After a year long break, the MCU has finally returned. We still have a bit of a wait before the movies make their grand return, but for now some of your favourite Marvel superheroes are branching out onto Disney+ for their own mini adventures. First up is WandaVision which stars Wanda, the finger waving witch, and literal robot man, Vision, living happily together in a 1950’s sitcom. Yes really, so let’s talk about it!
I’ll try my best not to give too much away as it’s a “the less you know the better” type of policy that should be applied to this show. I’ll just summarise my basic thoughts and if you have seen the whole show and want more details, there is a drop down button below my rating score containing the spoiler section of this review.
The gist is Wanda and Vision are trying to live a normal life together, while trying to keep the knowledge of their super powers to a minimum. The pilot episode is filmed like an episode of the classic sitcom Bewitched. It ticks all the boxes of old 50’s & 60’s sitcoms: It’s filmed in black and white, has a catchy theme song, very obvious sets, dated effects and it has super corny line delivery, which is normally accompanied by a laugh track. I like the spot on homage, but it can become a bit tedious, however, it is a show that demands patience. The show does make some variations to the sitcom formula as it goes on, while also in typical Marvel fashion dropping major plot revelations at the end of each episode. It’s a nine episode long season and as far as I’m aware there won’t be a follow-up.
To end this section off, Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany are great in the leading roles. This show also got me to really appreciate the characters of Wanda and Vision more than I ever did in the movies. Wanda and Vision carry this whole show as the side characters that were introduced, I did not give a damn for. As for the episodes, they all make for good TV viewing, but it definitely peaks in the middle section and unfortunately takes a dive in the latter portions of the season. I didn’t have any expectations for WandaVision, but after finishing the show I’m quite impressed, and if you’re looking for a new show to watch, give this a bash.
Now that we’re no longer dodging plot details, I can safely reveal that the whole sitcom formula is made-up by Wanda so she can subdue her deep depression over the traumatising events that happened in Avengers: Infinity War. I think anyone who is familiar with these characters could have easily guessed that, especially when you factor in Vision’s inclusion. I can understand wanting to leave the audience hanging, but I still found it a bit frustrating that the first three episodes did nothing but tease rather than give us a concrete answer as to what was even happening.
Thankfully, Episode 4 is when we’re properly introduced to Captain Rambeau and filling us in on the government team tasked with monitoring Wanda’s activities. This is when the show starts to get really good. Apparently when Wanda decided to turn her life into a sitcom she took everyone who lived in the town to play the extras and supporting characters in her show, so the government are here to rescue them from Wanda. While the government storyline is okay, the most fascinating part to me is that Wanda is seen as this villain, who has let her grief take over her good nature. We also find out Wanda is forcing these civilians to act the way they are and has made these magical borders to keep them in and keep the government guys out. She also has total control of where her sitcom plot will go and what the morals will be, at this point it’s like we’re watching an episode of Black Mirror, but with superheroes, and I can’t explain how awesome that is! Add onto that Vision is now having Truman Show parallels as he questions his own existence and Wanda’s mental state. I love it!
At this point in the show the revolving door of what decade the sitcom format is satirising is now part of the main plot. My favourite episode in this show is the Halloween themed episode with the sitcom format having a 2000’s Nickelodeon/Disney Channel family feel. No more laugh track, full aspect ratio, quirky 2000’s music, cutaway gags and lots of smug fourth wall breaks by the fake kids. It was very nostalgic! The episode had Vision walking through a static neighbourhood on Halloween night and it was eerie as hell. Wanda’s god-like villainy continues to rise with the return of her problematic brother Pietro, played by the other Quicksilver that everyone likes. (Fan service that I’m willing to let slide, despite how silly it becomes.) The episode ended on a really solid cliffhanger – it was great.
What can I say, this show won me over. That was however until we learn that Wanda’s fake best friend is also a witch and is the true Big Bad on this sitcom. We learn through her super catchy theme song that she was pulling those strings so subtly that it initially didn’t even register to me what the hell she even did. Man, the reveal that there is another witch who wants Wanda’s powers so she can become super powerful was so disappointing it hurt! A shame too as the actress is terrific, but not the character! It just felt like they needed another villain so that Wanda no longer looked evil and the only way the MCU knows how to truly redeem people is that they have one big final CGI fight in the series finale.
The final episode of WandaVision convinced me that this is just like your typical Marvel movie, and the sitcom stuff and intrigue is only there just to draw you in, like a phishing scam. In the final episode Captain Rambeau and the government people show off just how useless they were on this show, by basically twiddling their thumbs for the entire time. I guess Rambeau had more of a point because her purpose was to tease whatever was to come in that mid credit scene. Wanda de-powers the evil witch and turns her into the best friend character she played on the sitcom. After that, Wanda just decides she is done with this stupid show and says her final goodbyes to her fake kids and Vision and makes the borders disappear, taking them with it. So in the end the evil witch doesn’t remember being evil so she gets off scott free and fake Pietro too as it turns out he’s really just some guy called Ralph Bohner and lacks any super speed. The civilians Wanda imprisoned don’t remember being enslaved and the government don’t care anymore so Wanda flies away to live in a cabin somewhere in the end credits scene so she can learn to be just like Doctor Strange. Happy ending, I guess.
The finale for WandaVision was rather disappointing, but mainly due to how open ended it was. The characters are all placed into positions so their stories could easily be picked up again for a second season, but the problem is this is the series finale, and you need a proper conclusion to give everyone an appropriate send-off. Setting up their roles for future movies, in a show that is half finished doesn’t equal a satisfying ending. To give The Mandalorian Season 2 some credit, at least they knew how to end satisfactorily, even if it isn’t the final season. While I very much enjoyed my time with WandaVision, I hate admitting that it’s up there with shows like Lost and Game of Thrones for worst endings.
That’s all I have to say on this show, so goodbye!
