Spoilers Wonder Man

[The Nth Doctor]

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The wait is almost over. All eight episodes drop on Tuesday! Despite the naysayers proclaiming the show dead on arrival because Marvel is "dumping" the whole series on one day in January, I'm pretty damn excited about this show because it looks like a lot of fun and it feels like Marvel is trying to do something quite different. If the show is "just" Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Ben Kingsley chewing up the scenery with their shenanigans, then I'll be happy.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Giving this a bump so people know where to discuss the episodes when they come out tonight.

 

[Turtletrekker]

Going to be honest. With so much of my attention on Starfleet Academy, this really snuck up on me.

 

[Guy Gardener]

The wife is sleeping, so I'm not allowed to watch this until she wakes up... But is Marvel Racist? They dumped the whole thing: Ka-Blam!! Maybe it's shit, or maybe they only made this show like this because Captain America 4 was supposed to make 2 billion dollars, which it didn't because America is racist and that movie was just awful.

What's "your" excuse?

 

[Turtletrekker]

Bwuh?

 

[The Nth Doctor]

I watched the first four episodes tonight (saving the next four for tomorrow) and I loved every minute of it.

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Ben Kingsley are absolutely fantastic together and I love both of their character arcs so far.

Spoiler: Simon

I like how the show has held off showing how Simon got his powers and I actually kind of hope we don't find out. It's almost irrelevant to his story. The important part is his drive to prove himself as an actor and to land this dream project adapting his childhood favorite film, while also dealing with the repercussions of having superpowers. Superpowers he doesn't even want or utilizes in any fashion. I particularly like how those powers manifest whenever he's dealing with his anxiety and self-doubt and I'm curious to see how the show explores that particular dynamic.

I loved Simon's mother and her relationship with him, but damn, it hurts to watch his brother, Eric, rail on Simon for his dreams of being an actor because it isn't a "real" job. It sucks Simon destroyed his mother's new beloved kitchen island but, honestly, that's just as much Eric's fault as Simon's because Eric deliberately provoked Simon with full knowledge of Simon's powers.

Spoiler: Trevor

My heart goes out to poor Trevor. After his adventures in Shang-Chi, Trevor has decided to return to acting in the United States. Unfortunately, the Department of Damage Control isn't going to allow that to happen (and oof, watching the agents tackle a defenseless man in the airport is hard to take right now...). I hate how P. Cleary conscripted Trevor to work undercover against Simon and Cleary doesn't care how Trevor gets evidence against Simon, just as long as it's done.

It's no surprise Trevor connected with Simon as an actor, nor is it a surprise Trevor wants nothing to do with taking Simon down. Question is now that he has dumped his wire, how long before Cleary decides to send Trevor back to jail? Or will Cleary just keep turning the screws on Trevor? Because, of course, Cleary himself is facing pressure from above to meet quotas in order to keep departmental funding.

Spoiler: Doorman

We knew from some early publicity images that the character Doorman would appear in some capacity in the show. Even though I never heard of him, I thought I got the sense he would be the villain of the show and would be the cause of Simon's acting strife in some matter. In truth, that is actually the case but not in the way I expected. My heart broke at Doorman's tragic tale, even though I knew it would eventually lead to some onset accident. But I was still nonetheless surprised by the exact nature of it (RIP Josh Gad?).

Spoiler: Janelle

What can I say? I love every second of her sass and I want a spin-off about her dealing with superhero actors.

Spoiler: Cameos

Not the ones I expected! I loved watching both Joe Pantoliano and Josh Gad play heavily fictionalized versions of themselves and you could tell they relished leaning into those acts. Gad was especially a sport in leaning into his eccentric persona.

Also...the show threw some shade on poor Sam Wilson.

Spoiler: Kovac

The early speculation that Kovac is actually using the Wonder Man production as some kind of secret alien scheme (I forget the exact details of the theory) seem to be unfounded up to this point and, honestly, I hope that theory doesn't pan out. The main point of this show is Simon's personal journey and the real villain is and should remain his personal demons.

