The Last of Us Ratings Slide — Rotten Tomatoes & Metacritic Highlights Season 2 Decline

The Last of Us ratings: HBO’s The Last of Us made a spectacular splash with its first season in 2023, setting records as one of the network’s biggest series debuts in over a decade. The post-apocalyptic drama, adapted from the beloved PlayStation game, captured millions of viewers and critical acclaim, quickly becoming a cultural phenomenon.

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The Last of Us Ratings (Critics):

• Season 1:
  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.35/5 stars)
  — Based on an 8.7/10 average critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes

• Season 2:
  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.1/5 stars)
  — Based on an 8.1/10 average critic rating on Metacritic

However, The Last of Us ratings for its second season, while still strong, have notably declined. According to Nielsen data, the seven-episode season two averaged 18 percent fewer viewers across its first five episodes compared to the same stretch in season one. Episodes four and five of The Last of Us Season 2 drew smaller audiences than any episode from the first season.

Although it is common for sophomore seasons to face some drop-off, the decline in The Last of Us ratings is surprising given the show’s buzz, marketing, and generally strong critical reception (92% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes). Other HBO hits like Game of Thrones, Succession, and The White Lotus have managed to grow their audiences after debut seasons, making this ratings slip more puzzling.

So, what caused the dip in The Last of Us ratings?

One possible explanation for the dip in The Last of Us ratings is the bold narrative choice in season two to kill off Joel (Pedro Pascal), a beloved co-lead, early in the season. This shift puts Ellie (Bella Ramsey) on a quest for revenge, a storyline that divided fans. Some criticized Ramsey’s portrayal, but evidence suggests this alone does not fully explain the ratings drop.

A useful comparison is Game of Thrones, which also experienced a ratings decline late in its run after exhausting its source material. Like Game of Thrones, The Last of Us faces storytelling challenges once it moves beyond the original game’s narrative. The shift from a simple survival story to a more complex, revenge-driven plot seems to have impacted how some viewers engage with the series.

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