Wonder Man Episode 2 - Discussion Thread

This thread is for discussion about the episode.

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|EPISODE|DIRECTED BY|WRITTEN BY|ORIGINAL RELEASE DATE|RUN TIME|CREDITS SCENE?|
|:-|:-|:-|:-|:-|:-|
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|Episode 2: Self-Tape|[Destin Daniel Cretton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Destin_Daniel_Cretton)|[Andrew Guest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Guest)|January 27, 2026|\--||

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Commentaires

greeeens2026-01-28 03:34

Watching the recap, think Janelle is also working with Trevor and the DODC?

hpbradviloria2026-01-28 03:34

Trevor Slattery is a known former terrorist and he's not on the no-fly list. That has to be a win.

...whoops, spoke too soon.

justafanboy10102026-01-28 03:46

🤣🤣🤣

Joshdabozz2026-01-28 03:35

Does that Intro suggest this takes place not long after Shang-Chi?

justafanboy10102026-01-28 03:47

Mmh, good question

CrazySnipah2026-01-28 04:14

No, not necessarily. We don’t know how long he stuck around in Asia before returning to the US. He would have had to make enough money for a plane ticket, if nothing else.

JauntyLurker2026-01-28 03:39

Crazy how Trevor can just lock in like that.

JauntyLurker2026-01-28 03:40

I wonder why Damage Control can't just take him. Maybe the fall out from Miss Marvel?

Living_Strength_36932026-01-28 03:46

Definitely the fall out.

CrazySnipah2026-01-28 04:16

If this were New York, Fisk’s goons would have killed him by now. Damage Control has to be a little more careful now.

deleteandrewind2026-01-28 03:40

I forgot all about the Department of Damage Control

N8CCRG2026-01-28 03:46

I'm glad to see it return. I think it makes for a great villain

justafanboy10102026-01-28 03:46

Me too literally. But I wonder what they’re real plans are

TopBee832026-01-28 06:32

Feels like they’re setting up the DoDC to be the MRD (Mutant Response Division)

empocariam2026-01-28 04:23

DoDC guy is practically the Thanos of this saga

JauntyLurker2026-01-28 03:43

Cleary is so incompetent he makes Trevor look great 😂

Corydoran2026-01-28 04:23

Despite his incompetence, I like how he's taking a measured and subtle approach instead of going in guns blazing. I remember him trying to rein in Deever in Ms. Marvel, so that's apparently a consistent trait of his.

deleteandrewind2026-01-28 03:45

Cleary is making me miss Succesion

justafanboy10102026-01-28 03:54

I thought that was him!

N8CCRG2026-01-28 03:48

I am loving the relationship between Simon and Janelle :D

justafanboy10102026-01-28 03:48

I wonder what Simon did to get on DODC’s radar. Did he also save a girl at an Avengers Fan Event?

JauntyLurker2026-01-28 03:49

Are self tape studios an actual thing?

Nefarious_242026-01-28 03:50

Yes I just looked it up myself there are a few in NYC

Corydoran2026-01-28 04:19

The concept made me think of those fake Instagram background sets.

CaptHayfever2026-01-28 06:46

Are self-tape studio managers who intentionally screw up their off-camera script readings to run the clock & charge more an actual thing?

Nefarious_242026-01-28 06:47

Probably

your_mind_aches2026-01-28 07:45

You can't bullshit a bullshitter. Both Trevor and Simon got out of there ASAP when they caught onto what she was doing.

No_Nature64302026-01-28 07:46

why would they include it if it wasn’t?

MaruKENTA2026-01-28 03:52

Trev has history with Joey Pants?!?

FloppyShellTaco2026-01-28 05:09

Joey Pants is officially an MCU villain

Joshdabozz2026-01-28 03:53

Joe Pantoliano has a much larger role than I thought he would

EDIT: well that was fast

superseri188882026-01-28 03:56

When Simon shook the building by being mildly angry, that was a terrifying showcase of his powers

N8CCRG2026-01-28 03:56

Kingsley is still a comedic genius

AyeItsChrisG2026-01-28 03:57

Not gunna lie the guy from the matrix is pretty cool.. makes me wanna go watch the movie again lol.. I can’t be the only one..

tacoorpizza2026-01-28 05:13

He’ll always be Bob Keane from “La Bamba” to me.

