Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe was never supposed to kick off this way. All being well, the first taste of Marvel’s next phase following Avengers: Endgame and the epilogue of Spider-Man: Far From Home was supposed to be the prequel based Black Widow in multiplexes, followed by the premiere of their first Disney+ show. And no, WandaVision wasn’t even meant to be that first streaming show. That was supposed to be The Falcon and The Winter Soldier.
Times being as they are, with cinemas closing and shooting schedules delayed and resumed, everything had to shift and change, making WandaVision Marvel fans’ first real taste of the flavours of the next stage in the MCU’s development. On evidence of the first two episodes, perhaps this should have always been the place to kick things off for Phase Four, as WandaVision is already unlike anything else that Marvel Studios has produced before. And that is damn refreshing.
All seems cosy and monochromatic for superpowered newlyweds Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany). They’ve just moved into the picturesque suburbs of Westview, Vision has got a new job and Wanda is doing her best to play the part of the perfect housewife whilst making new friends in the neighbourhood. But how long can the two conceal their powers from their new neighbours and friends? And just who is doing this to you, Wanda?
Yes, all is clearly not quite as it seems in the white picket cul-de-sac of Westview. With the first two episodes, WandaVision leans heavily into the stylings of sitcoms from the 1950’s and 60’s, namely the likes of The Dick Van Dyke Show, I Love Lucy and (of course) Bewitched. These two episodes cover very similar ground, as both follow pretty much the same structure, that of playing out cliched sitcom setups (the boss coming over for dinner and a community talent show) all the while hinting at something stranger going on underneath it all.
The attention to detail in aid of the pastiche of this sitcom environment is uncanny, with the single camera setups only ever breaking away for when the show wants to reveal moments where whatever is happening here begins to crack. It makes for an eerie experience at times, as dashings of Pleasantville-esque oddness is thrown into the mix as the simmering mystery around it all threatens to boil over. It makes for an experience that embraces the goofy and camp elements of the genre with some genuinely uneasy moments of surreal tension, while effectively keeping its cards close to its chest concerning the truth behind it all.
It sets up an intriguing mystery as to what exactly is going on behind the scenes and where Wanda and Vision actually are (or if Vision can even really be there to begin with, following his fate in Avengers: Infinity War). There are little nods and clues thrown in that’ll likely make Marvel fans cock an eyebrow and pause the screen, but the most successful element of these first two episodes, at least, is not the mystery at all. It is in the fact that it is so successful at creating a sitcom homage, that you become convinced that you would be quite happy to watch a whole season of Olsen and Bettany playing Mary Tyler Moore and Dick Van Dyke.
Olsen and Bettany are exceptional here, fully embracing the comedic elements that they have been given to play with. If you were never convinced by their chemistry in the limited time they had together in the movies, you will be more than convinced by their dynamic here. They both clearly revel in the fact that they get to play versions of these characters that audiences haven’t seen and would never expect. Seeing their clear enthusiasm is what makes all the elements click, that and a thoroughly entertaining supporting turn from Kathryn Hahn.
It is this enthusiasm which will make those skeptical of the MCU’s move to the small screen soften as they see just what this debut show looks to be offering. It is creating the space for unexpected versions of these characters, as well as giving talented actors the room to truly stretch themselves outside of the crowded cast lists of the movies. WandaVision most certainly demonstrates this in just its first two episodes, all the while delivering a delightfully oddball experience that is truly unlike anything that Marvel Studios has done before. It’s going to be exciting to see what other tricks it has up its sleeve and how well it can maintain that pleasingly off-kilter approach. A welcomingly unexpected introduction to both Phase Four and the MCU’s adventures on Disney+.