And the Department of Damage Control, because fuck those guys.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Bwuh?

I'm wondering where the Fanfare is, I'm maddened that I'm still Tantalus 3 hours later, and I'm terrified that it might stink, but a big thumbs up from @The Nth Doctor is a good sign.

Although he did drop a massive spoiler about Korvac, holy shit man! Korvac is the baddie and you just throw that shit around o... Kovac? OH!

Who the hell is Kovac?

Never mind.

I'll work it out after sleeping beauty wakes up.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

A couple of thoughts I forgot to mention in my last post:

Spoiler: The entirety of Watchmen and the first four episodes of Wonder Man

I noticed there are some (probably) unintentional parallels with Watchmen. And not just the fact the both begin with the letter W.

Both miniseries star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as a man with a powerful secret (albeit the audience is in on it this time...as is Abudl-Mateen's character).

Both miniseries feature an episode that's entirely (or almost entirely) a black-and-white flashback about the traumatic experiences of a previously unseen Black character whose actions have severe repercussions for the overall story.

Both miniseries question the nature of superheroes in the world. Granted this one is a bit of a stretch for Wonder Man but the theme is still there and I expect it to be further explored in the remaining four episodes.

Spoiler: The end of episode 4

After seeing how Simon walked off a hospital set upon seeing the news story about the ban on superhero actors, I can't help but wonder (no pun intended) if Simon has been deliberately (or subconsciously) sabotaging himself with his overthinking process. But with the Wonder Man film, he's all in despite the personal risk for himself and that's why he has (more than likely subconsciously) allowed Trevor to effect his preparation methods.

 

[FPAlpha]

I'm up to episode 3 even though the trailer initially put me off the show but given that the reviews so far have been very positive i decided to check it out.

I must say it's completely different to the usual Marvel style. The comedy is barely there, the buildup of his superpower happens very slowly so no big action scenes ( so far) - it's just about two down on their luck actors trying to make it in Hollywood with the underlying superhero thematic taking a secondary role for now as we get to know the characters.

It is refreshing though i like the Marvel style too but here they went a different way and it works because Abdul-Mateen II and Kingsley play off each other so well. It is a slow burn show but i'm getting more and more into it.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

I love they're doing something very different from before, just as they did when they first started doing miniseries with WandaVision. Depending on how the season concludes (I'm about to watch the second half of the season), I'll be very curious to see a second season, but that seems unlikely. Besides I want a second season of Agatha All Along (or whatever form Agatha and Billy's search for Tommy takes) to happen first.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Finally!

The wife's immediate criticism is "No? Why doesn't Gandhi look Indian?"

 

[Tuskin38]

I’m surprised at how many non-Disney movies/shows that were referenced directly by name.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Just finished...and the second half is even better than first half.

Spoiler: Episode Five

By far the most straight-up comedic episode of the season and it was an absolute blast. I loved how the episode tore away all preconceptions and stereotypes. Not much to say other than it was a fun episode right where the season needed one. Especially considering...

Spoiler: Episode Six

Until the finale, this was the most rollercoaster episode of the season. While the workshopping at the Kovacs Estate was low stakes, I sensed the drama within Simon's being and how crushed he felt when he completely belly flopped the improv scenario.*.

However, I absolutely didn't expect the sucker punch of Simon's existential nightmare when Simon literally sucker punched Richard through the head. Hell, I was entirely convinced that actually happened until Simon woke up. That moment shook me up as much as it did Simon and it stayed with me all the way to the credits.

But at least Trevor was able to use that moment (even without knowing about the nightmare itself) to bring Simon into focus, which allowed both of them to land the lead roles (with a heavy does of foreshadowing about Trevor's impending betrayal).

If only Cleary wasn't so stubborn about bagging Simon, this could've been an all around victory.

