According to Deadline ,  HBO’s The Last of Us returned Sunday night with the long-awaited Season 2 premiere, drawing 5.3 million same-day viewers across platforms, HBO confirmed. The episode marks a 10% increase over Season one’s debut viewership.

The apocalyptic drama, based on the award-winning video game by Naughty Dog, continues to thrive as one of HBO’s flagship titles. The premiere significantly outpaced the 4.7 million same-day viewers who tuned in for the pilot episode last year.

“This is an exceptional start for a highly anticipated season,” says an article via Deadline.

The series stars Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian, Game of Thrones) as Joel, a battle-hardened survivor, and Bella Ramsey (Catherine Called Birdy, His Dark Materials) as Ellie, a teenage girl immune to a deadly infection. Season two begins five years after the events of Season one and finds Joel and Ellie at odds in a more dangerous world.

“Joel and Ellie’s bond is tested by growing tension and the brutal choices survival demands,” says Deadline.

When it debuted in January 2023, The Last of Us Season one posted the largest HBO debut since House of the Dragon, eventually climbing to nearly 32 million total viewers. That made it the biggest first season in HBO and Max history.

Interest surged ahead of the Season two premiere, with Season one viewership jumping 150% in the week prior, suggesting fans were revisiting or catching up on the story. The show continues to blend emotional depth with tense action, a hallmark of its source material.

Pascal and Ramsey are joined by returning cast members Gabriel Luna (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Matador) and Rutina Wesley (True Blood , Queen Sugar). New faces this season include Kaitlyn Dever (Dopesick, Booksmart), Isabela Merced (Instant Family, Dora and the Lost City of Gold), and Young Mazino (Beef, Prodigal Son).

Other newcomers include Ariela Barer (Runaways , One Day at a Time), Tati Gabrielle (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, You), Spencer Lord , Danny Ramirez (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, On My Block), and Jeffrey Wright (Westworld, The Batman). Comedy icon Catherine O’Hara (Schitt’s Creek, Home Alone) guest stars.

The series is created by Craig Mazin (Chernobyl) and Neil Druckmann (Uncharted adaptations), who also serve as executive producers. Additional EPs include Carolyn Strauss, (Game of Thrones, Chernobyl). Jacqueline Lesko , Cecil O’Connor, Asad Qizilbash (PlayStation Productions,  Uncharted adaptations), Carter Swan (PlayStation Productions, Uncharted adaptations), and Evan Wells (Uncharted).

The production is a collaboration between Sony Pictures Television, PlayStation Productions, Word Games, Mighty Mint, and Naughty Dog. Halley Gross also returns as co-executive producer and writer.

As The Last of Us Season two unfolds, audiences can expect an even more emotionally charged and dangerous journey ahead. The franchise continues to evolve, captivating viewers with its complex characters and harrowing storytelling.