‘Last of Us’ streams at last

Twenty years have passed after a viral pandemic that wiped out contemporary society, as we join The Last of Us. Joel, a seasoned survivor, is paid to transport a 14-year-old girl, Ellie, out of a stifling quarantine zone. As they both must travel across the United States and rely on one another for survival, what initially seems like a modest assignment quickly turns into a terrible, heartbreaking odyssey.

The series, which streams in South Africa on Showmax from today (17 January), stars Pedro Pascal as Joel, Bella Ramsey as Ellie, Gabriel Luna as Tommy, Anna Torv as Tess, Nico Parker as Sarah, Murray Bartlett as Frank, Nick Offerman as Bill, Melanie Lynskey as Kathleen, Storm Reid as Riley, Merle Dandridge as Marlene, Jeffrey Pierce as Perry, Lamar Johnson as Henry, Keivonn Woodard as Sam, Graham Greene as Marlon, Elaine Miles as Florence, and Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker.

“The Last of Us is one of the most anticipated shows of 2023,” says Jan du Plessis, channel director of M-Net Channels.  “This is the first big show of the year, and we have plenty more coming.”

The HBO Original drama series is based on the critically acclaimed video game of the same name, which was developed by Naughty Dog and written by Neil Druckmann for the PlayStation platforms. While viewers don’t need to be familiar with the games at all to enjoy the adaptation, the showrunners have promised that fans of the game will not be disappointed, either.

Speaking at the recent Brazilian entertainment and comic convention CCXP, writer and executive producer Craig Mazin said: “It’s about the journey. I have played The Last of Us about 12 times – I know how it ends. I love the journey. And we promise, there will be surprises along the way. If you’ve played the game, there are things that you don’t know that are coming, that will blow your mind.”

The series premiered in the USA and on M-Net (DStv Channel 101) in South Africa on 16 January, and streams on Showmax from today.