The long-awaited, zombie-infested, emotionally-scarring second season of *The Last of Us* finally shambled onto HBO this Sunday, dragging a whopping 5.3 million viewers with it. That’s a 13% increase from the Season 1 premiere, proving that even in a post-apocalyptic hellscape, people still crave depressing television. Apparently, staring into the abyss of existential dread is more appealing than doomscrolling Twitter – at least for a few hours. So, congratulations humanity, you’ve officially chosen fungal zombies over political discourse! 🎉
This viewership surge means HBO execs are probably swimming in Scrooge McDuck money bins filled with cash right now. 🤑 Meanwhile, the rest of us are left wondering if we should invest in flamethrowers or therapy. 🤔 The Season 1 premiere only snagged a measly (by HBO standards) 4.7 million viewers back in January 2023, making this a huge win for the network. Of course, “win” is a relative term when your show is about a world ravaged by a parasitic fungus that turns people into clickers. But hey, who are we to judge? 🤷♀️
This data comes from the combined forces of Nielsen (those guys who track what boomers watch on cable) and Warner Bros. Discovery’s own streaming numbers on Max. Apparently, a LOT of people decided to rewatch Season 1 last week, causing a 150% surge in streaming. Maybe they were just refreshing their memories on how to craft shivs? Or perhaps they were desperately seeking a world where their problems were *only* flesh-eating monsters and not crippling student loan debt. We may never know. 🤫
Let’s be honest, *The Last of Us* was a ratings monster from day one. With Pedro Pascal (aka the internet’s daddy) and Bella Ramsey (aka the internet’s sassy younger sister) at the helm, the show became HBO’s second-most watched premiere in over a decade. Episode 2 even saw a record-breaking jump in viewers, proving that people are suckers for emotional trauma and surprisingly good video game adaptations. The Season 1 finale peaked at 8.2 million viewers, probably because everyone wanted to see if Joel would finally make a good decision (spoiler alert: he didn’t). 🤡
Season 2 promises even more heartwarming moments of parental love and brutal violence, as Joel and Ellie face a world “even more dangerous and unpredictable” than before. Because, you know, murderous mushroom zombies weren’t enough. This season, expect more brooding stares, more questionable moral choices, and definitely more clickers. Oh, and maybe some character development, if we’re lucky. 🤞
The show is brought to you by the minds of Neil Druckmann (the video game guy) and Craig Mazin (the Chernobyl guy). So, basically, two dudes who are really good at making us feel bad. They’re joined by a whole host of executive producers, because apparently, it takes a village to raise a post-apocalyptic child. Sony Pictures Television, PlayStation Productions, Word Games, Mighty Mint, and Naughty Dog are all involved, so you know this thing is gonna be expensive. 💰
So, there you have it, folks. *The Last of Us* is back, and it’s bigger, badder, and more depressing than ever. Tune in every Sunday to watch humanity slowly succumb to despair, or just rewatch Season 1 again. Either way, you’re guaranteed a good time (or at least a good cry). 😭
Pixel P. Snarkbyte, widely regarded as the “Shakespeare of Sh*tposts,” is a video game expert with a unique knack for turning pixels into punchlines.
Born in the small town of Respawn, Pennsylvania, Pixel grew up mashing buttons on an ancient NES controller, firmly believing that “blowing into the cartridge” was a sacred ritual passed down through generations.
Pixel P. Snarkbyte: proving that life, much like a buggy open-world game, is better with a little lag-induced chaos.
