HBO The Last of Us strikes a chord with gay audiences

The Last of Us is quickly growing into an unforgettable nine-episode series created by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann. Already renewed for a second season while the first season is still airing shows promise to be one of the most expensive series that HBO has ever made.

Episode three had a viewership of 6.4 million people which is making it the most-watched program in the network's history.

The series is making history in other ways as well, thanks to some unique representation depicted in that successful third episode titled When You're Lost in the Darkness. Along with lead performers Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, two new characters are introduced with Nick Offerman playing Bill and Murray Bartlett as Frank.

For those that are not familiar with the series, The Last of Us is a post-apocalyptic drama television series based on a video game of the same name. A mass fungal infection has turned many of the inhabitants of the earth into cannibalistic creatures. A man named Joel played by Pascal is transporting Bella, a teenager played by Ramsey, across the United States.

Offerman as Bill gives a strong performance as a complicated survivor who becomes involved with Frank, played by Bartlett.

Bill was originally planned to be played by actor Con O'Neill before scheduling conflicts arose and Offerman was offered the part. The storyline of Bill and Frank's fate diverged from the video game version to make it more palatable and the community has responded well to it.

Folks have waited a long time for the 75-minute episode that may change the game in the way gay characters will be depicted in media in the future.

Listeners may not think of Linda Ronstadt's “Long, Long Time” the same way again after its feature on the show!

Visit the official website HBO.com for more on The Last of Us and look for more special guests during upcoming episodes.