The Last of Us Season 2 Finale Flops in Viewership Compared to Past Seasons

by

Summary

  • The Last of Us season 2 finale had lower viewership than the premiere, signaling a decline.
  • The disappointing decline in viewership is also evident when compared to season 1’s finale.
  • Analysts blame Memorial Day for low viewership, but rushed storyline and fear of deviating from the game may also be factors.

In the final episode of The Last of Us Season 2, Bella Ramsay’s character Ellie seems to have made significant progress, but unfortunately, the show as a whole appears to be taking a step backward based on recent viewership data. This decline is something that HBO and any other parties with interests in this survival horror series should find concerning.

The second season of “The Last of Us” concluded on May 25, 2025, consisting of seven episodes, slightly fewer than the nine in season 1. This installment delves deeper into Ellie’s pursuit of Abby and her group, though it concludes with a suspenseful cliffhanger that may not be resolved until 2027. The first season of this video game adaptation to film has been one of the most successful shows ever aired on television, ranking as HBO’s second-most-watched premiere from the past decade. Additionally, it set a record for the largest increase in viewership between the opening and second episode, attracting an impressive 5.7 million new viewers.

The Last of Us Season 2 Finale Attracted Fewer Viewers Than the Season Premiere

It’s Also a Disappointing Decline From Season 1’s Finale

Based on Variety’s report, the season finale of The Last of Us saw approximately 3.7 million viewers in the U.S. on its debut night, airing simultaneously on HBO and HBO Max. This is a 30% decrease from the 5.3 million viewers the season initially attracted and less than half the 8.2 million who watched the finale of season 1. To put it into perspective, season 1 not only opened with more viewers but also had three episodes that drew over one million live viewers; in contrast, season 2 has yet to achieve this milestone.

It’s concerning that a highly-anticipated sequel of a popular TV show, like this one, isn’t managing to replicate its earlier viewership figures. Interestingly, other HBO shows, such as ‘House of the Dragon’ season 2 finale and ‘The White Lotus’, which also ended on cliffhangers, managed to attract 8.9 million and 6.2 million viewers respectively. Some analysts suggest that the Memorial Day holiday might have dampened streaming activities, but traditionally, weekends like these have been beneficial for TV shows. It’s puzzling why this isn’t the case this time, especially considering Netflix often launches its biggest hits during summer and holiday seasons.

It’s important to note that there may be other contributing factors, but HBO and Warner Bros. bear some responsibility for the deteriorating quality of the show. The hasty production of the second season, coupled with the reluctance or apprehension of the showrunners to deviate significantly from the original source material, “The Last of Us: Part II,” seems to have negatively impacted the series.

While it’s true that The Last of Us‘s seven-episode season hasn’t been a complete success in terms of viewership, there is a glimmer of hope. According to HBO, the audience for the second season’s episodes averaged 37 million worldwide. Although this number seems small when compared to the 32 million viewers from season 1 in the U.S. alone, it suggests that the finale still has potential to pick up steam.

Read More

2025-05-27 19:28