I. Deal Overview
Season 4's production company has shifted from Amazon MGM Studios and Skydance Television to Amazon MGM Studios and Paramount Television Studios, reflecting Skydance's post-merger absorption into Paramount's television division. The series streams in over 240 countries and territories; Season 3 drew 54.6 million global views in its first 19 days, with 56% from international markets. Season 4 premiered August 12, dropping three episodes at once, followed by weekly releases through the September 16 finale.
What will the final gap between critics' and audience scores be for this season?
II. Historical Pattern
Season 1, released all at once, showed only a 1-point gap between critics' and audience scores. After switching to weekly releases, Seasons 2 and 3 saw gaps widen to 21 and 24 points respectively. The divergence didn't exist from the start — it emerged, and grew, once weekly releases began. One possible explanation: critics typically watch the full season before scoring, while audiences rate episode-by-episode, making scores more vulnerable to single-episode disappointment. Extended rating windows also let in a wider, less curated pool of later voters. Still, with only three seasons of data, this remains a pattern worth watching rather than a confirmed cause.
III. This Season's Signals
Season 4 follows the same weekly format as Seasons 2 and 3. Critics' scores are still updating, and currently range from 87 to 100 (still updating); no audience score exists yet. Critics themselves are split — while most reviews are positive, some criticize the writing and mystery plotting, and one Forbes critic noted his own view aligns more with past audience scores than with his peers' higher ratings. This season leans further into political conspiracy plotlines, and some reviews note deviations from the source material — both themes that have previously drawn audience pushback. Separately, star Alan Ritchson publicly criticized Trump the day before the premiere, drawing backlash from conservative viewers — a dynamic that dragged down audience, but not critics' scores for The Boys Season 4 under similar circumstances.
