The Hunting Party Becomes a Hit on Peacock Ahead of Season 2 Finale

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Despite nearly all critics giving it poor reviews, this crime drama is unexpectedly popular with viewers and has become a streaming success on NBC.

Currently, The Hunting Party ranks as the 10th most-watched show on Peacock in the U.S., according to FlixPatrol. It’s also the 13th highest-performing series on the platform this year. This popularity is happening just before the season finale airs on May 7.

The Hunting Party Has Never Lived Up to Critics’ Expectations

The Hunting Party centers around Rebecca ‘Bex’ Henderson (Melissa Roxburgh), a former FBI analyst who leads a skilled team of investigators. After a secret underground prison experiences a large-scale breakout, dozens of dangerous serial killers escape into the country. Bex and her team are tasked with tracking down these escaped murderers before they can start killing again. The cast also includes Nick Wechsler, Patrick Saboungi, Josh McKenzie, and Sara Garcia.

Despite having an interesting starting idea, the show The Hunting Party initially received overwhelmingly negative reviews. Its first season launched with a rare 0% score on Rotten Tomatoes, meaning almost everyone disliked it. While the score later improved slightly to 18%, it was still considered a major flop for NBC. Surprisingly, the show was renewed for a second season, which aired in early 2026. Unlike the first season, Season 2 has been well-received by audiences, earning a positive 80% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Will The Hunting Party Return for Season 3

Despite consistently poor reviews, the show continues to attract a loyal audience each week. While NBC hasn’t announced whether The Hunting Party will return for a third season before the season finale, the show’s popularity with viewers suggests it still has a chance. Ultimately, NBC is more concerned with ratings than with what critics say.

A key strength of The Hunting Party is its format of featuring a new villain each episode, which keeps things fresh and exciting. This also allows the show to bring in interesting guest stars, including Elizabeth Gillies. If NBC continues to cast compelling actors against their usual roles, The Hunting Party has the potential to be a long-term success.

Whether The Hunting Party continues or not won’t depend on what critics think. The show’s fans will really decide its future. As long as it keeps delivering the exciting stories that people love, it could stay on NBC for a long time.

The Hunting Party is available to stream on Peacock.

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2026-04-27 02:06