Episode 1

The premier episode of Marvel Studios’ WandaVision delivered a hilarious episode filled to the brim with witty humor, splendid acting, and a homage to classic sitcoms set in the 50s. This episode was directed by Matt Shakman, who will be helming every episode, and starred Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff and Paul Bettany as Vision. These reviews will not contain spoilers.

Right off of the bat, it is important to know that viewers should not go into the series expecting a show filled with the traditional action and plot of past Marvel Cinematic Universe films. WandaVision is a sitcom through and through, taking inspiration from iconic sitcoms such as The Dick Van Dyke Show and Bewitched. The show centers around newlyweds Wanda and Vision adjusting to life in the suburbs while trying to fit in and hide their powers. The show presents no larger ties to the expanded Marvel Universe and offers no direct explanation as to how Vision is alive after being killed in Avengers Infinity War or why they appear to be living in the 1950s. However, fans of the comics will know the likely explanation, though it is most likely going to be a twist later in the show, so it won’t be stated here. 

One stellar highlight of the series is the superb acting. Elizabeth Olsen gives her best performance yet as Wanda, giving a character who previously was a blank slate of a character and giving her a real personality. Paul Bettany also deserves a lot of praise, as he also brings a fresh and new take on Vision, making him more awkward and at times, dense. Another actress that deserves praise for her performance is Kathryn Hahn, who plays Wanda and Vision’s nosy neighbor, Agnes. Her performance and mannerisms are very exaggerated and over-the-top, leading to a plethora of enjoyable and downright hilarious scenes. Another aspect to note is that the show perfectly emulates the sitcoms of the 50s and 60s, with everything from the wardrobe and the hairstyles, to the décor and music, it all works well. 

WandaVision the start of a bold new era for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, offering a fresh genre that no superhero movie or television show has ever explored. Everything works so well together, offering viewers a fun half-hour show that they can enjoy with their families or by themselves. For fans of the comics, the show will offer a myriad of easter eggs and foreshadowing that will surely make them excited. WandaVision, to put it bluntly, is easy to enjoy, and thus the first episode shall be ranked with a much deserved nine out of 10. 

Episode 2

With the second episode of Marvel’s new sitcom, WandaVision continues to provide audiences with a fun show that is quite unlike anything that has ever been on television. While not as good as its first airing, WandaVision episode two is far from bad. It merely starts to show a few cracks in the show, both in-universe and critically. Elizabeth Olsen (Wanda) and Paul Bettany (Vision) continue to star, and the director is once again Matt Shakman. 

Episode two continues in the world of the 50s/60s, with Vision and Wanda continuing to cement themselves with their new community. As before, Olsen and Bettany’s performances are still superb, though, in this episode, Bettany edges out his co-star just slightly, delivering some of the funniest lines in the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). That is not to say that Olsen is doing poorly, not at all. She just does not get the best lines this time. Once again, this episode does not have any major MCU action. Therefore, for those who have not understood this yet, this show is a sitcom. 

One problem with the episode is that it is a bit too long. Whereas the last one was roughly 29 minutes; this episode was closer to 36 minutes. While that may not seem like a large amount of time, the extra seven minutes leads to some scenes being longer than they must, turning the mood from funny to just awkward. Another aspect that many have a problem with is that there is little explanation about the world Wanda and Vision are living in. This includes how Wanda and Vision got there, or how the stinger at the end even happened. Fans of the comics will certainly understand what is happening, but for the average viewer, the show will confuse them. Answers to these questions will most likely come later, but viewers may still be frustrated, nonetheless. 

While the second outing is not as strong as the show’s first, WandaVision episode two still provides solid entertainment, albeit confusing entertainment. The performances continue to impress, the comedy is funny, and with the cliffhanger at the end, WandaVision will most likely only continue to get weirder and weirder. It deserves a score of eight out of 10. 

Episode 3

With episode 3 of WandaVision, the cracks within this sitcom world start to burst open. While the mysteries of the show have not been fully answered quite yet, it leaves audiences with enough information to put on their thinking caps and speculate just what is going on in the world of Westview. Paul Bettany (Vision) and Elizbeth Olsen (Wanda) star, with Teyonah Parris’ mysterious character of Geraldine (first introduced in the last episode) featured in an increasingly larger role. 

After the 50s/60s setting of the first two episodes, the third installment of WandaVision takes audiences into the colorful world of the 70s, featuring homages to prominent sitcoms of the time such as The Brady Bunch. While coming into a more modern time, WandaVision still retains its sitcom nature. The jokes continue to land with both Olsen and Bettany getting some true knee-slapping lines. But despite the jokes, this episode goes into some more complex writing and emotions. One such example can be found in the wake of the last episode’s cliffhanger. The last twist deeply affected both Wanda and Vision, and this episode deals with the emotions both feel about what is coming. Whether it is Vision’s anxiety or Wanda’s fear of not being strong enough, the show is etching Wanda and Vision into the upper echelon of characters of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

Regarding characters, Teyonah Parris gets a larger role in this episode, developing her and introducing the mystery that surrounds her. Where is she from? What does she know that everyone else does not? These are some of the questions that audiences are left asking, building the mystery of the show. Another recurring element in this episode is the sinister undertone. The episode is constantly confusing and confounding viewers in all the right ways. It is clear something is amiss in Westview, and the show does a great job of getting to tune in next episode to find out what. 

WandaVision continues to impress with pretty much everything one could want from a television show. The acting is exceptional the comedy is well-written, and the dark secret of Westview is intriguing. This episode deserves an eight out of 10.