Honestly, if you haven’t seen the digital shouting matches over The Last of Us rating, you’re probably living a much more peaceful life than the rest of us. It’s wild. One minute you’re looking at a 96% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes, and the next, you’re staring at a user rating that’s tanking faster than a brick in a lake.
What gives?
It’s not just about whether the show is "good" or "bad." It’s a full-on cultural tug-of-war. We’ve got gamers who’ve lived with these characters since 2013, TV fans who just showed up for Pedro Pascal’s beard, and a whole lot of internet trolls who seem to have way too much free time. Basically, the rating for this franchise is a mess of contradictions.
The TV Rating: Is It Actually Too Intense?
First off, let’s talk about the literal The Last of Us rating—the TV-MA one. If you’re a parent wondering if you should let your thirteen-year-old watch it, the answer is: maybe not unless you want to pay for their therapy later. HBO didn't hold back.
The TV-MA tag is there for a reason. You’ve got "L" for language (it’s a lot of f-bombs, let's be real), "V" for violence, and "S" for sexual situations. But the violence isn't just "action movie" violence. It’s mean. It’s visceral. It’s the kind of stuff where you hear the crunch of bone and the wet sound of... well, you get it.
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What TV-MA Means Here
- Intense Violence: We aren't just talking about zombies. It’s the human-on-human stuff that actually sticks with you.
- Emotional Trauma: This isn't a "rating" category, but it should be. The show is heavy.
- Strong Language: Joel and Ellie curse like sailors. It fits the world, but it’s constant.
Why The Scores Are All Over The Place
You look at IMDb and see a 9.2/10 for Season 1. Incredible. Then Season 2 drops in 2025/2026 and suddenly you’re seeing 5s and 6s pop up from the audience. This is where the "review bombing" conversation starts.
A lot of the hate comes from a very specific place. Some people are still mad about the plot of the second game. They didn't like what happened to Joel. They didn't like playing as Abby. When those same plot points hit the TV screen, the review sections became a battlefield.
Critics, on the other hand, are obsessed with it. They love the "thorny moral questions" and the "unfiltered approach to trauma." It creates this massive gap. You’ll see a "Certified Fresh" badge right next to an audience score that looks like a crime scene.
The Gaming Side of the Fence
If we look at the games, the The Last of Us rating stays pretty consistent at M for Mature. The ESRB doesn't play around with this franchise. In The Last of Us Part II, they even added a "Nudity" and "Sexual Content" descriptor that wasn't as prominent in the first one.
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The games are arguably even more brutal than the show. In the game, you are the one swinging the pipe. That interactivity changes how the rating feels. It’s one thing to watch Ellie go through a dark arc on HBO; it’s another thing to be the one pressing the buttons to make her do it.
Season 2 and the 2026 Horizon
Now that we’re into 2026, the discourse has shifted. Season 2 has been out, and the ratings are... complicated. Many critics called it "incomplete" because the showrunners decided to split the second game into two seasons.
Imagine watching half a movie and then being asked to rate it. That’s what happened here. Some viewers felt the pacing was off. Others felt like the show was "too woke" or "too depressing." Honestly, it’s a show about a fungal apocalypse—did people expect it to be a comedy?
The Practical Takeaway
If you’re looking at The Last of Us rating to decide if you should dive in, don’t just look at the number. The number is compromised. It’s a victim of the "culture wars."
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Instead, look at what you can handle. If you like prestige drama and don't mind feeling like your heart has been put through a meat grinder, you'll probably give it a 10. If you’re looking for a fun zombie romp like Zombieland, you’re going to hate it.
How to Navigate the Ratings
- Ignore the 0/10 and 10/10 scores. They’re almost always emotional reactions, not objective reviews.
- Check the "Parents Guide" on IMDb. It breaks down exactly what happens so you don't get surprised by a specific type of gore.
- Read the 6/10 and 7/10 reviews. Those are usually where the most honest, nuanced opinions live.
At the end of the day, The Last of Us is one of those rare pieces of media that is both a massive hit and deeply polarizing. The ratings reflect that chaos perfectly. If you want to see what all the fuss is about, start with Season 1, Episode 3 ("Long, Long Time"). If you can get through that without feeling something, then maybe this show just isn't for you.
Before you start your binge, make sure your HBO Max (or just Max) subscription is active and your room is dark. This isn't a "second screen" show. You have to pay attention to the details, or the emotional weight of the later episodes won't land. Just be ready for the fact that by the time you reach the Season 2 finale, you might be one of the people headed to Rotten Tomatoes to leave a very heated review of your own.