The Distinctive Baritone said: "Because of social media, theatre critics (and, I suppose, critics of anything) are losing their power. In an age where everyone can very publicly give their opinion about something, theatre critics' reviews are finally being recognized for what they are: one person's opinion. There is no way for a critic to be "objective" when reviewing a show. They aren't grading a math test. They are judging a piece of art based on their knowledge (or lack thereof) of the craft, previous shows they have seen, and their own personal preferences.
I'm glad this is the case. If all the major critics generally reach a consensus for a play (or movie, or whatever), I think that is worth taking into consideration, but to decide what shows to see based simply on what, say, Ben Brantley or Jesse Green tell you is just silly."
^^^^^^^^ Very much agree! Have definitely been thinking a lot about how twitter 'reviews' made by amateurs can actually influence the success of a show/film/album more than official critic's reviews. Powerful....and scary.