Episode 1 of Wonder Man commences with a young Simon Williams engrossed in the Wonder Man superhero film at the cinema, accompanied by his father. The narrative then shifts to the present, where Simon is a character actor working on the American Horror Story alongside actress Ashley Greene.
While on set, Simon is meticulous about various aspects of his character, including the props, lighting, and direction. His attention to detail irritates the director, Lauren, who ultimately requests his dismissal. The casting agent, Linda, informs Simon that his role has been significantly reduced.
Dejected, Simon returns to the apartment he shares with his girlfriend, Vivian. However, he discovers that Vivian had planned to move out before he returned from the set. Vivian confronts Simon about their struggling relationship and ends things definitively.
Later that day, Simon seeks solace at the cinema hall. There, he encounters Trevor Slattery, a former failed actor who is on the phone discussing a highly sought-after role he's auditioning for. Recognizing Trevor from previous acting projects, Simon strikes up a conversation with him.
Outside the cinema hall after the film ends, Simon enquires about Trevor's audition and learns that renowned international filmmaker Von Kovak is remaking the classic superhero film, Wonder Man. Stirred by his passion for the project and his childhood memories of watching it with his father, Simon asks his agent, Janelle, to book him an audition with Kovak. Janelle claims that the auditions are over and refuses to sign him up. When Janelle leaves for the day, Simon sneaks into her computer and finds the casting call email. He contacts the casting director, Ruth Bakshi, through her secretary and manages to book himself for the audition by posing as Janelle's assistant.
At the audition, Simon was handed the script and instructed to wait alongside other actors vying for the role. As he began to rehearse the dialogue for the scene, he ran into Thomas, who had just delivered an Oscar-worthy performance.
Thomas noticed Simon struggling to embody the character of Wonder Man and offered to help. He advised Simon to stop overthinking every detail and instead deliver the script with complete conviction. When Simon was called in for his audition, he gave it his all.
Later that night, Simon and Trevor met at a bar for drinks and talked about their shared passion for acting. Trevor shared his years of experience as an actor, and Simon decided it was time to call it a night and go back home.
As Trevor was having dinner alone, he received a call from someone who claimed that Simon had superpowers and needed to be controlled and taken into custody. He reassured the man on the other line that Simon was falling for his trap, as the episode ended with Simon texting Trevor.
