Weekly TV Reviews: WandaVision Ep. 1

 

Welcome!

We at Infinity Sisters love all things TV, books, and movies. We love all forms of storytelling and are so excited to be kicking off our review blog with a unique and quirky new show that just began on Disney+. "WandaVision" takes place after "The Avengers: Endgame" with the big mystery behind the show being 'what is happening to Wanda'. The style of the show is taken from classic fifties and sixties comedies like "I Love Lucy" and "Bewitched" with the show being praised for its physical comedy. 

Episode 1: Filmed Before a Live Studio Audience 

"WandaVision" is a new Marvel series that is NOTHING like the standard Marvel style and takes all fans (old and new) into a whole new realm. The first episode takes a journey to the past with the show entirely shot in black & white and styles the dialogue and storyline after classic sitcoms of the 1950s and 1960s. As two people who love watching old sitcoms, we enjoyed finding the little Easter eggs that stem from classic television. The episode follows Wanda and Vision as they have moved into a new house in a new neighborhood and they seemingly have no memory of anything that came before such as Ultron, the infinity stone, or the death of Vision. 

The plot of the episode finds a classic misunderstanding that finds Wanda and Vision miscommunicating about the importance of what day it is. Wanda thinks it's their anniversary and gets advice from nosy neighbor Agnes while Vision thinks it's bringing his boss and his wife to have dinner with them. The classic misunderstanding comes with near sightings of Wanda using her powers but eventually results in a happy ending. 

What We Enjoyed:

1.) "Bewitched" Vibes

"WandaVision" blends the influence of several classic sitcoms into an original yet reflective first episode. The show has strong "Bewitched" vibes which is an easy leap with Wanda's witch-like abilities and a superhero name like the Scarlet Witch. Those that watch the classic Elizabeth Montgomery show will notice several similarities such as Wanda pointing at the sign to make it read sold and Vision trying to distract his boss and his wife so they don't see Wanda's use of magic in the kitchen. This finds Vision suddenly breaking out in song to get their attention away before seeing what Wanda was up to in the kitchen. 

2.) Classic Sitcom Plot 

The first episode is entirely shot in black & white which gives a full homage to the classic era of comedy that the show is styled after. The show even comes with the laughter of the audience which brings the full tone of the comedy to life. The hijinks of the show work in every way as the writers have clearly seen the classic comedies that the show is modeled after with great moments from Wanda floating pans around the kitchen to Debra Jo Rupp's performance as the boss' wife. These moments capture you into the world that they have set up and for the first episode you don't even get a whiff of anything from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

3.) Deviation from Marvel Style

The change-up in style makes the first episode seem like you're not even watching Marvel. This is geared to a wide audience so that anyone can watch, even those that haven't seen a single movie or show within the Marvel world. Though Easter eggs are expected throughout so that long-time fans can have added enjoyment. As the show weaves through this comedic world, the tone sees a momentary shift when the boss starts choking and Vision has to literally reach into his throat. This moment seems to find Wanda breaking from the reality around her but as soon as the boss stops choking, the show veers back into the comedy world.

Last Thoughts:

At any rate, this new Marvel show is one that is bound to be truly unique and original. Nothing else has been seen quite like this. The show is expected to shift in style and even decade with a 1970s episode already been teased. Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany have great chemistry and fans of the movies will love getting to see this more domestic goofy side to the two characters, especially after Vision was last seen dying at the end of "Infinity War." The show is highly recommended for those that are more open to style and genre. This is a brilliant use of storytelling and writing that pulls you in through the use of sheer curiosity.