The Last Of Us Episode 5 Will Air Two Days Early

The Last Of Us will begin streaming its fifth episode two days early on Friday, February 10 at 9 p.m. EST to avoid conflicting with Sunday’s Super Bowl.

If you were worrying over whether you would tune into episode five of The Last Of Us or the Super Bowl LVII between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles, the powers that be have decided to take the pressure off you. HBO will air the next episode of its groundbreaking post-apocalyptic drama a whole two days early on Friday, February 10 at 9 p.m. EST on HBO Max and HBO On Demand.

HBO broke the news last night after episode four of The Last Of Us aired, stating that all other episodes will air during their normal Sunday time slot leading up to the March 12 finale. However, some viewers are speculating whether the finale will also be rescheduled, as it is currently slated to compete with the airing of the Oscars ceremony.

The Last Of Us has already shattered records in terms of viewership. It is the first of HBO’s original programming in recent years to see a continuous increase in viewership each week since its premiere — a trend that not even hits like House of the Dragon and The White Lotus could pull off. Between the premiere and episode two alone, The Last Of Us saw a 22% increase in viewership, which marked the largest jump in audience growth from premiere to episode two in HBO’s history.

The show’s tremendous success has been attributed to a variety of factors, including the pre-existing fanbase of the source material, which is a two-part video game of the same name. Video game critics have praised the HBO series for its delicate balance of staying true to the game’s roots while also taking creative liberties that add depth and nuance to the characters and their stories. What has also helped The Last Of Us stand out in a sea of survivalist dramas is its exceptionally talented cast and deeply moving storytelling. Its third episode, “Long Long Time,” continues to make headlines for its magnificent narrative about finding love and holding on to hope in the middle of an apocalypse.

HBO has already called for a second season, which currently does not have an anticipated release date. If its first few episodes are any indication, you can surely believe that The Last Of Us is on its way to joining the ranks of HBO’s most critically acclaimed content — if not surpassing them altogether.