After months of waiting, fans of The Last of Us finally got a glimpse at what the beloved video game looks like when transformed into a live-action series on January 15 — and it appeared to be well worth the wait. In addition to being a ratings hit, the series has received positive reviews from nearly everyone — including our own Josh Kurp, who called it “the best live-action video game adaptation ever.”
Approximately 4.7 million people tuned in to the series premiere of The Last of Us, making the post-apocalyptic thriller the second most watched premiere on HBO (right after — surprise! — House of the Dragon). The series follows the adventures of Joel (The Mandalorian’s Pedro Pascal), a man who has survived the apocalypse and has been tasked with rescuing Ellie (Game of Thrones’ Bella Ramsey), a teenage girl who is caught in a quarantine zone.
Early reports claimed the each episode of the series cost nearly $100 million apiece, so the network was really banking on a hit — literally. With only eight more episodes left to watch, fans are already demanding to see the schedule to mark down its next airtimes in order to bring back appointment television.
Unsurprisingly, The Last of Us is taking up the vaunted 9 p.m. slot on Sunday nights on HBO (the one held by House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones before that). The second episode will premiere on HBO on January 22 and the remaining episodes will run in each of the seven weeks that follow.
