“WandaVision” Review

Network: Disney+

Runtime: 9 episodes/1 season

Before I start this review, I want to give future audiences a little disclaimer: If you are not caught up on every single film of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this show will not make any sense to you. And, if you do not enjoy the mystery that is Marvel, then this show is definitely not for you. Disclaimers aside, “WandaVision” is the first MCU television installment to be released on Disney+. 

The show’s first season, which was completed as of last Friday, was a hit with fans and seemingly critics as well with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 92%. The show follows Avengers alums, Wanda Maximoff/Scarlett Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) as they “start over” and live an idealized suburban lifestyle as husband and wife. Unfortunately, this is the only bit of plot summary I can give you, for as all Marvel fans already know, nearly every detail is a potential spoiler in the universe. 

What sets “WandaVision” apart from anything we have seen from the Marvel universe before is the overall wackiness of the show — but in the best way possible. The show is a nod to the television industry, showcasing the evolution of TV through a new decade every episode. Thus, with every new decade, a new type of television show appears. Episode one starts in the 1950s, aka the black and white, Golden Age of television. While the sentiment is amazing and the episode is executed perfectly, I will be the first to admit this episode, as well as the next two episodes, are pretty boring compared to the other ones. They are intriguing in the sense that audiences are getting to experience the different types of television throughout the years, but aside from a few important details that come into play later in the series, the episodes move fairly slow with little to no superhero action. All of this to say, I wouldn’t base your first impression of the show on the first few episodes because trust me, by episode four you will be hooked. 

The beauty of the MCU is that the franchise brings in both old and new characters that audiences love when you least expect them. “WandaVision” is no exception for this common Marvel trope. But as I mentioned earlier, you have to be caught up on every Marvel movie ever (including the post-credit scenes) to be able to comprehend what is happening in this crazy show. I consider myself to be one of the biggest Marvel fans ever and even I had to google some things out of confusion. Again, and I cannot reiterate this enough: If you are not a Marvel fan, then there is absolutely no reason why you should waste your time watching this show. There are very few Marvel installments that can be enjoyed by a general, non-fandom audience, such as “Spiderman: Homecoming” (2017), for example, but “WandaVision” is too intricate for anyone who is not at least a semi-fan to understand.

 “WandaVision” is a worthy binge for any superhero fanatic looking for a great show. If you are a television buff and interested in television history, then you may enjoy this show as well because of its journey through the decades of television and the wonderful costuming and Sitcom tropes that accompany the journey. Neither Wanda nor Vision were really my favorite Marvel characters to begin with but after this show, I developed a greater appreciation for both characters, as well as the Marvel franchise if that’s even possible for a superfan like me. This was an incredible television debut for the MCU and I look forward to upcoming shows like “Falcon and the Winter Soldier” that is following “WandaVision” ‘s finale just a couple of weeks later. I give the show an 8.5 out of 10 overall, but an 1110 for creativity. But seriously: How does Marvel not run out of ideas?