Wonder Man (Disney+)

By: Nick Zednik 

For the first time in its historic 16 year run, the MCU has officially gone Hollywood! Coming off an underwhelming year at the box office, Marvel is clearly being more selective with its projects, especially when it comes to TV. The ongoing debate of “superhero fatigue” impacting audience investment continues to loom large as the MCU decides to scale back as it offers viewers an alternative expansion of the greater Marvel universe. Wonder Man breathes new life into the MCU as it builds towards its biggest year to date.

Wonder Man is the story of Simon Williams (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) — a young actor looking for his big break in Hollywood to no avail. That all changes when Simon forms a friendship with ex-con, now working actor, Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley), who tells Simon that legendary filmmaker Von Kovac (Zlatko Buric) is remaking Simon's all-time favorite superhero movie, Wonder Man. It's the role Simon was born to play, but there's just one problem: Simon has superpowers, and in a world where superpowered individuals are strictly forbidden from acting in movies, the Department of Damage Control (DODC) will do everything in its power to make sure Simon is neutralized.

Wonder Man is as simple as an actor trying to get his big break in Hollywood, that's it! There's no secret supernatural threat lurking in the shadows, no abrupt ties to any Avengers movies. Wonder Man is the most grounded, singular, low-stakes series the MCU has produced to date, and it makes for a refreshing viewing experience. Wonder Man flips the superhero genre on its head by not being the ten millionth superhero show to follow the "origin story, bad guy reveal, huge superhero fight at the end” formula. Instead, it operates on a personal level, focusing on character-driven storytelling that honestly has more in common with the hit streaming Hollywood satire, The Studio than any previous MCU project. Wonder Man embraces the chaotic landscape of Los Angeles as audiences can expect several Hollywood icons appearances and plenty of razor-sharp industry humor with them. While Hollywood commentary may not be everyone’s cup of tea, Wonder Man captivates audiences in its showcase of one man’s journey instead of teasing the “next big thing.”

Wonder Man isn't Yahya Abdul-Mateen II's first rodeo in the superhero genre either,, having previously starred in both of DC's Aquaman movies and HBO's Watchmen. Simon’s insecurities as someone who doesn't define himself by his superpowers and feels like he should be judged on the merit of his other skills, further adds to the show's real-world relevance. Wonder Man truly is only as good as the delightful duo of Simon Williams and Trevor Slattery. Mirroring any renowned buddy-adventure film, Ben Kingsley's (Gandhi) chemistry and camaraderie with Abdul-Mateen is hilarious as it is lovely, delivering both clever satire and raw emotion. Kingsley’s work as Slattery in particular is quite fascinating as his character was almost universally hated after Iron Man 3 (2013) and has now slowly worked his way back into viewers' good graces. In Wonder Man, Slattery proves himself as a nuanced character who is trying to escape his damaged past, resulting in one of the most surprisingly effective redemption arcs in the MCU. Combined with Abdul-Mateen's honest performance, audiences are brought back to a time where characters sold the project, not the story. 

The most impressive feat Wonder Man pulls off throughout its easily digestible 8 episodes, all of which clock in under 30 minutes, is that only one fight scene takes place in its serialized format. Co-Creators Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Spider-Man: Brand New Day) and Andrew Guest (Hawkeye) deserve their flowers for pushing back on the MCU formula to make Wonder Man a true slice-of-life comedy as opposed to an overly expensive sci-fi epic. There’s a greater emphasis between earnest satirical humor and genuinely tragic circumstances. Although, the pacing stumbles in the middle with a few repetitive beats such as an over-reliance on one character withholding the truth from another instead of pushing the narrative further sooner. There’s still plenty of good material for audiences to chew on as Wonder Man isn’t afraid to address many real-world issues both in and out of the entertainment industry. Whether you're a hardcore MCU fanatic or have never watched a superhero movie in your life, Wonder Man is one of those rare experiences that appeals to both sides. All 8 episodes of Wonder Man are available in its entirety on Disney+ now.

Nick’s Pick 7/10: Wonder Man is a solidly rewarding venture into the confines of Hollywood, rewarding audiences in a low-stakes journey, though audiences should be mindful of connectivity to the greater Marvel universe.