Marvel Moves in a Different Direction with WandaVision: Backwards
By Maria Tedesco ('21)
A superhero sitcom? That lacks action! At least so far…
The first two episodes of Marvel’s new series WandaVision released on January 15th on Disney+. The remaining nine episodes will arrive every Friday up until March 5. Produced by Chuck Hayward and directed by Matt Shakman of Game of Thrones, the show is unlike any other Marvel superhero series that came before. Not only is it the first Marvel series that finds its home on Disney+, but it takes the form of a sitcom.
The first two episodes are almost completely in black and white. The episodes take inspiration from popular oldies sitcoms such as The Dick Van Dyke Show, Bewitched, and the classic I Love Lucy. Director Shakman even consulted Dick Van Dyke himself to help capture the essence of a sitcom.
The show also contains a cheesy cartoon theme song and a distinctive laugh track. Ironically, the jokes are mediocre and don’t result in belly-aching laughter.
As far as the plot goes, Marvel took two characters, Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany), who were hidden from the spotlight in the movies. These movies provided little explanation as to why these two characters were together and the viewer expects the show to dive deep into why the characters exist in this new setting.
However, within the first two episodes, the show provides no explanation as to why the characters find themselves in 1950s suburbia. Other than subtle hints and fan theories, no one knows the exact reason why the characters aren’t battling an evil villain. It's rather ominous.
Vulture
Marvel Entertainment
So far, Wanda and Vision have only partaken in typical sitcom trope activities like hosting a dinner party for Vision’s boss and participating in the town’s talent show fundraiser while they try to fit in and hide their powers in a strange setting.
Each 30-minute episode contains a quick interlude with a ‘50s themed ad. Both ads contain references to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with a toaster from STARK Industries in reference to Iron Man and a watch that features HYDRA in small letters on the watch face in reference to the evil terrorist organization that is seen throughout many Marvel movies.
Despite seeming like Marvel put maximum effort into this series, with the first two episodes each having a whopping seven minutes worth of end credits that the viewer would expect an extra scene, the introduction is underwhelming.
Looking ahead, WandaVision is expected to continue traveling through decades while taking inspiration from sitcoms from the ‘80s, ‘90s, and ‘00s. Although the first two episodes are uneventful, the subtle hints the episodes provide show promise for bigger battles as the series moves forward.