Joel and Ellie’s darkish journey is unfolding on HBO Max, with the primary 4 episodes of The Final of Us now obtainable on the streaming service. Episode 4 got here out Sunday, and episode 5 arrives this Friday, Feb. 10 as an alternative of the standard Sunday (presumably to keep away from competing with the Tremendous Bowl).

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.

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

The Final of Us launch dates and occasions

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

• Episode 1: Obtainable now
• Episode 2: Obtainable now
• Episode 3: Obtainable now
• Episode 4: Obtainable now
• Episode 5: Friday, Feb. 10
• 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 exterior the US?

The present drops globally on the identical time, so there are the occasions 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, along 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.

Are there trailers?

HBO gave us a couple of tastes of the present. The most up-to-date 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 must have performed the video games?

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

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

Nonetheless, 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 recreation is offered on PS3, PS4 and PS5 (a PC model is popping out March 3), whereas the second is presently solely on PS4.