First let me say: I know nothing about the video game the series is based upon, nor very much about video games in general. But I do know art when I see it. I have since been informed that the character in the video game of "Bill," here portrayed brilliantly in this episode by Nick Offerman ("Parks & Rec"), is a survivalist just as he is in this show, but herein we get a glimpse at somebody's longing for family (the love that he still feels for his mother, who performed Linda Ronstadt's "Long, Long Time" for him as a child), and for a sense of meaningful connection to one another. Basically, those priceless things are the entire reason that human beings can and do go to such extraordinary lengths to survive, as they do here over a supposed interval of 20+ years. Because this tale of Bill's life is only tangentially connected to the story of Joel and Ellie's trek, this serves as a sort of "stand-alone" bonus. And it's "bonus content" that should *not* be missed!
