In an unexpected turn of events, The View has hit its lowest ratings in television history following an episode featuring legendary actor Robert De Niro. The long-running daytime talk show, known for its lively debates and rotating panel of strong personalities, has struggled to maintain its audience in recent months, but the drop in viewership after De Niro’s appearance marks a new low.

The episode, which aired earlier this week, featured De Niro discussing his latest film projects and touching on his famously critical political views, particularly of former President Donald Trump. While De Niro’s outspoken nature has long made him a polarizing figure, few expected his presence to result in such a significant decline in ratings.

According to industry reports, the episode’s ratings dropped by over 20%, making it the least-watched in the show’s history. Viewers took to social media to express their frustrations, with some citing De Niro’s repeated political commentary as tiresome and out of touch with the issues that many Americans care about. Others criticized The View for failing to offer more diverse perspectives and instead leaning into the same voices that have dominated its airwaves for years.

Critics of the show have pointed out that The View has increasingly become a platform for one-sided political debates, and some feel that De Niro’s appearance was emblematic of that trend. “There’s only so much viewers can take of hearing the same rhetoric over and over again,” one media analyst noted. “People want fresh conversations, not constant rehashing of the same political arguments.”

The dip in ratings has raised questions about the future of The View, which has seen a decline in viewership in recent seasons. Once a staple of daytime television, the show’s inability to attract and retain a diverse audience has been a growing concern. While some fans remain loyal, tuning in to see co-hosts like Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar weigh in on current events, others have begun to tune out, citing the show’s increasingly predictable content.

Despite the setback, The View is expected to continue with its regular programming. However, the ratings dip after De Niro’s appearance has sparked conversations within the network about potential changes to the show’s format and guest lineup. Whether The View will be able to recover from this historic low remains to be seen, but it’s clear that the show faces a tough road ahead as it navigates an evolving television landscape and an increasingly fractured audience.