‘The Boys’ Season 4 Sees 32% Viewership Drop but Stays in Top 5
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The fourth season of The Boys premiered on June 13, 2024, and is still ongoing with several episodes left before the finale. The series received a Certified Fresh rating but has been review-bombed by haters and toxic fans due to its political satire. The production team, however, hasn’t been fazed by this backlash; they openly criticized such fans, with showrunner Eric Kripke even suggesting they stop watching the show. Despite concerns that this could impact ratings, the season initially enjoyed a 21% viewership boost compared to Season 3, as confirmed by Amazon.
However, recent data from Lumitate, which tracks streaming viewership, shows that the season is now experiencing a drop in viewership. Yet, this decline might be more complex than it appears.
Luminate is renowned for delivering the most reliable public data on the viewership of streaming series and films. This is why nearly every major media source frequently cites them to gauge the current trends. For this week, the numbers are as follows:
| # | Title | Season | Platform | Est. Min. Watched | Previous Est. Min. Watched | Percentage Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bridgerton | 3 | Netflix | 1B | 3.1B | −67% |
| 2 | America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders | 1 | Netflix | 687M | 35.1M | +1860% |
| 3 | Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini | 1 | Hulu | 509M | 57.8M | +781% |
| 4 | Perfect Match | 2 | Netflix | 507.7 | 650.5M | −22% |
| 5 | The Boys | 4 | Prime Video | 505.3M | 744.4M | −32% |
| 6 | Love Island | 6 | Peacock | 500.7M | 257.8M | +94% |
| 7 | Presumed Innocent | 1 | Apple TV+ | 288.1M | 279.8M | +3% |
| 8 | Bridgerton | 2 | Netflix | 233.5M | 255.6M | −9% |
| 9 | The Acolyte | 1 | Disney+ | 232.2M | 262M | −11% |
| 10 | Bridgerton | 1 | Netflix | 227.9M | 297.8M | −23% |
While the data from Luminate isn’t official, the slight variance from actual numbers is likely minimal given Luminate’s credibility. So, what do these numbers indicate?
It’s undeniable that The Boys has experienced a 32% decline in viewership compared to the previous data, equating to approximately 250 million people, a substantial figure. Despite recent analysis into why fans are more critical of this season, it’s important to note that the season’s overall performance may not be as bleak as perceived.
Firstly, The Boys remains in the top five most-watched streaming programs overall and ranks as the third most-watched scripted series currently, surpassing even popular reality shows like Love Island. This achievement is noteworthy for a controversial streaming series now in its fourth season.
Secondly, upon closer inspection of the numbers, only four shows have seen an increase in viewership, and they are predominantly documentaries or reality series. Presumed Innocent is an exception, being a first-season show, which typically experiences fluctuations like this. When compared to its main competitor, The Acolyte, The Boys is performing exceptionally well.
Lastly, it’s worth noting that all shows have seen a decline in ratings recently, which shouldn’t overly concern fans of The Boys. Even Bridgerton has observed a decrease in viewership, likely influenced by summer activities drawing people outdoors. Some viewers may have also chosen to stop watching for personal reasons, but we don’t see this as a worrisome trend for the series moving forward, particularly when compared to other shows.
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