Marvel made it's TV debut as WandaVision finally arrived on Disney Plus with two mind boggling, hilarious episodes.
Warning Spoilers Ahead
WandaVision finally made it's debut on Friday and it was definitely worth the wait, the show flips the superhero genre on it's head and gives us two fun filled episodes that are not only great tributes to tv sitcoms (specifically from the 50s and 60s) but a fantastic mystery that keeps you gripped from start to finish.
This review will be slightly different to my normal reviews, there will be a lot of speculation and my own thoughts about what could happen in the show. Unless stated none of the predication's are official or anything more than my own feelings about the show.
The first episode is a short one coming in at 29 minutes and is unlike any kind of first episode I have ever seen. The show firmly jumps into the sitcom formula (with the first episode being set in the 50s) and plays on that well. The hints, clues and Easter eggs are everywhere and the show doesn't hide it, Elizabeth Olsen is in her element and you can see her enjoyment the minute the episode starts.
The first episode is based around Vision and Wanda hosting Vision's boss (Mr Hart) and his wife in a work dinner. Before the dinner we learn Vision doesn't really know exactly what his job is and Wanda wasn't even aware there was a dinner. It's all very bizarre and the show embraces it throughout dropping hints but not giving anything away. The first episode itself doesn't have too much to mention, the plot itself is simple and quick keeping things true to the sitcom format.
The show excels in it's use of trailers in each episode with the first one highlighting the Stark Industries Toastmate 2000 toaster oven. I loved the adverts it's such a clever idea and adds so much to the episode. The toaster in question beeps before the toast pops looking and sounding very much like a bomb which MCU fans will recognise as a call back to Wanda's origin in which she was trapped under a collapsed building along with her brother in Sakovia, right next to a unexploded Stark bomb till they were rescued.
This is the first hint at the darker turn to the series with (WARNING: This is my speculation only and not fact) Wanda herself being the person who is orchestrating the events after Visions death. This would of course be taken from The House of M storyline from the comics and would see Wanda driven mad and be using her powers to create a reality bubble to have a perfect life.
The other character in the first episode is Agnes, a nosy neighbour type that helps Wanda with the dinner when everything goes wrong, throughout both episodes she appears filling in the neighbour/friend role for Wanda helping her on a couple of occasions. The big question is who is Agnes? For me, the character Agatha Harkness is a possibility who was a Fantastic Four villain that ended up training Wanda and eventually being defeated by her.
The first episode ends with a disastrous (ish) dinner until Mr Jones is saved by Vision after chocking, after this, we get a shot of someone watching the "show" with a sword logo spotted on the console. SWORD of course being Sentient Weapon Operation and Response Division a stem of the now defunct SHIELD that tracks people with extra ordinary abilities.
So the episode itself, is it good? In short yes it's amazing I do find myself enjoying more after watching the second one and admit that it takes some time to get used to. The concept is great and is used properly (including a great sitcom intro). The show had a lot to achieve and still does I do understand the people who think the episode is boring, I do think it's a show you have to watch and research to fully see what was happening and that's not for everybody. It did feel for me that this was a show for 50s sitcom fans or Marvel comic book fans and would be the best experience for either of those fans.
The second episode takes us to the 60s and cranks up the mysterious, creepy feeling to the show, this episode plays much more on the something is not right trope and fully starts to build it's mystery. The episode centres around a talent show with Vision and Wanda doing a magic show. This is great from start to finish, Paul Bettany is allowed is to shine and Marvel's humour is given time in the magic show itself. Bettany's Vision accidentally swallows chewing gum (which stops him working hence why he doesn't eat food) and see's Paul Bettany channel Rik Mayall in the funniest scene so far. Watching Wanda cover up for an intoxicated Vision is hilarious as Vision shows of his powers, it's really simple but hilarious and you can see that Bettany is having the best time.
The episode's ad/trailer is a Strucker watch. Baron Strucker was a Hydra agent (The Hydra symbol was actually seen on the watch) that experimented on Wanda and her brother once again highlighting Wanda's tragic past, hinting again that this is a reality of Wanda's own making. Wanda also notices a red and yellow helicopter (that we see in colour), which once again could be a stark reference or something more (maybe a representation of the real world trying to break through to Wanda?)
We are introduced to more neighbours with the focus being on Dottie, a up tight committee member who leads the talent show. Of course the big question is who is she? The big rumour is that she (and the other neighbours) are the Salem Seven a group of witches face off against Wanda in the comics, they are also the granddaughters of Agatha Harkness. In the comics they try to recruit Wanda into their coven on several occasions and would be a very interesting angle for the show to take now or in the future.
The other neighbour focused on is Geraldine, of course Marvel fans will know that this is the adult version of Monica from Captain Marvel. Monica was the daughter of Captain Marvel's (Carol Danvers) best friend Maria and appeared in the film to help Carol. Other than this nothing is known about her role in the series including why she is named Geraldine.
Onto the rest of the episode, there are two big teases/clues one being a beekeeper emerging from a sewer at the end of the episode and another being the introduction to the sitcom. The sitcom intro to the episode had a few little Easter eggs with the biggest one being the Grim Reapers helmet appearing, what this means for the comic book character is unknown but hopefully at some point we see him appear in one way or another.
The Beekeeper appears at the end of the episode just as Wanda magically becomes pregnant, the couple are outside when they see a man emerging from the sewer. We again jump into speculation town with this character. For me it's a SWORD agent, what the agent is doing there and how is a different question of course the main theory is that SWORD are trying to get into Wanda's reality bubble. When Wanda and Vision see this the "show" is rewound till before this happens and the house is engulfed in colour for next weeks 70s setting ending the episode.
These two episodes are great and do an excellent job at establishing the status quo for the season. The show excels when keeping things mysterious and creepy not letting a lot on but also throwing clues at us to keep us glued to our scenes. As mentioned I think this show is much more enjoyable if you are a comic book fan (or MCU fan in general) it doesn't shy from it comic book roots and highlights it well. The show has a lot to tell us and gives us a lot to think about it in the meantime.
The show feels like Wanda's her character is the centre to both episodes Elizabeth Olsen shines throughout. Wanda is the teased as the focus of whatever is happening to her in that she doesn't quite seem to fit constantly seeming to notice something before the sitcom rewinds or scene changes, whether she is trapped or the one creating the reality is yet to be seen (though I suspect the latter with the house of M plot being the inspiration).
Of course Paul Bettany gets him time to shine especially in the second episode. The plot point with chewing gum sees Vision to be lack of a better word intoxicated and really gives Vision some more depth while just being so funny. When I spoke about WandaVision is my 5 shows I'm excited for in 2021 list I spoke about my feelings for Vision. I have always thought the MCU's Vision was boring and used really poorly this Vision (real or not) was given so much more to do and was brilliant I would love to see more of this as Paul Bettany is such a talented actor which episode 2's magic show highlighted brilliantly.
Overall the first two episodes of WandaVision were excellent, they kept me entertained and have redefined what a superhero tv show is. Next week can't come soon enough for me, hopefully the show will build on it's strong start.
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