MOVIE NEWS – Ratings of The Witcher have dropped significantly with the release of the third season of the series, due in part, but far from exclusively, to the exit of Henry Cavill.

Since the first half of season 3 of The Witcher became available on 29 June 2023, ratings have been well below the usual viewership for Netflix’s successful fantasy series. Surprisingly, however, it’s not just Henry Cavill’s departure hurting the series.

Specifically, the ratings for The Witcher season 3 have dropped by 15% compared to that for The Witcher season 2. While this may seem like a meagre number, it is actually getting worse. Season 3 of The Witcher also saw a 60% drop in viewership over the series’ first five episodes.

With the season being split into two parts, there is a chance that the stats could rise, but the current bottom line is that The Witcher’s latest instalment is suffering, and there are many reasons for this.

 

Henry Cavill’s departure has already put people off The Witcher

The biggest reason the ratings for The Witcher season 3 have dropped is the departure of Henry Cavill. Cavill plays Geralt, and based on fan reaction, he plays him very well. However, in October 2022, Cavill announced that he would leave The Witcher cast after season 3. It was later decided that Liam Hemsworth would take his place as Geralt in seasons 4 and 5. This decision was immediately met with fierce opposition. The impact of this was felt. Although Cavill still appears as Geralt in season 3, ratings have already plummeted.

Another aspect that could affect ratings is the reason for Cavill’s departure. When he first made his departure from The Witcher public, he had just been reassigned the role of Superman, which seemed like a solid reason to leave the series. Unfortunately, however, Cavill later lost this opportunity as James Gunn had a different vision for Superman’s future. This is obviously a disturbing situation for Cavill, which may have affected fans and their decision to go with The Witcher. There were also rumours that Cavill left due to tensions with the showrunners. He reportedly felt that the series had moved too far away from the source material, although there is no evidence of this. Still, while the actor is an essential factor, it wasn’t just Henry Cavill’s departure that led to the decline.

Season 2 of The Witcher was divisive

Season 3 of The Witcher is not the only part of the series that has struggled. While the first season received rave reviews and a strong Rotten Tomatoes score of 89%, season 2 took a sharp tumble. It scored just 58%. Thus, the series’ problems began long before Season 3 was even released. Season 2 was said to have had serious storytelling problems. Including uneven writing and confusing alternate timelines.

All in all, the mistakes of the previous season may have impacted the current ratings, as fans may have given up on the series before season 3 was even aired.

Too many problems for the new season

Moreover, the storyline problems did not end with The Witcher season 2. The initial ratings for season 3 are good but not great. The public is divided between those who think season 3 is better than the first two and those who think it is the worst season yet. As for the latter team, the main complaint is that the season lacks exposition. Instead of showing the audience how a character acts, the character simply narrates instead. This focus on telling rather than showing puts the latest season in the average category. It may be better than the second season, but it is not outstanding.

The season is split into two parts doesn’t help either

The ratings drop for The Witcher season 3 may also be because the season was split into two parts. Many viewers are simply waiting for both episodes to be released. Netflix’s trend of splitting popular series into two parts is not entirely new. It has apparently worked well for series like Stranger Things. However, given the controversy surrounding the franchise, it might make sense that fans would wait for the release of the entire season rather than binge the first part in anticipation of The Witcher Season 3 part 2.

Audiences may want to watch the whole thing at once or delay the start of season 3 until the reviews come in.

The Witcher is too far removed from the source material

One of the main problems that has almost always plagued the series is its relationship to its source material. Audiences often appreciate when an adaptation is faithful to its predecessor. But this franchise often fails to live up to that concept. In particular, The Witcher season 2 shifted to new plot threads, some of which provided context, while others felt redundant. Although Season 3 will supposedly be closer to the books than previous seasons, it will show established changes from the book. Overall, this decision could hurt the series in the sequel, even if they are trying to get closer to the books now.

Netflix’s crackdown on password sharing could hurt the series

Although it’s a broader issue, Netflix’s recent move to crack down on password sharing could have also hurt The Witcher series.

In the past, it was easy for viewers to use a Netflix account that they didn’t necessarily pay for to watch content from the streaming service. Now, however, Netflix is stopping password sharing, so more individuals will have to pay each month. This news does not reflect well on Netflix. In fact, it has led to threats of a boycott of the service. The controversy surrounding Netflix could therefore mean a drop in viewership for its series, such as The Witcher.

Source: Comingsoon.net, GGRecon, Collider