During a panel discussion, the head of drama series at Amazon Studios addressed the performance of the big-budget drama series “Citadel.” Despite the show’s strong international reception, it has struggled to resonate with American audiences, as reflected by its absence from Nielsen’s weekly streaming rankings.
Watkins acknowledged the show’s slow domestic start but remained optimistic, stating that “Citadel” needs time to grow and find its audience in the United States. She also stated that the show was designed to appeal to a global audience. Watkins believes that as the franchise expands, the viewership numbers will increase both domestically and internationally.
She also highlighted the importance of recognizing that not every show will perform equally well in every market. Watkins suggested that the jaded nature of U.S. audiences contributes to their discerning approach when evaluating television shows. However, she expects the audience’s response to evolve over time as more chapters of the series are released.
Despite its ambitious premise, “Citadel” has received negative to mixed reviews from critics who remain cautious about its formulaic approach to creating an international franchise. With a budget of $185 million, the spy series stars Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Richard Madden. It has been absent from Nielsen’s weekly streaming rankings for three consecutive weeks, indicating a lack of resonance with American viewers compared to other high-budget franchise projects.
Watkins acknowledged that the show’s absence from the Nielsen rankings was expected due to Amazon’s focus on international marketing. Spinoffs of “Citadel” are already in the works for India and Italy, with a Mexican spinoff also in production. Since Nielsen’s measurements only account for viewership in the United States, international viewers are not considered.
As stated, Prime Video has at least acknowledged that the show sucked in connecting with the audience. However, they are also developing a Mexican Citadel. We hope that Italian, Mexican, and at least Indian Citadel come out to be great.