Yahya Abdul-Mateen II starring intensely forward with colored eyes in Wonder Man
Wonder Man has quickly become one of the MCU’s most surprising Disney+ releases, and I believe it carries a clear parallel to the Star Wars series Andor to account for its high praise. Like Andor, Wonder Man is a show no one was really asking for, and yet has found major deserved success all the same.
At first, it may seem as though Wonder Man and Andor don't have much in common. After all, one is an MCU show and the other belongs to Star Wars, each with very different stories, themes, and characters. However, I still believe that Marvel's new Wonder Man series could be considered the MCU's Andor in one significant way. On The Surface, Wonder Man and Andor Are Two Very Different Disney+ Shows On the surface, Wonder Man and Andor could not be more different. Andor is a grounded, politically charged Star Wars thriller about the true cost of rebellion in the face of overwhelming systems of Imperial oppression, focusing on individual characters with Cassian Andor at its heart as he gradually embraces the cause. It's heavy, brutal, and incredibly poignant with challenging real-world parallels we're dealing with today. By contrast, Marvel's new Wonder Man series is set in modern Hollywood, following struggling actor Simon Williams as he navigates personal insecurities and his own identity in the face of new fame and powers he's keeping secret. Deeply personal with moments of genuine emotion, the new MCU show is also more lighthearted compared to Andor.Wonder Man Trades Expected Franchise Trappings For A More Unique Character-Driven Story Ultimately, Wonder Man traded spectacle for substance very much the same way Andor did. For example, Andor did not have any lightsabers, Jedi, or Sith Lords. There were only brief mentions of the Force, and no major surprise cameos. Instead, the series focused on those who were crucial to the forming of the Rebel Alliance, and those who served the Imperial regime. The result was a far more intense and focused character-driven story, making Andor a far more unique product compared to other Star Wars shows. Despite its very different content, Wonder Man mirrors this approach in a few key ways. Superpowers and action scenes were very limited, nor was there any typical big CGI fight like we've seen in past MCU shows. What we got instead was a captivating and highly entertaining bond between Simon Williams and Trever Slattery that absolutely carried the series, grounding the MCU in something intimate, human, and emotionally sincere. Subscribe to the newsletter for smart MCU and Star Wars analysis Joining the newsletter expands coverage with deeper MCU and Star Wars analysis, character-driven TV dissections, and thoughtful comparative essays about streaming series. Subscribe to the newsletter to get more of these focused, context-rich takes. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime. By keeping the expected franchise trappings in the background, Wonder Man proved the MCU can also provide a much wider range of stories, just like Andor did for Star Wars. Both shows succeed because they trust audiences to engage with a unique and well-written story, neither one of which had to be propped up by typical franchise elements. Risks were taken with both shows, and they paid off quite well. In this way, I do believe that Wonder Man could indeed be considered the MCU's Andor. Powered by Expand Collapse Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Leave a Review Your comment has not been saved Like Follow Followed Andor TV-14 Action & Adventure Drama Thriller Sci-Fi 8/10 495 9.1/10 Release Date 2022 - 2025-00-00 Network Disney+ Cast See All Powered by Expand Collapse
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