Demand for a second season of hit HBO show The Last of Us jumped by 9,800% in the UK immediately after last night’s ‘stunning’ finale
The post-apocalyptic thriller was renewed for a second season just two episodes in to the first, after smashing multiple viewership records
The second season will cover the video game sequel, with breakout searches around the finale including ‘cordyceps’, ‘anna’ and ‘bella ramsey’
Some parts of the UK are more keen for a sequel than others, with the majority of searches coming from Scotland and Wales
Fan demand for a second series of smash show The Last of Us skyrocketed by 9,800% in the UK after the ‘stunning’ season finale aired last night, based on Google searches.
The findings, pulled together by King Casino Bonus, show that The Last of Us fans are keen to see the post-apocalyptic thriller continue after the final episode of Season 1 perfectly set up more episodes in the record-breaking series, based on the video game’s sequel.
They’ll be pleased to know that a second series was given the green light just two episodes into the first season, with the show continually breaking viewership records each week.
The Last of Us consistently saw its same-day audience numbers grow each week since debuting in January, with episode four’s numbers up 60% from the first episode, which saw over 4.7 million viewers tune in to watch the premiere.
The average audience for the series’ first five episodes approached close to 30 million viewers across all platforms, according to HBO, whilst episode eight attracted 8.1 million viewers – which only represents 20-40% of the show’s total gross audience per week.
Despite some fans being upset to discover that last night’s finale was the shortest episode of the series, the cliffhanger definitely increased Britain’s appetite for another season.
Immediately after the finale aired, Google searches for ‘The Last of Us season 2’ increased by a huge 9,800%, before gradually decreasing in interest as the evening progressed.
Related topics that have also seen a boost in interest after the finale, according to Google Trends, include ‘how does the last of us game end’, as fans look to see how the latest episode compares to its source material, and ‘Ashley Johnson Ellie’.
Ashley Johnson – who voiced Ellie in the video games – appeared in last night’s finale in an integral role, much to fan’s delight, who were thrilled to see her in the hit show.
Other searches that point to increased interest around the story’s continuation included ‘cordyceps’ – the parasitic fungal infection that has caused the zombie apocalypse, ‘Anna’ – Ashley’s character’s name, and ‘Bella Ramsey’ – the actress who plays Ellie.
Interestingly, looking at searches made around the main cast after the finale also highlight fan’s appreciation of the show, with ‘Pedro Pascal Emmy’ up 471%, and ‘Bella Ramsey’ interest skyrocketing by 488% immediately after the last episode aired.
Some regions are significantly more invested in the second season than others, data shows, with the majority of Google searches coming from Scotland and Wales, then England.
Interest in the original video game also rose substantially, with searches for ‘The Last of Us game’ up 9,900% since last night, with Scotland accounting for the majority of demand.
So, what will the second season have in store, if it follows the story of the original game’s sequel? The Last of Us Part II is set five years after The Last of Us, and follows a revenge-set Ellie and soldier Abby as they continue to navigate the apocalypse.
Joel also briefly appears in the game’s opening sequence, with him and Ellie having built a life in Jackson, Wyoming – although their relationship has become somewhat strained.
It remains to be seen how closely the TV series’ second season will stick to the game’s storyline, but fans will be pleased to hear that the story will continue either way.
Speaking on the findings, King Casino Bonus said: “After any season finale, there’s typically an uptick in interest around a second series, as fans are sad to see their favourite show head on hiatus. However, ‘The Last of Us’ has easily one of the highest increases in searches we’ve seen in a while.
“The show has almost reached Game of Thrones level popularity amongst its fans after just one season, and we can’t wait to see how many more viewers the series can accumulate between now and its second series – which hopefully won’t be too far away!”
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