Wanda and her friend Vision seem to have traveled back in time because at the beginning we see them leading an apparently idyllic life together in the guise of a classic sitcom. After all these years in which Marvel Studios staged its big blockbuster productions in the cinema in an almost formulaic way, after a long time a breath of fresh air is finally blowing through the MCU. Compared to the visually stunning action spectacles such as “Avengers: Infinity War”, “Wanda Vision” manages long stretches without action and relies more on atmosphere, puzzles, and emotions to captivate the audience.
After the Marvel Cinematic Universe had to take a forced break from the cinema last year, it returned to Disney + in January in the form of WandaVision. Since the series is now over, we would like to take a closer look at it at this point, without spoilers, and discuss its strengths and weaknesses. After Endgame: WandaVision shows more of the new MCU The story of the series continues some time after the end of "Avengers: Endgame “And takes us to a sleepy little US town - in the 1950s! Wanda and her friend Vision seem to have traveled back in time because at the beginning we see them leading an apparently idyllic life together in the guise of a classic sitcom.
However, this intact facade is getting visibly cracks. However, "WandaVision" not only shows us how things went for the couple after defeating Thanos and his army but also gives us an insight into the new MCU. Without wanting to reveal too much, Monica Rambeau, the daughter of Captain Marvel's best friend, and the organization SWORD, which cares about the security of the earth, play a role. As is typical for MCUs, things also come into play that will only become really important in future projects. Wanda and Vision in their sitcom world (© Marvel Studios) However, the series does not focus on this, because it feels very independent within the universe.
She also confirms that Marvel Studios is still willing to take creative risks after some pretty formulaic films that have come out in recent years. That this experiment succeeds is mainly due to the devotion of the makers to bring bygone TV eras back to life with great attention to detail. From the camera settings to the look to the well-rehearsed laughs, everything is just right here and skilfully leads the viewer on the wrong track. WandaVision: A drama in sitcom disguise Although the majority of the nine episodes are based on well-known sitcoms from the last 70 years, including classics such as “In Love with a Witch” and newer offshoots of the genre such as “Modern Family”, which sometimes works great in this format, “WandaVision” is actually much more of a mystery drama that is simply a comedy series This was a risky move by those responsible because there were definitely spectators, who expressed some harsh criticism after the first episodes, as the "Sitcom" series would not seem like a part of the MCU in many ways.
Although it may seem like it at first glance, this is not a classic sitcom. Instead, the creators use this genre to convey the actual theme of the series: The exploration of Wanda's grief. Wanda has to process a lot of emotions in "WandaVision" / © Marvel Studios After both Wanda and Vision were only minor characters in the previous films and the makers were only able to respond to their character developments to a limited extent, it looks different in the series. Here you have a lot more time, which in most of the “WandaVision” episodes is used excellently to fathom the characters. We see how Wanda takes refuge in this seemingly ideal world in order to be able to escape her grief. Thus, in the further course of the series, the cheerful sitcom humor is increasingly contrasted with dark and deeply tragic moments that can be emotionally moving.
The fact that all of this succeeds is due in no small part to the two main actors Elizabeth Olsen (Wanda) and Paul Bettany ( Vision). While they were rather conditionally challenged in terms of acting in the movies, both can present their entire repertoire here. Not only do they have great chemistry in common, but good comedic timing as well. Furthermore, they are also able to convey the dramatic moments in a believable way. This is their show, in which they can finally show what they can really do. However, even they cannot hide all the weaknesses of the series. WandaVision: The mystery part is a curse and a blessing at the same time In their first MCU series, the people in charge at Marvel Studios try to harmonize many different facets, which they do very much over a large part of the running time succeeds well.
Comedy and drama are usually well balanced and the change of perspective between what happens in the sitcom world and outside of it are staged in an interesting way. In addition, "WandaVision" introduces mystery elements at an early stage, because it becomes clear that Wanda might not have total control after all. Although it often seems that way, "WandaVision" is essentially not a sitcom (© Marvel Studios) "WandaVision “Various mysteries, which of course are there to keep the audience interested.
Based on the enormous feedback in the social networks as well as various theories about what could actually be going on, the creators have definitely achieved their goal. It's just great fun figuring out how all of these different pieces of the puzzle could ultimately fit together. However, there is also a weakness in this: In the meantime, the makers hold on to this mystery structure almost too doggedly, even though it would not have been necessary. Sure, there is one charm about the show in getting to the bottom of all of these things, and the dedication with which it has dedicated itself to this cause is seldom seen in major mainstream productions.
However, this is now and then at the expense of pacing, because some major revelations are just cliffhangers and not part of the actual narrative of the episode. For an even more emotional story, a more straightforward narrative structure would probably have been more effective. WandaVision: Finally a breath of fresh air in the MCU because those responsible also have to deal with many elements in a short time - the episodes last between 30 and 50 minutes - this results in components of "WandaVision" necessarily too short.