Just a few days ago, the new series "The Last of Us" started in the USA on HBO Max and in Germany via Wow. But even after the first episode aired, it became apparent that it might be a successful video game adaptation for a change. According to the industry website "Deadline", the linear broadcast and streams via HBO Max attracted a total of 4.7 million viewers.

In the past decade, only one HBO series has been able to surpass this value, albeit significantly: The "Game of Thrones" offshoot "House of the Dragon", launched in 2022, gathered almost ten million people in front of the screen - the new and lonely record. The gangster series "Boardwalk Empire" with Steve Buscemi (65), which started in 2010 and reached around 4.8 million people when it started, held it.

According to the report, HBO expects the 4.7 million viewers of the opening episode to represent around 20-40 percent of the total weekly audience. According to this forecast, The Last of Us audience will range between 12 and 24 million per week.

Critics and audiences are currently still in agreement that the dark end-of-time series has immense potential. On the well-known rating platforms "IMDb" and "Rotten Tomatoes", the series currently (as of January 18) has 94 or even almost perfect 99 percent positive ratings.

"The Last of Us" follows the story of the characters Joel and Ellie, portrayed by the two "Game of Throne" stars Pedro Pascal (47) and Bella Ramsey (19). Together, the unequal duo must fight their way through a world overrun by zombie-like beings, in which a fungal infestation has caused the downfall of mankind. The series is based on the Playstation game of the same name, which was released in 2013 and received a second part in 2020.