HBO's "The Last of Us" is one of the most popular TV shows on the air right now, and it shows no signs of slowing down after the premiere of its critically acclaimed third episode yesterday (Sunday, January 29).

Those who have been left behind need not worry. Now is the perfect time to jump on the "The Last of Us" hype train. That's because HBO has made the entire first episode of "The Last of Us" available for free on their website (opens in new tab). Again, no HBO account or HBO Max subscription is required to watch, and anyone can stream episode 1 of The Last of Us for free.

UK viewers will be pleased to know that it has also been uploaded to Sky's YouTube channel (opens in new tab); Sky has the broadcast rights to The Last of Us, and the show is also available weekly on its streaming service NOW. Similarly, no Sky or NOW account is required to watch the first episode of "The Last of Us" for free in the UK

Just three weeks into the nine-episode run, "The Last of Us" has already become an HBO hit. It drew nearly 5 million viewers in its first broadcast, making it HBO's second-biggest television launch in over a decade. Naturally, HBO has already decided on a second season (open in new tab).

"The Last of Us," an adaptation of the best-selling video game of the same name, follows Joel (Pedro Pascal), an indomitable man who survives in post-apocalyptic America, as he attempts to smuggle a girl named Ellie (Bella Ramsey) across the ruined country. Reviews of The Last of Us gave it a perfect score and said, "HBO's 'The Last of Us' is not only a top contender for the best video game adaptation of all time. It's also a great series about life in a post-apocalyptic world.

Throughout the first few episodes, we have been extremely impressed with its ability to accurately adapt the original story while making thoughtful changes to flesh out the world of "The Last of Us." Gamer or not, this is definitely one of those HBO shows you should watch.

We certainly appreciate that curious viewers were given the chance to enjoy a great first episode without having to pay the HBO Max subscription fee. But beware, by the time the credits roll, you will likely have signed up for an HBO account to continue following Joel and Ellie's journey.

This is not the first time HBO has made the pilot episode of a new signature show available for free. The network employed the same promotional tactic last year with "House of Dragons". Clearly, HBO sees this as a good way to generate further interest in the new series, and will likely do the same with "Succession" Season 4, which will debut in March.