WandaVision is a lot of things: a love letter to classic TV, the beginning of a new chapter, catching up with old friends and much more.
From its pilot episode in glorious black and white to its series finale, the series made ripples across the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Kevin Feige’s opening salvo into Phase 4 of the MCU is, if nothing else, interesting.
WandaVision follows Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and The Vision (Paul Bettany) through their idyllic new life in the fictional town of Westfield, New Jersey and the hijinx they get into while trying to hide their superhero identities.
At least, this is what’s initially presented.
Underneath the veneer of classic TV, there are cracks in the format. Sporadically colored objects in an otherwise entirely black and white production, as well as characters acting strangely, hint something is wrong.
A few episodes in, the viewer is taken out of TV Land to discover an anomaly has overtaken Westfield, imprisoning everyone in the town and forcing them to act out classic TV.
Most episodes of WandaVision are stylized to mimic different sitcoms.
Ranging from golden oldies including “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” “Bewitched” and “The Brady Bunch” to modern classics such as “Full House,” “Family Ties” and “Malcolm in the Middle,” to contemporary shows like “Modern Family” and “The Office.”
These episodes are loving homages to the source material with each having an era-appropriate theme song and faux-cast credits.
From set design to the mannerisms and speech patterns of characters and even using black bars that subtly slide in at the top or sides of the screen to recreate aspect ratios. The attention to detail is a marvel to behold in the sitcom style in parts of the show.
When there’s a break in the altered reality of Westfield, it is deliberately presented as a hint to what’s really happening.
Bettany and Olsen showcase genuine chemistry, showing no matter what time period or whatever shenanigans they get into, Wanda and Vision are meant to be together.
Kathryn Hahn, who plays Agnes the eternally nosy neighbor, deserves a special mention because she provides comic relief in nearly every episode.
Halfway through the series, the episodes split their time between the sitcom drama in TV Land and the investigation into the anomaly right outside of it.
The action outside focuses on SWORD agent Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris), FBI agent Jimmy Woo (Randall Park) and astrophysicist Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings) who are all familiar characters to MCU fans.
Park and Dennings both reprised their roles from the “Ant-Man” and “Thor” movies respectively, while Parris plays an adult version of Maria Rambeau’s daughter from “Captain Marvel.”
The trio makes what’s happening outside of the anomaly as interesting as what’s going on inside of it and are a joy to watch as they unravel its mysteries.
Their personalities work well together as Agent Woo brings an awkward charm, Dr. Lewis a sardonic wit and Agent Rambeau a focused determination that makes caring about in them easier.
Each episode of WandaVision is exciting, not just because of the nostalgic attention to detail or great character work but because it does a good job of setting up mysteries.
It does this so well that even when a mystery is solved further questions are raised, a pattern that persists to the final episode.
The show also fills in missing details in previous MCU works, including one stand-out scene in episode eight that should’ve been in “Avengers: Civil War.”
Overall, WandaVision is an excellent show and worthy of the big screen, but it tells a story that can only be paced as a serial work.
While it’s necessary to watch for anyone who wants to keep up with the MCU lore, the show is more than worthy of watching based on its own merits.
