# The Last of Us (series)

> HBO reported 8.2 million US first-night viewers for the first-season finale.

- Owner: HBO / Sony Pictures Television; Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann
- Kind: Series
- Sector: Entertainment
- Seed date: 2023-01-11
- Observed peak date: Week of Jan 22, 2023
- Date basis: Observed peak within the documented measurement window; not an all-time maximum. Dates use the stated precision; chart positions are date anchors.
- Spread Score: 65 (Viral), v1.2
- Mechanics: Response chain, Controversy, Platform jump, Press loop, Pairing

## Summary

HBO followed fan screenings with a weekly TV release. Episode three prompted praise, reaction videos and review bombing. HBO reported rising first-night audiences, while UK boxed-game sales and streams of the featured Linda Ronstadt song increased.

## Timeline

- Dec 2022 — HBO Max (YouTube) — HBO Max released the official trailer before the series premiere.
- 2023-01-10 — The Hollywood Reporter (Press) — THR published its season review and singled out the Bill and Frank episode before broadcast.
- 2023-01-11 — BINGE (Box office) — BINGE screened the series premiere for fans at Sydney’s Ritz Cinemas.

The full timeline, metrics and sources are on the case page, or via the Pro API (https://howitspread.com/developers).

Canonical URL: https://howitspread.com/cases/the-last-of-us-series

Cite as: How It Spread (2026). “The Last of Us (series).” Case HIS-01288. Spread Score v1.2: 65/100. Updated 2026-10-22. https://howitspread.com/id/HIS-01288