*I haven't watched Pretty Woman in many years (not a fan) so I didn't catch onto Simon riffing from the film.

Spoiler: Episode Seven

Simon and Trevor had a great time in pre-production with costume fittings, assistants running doggedly to all of their silly requests, golf cart rides that Simon wasn't privileged to have at the beginning of the season! What could possibly go wrong?

Of course, an exposé. Naturally Simon was spiraling and Trevor was calm. All of it would've been fine, including Eric's interview where he praised Simon's success (much to Simon's anxiety-induced shock), if it weren't for Kathy's actual but-not-that-hard digging: Of course there's video of Trevor getting arrested at LAX.

Then all of it turns to shit. My heart wept for Trevor as he confessed his truth and tried to express their friendship was real, but Simon was understandably pissed...and there's go the studio.

Spoiler: Finale

Even though Simon fucked up, I absolutely love how Trevor stepped and actually proved his friendship to Simon by re-embodying The Mandarin one last time. I should've seen it coming considering the cold opening but it was still a delightful surprise to hear that deep voice once again. Question is...how did Trevor still have that costume? Or the wig? Or the graphics? Or the video editing skills? Of course that doesn't matter but it was still a silly moment.

In the end, Simon got the film he always dreamed of...complete with the original red glasses and comics-accurate costume!

(And Joe Pantoliano stole another role from poor Trevor! )

I honestly expected the show to end with Simon enjoying the Red Carpet and thinking about his future.

Instead, we got an extended sequence that slowly revealed how Simon proved his side of the friendship and rescued poor Trevor from eternal prison (even if Simon was able to get away with it due to some seriously laxed security...but again, that's not what this show is about). And then, at long last, we see Simon embrace his superpowers and their raw potential!

Spoiler: Final thoughts

I love how this show fully committed to the story of two down-on-their-luck actors looking to make their lives better in an unlikely friendship and how superpowers remained in the background.

I know some fans are going to hate how we never saw the "true" Wonder Man and we never saw him in action. I know some fans are also going to hate how there were no hints of Eric becoming the Grim Reaper or how there wasn't any other Wonder Man villains.

But that misses the point of this series and that's what makes this series so damn good. I just hope Marvel continues to do shake up the superhero genre in this manner.

In the end, this show is a fantastic joy to watch and I can hope we'll see some kind of continuation for these characters in whatever form (go away, naysayers, let us have this moment).

I’m surprised at how many non-Disney movies/shows that were referenced directly by name.

Nah, I wasn't. I loved all of the cinematic and theatric references, especially all of the iconic movie and stage posters. It was a great way to show Simon's and Trevor's deep love for their craft.

 

[Turtletrekker]

Ugh. Don't know when I'm going to find the time to sit down to watch this. Star Trek will be the priority tomorrow.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Brazil?

Fight Club?

Mr Robot?

"And I want to be rich. You know, someone important. Like an actor."

Nope.

All real.

How disappointing.

It felt like it was all supposed to be made up or fake, but that's what Agatha All Along did, and they can't have two shows in a row do that. Cartoons don't count. Oh, Iron Heart?

Did that really happen?

Oh.

Simon and Trevor should have smooched hard at the end.

Meanwhile....

I suppose Damage control has always been a thin and transparent metaphor for ICE, and they could have had no idea about real events in real time, long ago, when they decided to drop this turd.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Showrunners Andrew Guest and Destin Daniel Cretton talked to Entertainment Weekly about how those cameos happened:

Spoiler: Cameos

But it turns out that the Joey Pants role was not originally written for [Joe] Pantoliano — or any specific actor, for that matter.

"We had a list of character actors who are some of the best actors out there who maybe not are household names, but there was such a love from every person at Marvel of so many of these people who've meant so much to so many of us," Guest says. "And Joey just stood out amongst the crop and was the first person we put a call into."

