The Last of Us Season 2 Finale Draws 3.7M U.S. Viewers, HBO Expects Surge

HBO celebrates the triumph of The Last of Us Season 2, noting a surge in viewership that has boosted the show’s global audience to over 90 million since the conclusion of Season 1.

In the U.S., the Season 2 finale attracted 3.7 million cross-platform viewers last night. The premiere episode of Season 2 garnered 5.3 million viewers, indicating a drop by the finale, but Warner Bros. anticipates a significant increase in viewership for the finale due to lower viewing numbers during the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

It’s notable that the Season 1 finale achieved a record-breaking 8.2 million viewers, meaning the Season 2 finale still has ground to cover to surpass that milestone.

However, Season 2 boasts a higher average viewership per episode compared to Season 1. With nearly 37 million global viewers per episode, Warner Bros. reports this number is “steadily rising.” For comparison, Season 1 ended with 32 million U.S. cross-platform viewers 90 days after its premiere.

IGN’s review of The Last of Us Season 2 finale gave it a 6/10, stating, “The Season 2 finale of The Last of Us races to its gripping cliffhanger, balancing exhilaration with disorientation.”

We also published a breakdown of The Last of Us Season 2’s ending, exploring how it paves the way for Season 3.

The Last of Us debuted in January 2023 to widespread praise, with some calling it the finest video game adaptation to date. Season 1 earned eight Emmy awards from 24 nominations.

Every IGN The Last of Us Review

Last week, showrunner Craig Mazin suggested a fourth season is likely necessary. In an interview with Collider, Mazin noted that concluding The Last of Us’ story, based on Naughty Dog’s two video games, in Season 3 alone would be a lengthy endeavor. While there’s a “good chance” Season 3 will be longer than Season 2, he believes “it’s impossible to wrap up the narrative in just one more season.”

He added: “We hope to earn the opportunity to return and complete the story in a fourth season. That’s the most probable path forward.”