This new limited series just might be the best thing that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has produced ever. “Wonder Man,” created by Destin Daniel Cretton and Andrew Guest, was released on Disney+ on Jan. 27, almost silently. The marketing and advertising for this show was nonexistent until it suddenly showed up under “Marvel Spotlight,” a branch of the MCU that seems to be non-canon, or having almost no effect on the main movies in the MCU. The last series under the “Marvel Spotlight” banner was the Halloween special “Werewolf By Night,” which was released in October 2022 to mixed reviews.
“Wonder Man” follows Simon Williams (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) a superpowered struggling actor who dreams of being a successful Hollywood star. When his dream role of the action hero “Wonder Man” is taking auditions, he jumps at the chance to play the character. That is it. No world ending threats, no multiverse problems, just a uniquely human story not about a superhero, but a person who happens to have superpowers.
Over the past couple years, the scale for superhero media has been growing excessively. Each movie or show has to have the biggest, newest threat with the largest actors, cameos and references, to the point where it seems difficult for Marvel to tell an actual emotional story. That is exactly what “Wonder Man” does so well. It tells a story that is not just trying to make fans happy, but talk about real life problems and feelings, told through characters that are relatable and likeable. The superhero element takes a back seat, and lets drama and emotion drive the story. When there are superpower centered moments, they feel deserved and well incorporated with the rest of the show.
The dramatic, emotional and charming moments of this series are all spearheaded by the amazing acting of Abdul-Mateen II, who gives a remarkable performance as Simon, a character that many actors are likely to relate to and be charmed by. With a lead that truly puts his all into his performance, it is hard for this series to go wrong.
Part of what makes this such a good series is the fact that it is not afraid to do something original. Going into “Wonder Man,” you do not need to know anything about the MCU to enjoy yourself. That is a rare commodity when compared to the last couple theatrically released Marvel movies. The reason that this series is so accessible is partly because it is an original story. Yes, some fans may be upset at the fact that this series does not follow any direct comic book story, but in reality it is a breath of fresh air to be able to watch something superhero related that is also original.
The series is also not afraid to do things that are slightly out of the ordinary for mainstream Marvel content. Such as episode four of the series, which while connected to the main plot in some ways, is mostly a stand alone story. The episode follows the character of Doorman (Byron Bowers), a niche Marvel character that barely gets to see the light of day in other media. The episode is in black and white, and has a different feeling than the rest of the show, playing with something many television shows do not try.
Overall, this series is a huge step in the right direction for the MCU. If they continue doing things like “Wonder Man,” then they’ve got the audience hooked to watch whatever they do next compared to the boring blockbusters they’ve been making before this.
