Let’s Discuss Wonder Man Episode 1-2

When we last saw Simon Williams, he thought he’d made a friend.

In truth, the actor had suffered the kind of bad that makes for a number one single on the country charts.

Williams got fired, dumped, and duped in a matter of 12 hours. It wasn’t great.

The worst part is that the actor only knows about two of the three, which brings us to today.

How long can Trevor Slattery pretend to be Simon Williams’ friend? It shouldn’t take long, right? He’s not that good an actor.

So, let’s watch the games begin as we discuss Wonder Man episode 1-2, the one with Joey Pants.

Strangers on a Plane

We begin the episode not with Simon Williams but Trevor Slattery instead.

The kindly gentleman/reformed terrorist is politely chatting with the woman seated next to him on the plane.

We learn a bit about Slattery’s backstory, and he makes a friend…whom he promptly loses.

Once Slattery arrives at the airport, security tackles him, forcing his cabinmate to note she’s not with him.

This is where Agent Cleary from the Department of Damage Control (DDC) enters the picture.

The agent expects Slattery to perform various services on behalf of the DDC.

Slattery recognizes that he holds no leverage here and agrees before Cleary can finish his sentence.

So, that’s how we reached this point in the story. Slattery has been targeting Simon Williams.

The DDC wants the actor to use a device to scan Williams’ laptop for information about his superpowers.

Meanwhile, the unaware Williams receives a phone call from his agent, Janelle.

He instinctively knows that the casting agent “loved” him, and he’s correct, which annoys Janelle.

Remember that she hadn’t told the actor about this audition. So, this is happening in spite of her.

Janelle clearly holds Williams in high regard and grudgingly tells him to create a self-tape.

The casting team believes it’s too soon to give him the part. They want him to test for a different role.

Williams will audition for The Carlyle via this self-tape, but he needs help filming it.

Previously, his ex-girlfriend, Vivian had helped him with this part of the gig. Thus, he feels alone.

At this point, he cannot control his emotions, and…something happens.

The camera cuts away before we witness it, but a sonic boom occurs at his apartment building.

So, fate entwines Slattery and Williams again, as the younger actor needs help finding the character.

A Terrible Double Agent

Before then, Slattery meets with Cleary to discuss the assignment, and it’s funny.

The agent asks the actor whether Simon Williams is glowing. Yes, I’m serious. He’s not. FYI.

I mention this because Sir Ben Kingsley’s delivery of this line is masterful, a recurring theme.

As odd as it may seem, one of the world’s greatest living actors looooooves being in the MCU.

 

He’s clearly delighted to be back as Trevor Slattery, and his work here is exemplary. I’m in awe.

At one point, Simon Williams texts him to ask for his help. To Cleary’s frustration, Slattery doesn’t respond.

The actor is treating the exercise like a gig, and he’s playing his treacherous friend to the best of his ability.

After a hilariously long time, Slattery responds and agrees to meet. Alas, the plan collapses.

Slattery needs to get into Williams’ apartment, but the younger actor has other plans.

He takes them to a place that makes self-tapes, which forces Slattery to tell Cleary the plan isn’t going well.

That same statement applies to Williams, as the self-tape place has a hard rule about who reads.

A complete stranger quotes the text, and she has the line delivery of atrocious AI. It’s bad.

So, Williams accepts that this is a bad idea and asks Slattery for other suggestions.

After a moment’s reflection, Slattery thinks of someone who can help. It’s Joe Pantoliano.

This was foreshadowed earlier on the plane when his former cabinmate discussed Joey Pants.

She indicated that she liked him, and Kingsley cracked me up with his delivery of, “People do.”

It was obvious from the inflection that he despises the man, and we get the immediate payoff now.

Williams and Slattery head to Pantoliano’s house to film the self-tape there. It does NOT go well.

That Jerk from The Matrix

 

Remember how Joey Pants betrayed humanity in The Matrix? Yeah, he’s a jerk here, too.

Sure, he seems nice at first, welcoming the two other actors into his home and greeting Slattery as an old friend.

Apparently, they worked on the same series, and it made Joey Pants a star.

Before that, everyone had preferred Slattery, who believes that Pants betrayed him.

Yes, I just said, “Pants betrayed him.” Damn you, Dockers! Do they still make Dockers? I’ve lost the plot.

Anyway, Slattery learns how luxurious Pantoliano’s house is and grows extremely jealous.

Meanwhile, Pants (at least on Wonder Man) is such a narcissist that he has a Baby’s Day Out poster in his bathroom.

Believe it or not, this comes up soon afterward when Simon Williams watches the two men.

In subtle but unmistakable fashion, Joey Pants diminishes Slattery as much as possible.

Williams finally has enough and not just calls Pants a jerk but also (correctly) trashes Baby’s Day Out.

Note: Disney now owns Baby’s Day Out as part of the Fox acquisition. So, it’s fair play here.

Anyway, the non-Pants actors storm out of Pants’ house. With no other options, the obvious occurs.

Simon Williams invites Trevor Slattery to his home, which allows the latter individual to complete his task.

A Betrayal Most Foul

 

Actually, they both do, as Williams delivers an impeccable take that everyone will love.

Even though Simon Williams just defended Trevor Slattery to Joey Pants, Slattery still betrays him.

To be fair, he clearly looks conflicted about it. Meanwhile, Williams offers to grab a pizza.

As he debates topics, Slattery notices a blanket hanging from the wall awkwardly.

Curious, he peeks behind the curtain…and sees a wrecked wall from the earlier sonic boom.

I’m pretty sure that Trevor Slattery knows that Simon Williams has superpowers now.

At this moment, Williams returns to the room, asking whether Slattery likes pepperoni.

The younger actor realizes that Slattery has seen the wall, and they stare in silence.

 

Then, Slattery deftly clasps his hands together and says, “Yeah. Pepperoni.”

Now we’ve got ourselves a ballgame. I’m really looking forward to seeing what happens next in episode three.

I haven’t watched it yet, as I wanted to get the first two recaps posted first.

However, I’m absolutely in love with Wonder Man thus far. It’s maximum Ben Kingsley.

I honestly hadn’t expected that, as Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is such a remarkable talent in his own right.

I didn’t love HBO’s Watchmen sequel as much as most, but he was inarguably the best part. IYKYK.

Now, his joining together with Kingsley is a force multiplier. This is grrrrreat!

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