Beau DeMayo Slams ‘What If…?’ Season 3: ‘Feels Like Fanfic’ and ‘Yikes’”

‘What If…?’ Season 3 recently aired its final episode, officially concluding its run—for now. The show introduced several new variants but also sparked controversy, particularly for overemphasizing Captain Carter and, more recently, for an episode where Howard the Duck and Darcy Lewis get married and, bizarrely, have a child together, with Darcy presumably “laying an egg.”

Season 3 was certainly a wild ride and received heavy criticism. It currently holds the lowest audience score of any ‘What If…?’ season on Rotten Tomatoes, with a dismal 39%. The critics’ score is also the lowest, standing at 80%.

Amidst the criticism, former ‘X-Men ’97’ showrunner Beau DeMayo voiced his concerns, and he didn’t hold back.

DeMayo criticized ‘What If…?’ Season 3 on social media, calling it a “yikes” experience. He felt the season lacked substance, describing it as “fanfic” with flat, obvious dialogue and bizarre story premises.

DeMayo also pointed out that this season marked the departure of AC Bradley, with Matthew Chauncey taking over as the writer and producer. He suggested that the season could have been much better with some improvements but jokingly remarked that he had more important things to do than offer detailed feedback.

(Matthew Chauncey was chosen to write ‘X-Men ’97’ Season 3 after Beau DeMayo’s dismissal.)

DeMayo also managed to sprinkle in some racism in his reaction:

DeMayo certainly has a valid perspective on Marvel Studios’ recent animated projects, especially given his significant role in making X-Men ’97 so highly regarded.

‘X-Men: The Animated Series’ continuation is often celebrated as Marvel’s best animated work, earning strong praise and high ratings on Rotten Tomatoes. The show was so well-received that it was renewed for both a second and third season before the first even premiered. However, shockwaves hit when DeMayo was unexpectedly fired, and the reason remained unclear for some time—until DeMayo himself pushed the studio to reveal the truth.

It was later alleged that DeMayo was let go due to accusations of sexual misconduct. A Disney spokesperson explained that the findings from their internal investigation were serious enough that they felt they had no choice but to terminate their relationship with him immediately.

“Mr. DeMayo was terminated in March 2024 following an internal investigation, given the egregious nature of the findings, we severed ties with him immediately, and he has no further affiliation with Marvel.”

What did you think about ‘What If…?’ Season 3? Let us know in the comments below!

Liked this article? Follow us on Bluesky for the latest Marvel & DC news!