It was an ordinary Wednesday, which, for entertainment journalists, usually means attending a screening or two and keeping a tab on upcoming releases in theatres and new releases on streaming. Amid this rush, a colleague, usually very tuned into what’s new, asked me incredulously, “The new season of Citadel is here?” Three years ago, when it was launched, Citadel was the biggest show in the world. It had the backing of the Russos, starred Priyanka Chopra and Richard Madden, and saw premieres across the world.
Normally, I would chastise my colleague for being unaware of the arrival of its second season. But the blame does not lie with them. Citadel season 2 arrived as quietly as a whisper, without a hint of promotion, without the stars even talking about it, and with the streaming platform dumping it sneakily, almost like abandoning an unwanted pet in a box on the roadside. It is a jarring journey between two seasons, and not one without reason.
The contrast between Citadel’s two seasons
The release date for the second season of Citadel was announced just two weeks before the show was set to stream, along with a trailer. A week later, a poster shared by the show’s official Instagram page, and reposted by the cast, re-emphasised it. But it was all muted. There were no cast interviews, no grand premiere, and not even video bytes from the cast. The Russos, who are executive producing the show, dropped a ‘no spoiler please’ message on Instagram a day prior to the release, and that was it.
In contrast, when the first season was launched in 2023, there were premieres in four cities, including Mumbai. The $300-million show was hailed as one of the most expensive TV productions ever. Richard Madden flew down to India. He and Priyanka spoke to over 100 mediapersons in Asia alone, and an equal number from Europe and North America. There were interviews with other cast members and announcements of spinoffs. Citadel dominated the airwaves for weeks, if not months.
How the tide turned for Citadel
The worrying signs for Citadel began with the release of the first season, which received mixed reviews. The show was criticised for its pacing and called underdeveloped, and holds a Rotten Tomatoes approval rating of 52%. The first season was marred by extensive reshoots with Josh Appelbaum and André Nemec, the original showrunners, departing midway due to creative differences with the Russos. Priyanka Chopra denied there were any extensive reshoots for season 2, but reports claim the show faced a topsy-turvy development process for the second season as well. However, as the second season went into production in 2024, the spinoffs – Diana and Honey Bunny – were cancelled. Following this, Prime Video took a very understated approach to pushing the show.
All about Citadel
Citadel is a spy thriller starring Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra as two secret agents who, after being attacked by members of a rival agency and having their memories wiped, must reclaim their lost identities and fight back. All episodes of the second season are currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.