Lifelong Learning: This HBO Series Released an Episode with a Powerful Story About Elders
(image source: HBO)
“Older means we’re still here,” says Frank, an apocalyptic survivor from the new TV show The Last Of Us. With this statement, you might consider how you regard older people – in both the media you consume and your own life.
Ever since television became a staple of households in the 1950s, we’ve enjoyed a storytelling medium that reaches more people every day, providing the unique excitement of experiencing and discussing stories as a collective. Modern streaming gives us even more options, including classics or new hit shows.
In this abundant landscape, HBO debuted this new show to much fanfare (watchable on Crave for Canadians). Adapted from the popular video game of the same title, it depicts survivors of a worldwide fungal infection as they attempt to rebuild. Inter-generational bonds are at the forefront of the narrative, with the survival of characters depending on building trust with those from different life experiences. With a horror premise, viewers should proceed with caution, but the focus remains on human drama and survival.
In the recently-aired Episode 3, ‘Long Long Time’, we see two older people experiencing both the joys and challenges of aging in a precarious, changing world. Our own world might not have zombie-like creatures running across the landscape, but the parallels to our own reality – such as increasing isolation – are clear.
‘Long Long Time’ focuses on Bill, a rugged individualist and doomsday prepper played by Nick Offerman in a departure from his comedy repertoire. The episode’s twenty-year timeline begins with Bill getting his wish of the world ending. He eventually softens on his anti-social ways when he meets fellow survivor Frank, who becomes his life partner in a love story critics have applauded for dispelling stereotypes.
Beyond stereotypes about gay individuals, the story takes equal care to avoid categorizing older people as out of touch, or less valuable to society. Bill and Frank are not young upon first meeting, and their continued survival is credited to their prior life experience. They grow old without apology, embracing grey hair and bothersome joints while successfully defending themselves in an increasingly hostile environment. They even make time for activities like music and painting. The two grapple with growing older in a world without community support or access to modern medicine, which remains reality for many people now. As Bill becomes Frank’s caregiver in their later years, they contemplate what quality of life means to them and what their options are. Without an elder to connect with during their journey, the show’s primary characters continue to reel from their circumstances and attempt to carry on towards a hopeful solution. In a series about loss, death, and the broken things in the human race, we see how to navigate a world that may not be kind to the older person. This story rises above the tragedy of its setting by depicting these men as living on their own terms, and it comes with a perhaps unintentional reminder: the older people in your life are worth another look.
Do you have a favourite show you can watch with others? Experiencing stories in a social setting and having discussions about them is a great way to stay active and engaged.