I think the real mistake was just throwing the new cast into the deep end on their own. APHO and APHO2 were both fairly popular, Adam controversy aside, because the new cast was working with well established and beloved characters. It wasn't just about Adam and Carole, it was also about seeing how Welt and Mei had developed and how they fit into the story. Seeing Bronya as an emotionally mature and successful business woman was downright fucking cool.
Then part 2 comes around and they throw us a bunch of new characters we have absolutely no history with. Characters we don't recognize. Hit us with a small mountain of exposition. I actually like the new cast but they way they were introduced was a total fucking flop. If they took it a little slower and made the changes less dramatic then I honestly think it would've gone over pretty well.
