There’s something deeply grating about airing a show with very little promo, dropping all episodes at once, renewing it, then canceling it on the eve of one of your opening blockbusters. In other words, the MCU makes a clear statement about where it stands when it comes to inclusivity because once, twice, maybe we can brush it off as unintentional, but the way people of color are consistently sidelined and the way their shows/movies are treated is far from okay. Because of this, the Wonder Man cancellation is yet another disappointing reminder of how unfair this industry is.
We’ve seen the same questionable treatment happen with Sam Wilson’s Captain America, Moon Knight, Ms. Marvel, and, to make matters worse, we’ve learned that the Mahershala Ali Blade film isn’t happening either.
It also begs the question of how and why you would cancel an already renewed showed when your leading actor also has an Emmy nomination? That’s right, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is nominated for an Emmy as Simon Williams in the comedy category, which makes it all the more devastating because he should’ve had the chance to step into Simon’s shoes again.
What’s also frustrating is that we can get shows like Daredevil: Born Again dropping weekly, but all of Wonder Man dropped at once, making it even harder for people to watch when they didn’t have time. It’s appalling, is what it is, and we need to start having these conversations publicly because it can’t be a coincidence anymore. It’s downright frustrating, and it makes it so hard to trust companies who claim to champion people of color one minute, while dropping them the next.
Not to mention, the series wasn’t just good; it was excellent, with everyone involved bringing their A-game in a manner that we’ll think about for a long, long time. If you haven’t already, watch it now. It’ll be worth it to know these characters, even if we can’t get more of them.
First Featured Image Credit: ©Marvel