AyeItsChrisG2026-01-28 05:16

💀🤣🤣 lol right

SixPointTwoLiter2026-01-28 07:52

Which guy from the Matrix. We have two here. Yahya or Joey Pants?

Acrobatic-Dark-44022026-01-28 04:02

Trevor saw that smashed up wall and started to wonder if Option 1 was still on the table

Henchman4Hire2026-01-28 04:05

"Don't pretend to be happy for him, Joey Pantoliano."

ViralGameover2026-01-28 04:33

The way they kept saying his full name got me

somms9992026-01-28 08:08

Reminded me of [Jon Hamm on 'Curb Your Enthusiasm'](https://youtu.be/FDSY3s-qxUg?si=3829fhZ1tgW9zSE7), which is funny because Joey Pants apparently now looks a lot like Larry David.

deleteandrewind2026-01-28 04:05

These episodes are flying by

Nefarious_242026-01-28 04:08

Baby’s Day Out out here catching strays

justafanboy10102026-01-28 04:13

and to an extent the Percy Jackson movie. I just noticed it as one of the posters He got on his walls

your_mind_aches2026-01-28 07:32

HE PLAYED PERCY'S STEPDAD???? lmaoooo

I don't remember him in the movie at all but in the book, Percy's mom marries him (Gabe Ugliano) because he literally smells so bad that he masks the demigod blood scent and Greek mythical monsters can't find Percy.

justafanboy10102026-01-28 07:33

Hell yeah! Disgusting snob🤣 He played Gabe better than the show did

wisewhiz2026-01-28 04:30

Seeing that poster had me reeling.

valarpizzaeris2026-01-28 10:47

I had a recorded version of this movie on VHS as a kid, I watched it so many times. But all I can remember is the baby crawling on a steel beam and then a gorilla helping him out near the end lmao

yogos152026-01-28 04:47

One of my favorite movies as a kid. Couldn’t tell you who Pantoliano played, though (and I’m ashamed to admit I had to check whether or not he was a real actor lmao).

Signal_Minimum85092026-01-28 04:59

I had a Red Letter Media flashback

SorryRoof16532026-01-28 09:20

Like the movie is *not* that bad 😭

maxfridsvault2026-01-28 04:11

maybe i’m already overthinking things since we don’t know much about Simon’s personal life yet-

but could Trevor’s Hamlet skull end up becoming something Grim Reaper related by the end of the show?

justafanboy10102026-01-28 04:11

I just noticed the Percy Jackson poster in Joe’s room 🤦🏾‍♂️🤣

He actually played a better Gabe there than in the show portrayal

N8CCRG2026-01-28 04:15

I don't know these tracks in the credits but so far they both slap

wisewhiz2026-01-28 05:04

The song in the first episode is by one of my favorite bands!

["Ernie" by Fat Freddy's Drop](https://youtu.be/67tguR0jAC8?si=lRMd1vBvz-My-89z)

N8CCRG2026-01-28 05:08

Thank you!

Taco_Pie2026-01-28 05:10

Yeah I am looking for the end credit song from this episode!

N8CCRG2026-01-28 05:30

[Hessa - El Rego et Ses Commandos](https://youtu.be/76u2Wd9WLw4?si=5mJrg5nLy4JuA2Y3)

sentient_luggage2026-01-28 06:11

When you barely write a song at all and it's perfect. 2 chords, a rhythm section vibe, and some itchy vocals.

Taco_Pie2026-01-28 13:12

Awesome! Thanks!

TheMoorNextDoor2026-01-28 09:02

The end credit song choices have been A1+ so far.

CrazySnipah2026-01-28 04:18

Loved Simon referencing code switching in his phone call. The dialogue in this show is genuinely really strong; I guess writers in show biz are good at writing about show biz.

sillysocks342026-01-28 05:06

Have you seen The Studio? Similar vibes. They are very good at making fun of themselves.