Once Pantoliano agreed to play the part, Guest and co-creator Destin Daniel Cretton then tailored the character — and all his quirks — to him.

"The wonderful thing about him is he's got so much to say about [acting and Hollywood]," Guest says. "He's written several books. He'll talk your ear off about acting and about his thoughts about why he got into the business and where his love of the craft comes from. And we put all of that in the script, and it's really incredible."
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"There was always a celebrity character cameo for DeMarr to be paired with in that episode, but Josh was the first person we asked," Guest says. "And once he said yes, we got to write it specifically to him. And he just jumped in with both feet. He was so much fun to work with on set."

Cretton knew Gad previously, and loved getting to create a darker arc for the actor than what he's portrayed before.

"Obviously he's so funny and is a bit of a Disney icon," Cretton says of the Frozen star. "To be able to take somebody like that, who is known for being so charming and wonderfully sweet and supportive, and have him play a bit of an alter ego — in a lot of ways, he's kind of playing the devil in this episode. He's taking somebody who was very happy with his life, who was very content with where he was, and he planted this seed of power of like, 'You're better than this.' He planted this seed that creates a bit of a monster that ends up in a very tragic place. But because it's Josh Gad, it's really funny and really fun to watch."

But Cretton's favorite part? How composer Joel P West created an EDM remix of Gad's Frozen song, "In Summer," for the fictional version of the actor to perform in the club scene before DeMarr is forced to expose his powers to save everyone from a fire.

"The whole song is actually really good," Cretton says with a laugh. "I do hope they release that song, because it's a banger."

They also talked about how they decided to use Doorman.

Spoiler: Doorman

As for why the co-creators spent an entire episode on DeMarr's backstory, Cretton said they always wanted that arc to feel different and stand out from the rest of the series.

"One of the things we knew we needed was to explain to our audience why Simon wants to have a career on his own terms, in the right way," Guest explains. "We needed a cautionary tale, essentially of like a one-hit wonder, a flash in the pan."

The writers were inspired by the comic book arc of the mutant Doorman, who can turn into a human door.

"The more we talked about him, the more we realized it could be a full episode," Guest says. "And making sure that our audience understood what's at risk for Simon, not only in a concrete way of the Department of Damage Control will just lock you up and you'll never work again, but also in a sort of more artistic way of like, that's not the career that Simon wants, and here's step-by-step what could go wrong for Simon if he got the wrong role or didn't approach the industry the right way. That was essential."

 

[Saul]

I'm going to be late to this party. I don't have the time at the moment. But the positive reviews make me look forward to this a lot more than Starfleet Academy.

Finally!

The wife's immediate criticism is "No? Why doesn't Gandhi look Indian?"

Please ask your wife to join Trek BBS. I want to read more of her thoughts.

 

[Rowdy Roddy McDowall]

Will Kelsey Grammer cameo here as best bud Beast?

 

[Guy Gardener]

I'm going to be late to this party. I don't have the time at the moment. But the positive reviews make me look forward to this a lot more than Starfleet Academy.


Please ask your wife to join Trek BBS. I want to read more of her thoughts.

"Janeway's Girl"

She stopped posting here years ago.

I finished the last episode at 2 am, so my self control was at a minimum, and I could have expressed myself better.

It's an interesting story, it just wasn't a Marvel story.

A few years ago, 1 million incarcerated Americans were murdered by Thanos, and then brought back to life by Tony Stark. "Dude I was dead, it's over, don't play me you clown" or "Dude look at the calendar! Time served b'tch!" To avoid billions in court fees, and decades of clogging up the courts with the same case, that happened to a million people, a blanket amnesty would have happened , and that's not even counting what happened just after the blip, half the prison staff disappears, meanwhile as the economy unravels, no one is paying the staff that didn't snap out, so the prisons would have been opened and everyone, even the cannibals, were released.

Trevor needed a Lawyer.

 

[Set Harth]

You mean brought back to life by Bruce Banner.