Amazon Studios CEO: “Jaded” US audiences just need time to get used to “Citadel”.
Amazon Original Series “Citadel”
To give the best possible spin to a very expensive TV show that hasn’t caught on in its most important market, Odetta Watkins, head of drama series at Amazon Studios, told the audience at the Banff Media Festival in Alberta, Canada, on Sunday that Citadel simply need more time to establish itself in the States.
Also Read: Yes, We Can Now Safely Call Amazon’s Russo Bros. Spy Thriller Citadel a $300M Disaster
“I think you’ll notice that audiences react differently over time. In the US, we’re very jaded and look at everything with a critical eye, like, ‘Hmm, that.’ [season] wasn’t as good as the last one.’ I just think [Citadel] takes time to grow,” said Watkins, who was quoted as saying by several Penske show business officials in attendance.
(Editor’s note: Given the sheer number of on-train fight scenes in spy action thrillers in recent years, it might not be fair to judge American audiences by their reaction, or lack thereof, to a series beginning with an 11- minute brawl on a choo-choo basis.)
“Creatively, I can tell you it’s a win for me because the show was designed to appeal to the world,” added Watkins.
The six-part first season of the spy thriller Citadel was produced by Joseph and Anthony Russo for a reported $300 million. It debuted on April 28 and never appeared in Nielsen’s US subscription show rankings.
Next TV agreed with Rolling Stone that the production, which garnered a 54% overall critics’ rating, could rightly be called a “disaster” given the high production costs.
Next TV received a call from Amazon Studios’ press rep on Friday, telling us that the series — the second most expensive series ever produced after Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power — has been enthusiastically received overseas.
Is “catastrophe” too hard?
The series, which was filmed partly in the UK and which stars Scottish stage actor Richard Madden alongside Indian actress Priyanka Chopra, has been selected for a second season.
However, Amazon hasn’t released Citadel metrics for Europe or any other territory.