MarkMVP012026-01-28 04:20

I bet in the MCU, Joe Pantoliano made an excellent Jim Gordon in a Ben Affleck Batman movie

breakourbones2026-01-28 04:29

Episode 2 minor spoiler

>! https://www.reddit.com/r/No_Small_Parts/comments/sxe4cy/sir_ben_kingsley_making_his_acting_debut_on_the/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb3x&utm_name=mweb3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button !<

two2teps2026-01-28 04:40

This show gives such ungodly Wes Anderson in it's cinematography.

Kyunseo2026-01-28 04:46

Not that anyone cares, but I love seeing Koreatown in this episode!

RealMaxHours2026-01-28 04:47

Said it in the Ep 1 thread but since they double and tripled (and even quadrupled the with the Pascali's Island poster) down on it, I’ll say again, I love that Trevor Slatterys early career is just Ben Kingsley’s

aSpookyScarySkeleton2026-01-28 08:57

Must be weird to play a “loser” version of yourself.

alleavel2026-01-28 04:49

Joey Pants! Bill Simmons is happy as hell

ScarlettMi2026-01-28 04:51

Joe Pantoliano actually being Joe Pantoliano amused me to no end. And the Baby's Day Out poster in the bathroom was great. I just genuinely enjoy watching Yahya and Kingsley acting off each other though. Trevor is a really great influence on him as an actor. Stupid DoDC is gonna kill the vibes when Simon eventually finds out the truth.

Okamana2026-01-28 05:25

Joe Pantoliano also played Ben Urich back in Daredevil (2003)!

No-Consideration-7162026-01-28 05:37

Sir Ben's not so subtle eye roll when Joey Pants mentions how if he was British he'd have been knighted. :D

FloppyShellTaco2026-01-28 04:52

I don’t actually care if we get any super heroing, I could watch Yahya and Ben together all day

FloppyShellTaco2026-01-28 04:53

That is a very inconvenient super power

FloppyShellTaco2026-01-28 04:56

Tbh can we just leave Trevor alone? Man gets kidnapped every 20 minutes

FloppyShellTaco2026-01-28 04:57

I am loving all these theatre shout outs

FloppyShellTaco2026-01-28 04:58

YesMarcyindeeditis!

Agreeable_User_Name2026-01-28 05:07

Slattery couldn't serve out his sentence because the ten rings abducted him right?

Thatboykap2026-01-28 05:21

Yep. That happened in a ‘one shot’ ever so long ago. We caught up with him in Shang shi after the abduction.

CaptHayfever2026-01-28 06:43

Exactly. He spent 10 of the last 13 years in a dungeon.

enbiien2026-01-28 19:21

Well that kinda lessens his braggadocios 13 years sober but still happy for him

your_mind_aches2026-01-28 07:34

Hijacking this to say that the DODC specifically giving him a ring as a hacking tool and him meditating on it for a second in Simon's apartment is pretty much him being "typecast" as the Mandarin.

ian_macintyre2026-01-28 16:02

I didn't catch that. That's great.

atomcrafter2026-01-28 19:32

The comics rings are alien technology with explicit circuitry like that.

sillysocks342026-01-28 05:07

This show is so fun. I hope they can keep it going and not end up having some shit cgi fight at the end.

FloppyShellTaco2026-01-28 05:11

Okaaaayyyy the way Yahya and Ben turned it on for that tape.

oorza2026-01-28 05:34

![gif](giphy|LmxxotgMjTj32)

valarpizzaeris2026-01-28 10:46

Even in episode 1 when he delivered his actual audition, and then this one with the tape? Yahya was fucking killing it in these 2 scenes. I'm 2 eps in so far and I'm very much impressed, this dude is incredible

NefariousNeezy2026-01-28 11:07

Ohh they acting acting

ian_macintyre2026-01-28 16:01

It's such a rare thing, when a scene is about a piece of art being excellent, for them to actually *deliver* on it being excellent. I keep thinking of Aaron Sorkin's show *Studio 60* (about an SNL-like show), where they kept going on about how brilliant the comedy was, but it was consistently terrible. *Wonder Man* is nailing it, and every scene where Simon has to "demonstrate" his acting ability he legit nails it.

oorza2026-01-28 05:30

"You suck Joe Pantoliano" is the funniest 10 seconds of the entire MCU, bar none. Fucking lmao, I can't breathe. "Even that dumb baby couldn't make you funny."

