Filmed Before A Live Studio Audience
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Marvel Studio’s first foray into Television is aptly dedicated to the classic sitcoms of the 1950’s that pioneered the medium and made it what it is today. Yes, Wandavision’s first episode is a delight to fans of I love Lucy and Bewitched with impeccable costume design, set design and authenticity that makes it seem like this new addition to Marvel canon was lifted right off a 1950’s Tv Screen.
This delightful first episode is a palate cleanser for the MCU - no world-shattering stakes, no life affecting tragedies, just a good old-fashioned sitcom with hints to a much darker, comic book-y show hidden within. Director Matt Shakman has created a wonderful, rich and detailed world that has fans enraptured in the story whilst also feverishly hunting for clues as to how this whole event takes place.
Elizabeth Olsen is phenomenal in this episode, adopting the signature quirkiness and vulnerabilities of a 50’s Soaps star while still retaining the qualities we know and love about Wanda Maximoff. Paul Bettany is similarly well adept at playing the doting sitcom husband but with a robotic twist and this episode is truly special as it introduces us to one of Phase 4’s best new characters: Agnes (Agatha). Kathryn Hahn has been a supporting player in Hollywood for some time now and for her to come into her own in this series in a crucial role is just brilliant.
The Lopez couple, responsible for the Frozen Soundtrack have create an opening credits jingle perfectly in keeping with the kooky tone of this show and only added to its flair and ambience.
Episode one of Wandavision is a pure sitcom delight that is enjoyable for MCU fans or even first-time viewers. However, Jac Schaeffer’s ability to subtly weave MCU lore with the sitcom formula has created feverish anticipation amongst the fan base and has them waited patiently for answers in the coming episodes.
Dont Touch That Dial
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Wandavision’s second episode begins with an earworm of a theme tune which captivated the public’s attention and had them humming the android and witches’ intro music for weeks to come. The episode that follows the effortlessly catchy theme tune is just as captivating and engaging as the first, but with a few more cracks beginning to show in Wanda’s impressive, decade defying façade.
This episode nailed the comedic tone of the 1960’s, particularly Hahn who is able to deliver the comedic lines whilst also maintaining her impressive mystique that is making her a wild card in this puzzling tale. Jac Schaeffer’s ability to evoke the same feeling and energy of a 1960’s sitcom is a testament to her talent as a writer, Kevin Feige’s genius and the production design who once again deliver impeccable work.
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Wandavision is Marvel’s first cosy project. Schaeffer, Shakman and the cast have created a world that is sumptuous and comforting to be in, breaking that bubble of cosiness every once in a while, to give us a glimpse of the true horrors at hand… The transition from black and white cinematography to colour was a stunning visual display and a beautiful homage to The Wizard of Oz which is a perfect parallel to Wandavision and its tale of two witches. Olsen and Bettany are as flawless and perfect as the first episode, but MCU newcomer Teyonah Parris is a revelation here as the grown-up Monica Rambeau. Parris is able to create a completely different version of this character that we met in Captain Marvel whilst still retaining her child-like sense of wonder from that movie.
Once again, Marvel Studios, Jac Schaeffer and Matt Shakman have crafted an engaging, thrilling and tense mystery amongst the decade-hopping sitcom shenanigans. Shafer’s ability to interweave exposition with the period dialect is a true marvel (no pun intended) and has the audience on the edge of their seat for the next episode in this captivating mystery.
Now In Colour
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Whilst the world of Wandavision seemed bound to the structure of the sitcoms of each decade for the first two episodes, episode three begins to watch that structure unravel as the present and past begin to clash. With the first two episodes, Head-Writer Jac Schaeffer lured the audience into a cosy sense of security and with episode three suprises the audience with moments of genuine horror.
Monica and Wanda’s confrontation at the end of the episode was a tense and nail-biting scene which gave us a look at the dark and edgy material that was to come. The general sense of foreboding and horror present in the second half of the episode was masterfully directed by Shakman in conveying the threat that Wanda poses in this world.
However, episode three’s comedic moments were stellar and most alike the era from which the creatives were drawing inspiration from. The water breaking causing raining in the house, the ever-changing raincoats and the birthing scene… top tier comedic moments from the MCU and only helping to contribute to that cosiness and warmth of this series.
I particularly enjoyed the introduction of Billy and Tommy into the MCU and the love their parents shared for them was beautiful and so sincere for the generally romance averse MCU. The Disney+ shows have enabled Marvel to expand their formula and that is no better exemplified than through our exploration of Wanda and Vision’s love explored in this series.
Elizabeth Olsen and Teyonah Parris’ performances here are phenomenal, walking the fine line between over-acting and subtlty like true professionals. Their confrontation at the end of the episode will prove to be an iconic scene in the MCU which is a testament to their acting prowess as no powers are involved. Bettany, Hahn and all the supporting players continue to be excellent in their performances which require real duality and precision.
Finally, episode three ends with a true cliffhanger, leaving the audience breathless for more and finally answering some of the questions that have been burning in the fans’ minds for weeks. The show’s ability to pose new questions whilst answering unresolved ones is staggering and makes it clear as to why Wandavision is the enormous success it has become.
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We Interrupt This Program
Episode four of Wandavision opens with a bang, grounding the world-shattering events of Infinity War and Endgame with the powerful and emotional backstory of Teyonah Parris’ Monica Rambeau. Yes, episode four begins to clarify some of the burning questions the first three episodes posed, yet in its effort to provide clarity the story begins to lose its laser sharp kinetic energy and pacing.
However, the reintroduction of fan-favourite comedic sidekicks: Darcy Lewis and Jimmy Woo bring a newfound breath of fresh air into the series and add another comedic dimension to the already comedic series. The tonal shift from classic sitcoms to modern MCU is stark and is stitched seamlessly through the grounded and grief-stricken central performance of Teyonah Parris.
Schaeffer and Shakman use episode four to update the audience on all of the clues peppered throughout the first three episodes whilst also posing new questions that prepare the audience as they reach the midpoint of the series. Whilst the pacing does lag in this episode, it is the strength of the mystery crafted that keeps the audience invested in the world even when it does feel as though the story is not progressing.
Despite its pacing, the episode featured shocking moments like the early introduction of Monica’s superhero origin and Wanda’s villainous tendencies when interacting with those she feel does not belong to her world. The visual image of Vision with his mind stone-less head will forever be a powerful image in helping us understand Wanda’s grief which ultimately is the whole purpose of this show.
Whilst this episode is not as structurally masterfully created as the first three, Schaeffer Shakman and the cast are incapable of producing any content that is less than stellar as the mystery created is too intriguing to be categorised as anything less. The seductiveness of the sitcoms contrasting the coldness of current day alone shows why the creative team deserved their bountiful Emmy nominations.
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On A Very Special Episode...
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All-New Halloween Spooktacular
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Breaking The Fourth Wall
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Episode 8
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The Series Finale
Review Coming Soon