Understand how TV ratings work

Season three of The Witcher is out on Netflix, and the reviews have been mixed.

The first part has a Rotten Tomatoes audience score of 49 per cent so far, which is surprising when you compare it to the 82 per cent critic rating. But the lackluster audience score is questionable because so many people dismissed this season before it came out primarily because of the Henry Cavill drama.

They think he is leaving the show after this season. Look at the discussions surrounding the season so far. Once again, viewers are more interested in telling you why they refuse to watch the show than actually dissecting the season, which makes you wonder why they would participate in the discussion.

Naturally, that particular crowd does not trust the 82 per cent critic rating. They think the critics are either paid off or driven by nefarious intent, which is silly. People don’t understand how ratings for TV shows work. Consider She-Hulk: Attorney At Law. Calling that show awful is an understatement.

And yet, critics gave it an 80 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. On the other hand, Secret Invasion, which is far superior, sits at a paltry 63 per cent.

Most of you will agree that She-Hulk: Attorney At Law started strong. Disney gave us two entertaining episodes with well-placed plots and decent action. But then the quality dipped drastically afterwards.

And that is where the problem lies. Many critics based their ratings on those first two episodes. Don’t forget that Disney released them early for critics to judge. I can’t tell you whether they liked everything that came after because critics rarely change their scores.

While I agree with She-Hulk’s 32 per cent Rotten Tomatoes audience rating, I also know that many audience members abandoned the show after the first episode. And yet, they still went ahead and reviewed the show on Rotten Tomatoes, adding to its miserable audience score.

The website can’t determine whether your rating reflects your opinion of the entire show or a single episode. Therefore, you can’t judge TV shows using platforms like Rotten Tomatoes. ‘The Witcher Season 3’ is an exception because all seven episodes are out, and many critics will do their due diligence.

They will watch all seven episodes before publishing a review. This gives Netflix an advantage. Every episode is available for viewing on the first day. But with most shows, you get one episode a week, which makes numbered scores tricky because they only reveal a critic’s perception of the first few episodes.

So, what should you do? Forget Rotten Tomatoes, Meta Critic, and IMBD. TV shows are too long. Unlike movies, you can’t watch them all. We are spoiled for choice. Hollywood debuts more shows in a year than I could ever hope to watch in one lifetime.

If you need help identifying the gems, check social media. What are people saying? Usually, I would discourage you from trusting the masses because they tend to harbour the same biases they attack popular critics for.

But in this case, they won’t steer you wrong. At the very least, they will narrow your options down. The key is to read the energy. I know everyone loves the final season of Succession, because people keep gushing about it. The outpour of adoration for the series finale is ridiculous.

I can also tell that season 3 of Ted Lasso was a homerun because it appears in every TV-related conversation online. Good- quality TV cannot hide. I would compare it to a virus. Once it infects mainstream audiences, it keeps spreading until it reaches your ears, assuming you care enough to engage the online TV community. Your tastes will shape the crowds you attract.

I stay abreast of science fiction and fantasy because those are the circles I frequent on the internet.

katmic200@gmail.com