The zombie apocalypse has officially taken over the world –at least in terms of viewership. HBO's The Last of Us has reached a staggering milestone, attracting over 90 million global viewers since Season 1 concluded, proving that even controversial storytelling decisions can't stop audiences from tuning in.

Record-Breaking Numbers Tell the Story

Despite a divisive Season 2 finale that drew 3.7 million cross-platform viewers in the U.S. –a notable drop from the season's 5.3 million premiere– the series continues to dominate streaming platforms. What's particularly impressive is that Season 2 is averaging nearly 37 million global viewers per episode, actually outperforming Season 1's eventual 32 million viewer average.

"Season 2 is tallying nearly 37M global viewers per episode and growing," HBO reported, with the network expecting significant growth following the Memorial Day weekend.

Controversy Breeds Engagement

The polarizing reception mirrors the video game source material's trajectory. While Season 1 boasted an impressive 87% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Season 2 has plummeted to just 47%. This dramatic shift largely stems from the controversial decision to kill off beloved character Joel Miller in Episode 2, which caused a 31.5% drop in linear viewership.

However, these audience score drops haven't translated to actual viewership losses. The series maintains a 76.1 times higher demand than the average TV series in the United States, suggesting that controversy might actually be driving curiosity and engagement.

The Streaming Success Formula

What makes these numbers particularly noteworthy is how they reflect modern viewing habits. While traditional linear viewership shows declines, the total cross-platform numbers tell a different story. HBO's confidence in the series is evident – Season 3 has already been greenlit, with the finale positioning Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) to take the lead role.

The Last of Us proves that in today's fragmented media landscape, total engagement matters more than traditional metrics. With 90 million viewers invested in this post-apocalyptic world, the series has transcended typical TV success to become a genuine cultural phenomenon.

As audiences continue discovering the series through streaming and word-of-mouth, these numbers will likely grow even higher – proving that sometimes the most divisive stories create the most devoted fandoms.