The Last of Us Season 2 Viewership Collapses: Down Over 50%

HBO has released official numbers revealing that The Last of Us Season 2 has lost over half its audience.

The Season 2 premiere brought in 5.3 million viewers across platforms. But the finale, released Sunday, was only watched by 3.7 million, a 30% drop from the premiere and a staggering 55% drop compared to the Season 1 finale, which drew 8.2 million.

HBO Blames Memorial Day Weekend for Viewership Drop

HBO is trying to downplay the collapse, blaming the Memorial Day weekend and claiming the numbers will increase with delayed viewing, as they state in the official press release:

“The audience will grow significantly due to low viewing levels over the Memorial Day holiday weekend.”

Viewers Tuning Out as Season 2 Loses Momentum

Even with that excuse, the sharp decline in viewership throughout Season 2 can’t be ignored. Rather than building momentum like Season 1, the latest season lost steam episode after episode.

It raises real questions about fan interest, especially after controversial story developments early in the season. Did the major spoiler in Episode 2 turn fans off for good?

We’ll know more soon, as the upcoming Nielsen ratings will cover the week Episode 3 aired. If there’s a major drop, it could confirm what many already suspect, that audiences are tuning out.

Live TV Data Shows Sharp Drop from Season 1 Growth

We get more insights into the Live + Same Day data released by ProgrammingInsider.com, which shows how Season 1 grew, with the viewership basically doubling, which carried over to Season 2.

However, the Season 2 numbers drop considerably compared to the last four episodes of Season 1 and the premiere of Season 2.

The popularity and success of Season 1 that led to Season 2 also explains why Season 2 amasses more average viewers over time than Season 1, but again, we see the viewership is on the decline, unlike the first season.

Season 1: Live + Same Day ratings

Episode 1: 0.588
Episode 2: 0.633
Episode 3: 0.747
Episode 4: 0.991
Episode 5: 0.382
Episode 6: 0.841
Episode 7: 1.083
Episode 8: 1.039
Episode 9: 1.040

Season 2: Live + Same Day ratings

Episode 1: 0.938
Episode 2: 0.643
Episode 3: 0.768
Episode 4: 0.774
Episode 5: 0.652
Episode 6: 0.701
Episode 7: 0.680

About Matt McGloin

Matt McGloin is the editor-in-chief and publisher of Cosmic Book News, the independent entertainment news site he founded in 2008. He covers movies, comics, TV, video games and pop culture and has reported major industry scoops over the years, including revealing the Avengers: Endgame title ahead of its official announcement. Through Cosmic Book News, he helped Marvel Comics promote Guardians of the Galaxy and Nova through exclusive previews, artwork, and interviews, with the site also quoted in solicitations and on comic covers. He also reported on Marvel’s Daredevil: Born Again retooling before it was later confirmed by the trades.