Wonder Man is not your typical superhero series and may disappoint those looking for all-out action, but its meta approach delivers an interesting twist on the genre, and the central characters help carry the show.
What Is It?
This MCU series follows Simon Williams, a struggling actor who has had superpowers he does not understand since he was young and who is chasing the role of his dreams in an upcoming superhero film. Blending Hollywood satire with superhero action, the show explores fame, identity, and the blurred line between performance and reality as Simon navigates the many pitfalls of the entertainment industry.
Airing: Disney+, One Season, Totaling 8 Episodes (So Far)
Starring: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Ben Kingsley, X Mayo, Zlatko Burić, Arian Moayed, Joe Pantoliano
Created By: Destin Daniel Cretton, Andrew Guest
Johnny Jay’s Thoughts:
If you are looking for a superhero series with good guys displaying plenty of heroics, bad guys trying to stop them at every turn, and epic battles with lots of sfx… Wonder Man may not be the show for you. This latest MCU entry takes a notable divergence from the formulas of that franchise, delivering more of a personal tale—a buddy comedy of sorts—that is carried more by its actors and its story than by displays of heroism and special effects. And that turns out to be its strength and also its weakness.
Throughout the first episode, there is almost no indication that the show is focusing on anybody with superpowers until a few hints are dropped right at the end. Instead, the story centers around the making of the superhero film Wonder Man, and the central character—Simon Williams (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II)—is determined to get the lead role because he has had a lifelong love of the character. He comes into contact with Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley)—an actor with plenty of baggage making a return appearance to the franchise—who helps him audition for the role, but who has his own motives driving his actions.
This ends up giving us somewhat of a meta series looking at the entertainment industry and all of its quirks, and that is actually the main focus through much of the first season. They don’t poke too much fun at the MCU franchise itself, but the show does deliver an enjoyable satire, looking at the behind-the-scenes world of making movies and television. Some fans of the Marvel movies might find it rather tedious as they are waiting for the big hero vs. villain clashes that the franchise usually delivers. And I will use the Pluribus comparison again as I did with A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (you can read about that one at this link), as you could argue that not much happens in the show, at least at first. But if you have patience and do not require non-stop action, Wonder Man does deliver a decent tale, just like those other two shows mentioned.
Perhaps this MCU entry was just being more budget-conscious than other shows and movies in the series, but it does a good job of playing with the formula, and I personally found it entertaining. It does tend to get plodding at times, and as it was approaching its final episode, I was wondering if it was going to wrap up its storylines. It does succeed at that, though it definitely introduces a whole new chapter, and that will likely take a very different direction than the first season.
Crucial to this show’s success is the performance of the two leads. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (who has superhero experience from the Aquaman movies and the Watchmen miniseries) slips into the role of Simon Williams as if it were made for him, and he picks up quite well on the nuances of this not-so-heroic hero. Ben Kingsley returns as Trevor Slattery (previously seen in Iron Man 3 and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, as well as the 2014 Marvel One-Shot All Hail the King), and he appears to be having a ton of fun playing the character once again. What’s more, the two actors have a palpable chemistry that is present right from the start, and their friendship carries the show through the first season. Both of these are great characters and should have an ongoing place in the MCU.
Overall, Wonder Man delivers an enjoyable series even if it plays against type for the franchise. It is not really a superhero show; it is a show about a person who happens to have superpowers and who wants to play a superhero on the big screen, making for an interesting self-referential tale. And it has plenty of fun with that, even if it can drag at times. The direction of the show may have been dictated by demands to keep the costs down, but the creative team works that to their advantage and delivers a mostly fun, and at times quirky, MCU entry.
What’s Next?
Wonder Man was originally billed as a limited series, which is the direction Disney+ is typically going with its MCU and Star Wars shows these days. But while it did wrap up its main storylines in the first season, the ending definitely suggests an all-new chapter, and I, for one, definitely want to see more of the adventures of Simon and Trevor. At first, I thought the show was setting up their appearance in one of the upcoming Marvel films, but it did get a second-season renewal (proving that the “limited series” designation really means nothing). Personally, I look at that as good news, and this one could potentially go the more traditional MCU route from this point. But if they continue the toned-down approach with the satire attached, that is fine with me. Let Simon Williams go off in one of the upcoming movies and continue the buddy-comedy approach with the series.
Did you watch Wonder Man and do you think it delivered a good MCU entry? Chime in with your thoughts in the comments section below.
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