Viewing audience

Audiences turn away as a sluggish Oscars ceremony leaves critics cold

Just 9.85 million US viewers tuned in to the ceremony, a drop of 58% from the previous low of 23.6 million in 2020.

Interest in the event was dealt a double blow by the lack of blockbuster contenders, and audience fatigue with drab Covid-era award ceremonies.

And despite historic wins for Anthony Hopkins, Chloé Zhao and Daniel Kaluuya, reviews were overwhelmingly negative.

TV Line deemed the event "a painfully earnest snoozefest", while IndieWire called it an "insiders' awards show [that] collapsed under its own weight".