Like any homage to an era of television long past, the way in which one has viewed the WandaVision miniseries so far really is a personalised experience. Although I was aware of the alternative screenplay, it took me at least until episode two to get over the nagging feeling of ‘what the hell is this?’. As a relatively avid lover of Marvel, I’m now finding it to be both endearing and somewhat comforting to watch.
The twists and turns throughout the series so far have left me filled with intrigue but also harbouring a slight feeling of bewilderment. The way the episodes fleet through the different eras is depicted flawlessly. The chopping and changing of styles is the true beauty of the series for me. From the outset, the aesthetic themes of the episodes are well established with each and every jump through history from week to week.
Episode 1 is fabricated in true 50s/60s American sitcom style, with authenticity in every last detail of the set. As the series leaps through time to the 70s and then to the 80s, the sense of nostalgia shines through and truly brings the viewer an experience of the glamorized versions of the era’s. Intertextuality is used tremendously through the title sequence that changes each week to reflect the era of the episode. Alongside this, the inclusion of adverts that reflect the relative era is an imaginative touch that helps the viewer to immerse themselves into the style of the programme.
Elizabeth Olsen plays the role of Wanda flawlessly throughout each retro dimension. Her seeming innocence paired with the genius comedy of Kathryn Hahn, who plays nosy neighbor Agnes, is entertaining to say the least. Vision, played solidly and dutifully by Paul Bettany, is basically the nearest thing to a model husband as you could get, on paper anyway. Throughout the series so far we’ve seen his unwavering loyalty to Wanda see through trials and tribulations.
Wanda and Visions’ romantic relationship is the fabric of the storyline, with their every decision and major event influenced by their partnership and wishes for their life together. The way the producers of the series have transitioned Wanda and Vision from the superheroes they were as avengers to ‘normal folk’ in this series is truly endearing. We see them become much more humanized than they were in the movies, and feel more connected to them as people, a connection which grows through every episode in my opinion. It is difficult not to warm to each and every character in some way despite the ethical disputes of their actions, as almost every role in the series is portrayed with a sense of vulnerability and humour.
For viewers wanting a traditional Marvel watch, I’m afraid you’d be sorely disappointed. There is much biding of your time until you reach the kicking in of the real action, around half way through the mini-series. However, if you’re prepared to commit to a bit of slow viewing until you reach the drama, then you’ll likely fall in love with it. At the time of writing, I’m keen to see how the series will be wrapped up.
4 stars
Image Credit: The MovieDB
