[Galadriel55]

Here's the thing. Hating something takes energy. It takes investment. And having used season 1 as a trial, people might jave decided that it's not worth it to have to carry all that frustration around for a whole other season. The pros aren't worth the cons. So people just drop out. The only people still watching are those who ad initio are determined to see the likable things are are not really bothered, or at least undeterred, by the dislikable things.

Adding to what I believe are correct observations of the Downs sample, the small sample of film aficionados I know IRL. They have followed Season 1 at least for its reviews. But even they aren's following Season 2 beyond possibly a glance at the first episode. Someone (who barely even knows Tolkien) gave me the reasoning that it's so bad as a show, regardless of Tolkien content, that it's not even fun anymore to follow the progress even from the sidelines.

My conclusion is that it is a travesty. Season 1 didn't leave too little impression, it left a bad enough impression for most viewers that there is no desire to continue. And ultimately it will probably be forgotten, it will not be a memorable show, it will not make ot to the history books - but the test of history is something only time will twll.