Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for The Last of Us season 2, episode 7.HBO has released its viewership data for the finale ofThe Last of Usseason 2, and its ratings are shocking in comparison to the season 1 finale. Theending ofThe Last of Usseason 2did quite a bit to set upThe Last of Usseason 3and Abby’s (Kaitlyn Dever) story, but it also proved controversial.Joel’s (Pedro Pascal) death early in the seasonproved as controversial to TV audiences as it was to gamers, and Ellie’s (Bella Ramsey) decision in the finale was brutal, to say the least. It wasn’t clear how those unpopular choices would affectThe Last of Usseason 2’s viewership, until now.
Warner Brothers Discoveryconfirmed in a press release thatThe Last of Usseason 2’s finale drew in 3.7 million viewers. According toVariety, the finale ofThe Last of Usseason 1 drew in 8.2 million viewers. Warner Bros. has speculated that the season 2 finale’s viewership was artificially lower due to the Memorial Day holiday weekend. For now, however,The Last of Usseason 2’s finale experienced a 55% decrease in viewership compared to season 1. That being said,The Last of Usseason 2 as a whole has experienced increased viewership, with 37 million viewers per episode.
What The Last Of Us Season 2’s Viewership Numbers Mean For The Last Of Us Season 3
The Last Of Us Season 2’s Viewership Trend Is A Mixed Bag
It’s hard to say one way or another whatThe Last of Usseason 2’s viewership trends mean for the HBO show. On the one hand, a 55% decrease in viewership between the season 2 and season 1 finales is never a good thing.The Last of Usseason 2’s more controversial decisions clearly had a negative impact on viewership, even with whatever incalculable effect the Memorial Day weekend had on audience ratings. Whether it was Joel’s death, Ellie’s shocking rage, or something else entirely, it seems many fans ofThe Last of Usdidn’t feel that season 2 resonated enough with them to see it through to the end.
On the other hand,The Last of Usseason 2 did have higher viewership in total than the first season, which is a very good sign. The first two episodes ofThe Last of Usseason 2 were wildly popular and came before Joel’s death, but they also couldn’t account for the entire season’s rise in popularity by themselves.HBO did something right withThe Last of Usseason 2, and it may be able to keep it going in season 3. The show may have created more sympathy for and interest in Abby’s story, which would helpThe Last of Usseason 3 tremendously.
The Last Of Us Season 2 Finale’s Viewership Isn’t Totally Surprising, But I Am Hopeful That It Will Be Better Received Than The Games
Image via Max
I playedThe Last of Us Part IIwhen it came out, so I knew firsthand what kind of backlash to expect going intoThe Last of Usseason 2. Joel’s death, Abby’s story, and Ellie’s ultimate decision were almost guaranteed to be controversial.The Last of Usseason 2’s finale viewership, therefore, isn’t terribly surprising, but I’m still holding out hope. Season 2’s overall viewership is a great sign that audiences are willing to see this excellent story through to the end, and I think HBO is capable of delivering a satisfying conclusion toThe Last of Us.
