Artifice is the defining characteristic of the classic sitcom, especially in programs made in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Each of these decades marked by tumultuous changes or, speaking in the 1950s, a determined recovery from a world war, inspiring the producer to create escapes for the family. In these safe TV bubbles, no problem was too big to be overcome in half an hour, and bursts of laughter animated the action on the screen like soft ocean waves on a clear, sunny day.
And every week, no matter what, the story ends on a happy and cheerful note.
This is not the environment expected to find the heroes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) or Vision (Paul Bettany), last seen in “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame” – and in theaters, not on TV.
This is just the beginning of what makes “WandaVision” such a strange and creatively adventurous pastiche: he takes a pair of technicolor superhumans capable of taking down titans and plays them in a variety of half-hour comedies. And their first assignment puts them in a joyful black and white paradise that is a dead touch for Rob and Laura Petrie’s place on “The Dick Van Dyke Show”.
Where Van Dyke’s Rob Petrie stumbles on a piece of furniture on his return home, in the opening credits of the old show, Vision being able to pass through the walls, avoids stumbling and phases. An ode subsequent to “Feiticeira” shows Wanda, also known as Scarlet Witch, wiggling her fingers, not her nose, to raise the value of a kitchen of pots and pans in the air.
Like his great love, Vision, Wanda’s power originates from the Mental Stone, one of the Infinity Stones that contains divine-level powers that propelled the Infinite Saga. The vision gained consciousness and life through the Stone of the Mind, which was even embedded in his forehead. . . good. All that matters now, at least for Wanda, is that they are living the script for a perfect romance.
These MCU films pitted lovers against enemies of enormous power and, at times, each other. Now, his biggest challenges are to fit in with the rest of the neighbors and impress the Vision boss.
The Infinity Saga is a collection of related films that begins with “Iron Man” 2008 and ends with “Endgame”. The next leg of this journey, known as Phase 4, officially begins this year with “Black Widow”.
That said, the release of two episodes of “WandaVision” looks like a valuable bridge between the MCU’s past and future.
For a time, Marvel was expanding in every way on TV, while tacitly conveying the impression that its smaller screen titles were somehow smaller projects than its theatrical giants. ABC’s recently deceased “Agents of SHIELD” occupies the same universe as films while operating under its own narrative power, as does Hulu’s “Runaways”. The Netflix series – “Daredevil”, “Luke Cage”, “Jessica Jones” and “Iron Fist” – were separate efforts to build a franchise around Defenders. Each varied in quality and ability to view, from the culturally significant, as “Jessica Jones” proved to be. . . “Iron fist.”
Then, in 2019, Marvel severed ties with Netflix, stopping the production of all titles related to Defenders.
Remembering the most basic outline of this business story is important, you see, because “WandaVision” puts to rest any doubts whether the company really values television not only as a medium, but as an art form. The two-episode premiere is a resounding affirmative answer, expertly drawn from the history of the small screen with the same level of reverence and admiration as his elaborate superhero mythology.
“WandaVision” is a banquet for fervent viewers and moviegoers, and their ambition does not stop there. Each episode is also designed to please comic book readers who want to see more of the worlds and the characters explored on the page are given screen time.
Having some knowledge base on old TV shows is probably more important in the opening episodes, especially when it comes to distinguished director Matt Shakman and writer Jac Schaeffer targeting these TV icons. His dedication to replicating and adjusting recognizable details of these programs and TV in general is spread across all episodes with admirable precision.
So again, looking at the talent that is bringing this big blow to fruition, we shouldn’t be surprised that it works so well. Olsen’s prodigious talent and versatility were never questioned, especially for those who saw his unique performance on Facebook’s short-lived series “Sorry For Your Loss”. Fortunately, for both the viewer and the actor, this show does away with the unfortunate Eastern European accent that his character used to introduce the film. (Wanda is a native of a non-existent country called Sokovia.)
Bettany’s physical comedy skills will be a more pleasant surprise, given her drama and action filmography, and they steal the spotlight in the second episode when Vision, a synthetic (or synthetic) sentient being accidentally takes over as a human far away.
