Gobbledygeek episode 495, “HBO’s The Last of Us, Season One (feat. Dale & Ensley Guffey),” is available for listening or download right here, on Spotify, and on Apple Podcasts.

Love can spread like a fungus throughout the soul, eradicating any shred of self-control. For a thorough depiction of that sentiment, we turn to HBO’s The Last of Us, a TV adaptation of the blockbuster video game series. Joining Paul and Arlo to talk everything mushroom are authors and pop culture enthusiasts Dale and Ensley Guffey, stopping by the show for their first visit in years. The gang discusses the game’s transition to television, how the show breaks new ground for the zombie apocalypse genre, the incredible chemistry between Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, and much more.

NEXT: a long-delayed Four-Color Flashback discussion of Gene Luen Yang’s Boxers & Saints.

BREAKDOWN

• 00:00:48  –  Intro / Guests
• 00:03:00  –  HBO’s The Last of Us
• 01:59:42  –  Outro / Next

LINKS

• Dale’s NON-pop culture blog: Splendor in the Sticks

MUSIC

• “Never Let Me Down Again” by Depeche Mode, Music for the Masses (1987)
• “Long Long Time” by Linda Ronstadt, Silk Purse (1970)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ 
• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/ 
  • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/ 
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/