The dwindling interest in this season of the Netflix series compared to previous seasons may come down to casting
Interest in Netflix’s “The Crown” has increased this year in the wake of Queen Elizabeth’s death in September. From January–October, “The Crown” had 26.7 times the average series demand globally, with a significant increase in interest in September (reaching 59 times the average series demand).
Compare this to January–October 2020, season 4 premiered on November 15, 2020, when the show averaged 25 times the average worldwide series demand.
Subscribe to read more.
However, the increased attention to shows driven by real-world events hasn’t translated into a more successful season 5 premiere, which debuted on November 9, as can be seen below.
Global Demand for “The Crown” Season Premiere (Parrot Analytics)
Global demand for this season of “The Crown” peaked at 63 times the average series demand on November 11, compared to 71 times the season 4 premiere two days later. It’s remarkable how the demand for the show has steadily increased with each season up to this point. It’s difficult to diagnose exactly why viewers are losing interest in the show this season. It may have been driven by fatigue from news about the royals after months in the spotlight. It could be that people are naturally losing interest in the show after a five-season run. Or, it may be driven by some other factor.
One possible reason we haven’t been able to quantify is this season’s cast. “The Crown” is unique in having changed most of the cast every two seasons to portray aging characters over time. In Season 3, the actors who played Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip, and Princess Margaret were all replaced with new actors, who would reprise their roles in Season 4 (Olivia Colman, Tobias Menzies, and Helena Bonham Carter, respectively). Six Months Before Their Debut On “The Crown,” These Actors Had 3-6 Times The Average Talent Demand In The U.S.
The principal cast members of “The Crown” Season 3, May 17-Nov. 17, 2019, US (Parrot Analytics)
The actors stepping into the three roles this season are far less demanding than their predecessors. Six months before the season 5 premiere, Jonathan Pryce, Leslie Manville, and Imelda Staunton were all in demand as slightly above average talent, which pales in comparison to the amount of attention their counterparts received in the lead-up to their debuts. While these new actors may be honored, the fact that they all garner less viewer attention means the show isn’t getting the star power boost it received in previous seasons. With plans for a sixth and final season, it remains to be seen whether “The Crown” can reverse this decline and end on a high note.
Sought for the principal cast of “The Crown” Season 5, May 9-Nov. 9, 2022, US (Parrot Analytics)
Christopher Hamilton is a Senior Insights Analyst at Parrot Analytics, a partner with WrapPRO. For more from Parrot Analytics, visit the Data & Analytics Hub.
