(Spoiler free #WonderMan thoughts.)
The theme for 2026, so far, has been shows I dreaded and had no interest in actually ending up being pretty good.
First #StarfleetAcademy, and now Wonder Man.
It's pretty good! It's definitely something unique for the MCU, even if It's a little bit predictable (up to a point!), but the performances really make it work, keeping it compelling.
It starts strong and ends strong, too. There's only a bit of a lull (for me) in the penultimate episode, but overall? This worked for me. It's, like SFA, lower stakes stuff. And how it ends is nowhere near where I expected it to be. The whole thing is rather wholesome, really. (A term I keep overusing, but it's always applicable.)
Additionally, and I feel this is important, I really can't stand Ben Kingsley's Slattery character. I didn't mind him originally, but each subsequent appearance has made me dislike him even more. He's obnoxious, one note, and I just could not find the appeal warranting them bringing him back.
HERE, however, they not only really found a great use for him, but honestly kind of redeemed him in my eyes.
That's something I'd never have thought possible.
Give it a shot. Marvel and Disney don't seem to be pushing it very hard, and that's a crime. I can't say it's better than Wandavision or Loki, but I definitely feel better about it than, say, Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
4/5
