(Featured image via Disney)
For the last few weeks, Disney has been airing episodes of their newest entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Wandavision. This has been aired on their own streaming service, Disney Plus. Last Friday, the fifth episode was released marking over the halfway point of the nine episode season.
Wandavision has a similar concept to The Truman Show where the show is portrayed as a sitcom but it is clear something more sinister is going on behind the scenes. Every episode the style of the sitcom seems to jump forward a time period with the first episode starting in a 1920s black and white style.
This occurs until the fourth episode, which takes place in the real world as Captain Monica Rambeau who is an agent of S.W.O.R.D is sent to investigate a missing persons case in Westview, New Jersey. This serves as an exposition episode to help bridge the gaps for the viewer and explain what is going on. The fifth episode is half the sitcom and half in the world outside of the sitcom.
In my opinion so far, Wandavision is a very solid show for Marvel fans to enjoy. The first three episodes are very well done and genuinely creepy at times. The show does a good job of leaving you wanting more. I have personally been genuinely upset that they release episodes a week between each other and that I have to wait so long between episodes.
The show is efficient at making you wonder what is going on. I spent hours talking and arguing with my friends over theories about what we think is going to happen or why we think things happen the way that they did.
The visual effects are also pleasing to the eye. It seems that Disney understands that a Marvel show is going to need a Marvel budget. This is a breath of fresh air as early shows that took place in the MCU either didn’t have anything with visual effects or had really poorly done effects because they had a lower budget. I am happy to say that this is not the case in Wandavison.
That being said, I do not believe that the show is perfect. My biggest issue is with the fourth episode. With all the exposition that is given to us, part of the mystery is solved for us. In my opinion, it kind of takes away from the experience. I can not help but to feel spoon fed a little bit. I understand that there are things that we have to know in order to understand later episodes, however, I feel like the writers are underestimating their audience. This doesn’t bother me that much because there is still plenty more mystery to go around but it is worth mentioning.
Overall I think Wandavision is a very well thought-out show and is a fun watch for any Marvel fan. I would also recommend it to people who aren’t Marvel fans as I feel it has genuine cinematic value outside of being just another superhero show.