Placing Kathryn Hahn at the top of the credits indicates to the viewer her importance to the story, and she is also magnificent like Agnes, the obligatory neighbor who seems helpful, but we suspect there is also a touch of Gladys Kravitz hidden behind her smile. Hahn rarely disappoints, and this is true even when the show around her is failing – and on a winning project like this, she is brilliant as a star of the day.
But so much credit for the success of “WandaVision” is due to the aesthetic choices as to the acting. Shakman is a longtime producer of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”, a series built to make fun of fake TV. Here, he uses his tropes and practices to tell a story that only seems light, but is clearly masking something sinister. The homage to “Dick Van Dyke” is presented in the good old 4: 3 ratio, which is a trademark of the initial TV; Along with the context of the story, the effect makes it look as if we are watching Wanda and Vision hopping around in a living diorama, or a terrarium as opposed to a neighborhood.
The second episode gives them their own version of “Witch Doctor” until the animated opening, an American TV icon that serves as a wink to Wanda’s superhero, known as Scarlet Witch. Disney + is wise to present the first two episodes as a kind of combined scenario, because it establishes the show as if it were a spree, and the structure as something that is deceptively cozy, recognizable, but unreliable.
As the show progresses, the TV tributes become more universally recognizable, starting with the third episode, a reflection in the mirror of a “The Brady Bunch” funhouse – the design of the stage hits the look of that iconic showroom. two floors in the smallest corner. But it is also here that the strangeness of the plot begins to bear fruit with more and more fullness and speed.
No details about the programs imitated on “WandaVision” were overlooked, including, and crucially, canned laughter. Watch one of the first vintage series that inspires this adventure and you will find that, while they have a lot of charm, the amount of impressive jokes is actually less than you might remember. In smaller shows they are a cover for mediocrity, but even in the best shows the track works as a Pavlovian cue letting us know where and when to laugh.
When we see Wanda and Vision traveling happily, the laughter registered first for a while, until it doesn’t disappear; as well as the intense reactions of your neighbors and co-workers on TV.
Other familiar faces for consistent TV viewers only add to the show’s meta nature, including appearances by Debra Jo Rupp on “That ’70s Show” and former “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” student Emma Caulfield. Teyonah Parris (from “Mad Men”) also stands out as another of Wanda and Vision’s helpful neighbors who, like everyone else, are probably not what they seem to be.
Perhaps the familiarity of these faces is a subtle nod to a deeper meaning; for example, if you recognize Caulfield, you may also know that “Buffy” creator Joss Whedon co-created a crucial addition to the Marvel Universe. And it can matter.
But then again, maybe not. (Who am I trying to fool here – of course I am.)
Whether you have grasped the implications of this tip or if it went straight, it doesn’t matter, although the episode made available to critics may also be a basket of Easter eggs. Devoted MCU devotees accustomed to scouring the edges of the scene in search of the smallest details will consider themselves well served in this regard.
Even if you don’t have an encyclopedic knowledge of this franchise, or if you don’t have time to watch the final “Avengers” movies to remind you of where the MCU left the story of Wanda and Vision, don’t let that put you off watching “WandaVision” now and see the movies later. There are many online guides for the couples section of the Marvel Galaxy, including official Marvel summaries like this and this.
And assuming you are interested in this title, you just need to keep a few important things in mind.
First, comic books constantly play with alternative existences and parallel universes. Second, Wanda has the power to bend reality, making her one of the most powerful characters in this universe – also potentially the most dangerous, as she is still learning the extent of her abilities.
The final inevitable truth that, whatever the “WandaVision” type of program, the completion of this love story is unlikely to offer simplistic comfort. But we just don’t know enough about anything to happen here, except the fact that we like what we see and that we’re deeply curious to find out if the ending takes these characters towards some happily ever after or in a torrent of tears and explosions.
Anyway, this is an original unreality that is worth seeing until the end, be it bitter or sweet from sitcom.
The premiere of “WandaVision” in two episodes is now being broadcast on Disney +, with subsequent episodes arriving weekly on Fridays.