Viewership continues to grow for HBO’s sci-fi zombie hitThe Last of Us, with this past week’s episode garnering record viewership and praise for a riveting story.
The Last of Usseries, adapted from the video game of the same name, follows the path of Joel (Pedro Pascal) and his charge, 14-year-old Ellie (Bella Ramsey), as they escape the quarantine zone in Boston. Obstacles include threats from the Fedras, the totalitarian government that emerges post-apocalypse, and countless zombie creatures created by the horrific mutation of a common fungus, cordyceps, that hijacks the human brain.The Last of Uspremiereand episode 2 set the stage for the story, in which Joel’s task is to find his missing brother and deliver the seemingly-immune Effie to doctors further out west seeking a cure.
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TheLast of Ushas become a phenomenal hit for HBO, garnering record-breaking viewership for the first two episodes of the season and wowing audiences with its third episode, which aired on Sunday. The third episode, titled “A Long, Long Time,” was watched by 6.4 million viewers in its first day, a tally that continues to grow as the internet and word-of-mouth generates continued praise for the series’poignant and heartbreaking episode ofThe Last of Us. Per Warner Bros. Discovery, episode 3 was “up an additional 12% from last week’s historic jump in viewership and up 37% from the series debut night.“The Last of Usis averaging 21.3 million viewers for its first two episodes.
In the much-praisedThe Last of Usepisode three, viewers get to know Bill (Nick Offerman), a man who has managed to allude to both the government and the zombies by hiding in a well-stocked bunker, enjoying his solitude until he meets Frank (Murray Bartlett), whom he falls in love with and takes into his home. The episode focuses on their lengthy relationship, exploring the threads of the human need for love and a sense of purpose even amidst the apocalypse.The love story of Bill and Frankaptly sets a tone for the rest of the season as Joel struggles to escape the grief of his own daughter’s death at the hand of the government in episode one and bond with the new daughter figure he must keep safe. The episode’s emotional subject matter is the first deep dive and deviation away from the video game’s storyline, taking characters included in the game and spinning a deeper, well-developed storyline for them.
The Last of Uswas renewed for a season two by HBO, which bodes well for the show’s steadily escalating popularity, which many are comparing to HBO’s previous smash hit,House of the Dragon. However,The Last of Us' steady rise, unlike the flagging viewership by theHouse of the Dragon’s third episode in the fall, may mean its success will surpass theGame of Thronesprequel.
The Last of Usairs new episodes on Sunday on HBO and HBO MAX.
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