After facing severe criticism on Rotten Tomatoes,MrBeasttook to X to argue in favor of his show. Check out his posts below:
In his first post, Donaldson compared the Rotten Tomatoes Popcornmeter and Tomatometer scores and found the disparity alarming. He identified a 77% difference in ratings between critics and audiences. Since his post, the disparity has decreased by just one point, as the audience score fell to 89%. The scores are likely to continue to change as more viewer ratings come in.
The second post is far more biting, as MrBeast accused critics of not watching the show at all.
What MrBeast’s Criticism Means For Beast Games
The Disparity Could Be Truly Legitimate
The criticism ofBeast Gamesis likely not because of a widespread refusal to watch the series. It drew 50 million viewers in its first 25 days, which is an impressive accomplishment. By all rights, it should draw critics whoare interested inSquid Gameand high-stakes reality shows. Instead,critics may simply disagree with the show’s presentation style. The eight reviewers generally argued that the games themselves, the cast members, and the hosting style were all disappointing. The depressing nature of the narrative also did not help to bring praise.
Squid Game Season 3’s Surprising Release Date Confirms It’s Secretly Just Season 2 Part 2
Squid Game season 3’s release date has finally been confirmed by Netflix, which makes it hard not to believe it serves as the second part of season 2.
MrBeast’s reality show has also had real-world consequences. There is anongoing lawsuit against the production, as players argue that they were severely mistreated. They allege a lack of food, payment, medical care, and protection from sexual harassment. The lawsuit was filed by anonymous players on June 23, 2025, and the case remains a looming albatross over the show. It’s possible that could have played a role in influencing the reviews.
Our Take On Beast Games' Critical Disappointment
The Critics Are Being Somewhat Harsh
If Donaldson is correct, it would be a massive mistake by the reviewers to not watch the show first.Beast Gameshas earned widespread intrigue for translatingSquid Games' massive stakes into its own version in real life. Still, it is important to note that this is not the first time a show with this premise has aired.TheSquid Gamesreality showhas earned similar levels of renown without the same critical backlash.Squid Game: The Challengeseason 1 earned a48% Tomatometer score, which is negative, but it is still farbetter thanBeast Games' near-universal critical failure.
As much as MrBeast wants to defend his show, the critics also have the right to an opinion.
ConsideringSquid Game’s reality TV adaptation did not achieve this response, it is a strong indication that the critics did watch the show. They are not simply arguing againstBeast Gamesfor argument’s sake since critics and audiences regularly have extreme disparities. It simply means that, while audiences are willing to look past a show’s flaws, critics have no obligation or incentive to do so. MrBeast’s massive fan base also could artificially boost the Popcornmeter score. As much as MrBeast wants to defend his show, the critics also have the right to an opinion.
