Joel’s death actually makes the series as interactive as television can be — for many viewers, he felt indispensable and yet we must all now soldier on without him, just like Ellie.

For anyone interested in the politics of left and right -- and in political journalism as it is practiced at the highest level -- George Orwell’s works are indispensable.

“These workers provide an indispensable service to the people of California, and their right to come together collectively to improve their working conditions must be respected and protected,” Mader said in a statement.

"Once this necessary and indispensable work has been completed, this commission will propose recommendations to both governments, so that they can learn from them and build a more peaceful future," he added.

However, 140 years on, a magazine that once billed itself as an indispensable guide to society has found that society has moved on.