You don't need to subscribe HBO Max to watch the first episode of The Last of Us. As of this writing, the show's premiere episode has been made available to stream for free on the streamign service, this following the immediate and immense success of the show upon airing its first two episodes. The 80-minute premiere pulled in the second-largest series debut for HBO since 2010, and the reviews were pretty much universal with praise for the video game adaptation. It has also been the talk of social media with millions tuning in and sharing their thoughts online.
If you've been late to the party because you aren't subscribed to HBO or HBO Max, a special surprise has come in just for you. HBO Max has made the show's premiere episode free to stream for everyone, no subscription required. The episode can be streamed online at HBOMax.com and has also been made available to watch by Sky TV on YouTube for those in the UK.
Of course, the downside here is that just the first episode is streaming for free. Two episodes have aired at this point, but you'd need to subscribe to watch episode 2. Even so, watching the premiere episode will give potential fans a chance to see if the series will indeed appeal to them as it has been with so many others before shelling out the cash to sign up for HBO Max. There are nine total episodes that make up the first season, though the show already has a second season in the works, and given its incredible success, it may be around for years to come.
The Last of Us Is HBO's Newest Hit Show
A new flagship series for HBO, The Last of Us is created by original video game developer Neil Druckmann alongside Craig Mazin. The series stars Pedro Pascal as Joel, a hardened smuggler tasked with escorting a teenage girl named Ellie (Bella Ramsey) across a dangerous wasteland decades into an apocalypse, avoiding zombie-like creatures called "Clickers" and other dangers along the way. The series also stars Nico Parker, Gabriel Luna, Merle Dandridge, John Hannah, Anna Torv, and Nick Offerman.
Many fans are also saying that this new series has also set the stage for video game adaptations, standing as the best one of all time in the opinion of some viewers even after two episodes. For more episodes beyond the premiere, you can stream The Last of Us on HBO Max.