Audience for Rings of Power Plummets Despite Rave Reviews for Season 2

The second season of Rings of Power has kicked off on a positive note, as reflected by its reviews. However, the show has experienced a significant decline in viewership.

We thoroughly enjoyed watching Season 2 of Rings of Power.

The majority of critics seem to be in agreement, as the latest season of the Lord of the Rings show has received an 83% Rotten Tomatoes score. However, this does not necessarily equate to popularity, as shown by its audience rating of 59%, which is an improvement from the first season’s 38%.

The debut of Season 1 drew in 1.8 million households in the US within the first three days. Amazon, known for being secretive about the performance of Rings of Power, has revealed that this was the largest premiere Prime Video has ever had.

Elrond and Galadriel in Rings of Power Season 2 — Prime Video

Despite its initial success, Season 2 has not been as successful, as the first episode was only watched by 902,000 households in its first four days on the streaming service, marking a decline of almost 50%.

It must be acknowledged that this is not particularly unexpected. The show has both devoted supporters and vocal detractors, but the true measure of its success lies in the silent majority – those who faithfully watch week after week without making a sound.

Regrettably, Rings of Power faced challenges in maintaining viewers’ interest upon its release in September 2022. As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, it had a completion rate of only 37% in the US, indicating that 63% of viewers lost interest before the finale. However, its international completion rate was slightly higher at 45%.

Despite any negative speculation, Jennifer Salke, the head of Amazon Studios, refuted any claims that the series had a rocky start. In a previous statement, she asserted that any attempts to portray the show as a failure do not align with the discussions she is having within the company.

“This presents a significant opportunity for us. The initial season involved a lot of preparation.”

Despite uncertainty around its performance on Nielsen’s streaming chart, it is unlikely to surpass the ratings of Netflix’s summer hits, House of the Dragon and The Boys.