The Marvel Cinematic Universe was once a simple place, but the arrival of Disney+ and the MCU’s multiverse turned it into something massively expansive, and completely divisive among fans. TV shows in particular have failed to completely satisfy audiences, with the strong performers – WandaVision, Loki – giving way to heavily criticized ones like She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Secret Invasion, and Ironheart. Now, the latest release, Wonder Man, has not only bucked the trend but has set a new bar for future Disney+ Marvel shows.
Wonder Man released all episodes of today, Jan. 28, and immediately generated the same kind of hugely positive response as that from critics, who originally scored it around 94% on the Tomatometer before it settled on a still impressive 90%. Now, early viewers have been having their say, and at the time of writing, the series is holding a 91% Popcornmeter score – the highest for any live-action MCU series.
While the show ties with X-Men ’97 in its audience score when considering all MCU series, passing WandaVision’s 88%, which has been seen as the benchmark for all Marvel TV shows since it aired in 2021, has been no mean feat considering the characters’ lesser-known status among Marvel’s finest.
What Everyone is Saying About ‘Wonder Man’
The story of Hollywood actor Simon Williams and his journey to becoming Wonder Man is one that could easily have landed with a clang. The series dispenses with much of the usual Marvel bombast and big action set-pieces for something that is more about the relationship between Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s Williams and Ben Kingsley’s returning Trevor Slattery.
Critics had already hailed Wonder Man‘s “charming odd-couple” story, with New York Times’ Mike Hale even comparing it to Midnight Cowboy in the way its two leads find their friendship tested in several ways. When it comes to audiences, though, although there has been an expectation of a big, action-orientated spectacle about everything Marvel Studios delivers, this time, they have mostly been happy to accept something a little more low-key.
One review praises the series for its “fresh take” on the superhero genre, while another calls it a “superhero series that dares to be different and definitely succeeds at it.” A third simply calls it “one of the best Marvel Disney+ shows by a mile.” For a show that goes out of its way to be the most non-MCU MCU series ever made, Wonder Man has also managed to become the MCU show everyone needed.
While there have been suggestions that a second season has been discussed, it is currently unclear whether that will actually happen. Marvel Spotlight series tend to focus on telling a specific story like a one-shot comic. Wonder Man‘s story may have been told as far as another show goes, but if viewership matches the series’ reviews, then who knows where Simon Williams – or Trevor Slattery, for that matter – could turn up next.
Release Date
January 27, 2026
Network
Disney+
Writers
Andrew Guest
