HBO’s The Last of Us episode 4, Please Hold My Hand, has broken the show’s previous viewership records. In what has now become a tradition, each new episode surpasses previous ones, and despite competition from the Grammys, episode 4 reached new heights.
The Last of Us episode 4 attracted 7.5 million viewers
According to data shared by Deadline, The Last of Us episode 4 was watched by 7.5 million viewers, up 17 percent from the universally-praised episode 3. Starring Nick Offerman, episode 3 earned 6.4 million views the week prior.
This is the second week in a row that The Last of Us faced competition in the U.S. Last week, the series conflicted with the AFC Championship, and this past Sunday, it went head-to-head with the Grammys.
That said, HBO seems conscious of the lucky streak ending next Sunday, when one of the biggest televised events in the U.S. – the Super Bowl – takes place. The streaming service opted not to make viewers choose between the two, and will launch episode 5 early.
The Last of Us episode 5, Endure and Survive, will be streamed on Friday at 9 pm instead. HBO’s U.K. partner Sky has confirmed that episode 5 will premiere at the same time across the pond, which translates to 2 am local time on Saturday.
