Directed by Matt Shakman
Starring Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Teyonah Parris, and Kathryn Hahn
Running time: Roughly 30 min each

by Ryan Silberstein, The Red Herring

Superheroes on television are nothing new, going all the way back to Adventures of Superman from the 1950s. But WandaVision, the first Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) offering on Disney+, may be the first time that a superhero show treats television as a genre. The first two episodes of WandaVision treat the classic American artform of the sitcom as something to be replicated, to delightful effect.

WandaVision allows two of the MCU’s best characters (with the least amount of screentime) to take the spotlight. Both Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and The Vision (Paul Bettany) were introduced to audiences in 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron. We saw them grow closer in Captain America: Civil War, and a romance had blossomed when we picked up with them again in Avengers: Infinity War. This reflected their arc in the Avengers comic books as well, with the characters being developed in those pages rather than having their own series. WandaVision acts very much like 1980s Vision and Scarlet Witch limited series, which similarly focused on the couple over the course of its 16 issues.

So far, WandaVision spends no time explaining what is really happening, as the first two episodes of the series evoke sitcoms of the late 1950s and 1960s. As we are informed in the show’s delightful opening theme song, Wanda and Viz have moved to Westview, an idyllic suburban community. Bewitched is the main reference point for the episodes, with Wanda’s powers both helping and hurting her attempts to jump the hurdles involved in classic sitcom tropes: having Viz’s boss over for dinner and performing in a local talent show. Presented in black and white with a 4:3 aspect ratio and combined with impeccable production design, these episodes fully embrace the sitcom form, acting as episode-length homage complete with laugh track. The dedication to the form is infectious, and for someone who grew up when these sorts of shows dominated Nick at Nite, they move beyond parody to find comfort.

Since her breakout in the excellent Martha Marcy May Marlene, Elizabeth Olsen has mostly stuck with serious films or blockbusters, but here fully embraces a knowing take on the goofier kind of sitcom acting that drove these kinds of shows. There is no doubt that she is the main character of the show’s arc (and not just because we haven’t seen Vision since Thanos (Josh Brolin) ripped the Mind Stone out of his forehead in Infinity War) and carries the show’s comedic moments as well as the emotional core lurking underneath all with keen aplomb.

What’s great about Westview is that it does feel like a larger television would outside the bounds of Wanda and Viz’s home. The always hilarious Kathryn Hahn shows up as the couple’s helpful but nosy neighbor Agnes, Viz’s boss and his wife are Fred Melamed and Debra Jo Rupp, and Emma Caufield’s Dottie rules the local housewives with an iron fist. These actors, all of whom have plenty of television experience, also help maintain the formal exercise of these episodes. In other words, they make WandaVision feel like TV.

All of these sitcom trappings do serve a larger purpose. They signify a longing for domesticity and normalcy. The main tension of a show like Bewitched was exactly that. It played along with Americans’ desire for conformity and normalcy while also parodying Cold War fears about secret communists in suburban neighborhoods. The exceptionalism of that show’s Samantha alongside the same of Wanda and Vision here speaks to today’s fear as well. Wanda’s fear is driven by the unstable Sokovia of her youth followed by human experimentation by Hydra and the escalating drama of her time as an Avenger.

For us as well, living through the last year and longing for things to get back to (if not normal, then at least) some state of stability, classic sitcoms have been a vital escape for many. Whether revisiting new favorites (The Office was supposedly the most-streamed show in 2020) or discovering The Mary Tyler Moore Show for the first time, sitcoms are all about that stability. Not only do many of them thrive on exploring “normal” environments like workplaces and homes, but the status quo is more or less maintained. It absolutely makes sense that if this is a manifestation of Wanda’s psyche, the sitcom–especially in its suburban home incarnation–represents everything she feels she has been missing in her life.

Of all of the MCU series announced so far, this is the one that seems the most interesting. Even compared to the Netflix run of shows (which mostly just exist as typical aimless Netflix series), WandaVision is exciting because it seems the most eager to embrace its medium. These episodes hover around a half hour, and are structured like television episodes. So far, those looking for colorful energy blasts and monologuing villains might be disappointed, but those who love older television will be delighted. As someone who has fond memories of those shows, loves these characters, and wants superheroes to push further ahead, these two episodes are very successful.

Bonus Thoughts and Questions (VisionQuest):

The easter eggs in the show’s “commercials” are clever and use design to evoke Wanda’s trauma and fear
There’s a gag involving chewing gum in the second episode that perfectly blends sitcom logic with superhero magic, while being hilarious
WandaVision is keeping its cards close to the chest about how whatever is happening in the show relates to reality. Is this an alternate dimension? Is this an extended Wizard of Oz dream? Is Wanda imprisoned by someone, or is she trapped in her own delusions?
I am planning on covering these weekly, so keep your dials tuned to MovieJawn!

WandaVision is available to watch exclusively on Disney+.