The Last of Us (2023)
Every path has a price.
Twenty years after modern civilization has been destroyed, Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal, heartbreaking journey, as they both must traverse the United States and depend on each other for survival.
| Type | TV series |
|---|---|
| First aired | 15 January 2023 |
| Status | Returning Series |
| Genre | Drama |
| Created by | Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin |
| Starring | Bella Ramsey, Gabriel Luna and Isabela Merced |
| Seasons | 2 seasons, 16 episodes |
| Episode length | about 57 min |
| Time to watch it all | about 15 hours |
| Rated | TV-MA |
| Scores | Metacritic 84/100 · Rotten Tomatoes 96% · Rotten Tomatoes (average) 8.7/10 · TMDB users 8.4/10 |
Where to watch The Last of Us
The Last of Us is streaming on Max ($18.49 a month) in the US. At ten hours a week, all of the series takes about 1 month of Max, or $18.49 at list price.
We check availability daily. Page last updated 30 September 2026. Prices are standard monthly plans and change often, so check with the service before you sign up.
What kind of watch this is
The Last of Us is a 2023 drama series that swaps the usual zombie apocalypse spectacle for a quiet, exhausting road trip. It is a show about survival, but the real threat is the silence between two people who have nothing left to lose. Created by Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin, the series runs 16 episodes across 2 seasons. That totals 15 hours of watching people get hurt in post-apocalyptic America. It is a heavy watch, demanding your attention for the full duration. If you enjoy stories where the journey matters more than the destination, this is your ticket. It is for anyone who thinks a post-apocalypse is just a regular Tuesday with more dirt.
What the critics said
The critical reception is less a debate than a consensus, which is rarer and more interesting for that reason. Rotten Tomatoes reports a 96% approval rating based on 488 reviews, with an average score of 8.7/10. Metacritic assigns a score of 84/100, a figure that signals universal acclaim. Daniel Fienberg of The Hollywood Reporter felt the third episode elevated the series to a new level. John Nugent of Empire called the third episode "one of the finest hours of television in recent memory." Dissent exists, but it is quiet. Some critics noted that scenes lifted directly from the game felt weakest and caused pacing issues. The chemistry between the leads did the heavy lifting, turning a faithful adaptation into something that feels distinct.
How it did with audiences
The premiere drew 4.7 million US viewers, landing as the second-largest HBO debut since 2010. That number climbed to almost 40 million within two months. By May, the average reached nearly 32 million per episode, making it HBO’s most-watched debut season ever. In Europe and Latin America, it became the most-watched show on HBO Max. Viewership jumped 150% in the week before the second season. People watched, they stayed, and they bought the games.
Awards
The series collected 4 awards from 3 nominations on the provided list. It took Best Adaptation at The Game Awards in 2023 and 2025, plus an Emmy for main title design. A Hugo followed in 2024. The first season was the first live-action video game adaptation to receive major awards consideration, a distinction that feels slightly self-congratulatory.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched The Last of Us.
Sources
- The Last of Us on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q87131973 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “The Last of Us (TV series)” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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