Description

Marvel's Wonder Man series takes a risk by telling a small, personal story in a universe obsessed with saving the world. We dive into this character study about a struggling actor, played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, with superpowers he has to keep secret—and why it might be one of Marvel's best recent projects.

Questions We Discussed

• Why does Wonder Man feel refreshing compared to other MCU content? We explore how the show's deliberately low stakes create higher emotional investment in Simon Williams' personal journey than yet another world-ending threat.
• How does the Doorman Clause work as world-building? The liability concerns preventing powered people from working in Hollywood create an interesting parallel to real-world secrets actors have historically had to keep about their identities.
• Does the Simon and Trevor dynamic carry the show? We discuss why scenes between Simon Williams and Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley) consistently shine, and how their mentor-student relationship drives the narrative.
• Is Wonder Man actually a superhero show? The series positions superpowers as Simon's secret burden rather than his defining feature, making this more character study than traditional superhero story.

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This episode is a production of Superhero Ethics, a The Ethical Panda Podcast and part of the TruStory FM Entertainment Podcast Network. Check our our website to find out more about this and our sister podcast Star Wars Generations.

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