The Last Of Us Episode 1 Watched For 200+ Million Minutes In First Few Hours

HBO Max’s The Last Of Us is in favourable standing as Nielsen now posts that people viewed a total of 223 million minutes in the first hours of Episode 1. As the series is one of the much-awaited live-action adaptation of the very popular video game of the same name, fans tuned in and, more importantly, streamed the premiere diligently.

With promises of staying true and faithful to the source, the production behind the series did not disappoint. Now four episodes in, the numbers are just getting better in every instalment. Naturally, the story now has more than the videogame fans rooting for Pedro Pascal’s Joel and Bella Ramsey’s Ellie.

Because the creative minds behind the game are the ones who are also behind the series, it’s no wonder that the live-action adaptation is performing spectacularly.

The Last Of Us Went For A Very Good Start With 200+Million Minutes

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In Nielsen’s report, The Last Of Us only had a few hours of streaming availability when the data were gathered. In a report from Collider, the data company gathers weekly streaming information from Monday to Sunday. As the show premiered primetime Sunday, there wasn’t much time left until the collected information came to a close.

This gave a glimpse as to how many households or subscription accounts were active and streamed the show. Apparently, the data also only reflects the streaming minutes and not the cable or network airing. This number is further supported by social media presence. The show has been on everyone’s radar at some point or another.

When the audience truly likes and appreciates what they see, they do talk about it and share their impressions through social media. This is quite like word-of-mouth marketing for The Last Of Us. As expected, the show only increases viewership every week. From the first episode alone, people were already invested in Joel and Ellie.

Despite what people feared about the show being just another zombie apocalypse drama, it still managed to capture the audience and deliver its own apocalypse spin. The show offered a different origin of the infection as well as the possibility of a cure. While it also has the survival and militant arcs of the present alternate society, every episode can bring the characters their own development.

The Last Of Us Is HBO’s Next Big Franchise After Game Of Thrones

Credit: HBO Max

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Considering that the show is tracking just a few minutes behind its fellow HBO series, the prequel to Game Of Thrones, House Of The Dragon, it won’t be the last people will hear about The Last Of Us.

Not going into much detail as to the story in the videogame, that is already out there. Long-time players already know what will happen. But because the same creative minds are behind the live-action adaptation, continuing stories can still follow. Not to mention that there are possibilities in shedding light on its world’s untold stories.

Episode 3, Long, Long Time, which starred Nick Offerman as Bill and Murray Bartlett as Frank, is a very good example. Theirs is a story of that world that wasn’t fully explored in the video game. And with just one episode, series creators Craig Mazin & Neil Druckmann were able to bring their story forward in a way that immediately endeared Bill and Frank to viewers.

Of course, there isn’t much to tell at the end of the episode but the emotions that run within the characters paint a picture of the alternate world.

The newest episode, Endure and Survive, arrives this today, February 10, to make way for the Superbowl on Sunday.

Are you surprised as to how people are receiving The Last Of Us? How do you think the story will progress in future seasons? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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