by Jake Bourgeois
The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first new programming since Spider-Man: Far from Home was not meant to be their first foray into the small screen for Disney+, but that’s the reality that’s been constructed for us as WandaVision kicked off Phase Four.
When the public first learned what the series was about, I’m not sure where taking a trip through popular American sitcoms with Wanda Maximoff and Vision landed on their hype meter. However, it’s a testament to the performances of both Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany that we buy into the relationship. The show takes an aspect of the MCU that wasn’t necessarily a highlight of the films and got me emotionally invested, and that is an impressive feat.
The use of sitcoms, like The Dick Van Dyke Show and Bewitched, as a major storytelling device was certainly unique. Even if you haven’t watched the series yet, you likely know that the format took the internet by storm and sending them into their usual camps, “This is brilliant!” or, “What is this garbage?!” Even my mom texted me her displeasure upon seeing the series premiere, confused at what the show was trying to accomplish. I, as I occasionally do, found myself stuck in the middle ground. The hints dropped in the opening episodes — and just common sense — told me that there was something more going on with the story that was aping classic sitcoms. But, while the homages to classic television was a clever and entertaining storytelling device, I increasingly found myself begging to be let in on the mystery. It’s after the show does let the audience in on the secret a few episodes in and finds its new structure that it really hit its stride for me. It even eventually gets back to providing viewers with some patented post- and mid-credits scenes.
At its core, the theme of letting go is laced throughout, with varying degrees of subtlety. The message is there throughout Wanda’s journey, but the message also gets hit home by giving us another point of view when it comes to the blip. It’s obviously a monumental moment in the MCU and is dealt with in a much heavier tone than the largely comedic portrayal of Spider-Man: Far from Home. The event had more weight here and how different projects choose to address the phenomenon will be fascinating.
To some’s chagrin I’m sure, the series is devoid of any major cameos — though a few smaller characters play supporting roles — but I appreciated the restraint. The show very much feels largely like its own self-contained story, as evidenced by the title of the ninth and final episode. However, they can’t quite help themselves dropping a little thread in the series’ literal final moment. An interesting thing to monitor will be where and how the ripples of WandaVision are felt in future projects. How much will the events of the TV series play into the “MCU proper,” if you will. Look no further than another Disney property — Solo: A Star Wars Story. The return of a certain character at the end of that film, after he had returned from the dead in the Star Wars TV universe, was a source of confusion for some that didn’t watch Star Wars: The Clone Wars. How much the events will play into upcoming films, like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, will be an intriguing phenomenon to watch.
Those answers will be revealed in due time. But for now, perhaps, one of the more immediate impacts of the conclusion of the miniseries is I am even more hyped than I previously was for the debut of Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which mercifully debuts just two weeks from WandaVision’s conclusion. That excitement is aided by the fact that the special effects for the limited series don’t feel like they’re below what we’ve come to expect from Marvel with their cinematic offerings.
The show is largely a success after a slow burn at the beginning and proves Marvel hasn’t bitten off more than they can chew. After Avengers: Endgame, there were questions about where the MCU would go from a story perspective. If WandaVision is any indication, I’m more than intrigued at what the future holds for Marvel’s next big arc.
Grade: A-