First episode of The Last of Us now available to watch on YouTube for free

Sky and NOW have released the feature-length pilot on YouTube so that everyone can sample the hit show

The first episode of the hit series The Last of Us has been made available to watch on YouTube for free. In a statement, Sky and streaming service NOW said they were releasing the entire feature-length pilot in the UK and Ireland on the Sky TV YouTube channel in order to give "everyone the chance to watch and sample the hype surrounding the series". The post-apocalyptic series is based on the popular video game of the same name and mostly takes place 20 years after a mass infection sparked a global pandemic, with victims of the disease transforming into zombie-like creatures. It centres around Joel (Pedro Pascal - Game of Thrones, The Mandalorian), a smuggler who finds himself tasked with escorting Ellie (Bella Ramsey - Game of Thrones), a teenager who could be the key to a cure, across a dangerous and devastated United States. Having premiered earlier this month, The Last of Us' pilot was the second-biggest US drama debut ever on Sky Atlantic with overnights beating the debut launch of Game of Thrones. The series also received rave reviews from critics, earning a whopping 97% on Rotten Tomatoes. JOE's own entertainment critic Rory Cashin described it in his review as a "savage, beautiful, terrifying, heartbreaking masterpiece" and also labelled it "one of the best first seasons of TV to arrive in the last decade". For those hooked by the pilot on YouTube, episode two of The Last of Us is available via Sky and streaming service NOW with a NOW Entertainment Membership. New episodes of the acclaimed series launch on Sky Atlantic at 2am every Monday and are available on demand thereafter. "Tens of thousands of dedicated fans have fuelled the global buzz by staying up to watch new episodes as they launch at 2am every Monday," Sky and NOW's statement reads. "With three times the fandom watching at 2am compared to the devotees who watched House Of the Dragon at 2am, the early morning The Last Of Us super-fans can tweet along via a dedicated Twitter community." Meanwhile, episode three of the show will air on Monday, 30 January on Sky Atlantic and NOW. Directed by Peter Hoar (It’s a Sin) and starring Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation) and Murray Bartlett (The White Lotus), the third instalment has received near-universal praise from preview critics, with multiple calling it one of the best TV episodes in recent memory. Those 18 and over can check out episode one of The Last of Us at the YouTube link below. Related links:

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