I think they were always going to be struggling with this series, they couldn't do high school anymore and the main stars are absolutely huge now. I definitely agree the Jacob Elordi storyline is directly linked to the fact he has been shooting a load of huge films at the same time.
Sidney Sweeney already gets a load of detractors purely for using her body to get ahead so that was only ever going to ramp up, and I think social media now is geared up to profit from outrage.
Half the stuff that has happened and been slated as too perverted is a riff on media from last century.
The main issue is the show's pivoted into a crime and gangster show and the audience isn't here for that. I think it's just fine, but they could do worse than copying Skins' homework again and rebooting season 4 back in high school with a fresh roster.