N8CCRG2026-01-28 18:41

This line is still bouncing around in my head the day after. I think it's going to live rent free there for a long time.

Koke12026-01-28 05:48

Holy shit Is that Ralph Ciffereto? He took Ben Kingsley to fuckin acting school!

Nexus7182026-01-28 10:09

In this universe, Baby's Day Out was a smash hit. *End of story!*

Wiccabuffy2026-01-28 06:04

Does anyone know what Simon and Trevor were quoting to each other in this ep?

Melodic-Task2026-01-28 08:18

Simon was quoting grapes of wrath.

Wiccabuffy2026-01-28 15:19

Thanks! I was searching everywhere to find out what they were! I had thought maybe Trevor was quoting Lear in the first part but the 2nd I wasn’t sure, and I didn’t recognize Simon’s at all

missmediajunkie2026-01-28 20:11

Trevor’s monologue is Salieri in “Amadeus”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDxrf5UdyWU

flintlock02026-01-28 06:39

The Matrix exists in this universe.

A movie series that continued a few years ago, starring Yahya as Morpheus.

CaptHayfever2026-01-28 06:42

Star Wars exists in this universe, a movie series that has starred Harrison Ford, Samuel L. Jackson, Natalie Portman, & Oscar Isaac.

KingOfAwesometonia2026-01-28 07:30

I mean we have one Morpheus. What about a second?

mattXIX2026-01-28 18:29

We’ve had both versions of Morpheus

your_mind_aches2026-01-28 07:44

Also Agent Smith is Red Skull, Trinity is Jeri Hogarth, and the original Morpheus is Dr. Bill Foster.

RedXerzk2026-01-29 00:31

Also Memento and presumably The Last of Us!

Zar-Djoser-00112026-01-28 06:48

Felt nostalgic watching old Trevor’s footage as the Mandarin from Iron Man 3.

An-292026-01-28 07:05

Yeah, reminds me the days when people were talking about Iron Man 3 and the Mandarin before the released.

SixPointTwoLiter2026-01-28 07:48

[deleted]

ZAPPHAUSEN2026-01-28 08:31

Speak for yourself. I fucking loved that twist.

Swiftdancer2026-01-28 09:50

Me too, and I loved it even more that the twist gave the MCU more opportunities to bring him back for 'All Hail the King' and 'Shang-Chi'. I hope they keep finding new ways to bring Trevor back.

recommendasoundtrack2026-01-28 17:54

On my first watch it annoyed me to realise Ben Kingsley wasn’t going to be a big time MCU villain like I was hoping- but I’ve come to love Trevor

OhioKing_Z2026-01-28 10:52

One of their most obscure projects tying directly with their most important (Iron Man) like that is the type of world building that makes the MCU feel so lived in and fleshed out. It’s one thing when they have big teamup movies but keeping that continuity in the shows helps keep me immersed even more.

snidece2026-01-28 06:52

Seeing ep 2, was Simon’s girlfriend from ep 1 also in on the plot to apprehend him?

SixPointTwoLiter2026-01-28 07:47

I'm assuming she has no idea he had powers. Her line was that he never let her in

flintlock02026-01-28 06:53

This would’ve been great as just a series about actors. Don’t even need the superpowers/Damage Control plot so far.

mattXIX2026-01-28 18:30

Just a Marvel version of The Studio

Speakatron2026-01-28 22:49

Very true. That's why Nolan's Batman films are so highly regarded, they stand up as superb genre films in and of themselves, the fact that the main characters happen to be superheroes/villains is almost incidental.

CaptHayfever2026-01-28 06:54

Who would make prosciutto out of duck meat?

snidece2026-01-28 07:02

It’s great. Had it few times at fancy parties in NYC.

No_Nature64302026-01-28 07:43

don’t knock it till you try it

CaptHayfever2026-01-28 07:56

I don't expect it to be *bad* (I like duck), but I also don't expect it to be worth the higher price over regular prosciutto.

