Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany in “WandaVision.” Credit: Disney Plus via TNS
When the credits rolled for “Spiderman: Far From Home” in the summer of 2019, little did viewers know that theaters and small screens around the world would fall dark for two years without a new Marvel Studios film. Now, Marvel is back with its first production in two years, and this strikingly unique TV show has made it well worth the wait.
“WandaVision” is a new miniseries that represents the first of a series of new television programs that will make up Phase 4 of Marvel Studios. The series was first released for streaming on Disney+ Jan. 15 and the season finale premiered March 5.
The show centers around Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and a seemingly resurrected Vision (Paul Bettany) as they mysteriously find themselves in a bizarre reality where they are the stars of their own TV show. As the episodes progress, they themselves progress through different nostalgic eras of television history as the mystery at the heart of their situation begins to be revealed.
This new miniseries functions as a character study and multi-episode mystery. What at first seems to be a harmless romp through television history quickly becomes an intriguing and complex puzzle.
The show is purely a triumph. The mystery is deep and interesting, the nods to different eras of TV are nostalgic and provide plenty of laughs, and the show has all the trappings of a creative Marvel production brought to the small screen.
Olsen and Bettany shine as the most electric couple in comic book history, showing an authentic chemistry that is truly the heart of the show; their relationship, something that is given too little time in the films, is allowed the attention it deserves and forms the anchor of the show as the mystery progresses.
The two leads are also surrounded by a competent cast that makes the show all the more enjoyable. Randall Park and Kat Dennings reprise their Marvel Cinematic Universe roles and provide plenty of laughs, and Kathryn Hahn with Teyonah Parris round off a powerhouse crew.
Outside of the impressive and at times emotional performances of the two leads, the creative story is the best part of this new series. The twists, turns and genuine creativity make the show a joy to watch, and every episode ends with the viewer on the edge of their seat, dying to know what happens next. Putting the pieces and clues together is half the fun, and “WandaVision” is a standalone TV experience in what could already be considered a golden age of television.
The story is also welcome because it gives an intentional and deep look into the characters and backstories of Scarlet Witch –– Wanda’s Marvel alias –– and Vision, two players often sadly overlooked in Phase 3 of the Marvel films. This show corrects that mistake and gives us a front-row seat into one of the oddest, saddest and most intriguing relationships seen in comic book movie history.
The camera work is excellent and changes to fit the particular era of television in great detail. Careful viewers will notice winks to various TV shows ranging from “I Love Lucy” to “Modern Family,” and these references provide the center of the laughs throughout the miniseries.
Like happy gas before a surgery, however, the humor prevalent throughout the series is often the anesthesia for deep emotional themes. The show thoughtfully explores topics of loss, guilt and tragedy, making it an emotionally deep and sometimes heart-wrenching viewing experience.
Despite its immense merits, the show is not without fault. Most notably, the finale feels a bit like it ends the show on a flat note, concluding an exceedingly complex story in a rushed manner. It makes it feel like they had a destination they wanted to reach but too few episodes to do it well.
There are also some characters that feel roped-in and forced, and the credit scenes at the end make the trajectory of Phase 4 and its slew of TV shows unclear.
Overall, “WandaVision” shows us that Marvel has come back with a bang, and this show is the proud bannerman for the new and unique direction of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Filled with laughs, nostalgia, action and mystery, this exploration of Marvel’s odd couple is certainly worth the watch.
Rating: 4.5/5
