‘The Last of Us’ Sees Second-Largest Cross Platform-Debut in HBO, HBO Max History
HBO Max has a truly impressive content library. The streamer, and its parent company Warner Bros. Discovery, cleaned up at the Golden Globes, taking home trophies from 11 separate shows. Now, it appears the company may have yet another hit on its hands.
HBO’s new series “The Last of Us” drew 4.7 million viewers across the HBO linear channel and HBO Max on Sunday, Jan. 15. That makes it the second-largest cross-platform debut of any HBO series other than “House of the Dragon,” which drew 9.986 million viewers for its premiere episode back in August 2022.
That suggests that while “The Last of Us” saw undeniably big numbers for its debut, it still has room to grow. HBO estimates that Sunday night viewership for one of its series typically represents 20%-40% of the show’s total gross audience per episode. For example, the first episode of Season 2 of “Euphoria,” which also aired on a Sunday night, got around half of the viewers that watched “The Last of Us” premiere. But “Euphoria” Season 2 went on to see an average of 19.5 million distinct viewers per episode.
“We are thrilled to see fans of the series and game alike experience this iconic story in a new way, and we extend our gratitude to them for helping to make it a success,” HBO and HBO Max CEO Casey Bloys said. “Congratulations to the brilliant cast and crew who worked tirelessly to bring this show to life. We look forward to fans around the world enjoying the rest of the season.”
Critics and audiences are in near-lockstep agreement regarding the quality of the series. Critics on the review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes have registered their approval to the tune of 99%, and 96% of audiences agree. Viewers praise the show’s loyalty to the video game franchise it was adapted from, and its accessibility to newcomers who have never played.
The Last of Us
Twenty years after modern civilization has been destroyed, Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal, heartbreaking journey, as they both must traverse the United States and depend on each other for survival.
Arguably no media company made more of a public ruckus than WBD did in 2022. The company was left with over $5 billion in costs from Discovery's acquisition of WarnerMedia in April, which led to high-profile content cuts and disagreements between creators and company CEO David Zaslav. This turmoil hasn't led to a large-scale revolt from HBO Max customers, which likely serves as a testament to the service’s strong catalog of series and movies.
The success of “The Last of Us” likely means that even HBO Max’s recent price increase for its ad-free tier won’t cause much churn for the service. Great content is key to customer retention for streaming services, and HBO Max looks to have yet another smash hit on its hands with “The Last of Us.”
Related: More Zombie Apocalypse Movies and Shows to Watch While You Wait for the Next Episode ►
Max
Max is a subscription video streaming service that gives access to the full HBO library, along with exclusive Max Originals. There are hubs for content from TLC, HGTV, Food Network, Discovery, TCM, Cartoon Network, Travel Channel, ID, and more. Watch hit series like “The Last of Us,” “House of the Dragon,” “Succession,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and more. Thanks to the B/R Sports add-on, users can watch NBA, MLB, NHL, March Madness, and NASCAR events.