Netflix’s New Post-Apocalyptic Show Debuts With A Strong Rotten Tomatoes Score - How Does It Compare To The Last Of Us?

HBO’s adaptation of The Last of Us has proven itself popular with critics, but Netflix’s newest post-apocalyptic series is also garnering largely positive reviews. Based on the hit video game franchise developed by Naughty Dog, HBO’s television series adaptation first aired in 2023 to rave reviews and massive viewership numbers. Pulling in 4.7 million viewers in its first night of availability, The Last of Us season 1 would later go on to become HBO’s most-watched debut season ever.

Following season 1’s impressive viewership numbers, The Last of Us season 2 premiere would go on to attract 5.3 million viewers, a 13% increase on season 1’s impressive debut. However, with the show’s sophomore season still less than halfway through its 7-episode run, it is currently unclear whether it will maintain the same kind of momentum. Moreover, many of the viewers have begun to criticize the decision to kill off a central Last of Us character, despite this plot point being a major component in the original The Last of Us Part II videogame.

Netflix’s The Eternaut Also Gets Off To A Strong Critical Start

How Does It Compare To HBO's The Last of Us?

Meanwhile, Netflix’s latest post-apocalyptic adaptation, The Eternaut is also resonating well with critics. Based on the Argentinian science fiction comic of the same name by Héctor Germán Oesterheld and artist Francisco Solano López, the Netflix miniseries recently made its streaming debut on April 30. Telling the story of a group of survivors facing a mysterious toxic snowstorm that has wiped out most of the population of Buenos Aires, it is discovered that this disaster is only the first attack from an invading alien army.

With The Eternaut season 1 now streaming on Netflix, the show’s debut Rotten Tomatoes score of 89% has placed it just behind The Last of Us’ impressive critical response. However, the show only has 9 reviews at the time of writing, so the score may fluctuate as more reviews are published. See how The Eternaut’s Rotten Tomatoes’ score compares with The Last of Us seasons 1 and 2 below:

What The Eternaut’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Means For The Show

The Strong Start Could Point To Another International Success Story

While English-speaking audiences may not be as familiar with the original source material for The Eternaut as The Last of Us, the 1957 comic is often regarded as a classic piece of Argentine literature, and assorted plans to adapt it to the screen have been in place as far back as the late 1960s. Whether the show's post-apocalyptic premise will be enough to entice non-Spanish-speaking audiences to try their hand at the show remains to be seen, but The Eternaut's initial reviews are a good potential indicator of the show catching on more broadly.

Moreover, Netflix has had considerable success with various international titles in the past. With shows like Squid Game and Money Heist successfully crossing language barriers to become some of the streaming platform’s most-watched titles, there is every chance that The Eternaut could go on to match the kind of widespread appeal as The Last of Us.