'The Last of Us' S2 Flop Is the Fall of HBO – Only 'Harry Potter' Can Save It

HBO has pioneered many genres and formats that have become modern streaming standards. It's impossible to imagine pop culture without Sex and the City in the early 2000s, Game of Thrones in the 2010s, or Euphoria in the 2020s.

'The Last of Us' Season 2 Failure Showcases HBO's Problematic Strategy

Big picture: Things have been hard for HBO lately. The last three seasons of True Detective, especially the fourth, have received extremely controversial feedback; Euphoria has been plagued by scandals; and House of the Dragon hasn't been living up to expectations.

This is most evident in the failure of the second season of The Last of Us, which received a 37% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes (and 92% from critics doesn't really help).

Fans Are Worried HBO's Recent Drop in Quality Will Affect the 'Harry Potter' Series

Now, viewers are voicing doubts about HBO's strategy. Many are wondering: Can HBO regain viewers' trust and successfully launch the long-awaited Harry Potter series?

Silver lining: The Harry Potter adaptation is one of HBO's most ambitious projects. Fans are eager to see a more faithful adaptation than the movies and delve into storylines missed in the film version.

HBO & Other Studios Have Been Failing the Large-Scale Fantasy Projects, And There's a Reason

The success of the Harry Potter series hinges on two factors: staying true to the source material and competent direction. The former seems to be the biggest potential problem so far. Redditor llaminaria wrote:

“Check out the resumes of people working on Hotd, and you will see they are barely experienced, both showrunners and writers. [...] This approach is very problematic, and the fact that HBO refuses to see it does not speak in favor of them treating the HP IP with respect and care.”

For example, Ryan Condal, the showrunner of House of the Dragon, only has one TV credit besides HoTD itself and the upcoming A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.

The problem of under-experienced writers is not only relevant for HBO projects, but also for Amazon. As I mentioned in this article, the studio hires scriptwriters with little or no experience in TV and the fantasy genre for high-profile projects like The Rings of Power.

The 'Harry Potter' Show Has to Get It Right From the Very First Season

HBO is in a tough spot right now. On the one hand, it has popular IPs and a loyal audience. On the other hand, viewers are becoming increasingly demanding, and competition among streaming services is growing. Even one failed major project could set off a chain reaction of mistrust.

For the Harry Potter series, this means that HBO will have to prove with Season 1 it can still produce high-quality projects. Redditor Nemesis-999 commented:

“HBO has to nail Harry Potter season 1 from the start. If the first season flops, there's no real way to recover.”

Also, if future seasons of major projects like The Last of Us and House of the Dragon are weaker than expected, it will certainly affect the reception of new shows, including the Harry Potter story.