Super Bowl Forces Major 'The Last Of Us' Release Change

Fans of "The Last of Us" won't have to wait long for episode five.

The hit HBO series has been dropping new episodes Sunday nights since January 15, and the fourth episodes of the post-apocalyptic saga aired this past Sunday night.

I haven't watched it just yet, but I have no doubt it's just as great as all the previous episodes.

"The Last of Us" will release episode five early.

Instead of competing with the Super Bowl between the Chiefs and Eagles this Sunday, the fifth episode of "The Last of Us" will drop Friday morning at 9:00 p.m. EST, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The show's new episode will still air at its regular time at 9:00 p.m. EST this Sunday, but odds are everyone will have already watched by then.

This is a very smart decision from HBO.

When it comes to making smart decisions, HBO is probably the best among the streaming giants and traditional networks.

HBO simply doesn't miss. It's highly-selective with its content, unlike Netflix. The latter just throws everything against the wall and sees what sticks. HBO is very selective when it decides to open fire.

"The Last of Us" is the network's latest hit and a great example of how when HBO goes all in, it doesn't leave anything.

The last thing anyone wants to do is compete with the Super Bowl. It's the most popular single event in America. Notice how I didn't say it was the most popular sporting event.

It's the most important event in the country no matter what you measure it against. You think "The Last of Us" or anything else wants to measure up against it? Absolutely not.

"The Last of Us" has been putting up monster ratings through the first three episodes. The first two episodes averaged north of 21 million viewers an episode. The last thing HBO wants to do is have a new episode get slaughtered in the ratings by the Super Bowl. As great as the series is - and it is great - it's not going to get eyeballs against the Chiefs/Eagles matchup.

Overall, a very smart decision from HBO. Get your popcorn ready and binge the new episode of "The Last of Us" first thing Friday night.

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David Hookstead is a reporter for OutKick covering a variety of topics with a focus on football and culture. He also hosts of the podcast American Joyride that is accessible on Outkick where he interviews American heroes and outlines their unique stories. Before joining OutKick, Hookstead worked for the Daily Caller for seven years covering similar topics. Hookstead is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin.