HBO is betting big on "The Last of Us," and the network's latest prestige TV project is off to a solid start with impressive overnight viewing numbers.

According to a Warner Media press release (opens in new tab), "When You're Lost in the Darkness," episode 1 of "The Last of Us," Sunday (January 16) night on both the linear HBO and HBO Max streaming services It attracted 4.7 million viewers. This is an impressive number, considering that first-day ratings are typically only 20-40% of a show's total viewership per episode (according to HBO).

This number is comparable to last January's "Hibike! Euphonium" season 2's first episode recorded 2.4 million viewers, almost double the number of viewers recorded by the first episode of "Euphonium" season 2. However, this is only a fraction of the first broadcast of "House of Dragons. The "Game of Thrones" prequel series drew 9.98 million viewers on its first Sunday night last August.

Nevertheless, with 4.7 million total viewers for the opening slot, "The Last of Us" was HBO's second most-watched show of the past decade. Boardwalk Empire drew 4.81 million viewers in 2010.

Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO of HBO and HBO Content, issued a statement congratulating the show's creative team: "We are thrilled that fans of the series and game fans can experience this iconic story in a new way. Congratulations to Craig, Neil, and the amazing cast and crew who worked tirelessly to make this show a reality. We look forward to seeing fans around the world enjoy the rest of the season."

The HBO series was written and produced by Craig Mazin, HBO's excellent "Chernobyl," and Neil Truckman, co-director of the original game. The pair also expressed their gratitude for the warm reception "The Last of Us" has received: "Our focus was to adapt this beloved story in the best possible way for the widest possible audience. We are overjoyed that so many fans, old and new, have welcomed 'The Last of Us' into their homes and hearts."

"The Last of Us" is based on the PlayStation game of the same name and stars Pedro Pascal as Joel, a grumpy smuggler who must transport a young teenager named Ellie (Bella Ramsey) across post-apocalyptic America. The two are at odds, but must soon learn to rely on each other as the harsh realities of a world invaded by the cordyceps virus test their survival skills.

Here at Tom's Guide, we are big fans of both the video game and this brand new TV series. In our review of The Last of Us, we delve into why this is the first must-see TV show of 2023.

If you've already seen the first episode of The Last of Us and are curious to see what happens next, you won't have to wait much longer. New episodes will premiere on Sundays for the next eight weeks on HBO and HBO Max.