Getting into the newest Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) project, a side of me is always a bit skeptical. This statement may be unsurprising to most, with many of the Marvel fans sharing that same hesitant feeling when getting into the newer Marvel projects. These thoughts can be whittled down to either concerns of the story’s predictability, lazy writing or overall lackluster effort of the studio towards the project. My personal gripe is the over-obsessive need to tie in unnecessary superhero cameos and end credits to set up the next sequel. Regardless of whether these statements ring true is a matter of opinion, but the least I can say is that Marvel’s Wonder Man exceeded my expectations in more ways than I thought any superhero show could.

On Jan. 27, 2026, the show was finally released on Disney+ for the world to see. It quickly found its footing in the public eye with its subversion of the traditional route many MCU shows had taken in the past. The entire story focuses on struggling Hollywood actor Simon Williams (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), who is accompanied by his friend and acting mentor Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley). You follow the duo through their journey in the acting industry, while watching them grow as people and their emerging “bromance”. Rather than taking the action theme that so many superhero shows do, she takes the approach of a drama or comedy, which seems all the more fitting for a show based on acting.

Instead of focusing on the journey of Simon as a hero, the show changes trajectory and opts to tell a story that is driven by his internal transformation as an actor. The idea of Simon being a superhero is less expanded, as he plays the role of a superhuman. There are no supervillains or larger stakes at hand, just Simon overcoming personal obstacles while growing as a person and an actor.

At first, I was extremely hesitant after hearing how Wonder Man would branch off from the typical MCU formula. It did not sound realistic to create a show that is based on a superhero origin story, and then proceed to make it a dramedy. But after seeing the show firsthand, all I can say is that my thinking was misled.

That’s not to say that the show doesn’t focus on superheroes or superpowers at all. In the end, this is still a superhero show, so the inclusion of superheroes and superpowers has to be a relevant and prominent part of the MCU’s Wonder Man. But it works with superpowers and the idea of superheroes in a different way, fitting these concepts around the specific story it’s trying to tell.

Throughout the show, you see and hear mentions of other superheroes, such as Captain America, but they take a back seat within the story of Wonder Man. Instead of force-feeding the viewer cameos from the Avengers or making niche references to other Marvel shows you didn’t know you needed to watch, it really zeros in on the story of Simon Williams; something that would be much preferred going forward in future Marvel projects.

Overall, I’d give my rating of the show a solid 9/10. I have to say where credit is due, this show knows how to tell a good story without having to rely on crazy fights or costumes to pull the viewer to the end.