Wonder Man Is Weird and Wonderful

Simon Williams (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) has a problem. All he wants to be is an actor, but Hollywood has banned all superpowered beings from being anywhere near a production set thanks to what’s called ‘the Doorman Clause’. It will all make sense after the fourth episode of this eight-episode series on Disney+, but all you really need to know is that this superhero show isn’t quite like anything in the MCU. Featured under the Marvel Spotlight banner like 2024’s Echo, Wonder Man is less about superheroics and more about an aspiring actor’s struggle to break into the industry while trying to hide the fact that he’s got “ionic” energy powers that make him about as powerful as Thor or the Hulk. 

But don’t expect either Avenger to show up here. Instead, what we get is Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley). Remember him? Trevor is the guy who played The Mandarin in Iron-Man 3, an actor hired by the real villain to broadcast terrorist messages in one of the most disappointing fake-outs in the history of comic book movies. Kingsley as an ersatz Mandarin might have been a letdown, but Trevor Slattery is a genuine delight whose cameo in Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings was one of the best parts of an otherwise middling movie. If there’s anything that the MCU needs, it’s more Trevor Slattery (and more Madisynn and Wongers from She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, but that’s another story), and Wonder Man certainly delivers on that front.

But Wonder Man isn’t for everybody. It’s like an A24 indie where there are long stretches of actors bouncing lines off each other, literally. Simon and Trevor rehearse lines, and sometimes they workshop with other actors auditioning for the same parts. There are no supervillains, no world saving, heck, Simon doesn’t even stop a convenience store robbery. He does get to unleash his powers on some goons harassing Trevor, but when you’re trying to keep your superpowers a secret, public displays of super-strength can lead to some complications. 

Wonder Man explores another side of a world where superheroes exist. Simon is an immensely powerful being — the comics put his power level on par with Sentry from last year’s Thunderbolts* — but he just wants to break into Hollywood, man. But when you can accidentally blow up an entire building when you lose your temper, that does seem to be kind of a problem. Cue the United States Department of Damage Control (DODC), which is tasked with rounding up persons of interest who might be a danger to society, and you’ve got the elements for an interesting plot.

Agent P. Cleary (Arian Moayed) from the DODC has his eye on a clueless Simon, who’s preoccupied with trying to get the part of Wonder Man in a remake of the cult classic 80’s movie Wonder Man by legendary director Von Kovak (Zlatko Burić). That’s right, Wonder Man is actually named after an in-universe film featuring a galaxy-faring superhero that made such an impact on young Simon that when he learns that it’s getting a remake, he goes to great lengths to get an audition. Wonder Man is delightfully meta, reminiscent of the satirical comedy The Franchise on HBO Max, and the fourth episode, ‘Doorman’, features Josh Gad playing himself in a context-filling filler story shot entirely in black and white. There’s some comedy, a little tragedy, and a lot of courage on Disney’s part for putting out a show that doesn’t conform to people’s expectations.

Doorman is actually DeMarr Davis (Byron Bowers), an actual superhero in Marvel comics with the power to use his body as a portal between places. The fourth episode stands out because it’s a surprising and unexpected break from Simon’s narrative, but audiences will need to stick with it and trust showrunner Andrew Guest to deliver. Wonder Man is a journey, and it can be a rough ride at times because you’re never quite sure of the destination, and Simon can be an exhausting character to follow.

Simon Williams is one of those actors whose method can be a little too much, which is great for cringe comedic effect in small doses, but a little challenging for viewers to endure for an entire series. Fortunately, Wonder Man is a quick watch at about 30 minutes per episode, and Simon isn’t always agonizing over his performance or overthinking character minutiae the whole time. This is demonstrated best in the first episode, where he gives a little too much input into his character, a bit role in American Horror Story, who is set to appear on camera for only a few seconds. The neurotic, obsessive, overthinking Simon can be unpleasant, so it’s perfect that he makes fast friends with the easygoing Trevor Slattery, who imparts his wisdom to the younger actor and is the real hero of Wonder Man in more ways than one.

Simon and Trevor’s friendship is the best part of Wonder Man, and the odd couple dynamic is what makes the entire engine go. Mateen is a terrific actor, but Kingsley steals the show — audiences will come for Wonder Man, but stay for Trevor Slattery. There’s also an interesting premise that the show barely addresses, being that if you have superpowers, are you really obligated to become a superhero? Maybe it’s like being a really, really talented singer but just wanting to be an accountant. Imagine being able to stand toe to toe with the mighty Thor, but you’d rather do improv. Why not?

This is why Wonder Man works. The audacity of the show itself is a metaphor for not taking the beaten path of superhero stories that have somewhat predictable, but also profitable, formulas. Wonder Man doesn’t even bother with an origin story. The show drops us right in the middle of Simon at work and crashing out. This is the story of a struggling actor who has the opportunity to land his dream role. Oh, and he just happens to have superpowers. Wonder Man is uneven, sometimes even slow-paced, but it’s proof that there is a wealth of stories in the great, big, superhero universe as long as you have the courage to tell them.

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