Joel and Ellie’s have taken the primary steps of their darkish journey on HBO Max, with episodes 1 and a pair of of The Final of Us now obtainable on the streaming service. Episode 3 will come out on Sunday, Jan. 29.

The present adapts the legendary PlayStation online game sequence from developer Naughty Canine, with the nine-episode season 1 specializing in the preliminary entry within the franchise. It is also been renewed for a second season, HBO mentioned Friday.

The present premiered on Jan. 15, drawing an audience of 10 million in its first two days, with episodes coming every week till March 12.

The Final of Us launch dates and instances

Here is the complete launch schedule for The Final of Us on HBO Max. We’ll alter this if the corporate declares any adjustments or breaks. New episodes will arrive at 6 p.m. PT (9 p.m. ET), which you may keep in mind because the time slot occupied by Home of the Dragon final yr.

• Episode 1: Obtainable now
• Episode 2: Obtainable now
• Episode 3: Sunday, Jan. 29
• Episode 4: Sunday, Feb. 5
• Episode 5: Sunday, Feb. 12
• Episode 6: Sunday, Feb. 19
• Episode 7: Sunday, Feb. 26
• Episode 8: Sunday, March 5
• Episode 9: Sunday, March 12

The place is The Final of Us obtainable outdoors the US?

The present drops globally on the identical time, so there are the instances for a number of areas:

• Canada, Crave at 9 p.m. Sunday
• UK and Eire: Sky Atlantic and Now at 2 a.m. Monday
• Australia: Binge and Foxtel at 1 p.m. AEDT Monday
• New Zealand: Neon at 3 p.m. Monday

What’s The Final of Us?

Set in a world the place an unnervingly plausible fungal mind an infection transforms a lot of the world’s inhabitants into violent cannibals, the video games observe grumpy smuggler Joel and his upbeat teen pal Ellie as they journey throughout a ruined US. 

Who’s in it?

The sequence stars The Mandalorian’s Pedro Pascal as Joel, together with his fellow Recreation of Thrones alumnus Bella Ramsey as Ellie. Parks and Recreation actor Nick Offerman, Anna Torv from Fringe and Yellowjackets‘ Melanie Lynskey present up too.

Is there trailers?

HBO gave us just a few tastes of the present. The newest trailer arrived in December, and the corporate has been dropping episode previews forward of every new installment. 

How scary is it?

It is extra thriller than horror, with loads of intense moments. The contaminated do not present up usually — Joel and Ellie face extra human survivors than monsters — however are used to nice impact after they do.

Do I have to have performed the video games?

No. The present retells the occasions of the primary sport, which got here out in 2013, with some storylines and background parts expanded. 

Writers Craig Mazin (creator of HBO’s Chernobyl) and Neil Druckmann (the video games sequence’ artistic director) added a flashback scene to offer newcomers a agency grounding within the story’s origins.  

Nevertheless, The Final of Us and its 2020 sequel are a number of the most participating video games ever made. You need to positively dive in if the present intrigues you. The unique sport is offered on PS3, PS4 and PS5 (a PC model is popping out March 3), whereas the second is presently solely on PS4.