
A five year jump takes us into a new future where Joel, with his salt and pepper hair and his slutty little glasses, soon reminds us that — in the words of Pedro himself — " 'Daddy' is a state of mind ." Pay no heed to the apocalypse going on outside. Catherine O'Hara shows up shortly after, a gift from the gay gods themselves, as her character begins to give Joel therapy.
It turns out he's up Schitt's s**t creek though with no paddle in sight because this is the moment Gail finally reveals the true extent of her hatred for him. A multi-Emmy winning actress who seethes with loathing for men is catnip for gays, and you can multiply that by a thousand when O'Hara is involved. "But where are the actual gays?" I hear you scream to no one in particular.
After Joel does his brooding thing — which makes me a bit broody myself, if I'm being honest — the season two premiere shifts more to Ellie who heads out on a recon mission with her best friend Dina (Isabela Merced). And we all know what happens when Ellie hangs out with a so-called bestie..
. Upon surviving an encounter with the infected in an abandoned store, Ellie and Dina later ring in 2029 with the rest of the town at an end-of-year dance. Before you can scream "Sarah Paulson!", Dina's arm suddenly moves down to Ellie's waist.
Oopsie! The cutest, flirtiest of words then leave her mouth, a mouth that proceeds to plant itself directly onto Ellie's. Everything about this kiss is just magical. It's the perfect moment, the kind that makes you believe that the world can really be saved.
But then a straight white man shows up and does what only a straight white man can do best...
Yep, he ruins everything by throwing needless, cruel bigotry into the mix. Oh, it's a "family event?" Well maybe take your ugly face elsewhere because you're going to scare the kids if you stay. My words, not Ellie's.
Joel shows up then doing his cool slutty daddy thing, but Ellie is angry that he stepped in to help shut that guy up. Plus things aren't going so well between them now anyway with the ramifications of season one's finale still hanging over them both. But that's ok because there's nothing gays love more than drama-ma-ma-ma.
And if it's drama they want, it's drama they're going to get. Between this tension, the fungus appearing in town, and Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) seeking revenge close by, The Last of Us has plenty more in store for us throughout season two. And it promises to be pretty gay too if that kiss or Pedro's chiseled jawline are anything to go by.
The Last of Us series 2 airs Mondays at 2am and 9pm on Sky Atlantic and NOW..
