Not a surprise, but certainly marking a victory for HBO: The Last of Us has been renewed for a second season.

The apocalyptic drama starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey has been a breakout smash out of the gate. The series scored 97 percent positive reviews among critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Its premiere episode earlier this month was HBO’s second most-watched series debut in a decade, and has since climbed to 22 million viewers across all platforms. Last Sunday’s second episode jumped 22 percent in the overnight ratings compared to the premiere across HBO and HBO Max.

“I’m humbled, honored, and frankly overwhelmed that so many people have tuned in and connected with our retelling of Joel and Ellie’s journey,” said executive producer Neil Druckmann. “The collaboration with Craig Mazin, our incredible cast and crew, and HBO exceeded my already high expectations. Now we have the absolute pleasure of...