NefariousNeezy2026-01-28 11:13

Duck tastes pretty gamey to me so if someone makes prosciutto out of it, I’d imagine it’d be better

your_mind_aches2026-01-28 06:56

I know the MCU has celebrity paradoxes up the wazoo, like Cap putting Star Wars on his list and then meeting up with Mace Windu 20 minutes later.

Or Tony Stark calling Ebony Maw "Squidward" while Thor faced off against Mr. Krabs mere days beforehand (Mr. Krabs was also a New York crime lord a couple years earlier).

But Simon Williams talking about The Matrix has to be the biggest paradox yet. He was LITERALLY Morpheus!

An-292026-01-28 07:07

Tbf, could've been that Resurrection never happened. Only the originals.

your_mind_aches2026-01-28 07:50

True, it was 2021 after all, during The Blip.

For reference, that's the year that Hawkeye killed William Lopez, and Daredevil showed up to interrupt the attack on the Tracksuit Mafia.

thinkinting2026-01-29 02:40

I feel like I am the only person in the world who likes with Matrix 4. It's nothing compare to 1, but under the circumstances (the sisters being forced to make it and one dropped out), it turned out OK

mattsmithreddit2026-01-28 17:59

And Morpheus was also played by Goliath

jhsounds2026-01-28 19:36

Don't forget Trinity. The Defenders shows are canon, right?

mattsmithreddit2026-01-28 20:11

Forgot she was in Jessica Jones

spidervenom6192026-01-28 07:11

Holy Hell, after dealing with that Racist chick from Ms. Marvel in Damage Control, I forgot how annoying Cleary is as a character. Good Lord, let Trevor do this job already.

your_mind_aches2026-01-28 07:18

Joey Pants just ABSOLUTELY Adam Westing here. The fact that they're Marvel and could get a ton of actors to do this exact bit of the disgustingly wealthy celebrity, but going with Joey Pants is sending me. I love it.

An-292026-01-28 07:23

Gotta say, Simon and Trevor's interactions and chemistry along are really knocking it out the park. Yahya and Ben really just makes the show much more enjoyable than I expected it to be.

I know alot people have given the MCU flak for their recent movies and most especially the shows that was greenlit to add streaming content to Disney+. That not everyone likes it or that some wouldn't be even willing to give it a shot. But still, from ep 1 and this ep. I genuinely think Wonder Man is going to be one of the better shows and enjoyable shows released in the Multiverse Saga. It's really good, even if it ends up being just one season. Although I still hope they manage to bring back Simon one way or another in the future.

Tipop2026-01-28 22:14

> But still, from ep 1 and this ep. I genuinely think Wonder **Woman** is going to be one of the better shows

hah

An-292026-01-29 00:24

Woopsies, muscle typing memory.

Tipop2026-01-29 00:33

I assumed it was autocorrect

your_mind_aches2026-01-28 07:25

It's pretty realistic how the Wonder Man audition is him running the lines from the old movie since it's a big studio film with NDAs, while the indie flick just straight up sends him the script from the movie.

PSiPostscriptAlot2026-01-28 08:12

Random Fact: The place they did the self tape at unsuccessfully is like a 7 minute walk from where Trevor Slatery lives.

PS: Shoutout to KTown.

minyoo2026-01-28 11:47

As a Korean I was pleasantly surprised

TimeTimeTickingAway2026-01-28 14:38

I felt like that scene just had to be inspired by someone’s real life experience

chameleonmessiah2026-01-29 01:43

I liked them walking out after getting _immediately_ fed up with the girl there doing basically what he’d done on the American Horror Story set, pausing & overly considering her basically inconsequential lines.

They’re paying for the time more directly, than the big studio but it was a nice scaled equivalence.

TheMoorNextDoor2026-01-28 08:53

The interaction between these two is magnificent and the movie call backs… referencing The Matrix? Other classic literature and films, blew my mind.

The social commentary? A1 so far.

This show is written extremely well yet very carefully too. It just flows well together so far and I actually want to continue watching each episode. Releasing it in this format might’ve been the right call after all.

If you are a film buff this will likely be your favorite MCU show to date.

