The Rings of Power Addresses Negative Viewership Data Ahead of Season 2

Concerning viewership data released by THR reveals that less than half of US and international viewers actually watched the entire first season. According to the outlet, only 37 percent of the US audience finished The Rings of Power season 1, while only 45 percent of international viewers were along for the ride until the very end. With Amazon reportedly shelling out $1 billion dollars for the series, allegedly making it the most expensive TV show ever made, the first season seems to have fallen short. Even a 50 percent completion rate “would be a solid but not spectacular result,” per the outlet, so to see the series hit a wall this early in its run should be worrying for fans of the show as well as the studio making it.

THR also cites Nielsen ratings as another sign of trouble. Despite boasting high-profile intellectual property, its high price tag, and a powerful marketing machine supporting it, the first season of The Rings of Power failed to break into the top 10 of Nielsen’s most watched original streaming series of 2022. The Rings of Power took 15th place on the list.

Based on these statistics, it seems the fervor (both positive and negative) that welcomed the series in its first few weeks died down considerably as the season progressed. The show led by first-time showrunners J. D. Payne and Patrick McKay certainly received a bit of criticism during its first season, with some pointing to its barebones plot and poor pacing as clear flaws in an otherwise visually stunning production. Personally, while I really enjoyed this return to Middle-earth, the first season did seem to contain a little too much setup for twists that were a little too predictable. Did The Rings of Power ultimately bore its audience into quitting the show before they reached the end?

Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke has a different read on the situation. According to Salke, The Rings of Power has more than met the company’s expectations and is off to a very exciting start, with much more to come.

“This desire to paint the show as anything less than a success — it’s not reflective of any conversation I’m having internally,” Salke told THR, while promising a second season with “more dramatic story turns,” calling it “a huge opportunity for us. The first season required a lot of setting up.”

In other words, the vibes are apparently good at Amazon Prime Video when it comes to The Rings of Power and what’s coming up in its second season.

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