Disney+ launched its first Marvel show last week when "WandaVision" premiered with two episodes. The new Marvel show follows Wanda and Vision who are seemingly living in a strange sitcom life. Fans of Marvel got introduced to a whole other level of strangeness during the first three episodes which range in style of sitcoms from the fifties to seventies. Marvel recently announced their streaming plans for phase 4 which covers this year and 2022. The new Marvel series is two episodes in and only getting stranger as the show has gone from black and white to color with several surprises already.
Wanda (played by Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (played by Paul Bettany) have moved into a new neighborhood that comes straight from a sitcom. The first two episodes of the Marvel series are in black and white with humor and a tone that spoofs the style of classic sitcoms like “Bewitched” and "I Love Lucy." The couple is settling into their new community with Wanda trying to fit in with everyone else in a way similar to how Samantha did in "Bewitched." Olsen excels at matching the mannerisms and an attitude that reflects 1950s comedies. The sitcom-style of the show has been compared to the physical style of “I Love Lucy." Wanda is the classic archetype of a sitcom housewife while Vision works a 9-to-5 job doing something he's not entirely sure of.
'WandaVision' overview
The first episode “Filmed Before a Live Studio Audience” finds Wanda and Vision dealing with a misunderstanding. Wanda thinks it's their anniversary while Vision brings home his boss and his boss' wife (“That 70's Show” star Debra Jo Rupp) home for dinner. The first episode introduces Agnes (Kathryn Hahn) who fills the role of a nosy neighbor who offers Wanda help and her opinion.
The second episode “Don't Touch that Dial” finds Wanda and Vision enlisted in a Talent Show that is “for the children” which finds the two putting on a magic act and eventually winning. The episode introduced several more characters in the community including Geraldine (Teyonah Parris) and Dottie (“Buffy” star Emma Caulfield).
The third episode "Now in Color" forays into the world of a 1970s sitcom with the styles, colors, and moments reminiscent of various sitcoms from that decade.
Each episode of "WandaVision" has little touches of dramatic moments that break into the comedic structure such as Vision's boss choking, the radio calling out Wanda's name, and Dottie cutting her hand. The second episode found the color red breaking into this black and white world with a red toy helicopter and Dottie's blood which leads the episode into eventually going into full color. Ominous moments weave into the show which seemingly has reality trying to break into Wanda's mind like a voice asking “Who's doing this to you, Wanda?" The third episode dives into the 1970s which opens the show into even stranger territory.
Another sinister turn comes with the first memory from Wanda's past occurring after Wanda gives birth to twin boys. She remembers having a twin brother (Aaron Taylor-Johnson in "Age of Ultron") who Geraldine mentions being killed by Ultron. This is the first moment the show acknowledges anything that happened before the show's events. Elizabeth Olsen shared with TVLine that fans can expect Wanda to connect to more of these moments as the show progresses and believes that the experience of birth helped spark the memory of her late brother. "WandaVision" is only the beginning for Marvel shows expected on the streaming service with "Loki" and "Secret Invasion" expected later in the year with both shows currently in the process of filming.
Teyonah Parris teases 'WandaVision'
Teyonah Parris shared a few teases with TVLine about how though she wasn't in the first episode, she was present for the filming and was in the live studio audience. The actor went on to share how when she first auditioned for the series, she had no clue that the creators of the big MCU movies were behind it. Parris continued with how she had no idea how "WandaVision" fit into the Marvel world and how at first it just didn't make sense. Watching the first two episodes makes that clear through the fifties style setup and vintage world. It's currently still unclear how Vision is present when he was last seen dying at the hands of Thanos. The actor was even told during the audition that it was okay to be over the top which worried Parris as she feared for the worst.
Her audition for “WandaVision” led to her eventual role in “Captain Marvel 2.”
It's been previously reported that Geraldine is actually the adult daughter of Maria Rambeau who was introduced in the first “Captain Marvel” where the character was still a child. It's been noted that “WandaVision” picks up after events in “The Avengers: Endgame” but the secret behind the mysterious community has yet to be revealed. Parris revealed to TVLine that as the series evolves, more will be learned about the character of Geraldine and fans will find out about what's happened to her since she was a child. Parris also went onto tease that for the '70s themed episode, she channeled the characters of Thelma and Willona from “Good Times.”
Debra Jo Rupp dishes on 'WandaVision'
It's also been reassured that “WandaVision” isn't required to watch before the March 2022 release of “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.” CBR has revealed a theory that some fans have that the character of Agnes could actually be Agatha Harkness (an evil witch from the Marvel comics) and have gone as far as to guess that Mephisto (Marvel version of the Devil) is behind this strange new world.
Fans were led to this theory thanks to the pet rabbit Wanda borrowed from Agnes though other fans theorized this was a nod toward Emma Caulfield's involvement on "Buffy." Screen Rant has also hinted at a theory that Dottie could actually be the villain and could be tied to Mephisto.
Debra Jo Rupp is most known for her role on “That 70s Show” and her recurring role on "Friends." The actor explained with Collider why she decided to join “WandaVision,” saying that when she first got the call about the role, she had no understanding of it. The actor shared how they tried to explain the Marvel universe and explained how fans should give the credit of her involvement to her great-nephew who insisted that she take the role.
She also expressed how thankful she was that she joined the show.
Elizabeth Olsen shares about Wanda's accent
Elizabeth Olsen shared with TVLine that she didn't believe fans had anything to fear about the bizarre speed of Wanda's pregnancy which was revealed at the end of the second episode. The third episode was about Wanda's sudden pregnancy and while the tone took an ominous shift, the arrival of the twins was a joyous occasion. Even if the world they live in is one that is strange and questionable, Olsen assured that this storyline in "WandaVision" was as pure as you'd want it to be and described it as a really lovely thing that has happened. The answer as to if the child will take after which parent is raised in the third episode but it's too soon to tell if the children will have any powers.
The actor shared that the couple will be more intrigued about their children more than concerned. Olsen teased about the comment in the third episode of the Marvel show that the expecting parents wondering just what their baby is going to be but the actor was assuring that to them it's a beautiful, delightful thing.
The "WandaVision" episodes also include vintage-style commercials that add to the tone of the whole show while giving Easter Eggs for Marvel fans who will note that various products provide hints. A few of the commercials have hinted at Howard Stark and Hydra. Marvel Studio boss Kevin Feige told TVLine that the commercials started as a format then it quickly became tied into the larger picture of what's going on and adds to the backstory of Wanda.
The Marvel boss also shared that they worked to make their films and shows be able to stand alone. "WandaVision" is expected to set up "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" which has been called Marvel's most exciting new film.
Elizabeth Olsen spoke with Collider about how this isn't a clean slate for Wanda but a blank one with the actor explaining how before the couple moving to their new town there is nothing else. The show approached the storytelling by treating everything before this sitcom-style world with a blank state but it's been assured that more will be revealed as the show progresses. Another mystery the show has yet to explain is where did Wanda's accent go, which fans will notice has seemingly disappeared altogether from the show.
Olsen told Hollywood Life to address that exact subject. The actor shared that the accent has not disappeared and though it has lightened up by being in the States, the accent is still present. Olsen credits the removal to the fact that Wanda is playing the role of an American sitcom housewife. The Russo Brothers (who have directed several Marvel films) addressed the lightened accent in an interview with Happy Sad Confused podcast by saying that Black Widow trained her to be a spy and one of the most distinguishing aspects about her is her accent. It's safe to assume that Wanda's accent will make its way back as the show slowly reveals the mystery within it.
