Just before episode 1 ends, there is a clip of a song being played. This seems to be in relation to the radio owned by Joel. The radio has significant meaning in Joel’s life, as it would signal how Bill and Frank are doing on the other side. Bill and Frank are smugglers, like Joel, who live their lives out further from the quarantine zone. In the video game of the same name, Joel and Ellie do cross paths with Bill, but not with Frank, but the show seems to have something else in store for its viewers.
In the game and the TV show, Joel’s radio would buzz with music from different generations. These were signals sent by Bill or Frank, and are used as code that has various meanings. While waiting for Tess to come back, Ellie finds the radio along with a catalog of ’60s, ’70s, and 80’s music. The instructions for each era of music were also mentioned. If a ’60s tune was played, it means they have no new stock, while a song from the ’70s signaled that there is something new. Ellie also noticed a giant X next to the line of 80s music, and when she tried to question Joel, she was quickly shut down.
After further prodding, it was revealed that an 80s song would signal trouble and that Frank and Bill are in danger. At the end of the episode, Never Let Me Down Again (1987) by Depeche Mode can be heard, signaling troubling times for the characters in later episodes.
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