The Last of Us Episode 2 has the largest viewership increase since a premiere for an HBO Original

HBO’s 2023 blockbuster series The last of us entered the record books again with the second episode. The new episode had the largest viewership gains of all time for an HBO original premiere.

The last of us receives positive reviews from critics and fans worldwide for its riveting story, high-budget sets, brilliant acting and accuracy of the game Naughty Dog 2013. The on-screen chemistry of Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey has been spot on so far, and Anna Torvs Tess’ performance is incredible.

The hype surrounding the show has been huge since its inception, and HBO has made a special effort with marketing and promotion.

Episode 2 of The last of us was seen by 5.7 million viewers in the US

The show’s second episode was released on January 22 and was titled infected. It was directed by Neil Druckmann and written by Craig Mazin, and viewers experienced the creepiness of the infamous clickers beforehand. The episode was appreciated by fans of the video game for getting the clickers’ makeup and prosthetics right.

The episode was seen by 5.7 million viewers, a 22% increase from when the series debuted on January 15, 2023. Never in the channel’s history has a show seen such a large increase in numbers within the second week of its debut . Based on Nielsen and first-party data, the new episode’s 5.7 million viewers on HBO and linear TV shows in the US is an additional million viewers compared to last week.

After a full week of availability, Episode 1 entitled When you’re lost in the dark now has 18 million viewers. That statistic is four times higher than the premiere night audience. It is speculated that these numbers will increase week by week.

what is The last of us Above?

The HBO drama is set in a fictional apocalyptic version of the year 2023, when the planet is being devastated by a deadly global pandemic. Between all the commotion, Joel, an idiot living in the Boston quarantine zone, meets a 14-year-old Ellie.

Immune to infection, the child is the only hope of reviving humanity from the clutches of a mass fungal infection called “Cordyceps” that renders humans animal-like. Meanwhile, Joel is constantly struggling with himself due to a traumatic past and the death of his only daughter, Sarah.

The official synopsis of The last of us read,

“Based on the critically acclaimed video game The Last of Us, developed by Naughty Dog for the PlayStation platforms, the story takes place twenty years after the destruction of modern civilization. Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to look after Ellie, a 14-year-old one-year-old girl from an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon turns into a brutal, heartbreaking journey as both must traverse the United States and rely on each other for survival.”

It was created by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, with Carolyn Strauss, Evan Wells, Asad Qizilbash, Carter Swan and Rose Lam serving as executive producers. Gustavo Santaolalla, who even provided the music for the video game, also directs it on the show.

Episode 3 of The Last of Us, titled long long timewill be released on January 29, 2023.