Season Three Backlash: Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score Tumbles by a Third

Squid Game’s concluding season has sparked a sharp decline in viewer sentiment, with the audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes plunging by approximately thirty-three per cent amid critiques of a “sloppy, hollow, and unsatisfying” finale. While critics remain largely positive, many fans have voiced disappointment over the season’s narrative direction, character arcs, and thematic execution.

With an 83 per cent critics’ score, Season Three earns a “Certified Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes—mirroring its predecessor’s reception. However, the audience score has hit a low of 51 per cent as of 30 June 2025—a drop of around 33 points compared to earlier seasons. A vocal segment of viewers has condemned the finale, calling into question the logic of its plot and the emotional resonance of its resolution.

Many audience reviews highlight narrative overreach and contrivances. One critic lamented: “There are so many plots and most of them are unnecessary because they don’t play a big part in the story’s resolution. The baby plot is ridiculous and the ending is really childish”. Another user added: “Season 3 ended up being a bit of a disappointment, missing the mark on the storylines and character arcs that were so carefully developed in the first two seasons”.

Central to the backlash is the controversial inclusion of an infant character—Player 222—who emerges as the season’s winner. This decision has left many viewers questioning the show’s tonal consistency and thematic integrity. Meanwhile, the introduction of VIP characters and expanded political allegory continues but, according to critics, lacks the satirical edge and narrative weight that defined earlier seasons.

Despite these criticisms, several critics found merit in the season’s production values and emotional intensity. The games’ visual staging and adrenaline-charged set-pieces garnered praise. “The games look stunning…the most unnerving blend of childhood whimsy and unrelenting brutality” remarked a Total Film review. Similarly, momentum-driven sequences like a knife-based hide-and-seek challenge retained emotional potency, even as the broader storytelling disappointed.

Performance-wise, Lee Jung-jae’s portrayal of Seong Gi‑hun remains widely acclaimed. Critics from Decider and Total Film called it “one of the greatest television performances of all time,” with his character’s internal struggle and moral sacrifice—particularly in saving the baby—highlighted as season-defining moments.

Fan sentiment on Reddit provides mixed nuance. Some note that audience ratings are volatile immediately after release, pointing out that earlier seasons also experienced dips before stabilising. A community member observed: “Rotten Tomatoes audience score is at 52%…Don’t hold up ratings right after a show drops”. Others defended the season's ambition, though acknowledging that broad narrative shifts may not resonate with core fans.

Season Three’s narrative landscape pushes darker and more emotionally fraught terrain. New deadly contests, including hide-and-seek with knives and a jump rope challenge, contrast with human threads like Gi‑hun’s mission to destroy the game, Jun‑ho’s search for his brother, and Kang No‑eul’s undercover journey. Some of these arcs, however, have been criticised as underdeveloped or disconnected, particularly Jun‑ho’s storyline which “fizzles out” without delivering a satisfying confrontation with his brother.

The finale, which features Gi‑hun sacrificing himself so the infant may win, takes the season into operatic territory, according to The Guardian’s review. While this bold move garnered praise for its emotional ambition, it also amplified backlash among viewers who found it implausible or unearned.

Despite mixed reviews, interest in Squid Game remains high. The finale hints at expansion through an American spin-off—Cate Blanchett’s cameo as a recruiter signals Netflix’s intention to explore within the Squid Game universe. Creator Hwang Dong‑hyuk has also mentioned interest in spin-off territory, such as exploring the activities of recruiters and guards during gaps between seasons.

Industry analysts also note that Netflix may seek to capitalise on narrative threads introduced late in Season Three—like Gi‑hun’s silent stare and recruiting cliffhanger—to build an extended franchise, even as core fanbase reactions remain divisive.

While Season Three’s production values, lead performance, and thematic recklessness have earned critical plaudits, fan reaction remains sharply divided. The steep drop in the audience score reflects a schism over whether the finale fulfilled or betrayed the promise of the series. As the show’s cultural footprint persists, the debate over balance between spectacle and substance is unlikely to fade.