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Here’s Why Ron Swanson Was Trending On Twitter

Nick Offerman’s Ron Swanson character from NBC’s Parks and Recreation is one of the most beloved TV characters of the past few decades. And depending on your personal views on people in…

Nick Offerman in 'The Last Of Us'
HBO Max

Nick Offerman's Ron Swanson character from NBC's Parks and Recreation is one of the most beloved TV characters of the past few decades. And depending on your personal views on people in general and the government, he might be one of the most relatable. But  Parks and Recreation went off the air nearly eight years ago. So, why was Ron Swanson trending on Twitter this morning?

Well, last night Nick Offerman played a character named Bill on the new HBO series The Last Of Us, based on the video game of the same name. The show takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, not unlike The Walking Dead. The series just aired it's third episode which was highly regarded by critics and fans. And if you're considering giving the series a try, we'll advise you to bookmark this story and stop reading here. We don't want to spoil anything.

Offerman's Bill character was a doomsday prepper before the world turned upside down, thanks to a mysterious plague. Yes, it's a bit on the nose, but the video game premiered in 2013. Anyway, Bill is uniquely suited to solitary life, post-apocalypse. As many on Twitter pointed out, the character was basically "Ron Swanson 2.0." He lives in a town protected by a lethal fence and other traps that prevent almost anyone else from entering. He lives alone and seems to like it that way.

But, one day a guy named Frank (Murray Barlett, a cast member on The White Lotus) falls into one of Bill's traps - a covered ditch - and Frank decides to help him out. What results is a love story that some compared to the 2009 Pixar film Up. We don't want to give too much away (even though we warned about spoilers earlier); just watch the show.

The series has made interesting use of music as well. This episode put a spotlight on Linda Ronstadt's "Long, Long Time" (which was also the title of the episode). On the day that they met, Bill invited Frank into his house for a meal. Frank notices Bill's piano and goes through his sheet music. He then starts to play "Long, Long Time." Then Bill plays it. It's a great bit of foreshadowing and Ronstadt's version plays at the end of the episode. We'll just say that it was one of the more moving hours of TV in recent memory.

10 Movies And TV Shows You Definitely Shouldn’t Watch If Coronavirus Scares You

Everything about coronavirus on the news, in the media, and on social media is scary right now. These movies and television shows will only heighten your fears. If you decide to watch one, don't say we didn't warn you.

Contagion

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VENICE, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 03: (L-R) Actors Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Laurence Fishburne and director Steven Soderbergh pose at the "Contagion" photocall during the 68th Venice Film Festival at the Palazzo del Cinema on September 3, 2011 in Venice, Italy. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)


Pandemic

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NEUSTADT, GERMANY - MARCH 23: A police vehicle passes a checkpoint to the quarantined village of Neustadt am Rennsteig in Thuringia state on March 23, 2020 near Neustadt, Germany. Local authorities announced the measure last night following the confirmation of 11 cases of COVID-19, the disease resulting from infection with the coronavirus, in Neustadt and the surrounding Ilm region. Confirmed cases of COVID-19 have topped 24,000 across Germany, and so far Thuringia, with approximately 250 cases, has seen a relatively low number of infections. (Photo by Jens Schlueter/Getty Images)


Outbreak

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JAKARTA, INDONESIA - JUNE 01: Macaque monkeys who are trained for street performances, known as "topeng monyet", are chained to a cage in "monkey village", where the animals are trained to take part in street performances on June 1, 2011 in Jakarta, Indonesia. The street performances usually involve the monkeys wearing masks, such as dolls' heads or attire to mimic humans, with the monkeys trained to act out human activities such as shopping, riding bicycles or other simulations of human behaviour. Poverty drives the handlers to exploit the monkeys in the hope of earning small change, but the effect and cruelty to the monkeys is a cause that charities such as the Jakarta Animal Aid Network are increasingly taking up. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images)


Containment

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ATLANTA, GA - UNDATED: This undated handout photo from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows a microscopic view of the Coronavirus at the CDC in Atlanta, Georgia. According to the CDC the virus that causes Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) might be a "previously unrecognized virus from the Coronavirus family." (Photo by CDC/Getty Images)


#93 Days

GettyImages-1195314045.jpgAnthony Kwan/Getty Images

HONG KONG, CHINA - JANUARY 22: A patient is transferred by an ambulance to the Infectious Disease Centre of Princess Margaret Hospital on January 22, 2020 in Hong Kong, China. Hong Kong reported its first two cases of Wuhan coronavirus infections as the number of those who have died from the virus in China climbed to seventeen on Wednesday and cases have been reported in other countries including the United States,Thailand, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea. (Photo by Anthony Kwan/Getty Images)


2012

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BERLIN, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 16: Actor John Cusack attends the 'Chi-Raq' premiere during the 66th Berlinale International Film Festival Berlin at Berlinale Palace on February 16, 2016 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)


World War Z

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SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 09: Brad Pitt arrives at the "World War Z" Australian Premiere at the Star on June 9, 2013 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)


Quarantine

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TOKYO, JAPAN - JANUARY 31: A girl wearing a mask waits at Spring Airlines' check-in counter to take a flight bound for Wuhan at Haneda airport on January 31, 2020 in Tokyo, Japan. The Chinese government arranged a charter flight operated by Spring Airlines for tourists from Wuhan to return to the city first time since the center of the outbreak of a new coronavirus has been under lockdown. The number of those who have died from the virus in China climbed to over 213 on Friday and cases have been reported in other countries including the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea, India, the United Kingdom, Germany, France and several others. (Photo by Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images)


The Crazies

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LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 23: General view at Overture's "The Crazies" VIP screening at the Vista Theatre on February 23, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Overture)


I Am Legend

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LONDON - DECEMBER 19: (UK TABLOID NEWSPAPERS OUT) A film poster is dislayed at the UK premiere of "I Am Legend" at the Odeon Leicester Square on December 19, 2007 in London, England. (Photo by Claire Greenway/Getty Images)

Brian has been working in pop culture and media for about three decades: he’s worked at MTV, VH1, SiriusXM, CBS and Loudwire. Besides working as a writer and an editor-in-chief, he’s also appeared on air as a pundit, guested on radio shows and hosted podcasts. Over the years, he’s interviewed the surviving members of Led Zeppelin, the members of U2, Beyonce, Pink, Usher, Stevie Nicks, Lorde… and is grateful to have had the chance to interview Joe Strummer of the Clash and Tom Petty.