Episode Review: Wonder Man Episode 3 - "Pacoima"

Welcome back to the blog readers. Wonder Man (2026) has been such a delight to watch over the last few weeks. The satirical look at Hollywood and the struggle that actors face every day is not as prevalent as something in say, The Studio (2025-), but it still works. The chemistry between our two leads is stellar and all the more reason to want to watch this show. I know I am only two episodes in, but I buy it almost immediately. Going into this episode, titled "Pacoima," written by Paul Welsh and Madeline Walter, and directed by James Ponsoldt, I knew it was going to be getting better. Would that be the case? Stick around to find out.

NOTE: I will be using spoilers for my thoughts, so DO NOT read ahead if you have not seen the episode.

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I have been waiting for an episode of this show to really start digging at the characters and their specific dynamics, and was hopeful that since we have eight episodes this process would begin relatively shortly. Not having any way of knowing what would come next (since I am watching week by week with no "next time on..." like the HBO shows) only added to the intrigue for me, and I have to say that this was a fantastic episode of television. The performances of Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Sir Ben Kingsley were stellar, as was their chemistry, and the story is one that is deeply personal and heartbreaking to say the least. Well done Marvel.

Since this is the first time I am going to be talking about actual performances in the lifecycle of this show (by the way, shoutout to Demetrius Grosse and Shola Adewusi as Simon's brother Eric and mother Martha respectively), I am going to talk about them individually. And I am going to start with that of Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. I have regularly mentioned that he is one of my favorite actors in the business right now having been in clown work like Aquaman (2018) and its sequel Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023), and regular films like The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020) and Ambulance (2022). But what he is able to do in this episode is some of the best work I have ever seen him do. He is perfectly able to blend isolation and depression in such a way that made it real and made people like me be seen. You feel for his character of Simon Williams and everything he has been through, and the emotion resonates throughout the screen this time around.

Next up, what is there to say about Sir Ben Kingsley that has not already been said? An Oscar winner, a BAFTA winner, a Grammy winner, and a multiple-time Emmy nominee are some of the things that Kingsley can call himself. Another thing he can call himself is delightful as shit, especially when he is playing Trevor Slattery. He brings such a charisma to this role that I am left stunned at his prowess. You can feel every emotion that Slattery feels, and you can resonate with the undeniable chemistry that Kingsley has with Abdul-Mateen. His final scene where he expresses concern and doubt is some excellent acting, and must not be overlooked in the grander picture of things.

And now, we have to talk about this week's story because it really highlights some major character developments for our two leads. We begin with a flashback to a young Simon Williams at a doctor's office with his Haitian mother Martha and brother Eric after an alleged kitchen fire. Martha is begging and praying for her son to be unharmed, while shutting Eric down when he speculates Simon caused the fire. A doctor comes in with a diagnosis: there are no burns, no irritated skin, and no signs of smoke inhalation. She muses that she has never seen a healthier 13-year old boy in her life as Martha rejoices. Fast forward to the present day, Secretary of the Department of Damage Control (DODC) Dan is hosting a meeting with his fellow agents, including Cleary. The Raft is half-empty and Congress is scrutinizing the agency's budget so he gives them a clear directive: start filling up the Raft or they will lose their funding. Afterwards, Cleary calls Trevor Slattery to explain he found nothing on Simon's laptop and emphasizes his agreement that he needs to find something to incriminate Simon, despite Trevor's questioning if Simon is really a threat. Cleary tells Trevor that Martha's birthday party is being held in Simon's hometown of Pacoima, California and makes Trevor attend to find out more information, outfitting him with a wire.

Meanwhile, Simon has begun spiraling out of control with anticipation over whether he will get a callback for Wonder Man and repeatedly calls his agent Janelle to see if Ruth has gotten word. She is not happy and tells him to stop calling or else she will drop him. Trevor, who is still at Simon's apartment, overhears this and calms Simon's nerves by reciting their favorite poetry lines. Simon recalls his mother's birthday the next day and Trevor offers his attendance. Simon accepts, hoping Trevor's presence will alleviate the judgment he knows will be coming from his family, but on one condition: he must not tell Simon's family about his firing from American Horror Story. The next day, Simon and Trevor arrive to Martha's house where she warmly welcomes the two, noting that Simon has never brought a friend to her house before today. Trevor also meets Eric, who immediately recognizes him as the Mandarin. Trevor counters that he took the job to pay off prostitution debts in a moment that literally made me howl in laughter. That is such a Trevor thing to say. Martha talks about Eric's birthday present to her: a remodeled kitchen that includes an island. Trevor praises the remodel as Martha brings up that it was needed since the fire incident. He tries to probe them for more information but Simon begins to panic and texts Janelle to distract himself.

As the party unfolds, Trevor is talking to more members of Simon's family while trying to find more information about the kitchen fire and personal stories about Simon. The conclusion that he comes to is that Simon was a lonely child that grew up to become a lonely man. Simon also makes an effort to make conversation with his cousins, but he still feels out of place. Dinner arrives and Eric tells his family about how well his insurance job is going, and pressures Simon into applying at his company instead of wasting his life for a big break that may never come. Simon counters that he is about to be shortlisted for a Von Kovak film, an idea that Eric laughs at. Trevor tries to defend Simon, but Eric shuts him down by claiming that this is a family matter and he is not family. He excuses himself to use the restroom while Martha talks to Simon about American Horror Story. Trevor enters Simon's childhood bedroom and fields a call from Cleary, who ups the pressure to find something to incriminate Simon, who enters the room while Trevor fakes a call from his doctor. As the night winds down, the family sings "Happy Birthday" to Martha and Simon looks increasingly uncomfortable and out of place. Martha pulls Trevor aside and he offers to help her with the dishes, claiming she should not have to do them on her birthday. She thanks Trevor for being Simon's friend and admits he has always been lonely. Trevor notices this and this conversation touches him.

Simon gifts his mother an ice cream maker that she has always wanted, making her very happy. Eric blasts this as he accuses Simon of using Martha's money to buy it for her and pressures him into admitting he was fired from American Horror Story due to "creative differences." Eric lays into Simon again and he begins to build up rage. Trevor notices things on the island rise up and swirl, and Simon lets his rage get the best of him by smashing his hands on the island, shattering it. Trevor looks on in shock as Eric lambasts Simon again, causing him to leave in shame with Trevor not far behind. Some time later, when the two are in Simon's car, Simon admits he has never understood his powers and that the people that witnessed that fit of rage are the only people that know he has powers. He references a man named DeMarr Davis (also known as the Doorman) ruined his chance at acting and the later-enacted Doorman Clause can destroy any chance he has as an actor. Trevor tries to reassure Simon with a hymn, but Simon asks for some space so Trevor relieves himself. Taking the wire out of his pocket, he snaps the SD card and tosses it away as he returns to the car to a shaken Simon. Janelle has called, even trying to call both of them. Not only has Simon gotten a callback for Wonder Man, so has Trevor.

Wonder Man's third episode goes from building the chemistry between our two leads to developing their motivations in a phenomenal emotion-driven episode. Thank you all for reading, and I will see you for the next post.