A few things can turn off an audience. Preaching to them or trying to make your personal ideology into an engaging story is one of the most common ways to turn off an audience. This makes an idea or belief seem unfit for a body that could have been attractive. This is a common problem in today’s entertainment environment.
Another is when an actor/showrunner admits to or displays disdain for his audience in any way, shape, or form. This problem is all too common these days. In a recent interview, the director of “The Last of Us,” HBO’s third episode, said that he did exactly that.
“The Last of Us” is an adaptation of one of the most beloved video games. The story centers on Joel, a man, and Ellie, a girl. They try to survive in a post-apocalyptic world, where the cordyceps fungal, which is known for mind-controlling and mutations animals, has become able to control humans.
Inverse.com reports that Peter Hoar, the director, confessed to directing the gay romance between Nick Offerman and Murry Barrtlett’s actors “Bill and Frank”, the latter of which you meet in the game, that he wanted to trick the audience into believing that the two characters were in love.
It’s all about truth, love, and heart. They are gentle and kind to one another. It’s rare to see middle-aged men fall in love. They are professionals. They were able to feel good about their work every day and didn’t require any guidance or help.
Sometimes, you need to trick the rest of humanity into seeing these things before they are like “Oh, my god, it was two men.” They might then realize that it is all real. It’s the same love.
We now see that the two issues referred to above are present. This was a significant departure from the original source material. Frank, who hated Bill, planned to steal his stuff, and then run away, only to end up dead. After confessing their love and appreciation for one another, Frank and Bill fell in love.
It alters the dynamics of Bill’s personality and the story that he is a part of. Bill is an introvert and a prepper who is incapable of working with others and changing his ways. This leads to him ending up alone. It is tragic and helps to convey a great message.
Fans of “The Last of Us” expected to see this Bill, but they were presented by Hoar. Hoar is a man who can change and ends up killing himself because Frank won’t allow him. It’s still a tragedy but it’s not as deep as you might think.
This brings us to the second problem. Neil Druckmann, the creator of “The Last of Us”, and Hoar don’t seem to have deep respect for their fans. Hoar’s belief that he had to “trick people” into accepting something they didn’t like on a personal level is one of the reasons why people abandon shows like those I mentioned.
Even if you are not comfortable with homosexuality, it is possible to enjoy a show that contains gay romance. This is evident in the show “Schitt’s Creek”. It doesn’t preach; it’s only part of the story.
The third episode is a great example of Offerman’s and Bartlett’s acting skills. This episode could have been viewed as a standalone, but it might have worked for some viewers despite the changes. It was, to all intents and ends, a great episode.
However, he admits to the need to convince those “others”, so he can send a pro-gay message. He also said that preaching was just as important as telling a story to a group that needed to learn acceptance.
Hoar and Druckmann made what could have been a decent joke. It’s further proof that modern entertainers view themselves as priests of modernity and need to explain to you what is and doesn’t constitute moral art.
