'Wonder Man' Review: A Break from the Multiverse, and Marvels Best Satire
- Shauna Bushe
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
By Shauna Bushe - January 30, 2026
TV - Premium TV
Ahead are narrative spoilers, such as cameos & references.
Simon Williams arrives as something refreshingly relatable: a man who is concerned with his screen time, rather than his save count. In an MCU landscape of god and monsters, Wonder Man isn’t just another powerhouse in a costume, he is Marvels metacommentary on fame, a reluctant hero who would rather be memorizing lines than trading blows with cosmic threats, as he navigates the high-stakes drama of the Hollywood machine alongside the literal explosions of a superhero life.
The true heart of the show isn’t found in big budget, action spectacles but in its effortless, crackling chemistry between Simon Williams (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) and Trevor Slattery (Sir Ben Kingsley). They are the textbook “odd couple” pairing, one that feels deeply lived in. Right from the start their shared fascination with cinema history, and theatre itself is what brings them together and continues as their only mutual interest until they forge a connection that gradually solidifies into an unbreakable bond. Often balancing friction through-out Simons public image, his private fight as an enhanced individual and Trevor’s secret partnership as a spy with DOC.
The Meta Layer of Connections
The series excels at integrating itself into the natural state of the MCU through subtle, clever references. In the beginning we see the Rodgers Musical, first introduced in Hawkeye, references to Iron Man 3 with Trevor reprising his role as the Mandarin, and nods to Deadpool with Trevor again reassuring people he doesn’t have “baby hands”. The presence of the Department of Damage Control serves a constant phantom, treating those with superpowers like a liability. Not forgetting figures like Eternals and She-Hulk through the lens of talent agencies and movie posters, and a very random cameo of Josh Gad as himself, singing as Olaf. Wonder Man ultimately succeeds by treating the superhero genre as a backdrop for a story about identity and the price of the spotlight.
Love Letter to the Industry
What stands out in Wonder Man is how much it highlights the industry itself. The hustle for auditions, the vulnerability of a self-tape, the overall absurdity of the process. It encapsulates what it is to be a struggling artist, who perseveres in a world against them. It’s a tasteful and respectful change of pace, especially to what we’re used to when gearing up for a new Marvel project. It’s refreshing to watch a show validate the struggle of thousands of artists.
Final Verdict
Wonder Man doesn’t exactly revolve around a guy with superpowers who happens to rise to fame, rather its about a guy rising to fame who just so happens to have superpowers. It shares a lot of the same Marvel DNA, staying under the umbrella of multiple universes, and yet manages to operate as its own source of storytelling. There is no origin, no backstory, only a rough around the edge’s actor trying to make something of himself. Wonder Man is such a unique entry in the MCU, unlike the high-stakes cosmic wars we're used to, this story finds its stakes in the harsh, often ego-bruising reality of Hollywood.
'Wonder Man' is streaming now on Disney+.
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