The breakout HBO hit is set 20 years after modern civilisation has been destroyed. Joel is hired to smuggle 14-year-old Ellie out of an oppressive quarantine zone. But what starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal journey as the pair cross the US, depending on each other for survival.
Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian) and Bella Ramsey (Game of Thrones) co-star as Joel and Ellie. Co-created by Emmy winner Craig Mazin (Chernobyl) and Neil Druckmann, creator of the acclaimed game that inspired the show, The Last of Us‘s cast also includes Emmy winner Murray Bartlett (The White Lotus), Critics Choice winner Melanie Lynskey (Yellowjackets) and Teen Choice nominee Storm Reid (Euphoria).
The Last of Us ended its run with a 96% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 9/10 rating on IMDb, where it currently tops the Most Popular TV list and is at #29 on the Top-Rated TV Of All-Time list.
The season 1 finale set another ratings high on Sunday night, delivering 8.2 million viewers across HBO Max and linear telecasts, based on Nielsen and first party data. The series is now averaging 30.4 million viewers across its first six episodes, with the first episode approaching 40 million viewers in the U.S. Outside of the U.S., The Last Of Us is now the most-watched show in the history of HBO Max in both Europe and Latin America.
The Last Of Us was a hit amongst fans and critics right out of the gate. Debuting to 4.7 million viewers in January, it has shown consistent growth throughout its first season despite enhanced competition from live sports telecasts and awards broadcasts. Sunday night’s finale audience marked a 75% increase in debut night viewing compared to the series premiere.
This week’s season finale, titled Look for the Light, has been celebrated as “satisfying and shocking” (IGN) and “gorgeous, evocative” (TVLine). The episode was “executed with a whole lot of heart” (CNN) and set viewers up for “a thrilling second season” (IndieWire).
Rolling Stone praised the inaugural season as an “utterly fantastic debut season of television,” while The Ringer proclaimed this is “a must-see series,” Empire hailed it as “a masterpiece” and The Guardian gave it five stars, celebrating “one of the finest TV shows you will see this year… Desperately moving… A phenomenal blend of horror and heart, with a cast that could not be more perfect.”
In addition to the 30-minute making of on Showmax, fans can also tune in to The Last of Us Podcast, the series’ official companion podcast, where host Troy Baker, who plays Joel in the video game, sits down with the two series creators for a scene-by-scene deep dive of each episode. The companion podcast reclaimed the #1 spot on Apple’s TV & Film chart following the season finale. Esquire has named it one of “The Best Podcasts of 2023 (So Far)” and called it “…the perfect ally for your streaming journey.”
