Marvel’s Wonder Man streams now — excellent but a 'Surf Dracula' slow burn

Polygon’s review argues that Marvel’s Wonder Man — all eight episodes now streaming on Disney Plus — plays out like a “Surf Dracula” show, promising one story in trailers but spending much of the season on a protracted build-up. The term Surf Dracula, coined in a 2021 tweet by user @topherflorence, describes streaming series that tease a major moment up front and then stretch out backstory and setup for most of a season.

Polygon cites past examples such as Halo, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, and Netflix’s Resident Evil as similar frustrations. Trailers pitched a meta hook — an actor hiding superpowers to land a Hollywood superhero role — but the series unfolds more slowly. It follows Simon Williams (Yahya Abdul‑Mateen II) as a struggling actor who befriends Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley); both audition for an in‑universe remake called Wonder Man while the show detours into buddy‑comedy scenes, a family reunion, a drug‑feud subplot, and a flashback explaining why superheroes are banned from Hollywood.

Joe Pantoliano appears as himself in a memorable cameo. Polygon calls Wonder Man an excellent series — “one of Marvel’s best” — and says the payoff is worth it when the story finally aligns with the original premise, even if the season often feels like it’s treading water. The review even suggests it might be the best example of a Surf Dracula show.

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