So the show has been out for a little over 24 hours and my wife and I have already watched six of the eight episodes. I felt compelled to write this ASAP because my primer on the character may have set some misleading expectations.
Yesterday I wrote that I hoped the show would be a combination of Thor and The Studio. But Instead it is more like a combination of The Studio and Swingers.
It is definitely not as funny as Swingers but it is equally as good when it comes to showing the life of a group of wannabe actors. While The Studio seemed to be a love/hate letter to the entire movie making process, Wonder Man is a love letter to actors and acting. So far it is my favorite Marvel television show ever.
There has been about two total minutes of action during the first three hours of the show. But I don't miss it at all. To say I have been pleasantly surprised by this show would be a terrible understatement. I have been absolutely blown away by Wonder Man. Instead of my interest being directed at explosions and fights, it is one hundred percent driven by the characters, dialogue and relationships. It is flat out brilliant.
The show is an origin story of a super hero, actor, and man. The fact that all three are the same person is truly remarkable. While the show is beautifully written and filmed, the true star of the show is the banter between Wonder Man, played by Yahya Abul-Mateen II and Trevor Slattery (AKA The Mandarin) played by Ben Kingsley. We all know that Ben Kingsley is one of the finest actors of our generation. But what I did not know was that Mateen, a huge, hulking, action star could hold his own in ever scene.
I absolutely loved Kingley's performance as Mandarin in Shag Chi. His comedic performance as a down and out actor tricked into portraying a terrorist was sensational! Somehow, he is even funnier in this show. While I love the dramatic story of Simon Williams rise to stardom, the comedy is what makes the show so entertaining. It seems they replaced action with humor and heart. Although I was not expecting this, I have found it incredibly refreshing.
In addition to the incredible performances, dialogue, heart, humor, and fantastic directing, the music needs a special mention. The soundtrack to this show is the second greatest music compilation of any marvel movie or perhaps any tv show (Guardians of the Galaxy still has everything else beat). It includes Earth Wind and Fire, ELO, The Go Gos, Chaka Khan, The Commodores, and the one and only Dolly Parton. Any show that put the time, thought and money into choosing these songs is clearly a show worth watching.
The answer is "no". Hollywood just needs to make more high quality content like Wonder Man!
If you go into this show with the right expectations, I am confident that you will enjoy it. I doubt you'll love it as much as I do because I love it a supernatural amount.
