Disney’s Biggest Non-Marvel & Star Wars TV Show Has Hit a Massive Viewing Problem in Season 2

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Since its debut in 2019, Disney+ has quickly become known for popular shows from the Marvel and Star Wars universes, but it’s also created successful original content beyond those franchises. One standout series this decade is Percy Jackson and the Olympians, based on the popular books by Rick Riordan. The first season was a hit with both critics and viewers, and it looked like it could be a key show for Disney moving forward. However, while Percy Jackson and the Olympians recently returned for a second season, it hasn’t attracted as much attention as the first.

Viewership numbers for Season 2 of Percy Jackson and the Olympians are considerably lower than they were for the first season, according to data from Luminate. In its first three weeks, Season 2 has been streamed for 483 million minutes in the United States, while Season 1 reached 1.3 billion minutes in the same period. So far, Season 2 has approximately 11.2 million total views, compared to 31.5 million for Season 1.

Will the Future of Percy Jackson and the Olympians Be Impacted by Low Viewership?

The start of Season 2 of Percy Jackson and the Olympians is unexpectedly facing challenges. Despite positive reviews – it even boasts a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes – and enthusiastic word-of-mouth praising its epic scale and adventure, the show isn’t attracting the same audience numbers as its first season. Critics are also impressed with the young actors. It’s surprising that such a well-received show is having trouble building on its initial success.

If ratings for the second season of Percy Jackson don’t improve in the remaining episodes, the show’s long-term future could be uncertain. While a third season is already planned, Disney might be waiting to see how the show performs overall before deciding whether to order more. Percy Jackson is likely an expensive show to produce due to its fantasy setting, and the studio needs to be confident it’s getting a good return on its investment. Declining viewership could signal that audiences are losing interest. Disney recently cancelled The Acolyte after one season due to budget concerns, suggesting they’re willing to end a show if it doesn’t seem financially viable.

If viewership continues to decline, Disney might have to cancel Percy Jackson, which would be a shame. The show is a bright spot on Disney+ and offers something new and engaging. While it hasn’t fully hit its stride yet – it’s only covered the first two books of the seven-book series – there’s still a lot of story left to tell, and fans would love to see it finished. However, Disney, like any business, needs to ensure the show is profitable. They won’t continue investing in a fantasy series if it doesn’t attract enough viewers.

Disney’s approach to streaming could create challenges for Percy Jackson. The company reportedly told a showrunner that they view streaming as a failing model, which isn’t a good sign for a streaming-focused series like Percy Jackson. While high viewership could change things, Disney’s changing plans could affect the show’s future. Disney+ will still need new content – Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 is planned for later this year – but Disney may become more careful about what shows they invest in as the streaming landscape evolves.

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2026-01-06 19:10