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The Last of Us Season 2 Finale Ratings Plummet: HBO Faces 55% Audience Drop!

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The second season of “The Last of Us” has been completed, yet instead of focusing on its future streaming success as stated by HBO, the ratings for the final episode suggest a starkly contrasting scenario.

Based on figures disclosed by HBO and confirmed by Deadline, the U.S. premiere of Season 2’s final episode attracted 3.7 million viewers collectively across all platforms. However, this figure is a 30% decrease compared to the viewership for the Season 2 premiere, which boasted 5.3 million viewers. Even more noteworthy, it indicates a 55% decline from the Season 1 finale, which had amassed 8.2 million viewers on all platforms when it was broadcast in March 2023.

#TheLastOfUs S2 finale had 3.7M viewers 📺

• 30% drop from the S2 premiere
• 55% drop from the S1 finale

It’s anticipated that the final episode will attract more viewers, as season 2 is currently drawing an average of approximately 37 million viewers worldwide per episode on HBO.

— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) May 26, 2025

The true tale unfolds thus: Over half of the viewers for the series finale were absent when the next season rolled around, even though it received acclaim from critics and extensive media attention.

HBO and Deadline, however, emphasized a different angle.

According to a report by Deadline, HBO anticipates substantial growth in viewership after the Memorial Day holiday weekend. They also stated that Season 2 of their show has been attracting more average viewers over time compared to Season 1. In total, it’s projected that each episode will have around 37 million global viewers when you factor in delayed and on-demand views.

In summary, during a span of 90 days following its release, the Season 1 premiere managed to attract an impressive audience of 32 million viewers, making it a new record for the highest viewership for a debut season on both HBO and Max.

In a nutshell, focusing solely on the comparison of long-term viewership versus same-day numbers might provide an incomplete picture and possibly hide considerable declines in audience. For instance, while “The Last of Us” may see an increase in viewers over time due to streaming platforms, the drop from 8.2 million viewers for the Season 1 finale to only 3.7 million for the Season 2 finale indicates a notable reduction in real-time viewership and fan loyalty.

A significant portion of this decrease can be attributed to debated artistic choices made in both the initial game and its television version.

Season 2 adheres to the contentious storyline presented in “The Last of Us: Part II,” which features the unexpected demise of the beloved character Joel, and primarily focuses on Abby, a character who remains a subject of contention among long-standing followers. The audience’s response has mirrored this discord. Although professional reviews maintain high ratings—Season 2 boasts a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes—the audience rating dropped to 39%, suggesting a significant gap between critical acclaim and viewer enjoyment.

HBO’s statement explains that the finale’s viewership was impacted by airing during a holiday weekend, implying that numbers could increase later. While it’s common for people to watch shows on delay in today’s streaming world, the fact remains that fewer viewers are tuning in live, and many who watched Season 1 didn’t continue with Season 2 or didn’t finish it altogether.

This occurrence takes place during a wider discussion about how the producers of the show address input from fans.

As a movie reviewer, I’ve always admired Neil Druckmann’s unwavering dedication to his artistic vision. In a recent interview, he revealed that he chooses to disregard media and audience criticism, instead staying true to his creative path for an upcoming project. While this approach certainly demonstrates commitment to his art, it might not be bridging the gap between what fans anticipate and what they ultimately experience in the show.

The third season of “The Last of Us” has been officially announced, and it will proceed with the adaptation of the rest of “Part II”. Abby will remain as the main character throughout this season. However, whether subsequent episodes can bounce back from the recent drop in ratings is still uncertain.

Currently, it’s evident that the viewership of “The Last of Us” has decreased significantly from Season 1, to an extent that not even HBO’s spin can hide this noticeable decline.

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2025-05-28 16:56

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