WONDER MAN Is Good at Buddy Comedy, Not Great at Superhero Storytelling (Review)

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Many shows with complicated plots and big surprises benefit from taking their time. But Wonder Man is a surprisingly down-to-earth and quirky story about finding yourself, dealing with the past, and being open to new and unexpected things. Is it successful? It’s a mixed bag. The show works really well as a funny buddy story, but it doesn’t quite succeed as a superhero origin story.

The story of Wonder Man didn’t need the full eight episodes it received. Even with most episodes being a concise 30 minutes long (except for one that was around 20 minutes without credits), the series included a pointless, comedic episode focusing on a very obscure Marvel character. Honestly, it would have been a stronger presentation as a standalone movie instead of what seems to be a single-season show.

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II gives a predictably fantastic performance as Simon Williams, an actor trying to catch a break by landing the lead role in a remake of Wonder Man, a movie he loved as a child. Simon keeps people at a distance, partly because of his dangerous superpowers – he can cause massive destruction when he loses control, especially when he’s angry or stressed. This makes it hard for him to form meaningful connections, so he throws himself into his work instead. Being so closed off leads to problems in his personal life, costing him his relationship, family connections, and even job opportunities, as he constantly overthinks things.

Things get interesting when Simon Williams meets Trevor Slattery, brilliantly played by Sir Ben Kingsley, who MCU fans will remember as the actor who portrayed the Mandarin in Iron Man 3. Slattery approaches Williams for his own reasons, but they unexpectedly become friends. The show truly shines when focusing on Simon and Trevor’s adventures. Their dynamic – two people from very different worlds navigating a strange situation and stumbling into trouble – offers a fun and unique perspective within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The show follows a fun and chaotic journey – from scrambling to find filming locations and escaping trouble, to completing a silly mission involving a motorcycle, all while driving around Los Angeles in an old car. Along the way, the characters confront their own flaws and build a strong connection with someone who truly understands their passion for acting – which is a really special bond. However, the show also tries to offer commentary on the power dynamics and politics of Hollywood, and those parts aren’t nearly as engaging. These scenes unfortunately slow down what is otherwise a really enjoyable story.

Beyond everything else, the show explores Simon’s superpowers and how they complicate his dream of becoming a famous actor. Unfortunately, this connection isn’t particularly compelling. Given that superheroes are banned from working as actors due to a past on-set disaster, the story could have explored Simon’s challenges in many more intriguing ways.

He might have been juggling a normal acting career – maybe small roles, but hoping for something bigger, like this show – with a secret life as a superhero. This creates built-in conflict, as being revealed as a superhero could cost him everything. Slattery could still play a key role, investigating Simon and trying to uncover the truth. Or, perhaps he’s a well-known superhero whose fame has boosted his acting career, and now he’s forced to balance those two worlds and figure out what’s truly important when everything is on the line.

Simon is a talented actor who initially plays a superhero on screen. However, his career takes a turn when he develops actual superpowers, leading him to try being a real-life hero. This creates an interesting story that allows him to use both his acting skills and newfound abilities. The show recognizes his powers, but they aren’t often central to the plot. When they do appear, they usually impact his relationships with others more than the overall story.

It’s strange that the show doesn’t explain where the main character’s powers come from, especially since it’s supposed to be an origin story. We’re just told he doesn’t know how he got them, and there’s no detail about when he first discovered them. Even the event that changed his life and split up his family feels underdeveloped. For most of the series, we don’t even see the full potential of his abilities. Plus, there’s almost no real risk or consequence to him being discovered. This makes you question why he has powers in the first place. Honestly, I would have preferred a story focused on the friendship and a single incident that caused him to gain those powers.

The Wonder Man series doesn’t heavily connect to the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe, and likely won’t play a significant role in future films. Given the character’s comic book background and relationships with key Avengers like Tony Stark, Vision, and Wanda, it feels like he was introduced into the MCU at an awkward time. While a return isn’t impossible, the series finale doesn’t offer much hope for his future. It’s disappointing, because Yahya Abdul-Mateen II delivered a fantastic performance, elevating the material, and looked great in the superhero costume. If you’re hoping for a grand, universe-altering story, Wonder Man isn’t it. However, if you enjoy a buddy comedy with emotional depth and a character with a particularly volatile temper, you might find it enjoyable – it probably would have worked better as a standalone movie. Wonder Man ⭐ (3 out of 5)

All eight episodes of Wonder Man will stream on Disney+ on January 27.

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2026-01-23 07:33