Wonder Man is streaming now on Disney+, and Sherin and Julian had to talk—because this 8-episode limited series created by Destin Daniel Cretton feels like a meta Hollywood pressure-cooker: not a superhero origin, but a super-powered story about identity, isolation, and what it costs to keep parts of yourself hidden. We dig into Simon Williams / Wonder Man (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) as an actor chasing the role of a lifetime while literally hiding his powers, the way the show frames that secrecy as something a lot of people can recognize (from “model minority” pressures to not being allowed to show emotion), and why it reminded Sherin of what WandaVision did structurally—but aimed at loneliness instead of grief.
“What WandaVision did for the brokenness of grief, Wonder Man does for the loneliness of isolation.”
-Sherin Nicole, Geek Girl Riot
We also get into the MVP dynamics: Trevor Slattery / The Mandarin (Sir Ben Kingsley) as mentor/only friend energy and the show’s sharpest commentary on acting and survival in the industry, plus the surprise standout “Doorman” episode (with MCU Josh Gad) that adds real stakes and feels like a purposeful “vignette/bottle” detour. And yes—we talk about what works, what doesn’t for longtime Wonder Man comics fans (including the Kirby Krackle love), how Damage Control functions as the looming threat, and why the ending feels like it’s positioning Simon for something bigger in the wider MCU. Our Aftermath Discussion and more will be available to stream on Geek Girl Riot on Tuesday—watch the series, then come process it with us.
