New data indicates that most The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power viewers never finished watching the series. The Prime Video original tells the story of the Second Age of Middle-earth, chronicling Sauron's rise to power prior to the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. The series has been criticized for slow pacing, as well as inaccuracies to J.R.R. Tolkien's writings about Middle-earth, though its massive scope received plenty of praise.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, viewership for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power may reflect the critiques, with only 37 percent of viewers finishing the series domestically. The series' completion rate overseas was 45 percent; however, that still indicates less than half of those who start watching The Rings of Power end up finishing it. This, coupled with the series' lack of awards recognition, does not bode well for the show's future.
How Will Rings Of Power's Season 1 Viewership Impact Season 2?
Despite The Rings of Power's viewership being considered a success by Prime Video, the fact that less than half of viewers seemed to finish the series after starting to watch it is concerning. The series is also the most expensive TV show ever produced, leading to questions of whether the investment is truly worth it. In comparison, last year's cancelled Netflix shows First Kill and Resident Evil had completion rates below 50 percent, but higher than The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 1's domestic figure.
Despite unfavorable viewership numbers, season 2 of the fantasy series promises to have more going on than season 1, with showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay confirming The Rings of Power season 2 will have a faster pace. The season is expected to have a multi-episode battle, which may address any lack of excitement critics felt for season 1. Though it remains to be seen if viewers who abandoned The Rings of Power will give season 2 a chance, it appears the episodes will address what people didn't like about season 1.
While many leaving the series unfinished isn't a good sign for The Rings of Power season 2's viewership, it's possible that a slight tweaking of the show's pacing may help bring more people back. There's also the possibility that many viewers simply tuned out after episode 1, which is common if a pilot episode doesn't entice audiences right away. Amazon still views The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power as a success, and provided viewership doesn't dwindle any further, that likely won't change.
Source: THR