GameTimeline

Watch order

Last of Us HBO watch order

HBO’s The Last of Us live-action series in US release order—Season 1’s weekly 2023 run and Season 2’s 2025 continuation—with story-year notes at ~2033 and ~2038 matching the games, episode landmarks like Bill & Frank and Left Behind, and a clear split from play order on The Last of Us games. Season 3 is optional until a premiere date ships.

Updated August 2026

Release order

When each The Last of Us season premiered on HBO in the US—one entry per season, not individual episodes. Season 1 debuted January 15, 2023; Season 2 premiered April 13, 2025. For Part I / Part II play order, use The Last of Us games.

  • Watch path → Season 1 → Season 2 (same order on Release and Story tabs)
  • Game callbacks → optional The Last of Us games Part I before or after S1
  • Season 3 renewed / filming — optional until a premiere date ships
  • Bill & Frank / Left Behind → landmark Season 1 episodes, not separate seasons
Story order tips

When events happen in the show’s fiction—roughly ~2033 for Season 1’s Joel and Ellie road trip (adapting Part I), then ~2038 for Season 2’s Seattle arc as the Part II adaptation begins. Same broad years as the games Story tab, told as HBO’s parallel adaptation.

  • Season 1 → ~2033 — outbreak aftermath, Joel and Ellie, Fireflies endgame
  • Season 2 → ~2038 — Jackson years later; Part II adaptation begins
  • Games chronology → same ~2033 / ~2038 windows on The Last of Us games
  • TV changes character arcs and episode focus—treat as adaptation, not a play-through

Timeline

When each season premiered in the US. Expand a row for dates and where it fits in your watch order.

Release order

  1. The Last of Us — Season 1

    The Last of Us — Season 1

    HBOMaxTV seriesLive-action

    Nine weekly episodes send Joel and Ellie across a Cordyceps-ruined United States—adapting Part I with Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey. Landmark stops include Bill & Frank’s romance and Ellie’s Left Behind mall stretch, reframed for prestige TV without requiring the game first.

    Overview
    Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann’s HBO Original translates stealth-survival set pieces into character hours—episode-length expansions (especially Bill & Frank) that games could only sketch. It locked the live-action tone: intimate dread, scarce hope, and outbreak politics for non-players and fans alike.
    Related games
    Adapts Part I / Left Behind material from The Last of Us games—callbacks enrich play, never mandatory before watching.
    Where it fits
    Start here. Watch all nine before Season 2. Optional Part I play on The Last of Us games deepens set pieces but the season stands alone.
    Premiere dates
    US HBO premiere January 15, 2023 (Episode 1); nine episodes weekly through March 12, 2023, streaming on Max.
  2. The Last of Us — Season 2

    The Last of Us — Season 2

    HBOMaxTV seriesLive-action

    Seven episodes open the Part II adaptation—years after Season 1, Ellie and Joel’s Jackson life fractures as new faces pull toward Seattle. Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey return; the season starts Part II rather than finishing the game, so major spoilers apply early.

    Overview
    Shifts from Part I’s cross-country escort into Part II’s moral aftermath—community life in Jackson, then the conflict that pulls Ellie outward. Weekly prestige TV compresses early Part II beats while leaving later game chapters for future seasons.
    Related games
    Begins adapting Part II / Part II Remastered on The Last of Us games—play only if you accept mutual spoilers either way.
    Where it fits
    Requires Season 1. Expect Part II-level spoilers immediately. Season 3 continues the adaptation—optional until a premiere date ships.
    Premiere dates
    US HBO premiere April 13, 2025 (Episode 1); seven episodes weekly on HBO and Max through the May 2025 finale.

FAQ

Watch order, TV vs games canon, Season 2 Part II spoilers, Bill & Frank / Left Behind, and Season 3 status.

Watch order

Yes. Season 2 begins adapting Part II and uses major late-game premises from early episodes. If you want a blind Part II playthrough, finish the game before Season 2—or skip Season 2 until you have. Season 1 mainly spoils Part I.

Canon & games

It is an official Naughty Dog–backed adaptation of the same characters and broad years, but not a shot-for-shot remake. Episodes expand (Bill & Frank), compress, or re-order beats. Treat TV and games as parallel tellings—spoilers cross both ways.

The games timeline (The Last of Us games) covers Part I, Left Behind, Part II, and remasters in release and story order. This page is HBO Seasons 1–2 only.

Optional & extras

More timelines

Other release-order and story-order guides on this site.