The Last of Us is the most in-demand show, according to new data, with the HBO series more than doubling the demand of Netflix's Wednesday. Based on the acclaimed video games from Naughty Dog, The Last of Us follows Joel (Pedro Pascal) as he attempts to transport Ellie (Bella Ramsey), an immune teen, across a post-apocalyptic version of the U.S. The series, which is created by Craig Mazin, has been met with critical acclaim and has been a big hit in terms of viewership, with HBO already giving season 2 the green light.
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According to a new streaming data chart compiled by Parrot Analytics (via The Wrap), The Last of Us is the most in-demand "breakout" (released in the past 100 days) show by far between February 11 to 17, trumping Wednesday. The data sees The Last of Us boasting 61.3 times the demand of the average television show while Wednesday comes in second place at 28.8 times. Parrot Analytics uses a proprietary system to calculate global demand, taking into account downloading/ streaming numbers, search traffic, social media activity, blogs, and more.
Why The Last Of Us Has Struck A Chord With Audiences
The Last of Us has certainly benefited from the large and passionate built-in audience that tuned in because they played the PlayStation video games, but the show also stands on its own two feet. Right out of the gate, early critics' reviews hailed The Last of Us as perhaps the best video game adaptation of all time. As the episodes started to air, it quickly became clear that the show was also a hit with general audiences as well, beating HBO's House of the Dragon in terms of minutes viewed.
The Last of Us manages to strike a perfect balance as far as adaptations go, including storylines, characters, Easter eggs, references, and dialogue from the games while also blazing some new ground. Mazin, who also created the acclaimed Chernobyl, once again brings his impressive writing talents to The Last of Us, telling the story of Joel and Ellie with nuance, intensity, and hard-hitting emotion. The world of the show is brought to life with incredible detail, with the post-apocalyptic version of the U.S. feeling dangerous and distinct from what's come before.
Crucially, the chemistry between Pascal and Ramsey as Joel and Ellie is also a major reason for the show's success. Both actors beautifully bring their respective characters to life and really help to sell the developing bond between Joel and Ellie. With only a few episodes left in season 1, it will be interesting to see how global audience demand for The Last of Us changes as it barrels toward its finale.
Source: Parrot Analytics (via The Wrap)