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The Last of Us Season 2 Finale Ratings Reveal Major Drop as HBO Spins 55% Audience Decline

The Last of Us Season 2 Finale Ratings Reveal Major Drop as HBO Spins 55% Audience Decline

The Last of Us Season 2 has officially wrapped, and while HBO is touting the series’ long-term streaming growth, the initial ratings for the finale paint a much different picture.

According to data shared by HBO and reported by Deadline, the Season 2 finale drew 3.7 million cross-platform viewers in the U.S. on its first night. While that number may seem strong in isolation, it represents a 30% drop from the Season 2 premiere, which brought in 5.3 million viewers. More significantly, it marks a 55% drop from the Season 1 finale, which drew 8.2 million viewers across platforms when it aired in March 2023.

Rotten Tomatoes Touts Critic Score for The Last of Us Season 2 While Ignoring Audience Rating of 39%

Rotten Tomatoes Touts Critic Score for The Last of Us Season 2 While Ignoring Audience Rating of 39%

Rotten Tomatoes is highlighting The Last of Us Season 2 as a critical success, announcing this week on X that the show is “Certified Fresh” with a 94% rating on the Tomatometer based on 238 critic reviews. However, noticeably absent from the post is any mention of the show’s significantly lower audience score—currently sitting at 39%.

Last of Us Season 3 Is All About Abby — Druckmann Doubles Down on Controversial Character While Season 2 Ratings Plummet

Last of Us Season 3 Is All About Abby — Druckmann Doubles Down on Controversial Character While Season 2 Ratings Plummet

The Last of Us Season 3 is officially happening, and according to those involved, it’s set to focus heavily on Abby — one of the most divisive characters in modern gaming history. Despite significant backlash following her debut in The Last of Us: Part II, showrunners Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin are staying the course, cementing Abby as the centerpiece of the next chapter.

Rotten Tomatoes Touts Critic Score for The Last of Us Season 2 While Ignoring Audience Rating of 39%

The Last of Us Season 2 Viewership Tanks After Controversial Joel and Abby Scene in Second Episode

Like him or hate him, Pedro Pascal’s portrayal of Joel Miller helped anchor The Last of Us as one of HBO’s standout successes. But just two episodes into its second season, the showrunners made the bold decision to maintain one of the original video game’s more controversial decisions and end the character. This sparked not only controversy but a sharp decline in The Last of Us season 2’s viewership.

Harry Potter Author J.K. Rowling Fires Back After Snape Actor Paapa Essiedu Signs Letter Opposing UK Court Ruling on Gender Issues

Harry Potter Author J.K. Rowling Fires Back After Snape Actor Paapa Essiedu Signs Letter Opposing UK Court Ruling on Gender Issues

JK Rowling has already found herself at odds with Snape actor Paapa Essiedu ahead of the upcoming HBO Harry Potter series.

The divide surrounding HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series has deepened, as several Potter franchise actors—both past and present—signed an open letter opposing the United Kingdom’s Supreme Court decision affirming that the legal definition of “sex” refers to biological sex. Among the signatories were Fantastic Beasts star Eddie Redmayne, original film series actress Katie Leung, and most notably Paapa Essiedu, who will portray Severus Snape in the new television adaptation.

Rotten Tomatoes Touts Critic Score for The Last of Us Season 2 While Ignoring Audience Rating of 39%

OPINION: Collider Escalates Last of Us “Review Bombing” Defense — Classifies Critics as “Trolls” and Demands Their Silence While Calling it News

Collider has officially lost the plot on The Last of Us.

In its latest screed defending HBO’s The Last of Us Season 2, the outlet through writer Rahul Malhotra doesn’t just double down on the tired “review bombing” narrative—it openly calls for the censorship of dissenting opinions. And no, that’s not exaggeration.

John Lithgow Won’t Quit Harry Potter Series Over J.K. Rowling Gender Controversies — ‘Why is This a Factor?’

John Lithgow Won’t Quit Harry Potter Series Over J.K. Rowling Gender Controversies — ‘Why is This a Factor?’

John Lithgow has made it clear that outside pressure will not influence his involvement in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter television series. In a new interview with The Times of London, the 79-year-old actor addressed the controversy surrounding J.K. Rowling and the backlash he has personally received since signing on to play Professor Albus Dumbledore.

Pedro Pascal Calls Harry Potter Author J.K. Rowling a “Heinous Loser” Over Comments Defending Biological Sex Definition

Pedro Pascal Calls Harry Potter Author J.K. Rowling a “Heinous Loser” Over Comments Defending Biological Sex Definition

Pedro Pascal, best known for his role in The Mandalorian and The Last of Us has inserted himself into the ongoing debate over gender terminology and women’s spaces by publicly disparaging bestselling Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling. The actor left a comment on activist Tariq Ra’ouf’s Instagram post calling Rowling a “heinous loser,” following her support for a recent UK Supreme Court ruling that clarified legal definitions around biological sex.