It was bound to happen.

As with every season, fans of The Boys were eagerly anticipating the return of their favorite show to Prime Video. Judging by the way it was promoted and the way the story built up to Homelander and Billy Butcher’s final epic battle, it felt like there was a lot to look forward to. However, it appears the critically beloved season fell flat with viewers.

With a 95% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes and only a 53% audience score, The Boys season 4 is breaking all the worst records when it comes to release success. And while some are genuinely shocked by the drop in quality, others believe it was a long time coming.

The Boys Season 3 Finale

It is common practice for any TV show to set up the upcoming season with the finale of the previous season. That doesn’t mean the show has to go in the direction it teased. If anything, it gives the writers a chance to see the audience’s reaction and move forward accordingly, correcting any mistakes.

With The Boys, however, there was no chance. The season 3 finale ended up being one of the weakest episodes of the show, spoiling viewers’ impressions of the season in a matter of an hour of television. While the creators had a solid opportunity to change the narrative and make season 4 work, it’s clear now that they didn’t take it.

While the 53% Rotten Tomatoes score is a strong indicator of fan dissatisfaction, there are a number of factors that go into a show’s success or lack thereof. The Boys season 4, for example, was criticized by different groups of people for very different reasons.

One of the major twists that caused fans to turn their backs on their favorite show was the revelation of Frenchie’s sexuality. Many people found the twist to be part of the ‘woke agenda’ and found it unnecessary, leaving one-star reviews solely for that reason. Others feel that the show’s satirical message became too on the nose this season and stopped being entertaining.

The most subjective of all, however, is the criticism of the writing quality, and this is exactly the change that many viewers noticed in the season 3 finale. With too much violence and gore and too little meaning put into each episode, viewers were left deeply unsatisfied and unmotivated to continue watching.

However, if you are willing to give the latest installment of The Boys a chance, be sure to tune in to Prime Video every Thursday to not miss another episode.