Wonder Man is the best Marvel television series to date. That’s not hyperbole or a knee-jerk reaction, but an honest critical assessment of a brilliantly written, acted, and directed comedy-drama that will have eyeballs glued to the screen for every minute of the eight-episode first season. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Ben Kingsley deliver superb and incredibly nuanced performances with a magnetic appeal. You care about the protagonists and are genuinely engaged as they embark on a captivating journey together. Wonder Man quiets the negative discourse about superhero fatigue. It’s exceptionally creative and bold while being fun and entertaining.
The series premieres with the stellar “Matinée.” We’re introduced to young Simon Williams (Kameron J Meadows) and his father Sanford (Bechir Sylvain) as they’re both mesmerized by a hilariously cheesy ’80s Wonder Man movie. In the present, a grown Simon (Abdul-Mateen II) nervously prepares for his guest stint as a day player on American Horror Story. Simon’s meticulous preparation and detailed notes about his performance does not sit well with the director. His day gets markedly worse when Simon drives his beat-up Toyota Camry back to the small apartment he shares with his girlfriend Vivian (Olivia Thirlby).
Depressed and dejected, Simon goes to the movies for an escape. He settles into a showing of Midnight Cowboy when a loud British accent echoes through the theater. Simon tries to hush the nuisance before recognizing the infamous Trevor Slattery (Kingsley), who was jailed for portraying the fake terrorist Mandarin over a decade ago. Simon impresses Trevor with his encyclopedic knowledge of obscure acting roles. Trevor then drops the bombshell that he’s auditioning the following day for Oscar-winning director Von Kovak’s (Zlatko Burić) Wonder Man remake. Simon races to his agent Janelle’s (X Mayo) office and barges into a closed meeting. She has to get him a Wonder Man audition. This is the role he was born to play.
There’s a lot to unpack as Wonder Man has many things happening on multiple levels. Let’s start with the core relationship at the heart of the series. Abdul-Mateen II and Kingsley are Emmy-worthy as Simon and Trevor’s burgeoning friendship intertwines their fates. Avoid spoilers at all costs. Both Simon and Trevor have dark secrets which have monumental consequences as the narrative progresses. But they quickly bond over a deep love of acting and shared belief that it is a noble and dignified profession. Simon and Trevor couldn’t give a hoot about fame and fortune. They’re thespians on an atomic level with a serious embrace of the craft. Simon has finally found a mentor who understands why the call to act cannot be denied.
Everyone who complained and were disappointed by Kingsley’s turn as the Mandarin in Iron Man 3 will be eating crow. Wonder Man’s creators, Destin Daniel Cretton (Short Term 12, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) and Andrew Guest (Community, Brooklyn Nine-Nine), who also serves as head writer, give Trevor significant depth as his backstory is finally told in full. Kingsley delights with Trevor’s knock-down funny anecdotes about his wild career, drug, alcohol, and sex addiction. Trevor has tremendous charisma and panache as he tries to resurrect his image. This is no easy task with one particularly vexing obstacle, but he finds renewed vigor in helping Simon be his best. Trevor is compassionate and soulful above all. He always wants to help, but the rub is that his assistance has unintended strings attached.
Abdul-Mateen II is no stranger to the superhero genre, having played Black Manta in Aquaman and Doctor Manhattan in HBO’s Watchmen. His stunning portrayal of Simon Williams is a totally different animal. Wonder Man explores Simon’s childhood and family life in later episodes. We learn why Simon chose acting as an outlet for expression. He’s complex with an internal conflict that shapes everything he does. Simon preparing for the Wonder Man auditions and struggling to find the character is fascinating to behold. Simon’s an extremely talented actor. People he encounters understand this, but are also keenly aware of his breaking point. Trevor calms Simon’s anxiety and instills confidence. Believe in yourself and the rest will follow.
Wonder Man takes the audience backstage with great comedic effect. Simon’s struggles doing a simple self-tape, the nuts and bolts of starring in a production, and navigating egos on set will have you spellbound. The series could really be defined as Acting 101 with its honest take on the difficulties of being a working actor. Star supporting roles, especially Josh Gad and Joe Pantoliano, who play themselves, will have you rolling in episodes that add vital exposition to the primary arc. Cretton and Guest poke fun at Hollywood while also paying homage and showing great respect. The dialogue is loaded with references to classic movies and television in a way that will impress cinephiles without losing the casual viewer. This isn’t easy to do and another feather in the filmmakers’ caps.
Wonder Man has several action scenes, but is in no way a standard VFX-driven series. Anyone waiting for Wonder Man to realistically blast aliens in his jetpack will only get snippets of the fake ’80s version. That said, audiences will be impressed by the series production design and cinematography. Cretton and his directing team use long tracking shots with few edits. The camera follows Simon and Trevor at length through intriguing settings. We also get focused close-ups in moments where facial expressions, sometimes subtle, provide important emotional subtext. Director James Ponsoldt (The Spectacular Now, The Circle) gets top marks for the black and white fourth episode, “Doorman”, which serves as a flashback of sorts and could easily have been its own enthralling story.
Cretton and Guest made a daring choice in crafting a Wonder Man series that wasn’t a standard adaption of the comic character. What they’ve done is so meta and brilliant, Wonder Man diehards, if such a thing exists, will certainly appreciate a well-done and markedly different interpretation. Abdul-Mateen II and Kingsley are damn good here. They’re amazing and challengers for the best duo in the MCU.
Wonder Man is a production of Marvel Spotlight, Family Owned, and Onyx Collective. The complete season premieres Jan. 27 exclusively on Disney+.
- Release Date
-
January 27, 2026
- Network
-
Disney+
- Writers
-
Andrew Guest
Source link
Add Comment