Wise-News16662026-01-28 09:09

Wow I'm genuinely loving this. The writing is fantastic, and the cinematography is a lot more impressive than I expected for a show like this. It doesn't have that recent "Marvel-feel" to it in the best way possible.

thedudeabides20222026-01-28 14:52

Yeah it feels like The Studio cinematography, all shaky camera. Kinda like it

Wendigo152026-01-28 09:34

Wonder what happened to Morris

jdyake2026-01-29 01:07

Probably back in Ta Lo

WildSinatra2026-01-28 10:05

Subtle detail but Simon clocks that Trevor still has the Mandarin’s original prop rings and shades after the photo of him and his mom.

WildSinatra2026-01-28 10:17

Trevor’s “Acting is not a job it’s a calling, the single most consequential thing anybody could do with their life” is starkly profound to Joey Pants in this moment versus Seth Rogan saying the same thing to a room of surgeons in *The Studio*

waitweightwhaite2026-01-28 14:55

That line also feels funny in a world (IN A WORLD) where there are literal world-saving people

Rin_Seven2026-01-28 12:01

The way the camera lingers on SIR Ben Kingsley while Joey Pants talks about being knighted was funny as hell.

GeneralKenobi_212th2026-01-28 12:35

The way Trevor and Simon kept calling Joey Pants by his full name was weirdly funny to me.

BlancTigre2026-01-28 12:44

Does any episode have a post credit scene?

Enough-Object-19302026-01-28 19:11

WilliamEmmerson2026-01-28 12:49

I'm trying to watch the second episode but it keeps freezing. It happened while watching the first episode but only once. Anyone else having this problem with Disney plus?

Remote-Direction9632026-01-28 18:42

Maybe disconnect and then connect your internet connection again?

thehairharringt0n2026-01-28 13:17

When Simon’s gonna eventually find out the truth it’s gonna hurt, I can already feel it from the bonding scenes

Ok_Anything45932026-01-28 13:59

I'm thinking the same, but it would also make sense for Simon to give more consideration to Trevor's difficult choice, because everyone knows about the Mandarin story and the FBI/Counterterrorism involvement

RedXerzk2026-01-29 00:33

I wonder (see what I did there?) if Von Kovac added a twist in his Wonder Man remake where Barnaby betrays Wonder Man, mirroring Trevor spying on Simon for DODC.

mort552026-01-28 14:23

The Corrie shout out!

demonoddy2026-01-28 14:53

Destin is going to be with marvel for a while. What a good find. I can’t wait for brand new day

silverscreemer2026-01-28 19:30

Just wanted to drop this Baby's Day Out review.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zjXphIoYwg

SickFromNutmeg2026-01-28 20:05

This episode has sold me on this show Joe Pantoliano was hilarious and Simon is a great character I'm excited to see where this goes

Grayx_28872026-01-28 21:10

I laughed at the ending of this episode.

fin-ch2026-01-28 21:56

Coronation Street mention in the MCU is insanity 😂

lankeymarlon2026-01-28 21:57

Meta: One of Sir Ben Kingsley's first roles was on the English Soap Opera 'Coronation Street'. That was a nice touch.

icorrectpettydetails2026-01-29 02:05

They even name the character he played, Ron Jenkins.

Speakatron2026-01-28 22:50

Hella good episode. This show is so promising.

Uncle_Beanpole2026-01-28 23:24

I will not accept any Baby’s Day Out slander

![gif](giphy|cM5kuNQl7MXHz782lX|downsized)

crockoreptile2026-01-29 00:01

These episodes are going by so quick but they feel cozy

VVantaBuddy2026-01-29 00:25

i can sense a masterpiece just by ep 2.

ElliottNation92026-01-29 01:32

After 2 EP's I'm hooked!

Worldly_Spend_34312026-01-29 02:14

Joe Pantoliano is canon in MCU. Joe Pantoliano and Guy Pearce are in Memento. Guy Pearce plays the role of the actual Mandarin who Trevor Slattery was acting as. In conclusion, Mandarin is the actual actor Guy Pearce and he actually blew up in Iron Man 3. The Guy Pearce walking around now is a clone.
Yes, Doctor, I’ll go back in my room now.