A plethora of television shows, movies, and video games in the current age have thoroughly attempted to capture what it would be like to live through a zombie apocalypse. From shows like The Walking Dead to video games such as Resident Evil, consumers of media across the globe seem to enjoy fictional recreations of apocalyptic scenarios centered around a parasite with the ability to infect people and turn them into rabid creatures that roam the earth.

Originally released as a video game in 2013, The Last of Us follows the main character, Joel, as he navigates his way through a zombie apocalypse with his partner-in-crime Ellie. Starring Pedro Pascal (known for The Mandolorian and Game of Thrones) as Joel and Bella Ramsey (known for Game of Thrones) as Ellie, this series displays a world in which the “Infected” roam the nation. Taking place in 2023, a parasite has infected millions of people and taken control over their brain, transforming them into undead creatures who have only one purpose: to infect other people. The government and F.E.D.R.A. (The Federal Disaster Response Agency) have taken over the nation and placed citizens in multiple QZ’s (Quarantine Zones), as they are referred to in the show. However, there are some individuals who are outraged by this government control and fight back, including the resistance group, the Fireflies. Throughout the show, the audience sees the development of these two groups of people, as they play such a crucial role in the storyline. 

For the premiere, Warner Media wrote that the HBO show earned 4.7 million viewers just in the United States, which makes it HBO’s second largest debut on the platform. Clearly proving its popularity, viewers and critics are absolutely raving about the show. Many video game fans are also ecstatic about the extremely specific similarities from the video game and show. The creators have done such a phenomenal job at their attempt to capture the initial feeling that the video game conveyed to its players.

It becomes so easy to develop an attachment to the characters introduced to you in the show, even if you have only been with them for a short amount of time. This show possesses the ability to have you on the edge of your seat, horrify you, and make you smile all at the same time. However, make sure you have a tissue box nearby at all times, as it also has the ability to evoke great emotion in its viewers

Currently, there are 5 episodes available for HBO max subscribers to watch. The Last of Us comes out with new episodes every Sunday.