Batwoman continues to plummet harder in the ratings than the Joker into a vat of chemicals. The CW DC series has been losing viewers all season, with virtually every episode breaking a new record to become the show’s least-viewed yet. This past Sunday’s installment – titled “Rule #1” – once again broke new ground, as fewer than 450,000 pairs of eyeballs caught the outing, a sharp drop from the 550,000 that watched the previous week’s episode.
It’s curious that things continued to drop after a week where Batwoman had been back in the headlines. Krypton‘s Wallis Day has been hired to play a recast Kate Kane, taking over the role Ruby Rose left behind after season 1. Though Day has yet to appear on the series, you might think viewers would’ve tuned in out of intrigue for how this plot was going to unfold. However, it seems like the casting only further confused audiences, especially as we’ve just got used to Javicia Leslie as new lead Ryan Wilder.
The good news for fans is that Batwoman isn’t under immediate threat, as it’s already been renewed for a third season alongside the rest of the network’s Arrowverse lineup. That said, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where it’s granted the same treatment next year. With ratings slipping all the time, it seems like a safe bet that season 3 will be the Scarlet Knight’s last. With any luck, though, Leslie will get to turn up elsewhere in the franchise.
“Rule #1” also introduced Peter Outerbridge’s Black Mask, revealed to be the one who’s got the comatose Kate Kane captive, changing both her appearance and messing with her memories. It looks like he could be intending to turn the heroine into his pawn, which means we can maybe expect a clash between the two Batwomen when Day finally debuts.
Batwoman season 2 continues Sundays on The CW.