Viewership Plummets: The Last of Us Season 2 Finale Shocks Fans!

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*Warning: This article contains minor spoilers for the ending of The Last of Us season 2.*

After the airing of the last episode of The Last of Us season 2, we are still grappling with narrow escapes from death, unexpected twists in the storyline, and a jaw-dropping cliffhanger finale.

It’s clear that this second installment received a variety of responses from fans, and it appears that the viewership mirrored the somewhat muted reaction to the season. Now, we know that the Season 2 finale attracted 3.7 million viewers across all platforms, which is a 55% decrease compared to the viewership at the end of Season 1.

In the last episode of the initial season, a massive 8.2 million viewers tuned in across various platforms. However, it appears that viewership has significantly decreased for the second installment.

Despite starting with relatively small viewer numbers, HBO anticipates a substantial increase in viewership after the Memorial Day holiday weekend. They’ve emphasized this possibility by noting that the average viewership for season 2 is already projected to be higher than that of season 1.

It’s been reported that each episode of season 2 is attracting approximately 37 million global viewers, a number that continues to increase. For some perspective (as shared by Deadline), the first season premiere eventually amassed nearly 32 million viewers within 90 days after its debut, which set a record for the largest audience for an HBO and Max debut season to date.

In the second series of The Last of Us, there’s been plenty of debate among fans, as the storyline chose to make a significant shift right from the start by ending the character of Joel, portrayed by Pedro Pascal, prematurely.

Fundamentally, the second season revolved around Ellie (Bella Ramsey) pursuing a prolonged quest for revenge against Abby (Kaitlyn Dever). This journey led her to Seattle, where she aimed to confront Abby over her actions. The final episode culminated in Ellie encountering two of Abby’s associates, Owen (Spencer Lord) and Mel (Ariela Barer), which eventually resulted in Ellie shooting and fatally wounding both of them.

For season 3, enthusiasts of the series can expect a change in the storyline as it has been officially confirmed. Hinting at the final moments of season 2, we will now primarily focus on Abby’s journey, revisiting day 1 in Seattle from her viewpoint instead of Ellie’s.

Back then, the decision for the game caused quite a stir, and now we’re eagerly waiting to see how the TV series will handle fan responses to that initial plot twist.

It’s yet undecided if the entirety of Season 3 will focus solely on Catherine O’Hara’s character, as it has been hinted that Season 3 is “the Abby story.” This implies that we might only traverse through all episodes following Dever’s character in this upcoming season.

We can’t stress enough how incredibly proud HBO feels about the exceptional accomplishment we believe the second season of The Last of Us has achieved.

Craig, Neil, Carolyn, and the entire production team, actors, and staff have created another exceptional sequel. We’re excited to continue the emotional journey that Craig and Neil have crafted, promising a third season filled with equal depth and awe-inspiring moments.

You can watch seasons 1 and 2 of The Last of Us on Sky Atlantic and NOW if you have an Entertainment Membership.

“Don’t forget to include ‘The Last of Us’ in your watchlist on the TopMob: What to Watch app – download it today for daily TV suggestions, exclusive content, and much more.

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2025-05-27 14:34