Netflix’sThe Night Agentthrilled audiences with its first season, but the data suggests that viewers turned against the series in its second installment. Precisely why this is can be attributed to a variety of factors, many of which are reflected in the audience’s feedback on this sophomore season. Regardless of the reasons, however, this is sure to be a problem forThe Night Agentseason 3.
The Night Agentcomes from creator Shawn Ryan and is based on the book of the same name by Matthew Quirk. The show’s first installment, released in 2023, was a hit for Netflix, earning a “Certified Fresh” score onRotten Tomatoesand spending 12 weeks on the streaming platform’s Top 10 list. This quickly led to the confirmation ofThe Night Agentseason 2.
The Netflix series' sophomore season hit the streaming platform on Jun 01, 2025, much to the excitement of those who had enjoyedThe Night Agent’s first run. However, this time around, the reception wasn’t quite as strong.Viewership andRotten Tomatoesscores dropped significantly from season 1, and though season 3 was already confirmed, this could be a problem for the upcoming installment.
How Much The Night Agent Season 2’s Viewership & RT Audience Score Declined Vs. Season 1
The Night Agent Season 2 Was A Success, But Trends Don’t Look Good
According toNetflix’s viewership data,The Night Agentseason 2 was still a fair success.This batch of episodes achieved 457.8 million viewing hours between January and June of 2025. This sounds pretty impressive until we consider the viewership for season 1 during the same period of 2023.This first installment managed a whopping 812.1 million viewing hours, far exceeding the views for season 2.
The Night Agentseason 1 was released in March of 2023, so the 812.1 million viewing hours were achieved in only three months, compared to the six months it took for season 2 to gain 457.8 million viewing hours between its January release and June.
As far asRotten Tomatoesscores,The Night Agentseason 2 actually performed better with criticsthan its predecessor. Season 1 has a 75% critic score, while season 2 kicked things up with an impressive 86%. However, general audiences were far less impressed. While season 1’s audience score sits at 78%, these everyday viewers only grantedThe Night Agentseason 2 a 38% score.
While season 1’s audience score sits at 78%, these everyday viewers only granted The Night Agent season 2 a 38% score.
On paper,The Night Agentseason 2 was still a success, especially when looking at critical reception and the viewership data for this installment alone. However, it’s evident that 2025’s episodes fell short of expectations.Critics were satisfied, butthere was something aboutThe Night Agentseason 2 that had everyday viewers turning their backs on the series.
Why The Night Agent Season 2 Wasn’t As Big A Hit With Audiences
Audiences Struggled With The Characters & Believability Of The Night Agent Season 2
When looking at the audience reviews forThe Night Agentseason 2 onRotten Tomatoes, there are a handful of repeated criticisms. While viewers seemed to love the chaotic action of season 1, they felt that season 2 lost the plot a bit.The characters' choices became unbelievable, geared toward creating drama rather than seeming like real people fighting to survive.
The fact that thecharacters ofThe Night Agentseason 2had begun to make ridiculous and unbelievable choices meant that they were no longer as likable as they were in season 1. The Netflix series' first installment had spent a lot of time establishing the moral codes of its protagonists, but this appeared to go out the window in season 2, simply for the sake of some added excitement.
A common complaint among general viewers is that Rose’s character has become far more annoying inThe Night Agentseason 2, as her decisions contradict how she was established in season 1.
Several audience reviewers onRotten Tomatoesreported being unable to finishThe Night Agentseason 2due to these issues. Netflix’s viewership data doesn’t reflect the completion rate, so it’s difficult to say whether this is why season 2’s viewing hours were significantly lower than those of season 1. However, viewers abandoning the show after a view episodes wouldn’t have done season 2 any favors.
How The Night Agent Season 3 Can Turn Things Around
The Night Agent Can Still Be A Long-Term Success
The Night Agentseason 3 was already confirmedby Netflix before season 2 premiered in January 2025. Even if it hadn’t, the viewership data and critical reception of the show’s sophomore season likely would have been enough. Still, the fact that general audiences were so let down by these most recent episodes is a sign that Netflix needs to proceed with caution.
Critics may have been happy withThe Night Agentseason 2, but if the issues identified by general audiences continue into season 3, this could quickly change.It’s essential that the writers pay close attention to the established development of characters like Peter and Rose, and avoid pulling them backward simply for the sake of drama. Audiences love action, but they want it to make sense within the story.
Overall, the data suggests thatThe Night Agentcould continue on for several more successful seasons. However, if Netflix doesn’t take its time and balance out the action with believable development, then season 3 could be the end.
