MCU Disney+ Creator Calls Out Hollywood For Poor TV Writing

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Beau DeMayo, the creator of Disney+’s X-Men ’97, recently criticized the quality of writing in many current TV shows. This came after he was fired by Marvel Studios in August 2024 for what they described as serious misconduct related to the show’s release. While Marvel Animation will continue with X-Men ’97, they’ve chosen Matthew Chauncey, a writer from What If…?, to take over as showrunner.

More than a year after departing Marvel Studios, Beau DeMayo used X (formerly Twitter) to criticize the weak writing and strange decision-making he’s seeing in many current TV shows, suggesting these issues are causing a decline in overall quality.

Although some of Marvel’s Disney+ shows have faced criticism, Beau DeMayo’s opinions carry weight. His show, X-Men ’97, is widely considered one of Marvel’s strongest streaming series to date.

DeMayo says studios think people’s attention spans are shorter these days because they’re often multitasking with things like social media. Because of this, studios now prefer content that’s easy to casually watch, which is leading them to ask writers to create simpler stories with fewer complex plots or themes.

Many studios believe audiences today have trouble focusing. With so much happening on phones and online, they want shows that are easy to follow even if you’re only paying half attention. This means writers are often asked to create simpler stories with fewer complicated plots, hidden meanings, or intricate details – basically, something that works well in short, easily digestible clips like those on TikTok.

He pointed out that overly prescriptive rules lead to predictable and boring content. This causes viewers to lose interest and seek distractions, because the program fails to truly engage their minds or hold their attention.

The show feels surprisingly empty – it lacks compelling conflict, emotional resonance, and any real excitement. It doesn’t grab your attention, and it’s no wonder people reach for their phones. The creators prioritized simplicity to the point of sacrificing substance. Ironically, the industry then uses phone use as evidence that audiences don’t want anything challenging, and continues to make similarly simplistic content.

DeMayo pointed to shows like Shogun and Wicked as examples of complex projects that worked well because they consistently engage the audience’s mind with thoughtful and well-designed content.

However, shows like ‘Shogun,’ ‘Blue Eye Samurai,’ ‘Wicked,’ ‘X-Men ’97,’ and ‘Demon Slayer’ prove that idea wrong. These series are complex, full of emotion, and creatively ambitious—and they succeed because they offer a thoughtfully designed experience that truly engages your mind with a variety of feelings, like tension, humor, love, fear, and surprise.

The showrunner, who was later let go, also said that X-Men ’97 was a complex show with a lot going on, and that it really required viewers to focus to follow the story.

It remains to be seen how the change in showrunners will impact X-Men ’97 when it returns for Season 2 on Disney+ in Summer 2026. However, Beau DeMayo previously criticized What If…?, stating it had the potential to be much stronger.

He kept saying he thinks people can’t focus because they’re bored, and that modern content is simply low quality.

It’s frustrating to see this happening. While it’s true that many shows are becoming overly complicated, simplifying things isn’t the answer. ‘X-Men ’97’ was a great example of a show that was complex and rewarding for viewers who engaged with it. Hollywood‘s problem isn’t that audiences have short attention spans, it’s that they need more talented writers and leaders who can tell compelling stories. People are distracted because so much of what’s being made is simply bad, not because they can’t focus.

Should X-Men ’97 Fans Be Worried About Season 2?

While Beau DeMayo isn’t currently overseeing the entirety of X-Men ’97 Season 2, he contributed a lot to the writing before leaving the project, so it’s uncertain how much of his original vision remains. Good news for fans: X-Men ’97 is returning this summer after a two-year break, and ten new mutant heroes will be joining the team!

Marvel Animation’s Brad Winderbaum spoke with Entertainment Weekly about the change in showrunners for Season 2, assuring fans that the new person is a great fit and will build on the previous work.

Even though Beau DeMayo was replaced by Matthew Chauncey, Kevin Winderbaum emphasized that most of the original creative team from Season 1 is still working on Season 2, and everyone is united in their vision for the show.

Honestly, what makes X-Men ’97 so good starts with the team. We’ve got the original director, producers, and most of the cast back, plus a lot of the same writers. We really built this show on the foundation of the original X-Men: The Animated Series. Everyone working on it is a huge fan and knows that show inside and out. And we’re incredibly lucky to have Eric and Julia Lewald, and Larry Houston – the creators of the original – involved every step of the way. They’re constantly reviewing everything and chatting with the artists, which is amazing.

Streaming has completely changed how people watch TV and movies. With so much content available at home, viewers are now used to watching multiple episodes at once, often while doing other things.

Beau DeMayo’s recent statements about how some Hollywood studios operate are worrying. If studios prioritize simple stories, we’re likely to see TV shows and movies with less depth and emotional impact.

As a critic, I’ve noticed a strange paradox with some shows. While they might boast higher watch times – people leaving them on as background noise while they multitask – it can actually backfire. You risk alienating the truly engaged viewers, the ones who’d normally dive deep into the story and actively discuss it with others. Those dedicated fans might tune out if they feel the show is catering too much to passive viewers, and that’s a real problem.

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2025-12-07 11:07