Where to Watch ‘The Last of Us’ Online for Free

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The Last of Us‘ debut season won over the hearts of critics and gamers — and HBO’s Emmy-nominated TV adaptation of PlayStation’s popular post-apocalyptic video game is finally back.

Already renewed for a third installment, The Last of Us season two premieres tonight on HBO and Max and picks up five years after the events of the last finale.

At a Glance: How to Watch The Last of Us S2 Online

Season two sees Joel (Pedro Pascal), now in his 60s, and 19-year-old Ellie (Bella Ramsey) settled into the mountain community of Jackson, Wyoming, with Joel’s brother, Tommy (Gabriel Luna) and his wife, Marie (Rutina Wesley). Meanwhile, Ellie has made friends with young couple Dina (Isabela Merced) and Jessie (Young Mazino). The new cast also includes Catherine O’Hara, Jeffrey Wright and Kaitlyn Dever.

Ahead, keep reading below to find out how to catch up on the awards-nominated TV series and stream it with and without cable, including for free.

How to Watch The Last of Us Season 2: Premiere Date, Episode Release Schedule

The Last of Us season two spans seven episodes, with the first premiering on Sunday, April 13, at 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET on HBO and Max. Subsequent installments will be released weekly until the finale on May 25.

How to Stream The Last of Us Season 2 Without Cable Online

The Last of Us streams exclusively on Max, which costs $9.99 per month with ads or $16.99 to $20.99 monthly without ads.

Cord-cutters who already have a preferred streaming service can add Max’s channel to existing subscriptions of DirecTV Stream (which is currently offering Max free for two months for a limited time), Hulu or Prime Video. Max add-ons are $9.99 to $16.99 per month in addition to each platform’s base plans. Hulu starts at $7.99 per month, while Prime Video is $8.99 per month or free for Prime members.

Max is also available in a bundle with Disney+ and Hulu starting at $16.99 per month with ads — a savings of over 40 percent compared to individual subscriptions.

How to Watch The Last of Us Season 2 Online for Free

Max currently does not offer a trial period, and the only way to watch The Last of Us seasons one and two for free is with a two-month trial through DirecTV or when you sign up for DoorDash’s DashPass membership (which includes Max with ads for free); learn more about the best Max streaming deals here.

How to Stream The Last of Us Season 2 With Cable Online

The Last of Us is also available to stream on any live TV service that carries HBO or Max as an add-on, including DirecTV, Hulu + Live TV and Sling.

Cable subscribers with packages that include Max or HBO access can also watch the show online by logging into max.com with their TV provider credentials, including traditional and streaming services such as DirecTV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling, Verizon, Xfinity and others.

Learn more about how to stream The Last of Us season two (or catch upon the first season) on HBO with cable TV streaming services, including for free, below.

Max is also home to award-winning series including The White Lotus, Succession, Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon, Euphoria and more alongside Oscar-winning films such as Elvis, The Banshees of Inisherin and others.

The Last Of Us: Cast, Plot, Awards Nominations

Set 20 years after a fungal infection turns people into zombies, The Last of Us stars Pedro Pascal as the tough survivor and smuggler Joel. Season one sees him tasked with getting a 14-year-old girl named Ellie (Bella Ramsey) across the former United States to a research facility in the West. The teen is somehow immune after getting bitten by an infected person, and she may hold the secret to a cure for the virus that has wiped out most of humanity. Season one also starred Murray Bartlett, Lamar Johnson, Gabriel Luna, Melanie Lynskey, Nick Offerman, Nico Parker, Jeffrey Pierce, Storm Reid, Anna Torv, Lamar Johnson, Keivonn Woodard and more.

Game of Thrones alums Pascal and Ramsey were both nominated for best acting Emmys and Golden Globes awards, while co-stars Bartlett, Lynskey, Offerman, Reid, Torv and Johnson also earned Emmy recognitions for best guest acting in a drama series. Ramsey was also named a 2023 BAFTA U.K. Breakthrough artist.

Craig Mazin (Chernobyl) teamed with Naughty Dog game creator Neil Druckman to adapt the PlayStation hit into a series.

Where to Buy The Last of Us Video Game and Comic Books Online

The Last of Us was first released as a video game for PlayStation in 2013. The remake, The Last of Us: Part I and The Last of Us: Part II Remastered is available for PS5 and for PC through Steam.

While it’s not required to have survived the action horror game to understand the show, see below to find out where to shop The Last of Us video games and comic book spinoffs online, plus official collabs with Wrangler and Alice Mushrooms.