WandaVision (1.1+1.2): A New Era of Marvel is Upon Us

Since Disney+ started airing their original programming, they have stuck by releasing two episodes on premiere and one episode weekly after that. It was not until WandaVision this past week did this format start to find its place. The premiere episode of WandaVision establishes a format paying homage to classic sitcoms from I Love Lucy to Bewitched. The show then simultaneously expands and deconstructs that very format in its second episode. Form is key in these first two episodes of WandaVision, and together they take a turn in weird and wonderful. It is immediately clear that while the show finds a way to fit nicely into the extended Marvel universe it insists on its own distinct story, and is all the better for it.

The first episode is in black and white and draws on I Love Lucy from both how Bettany’s performance mirrors something Desi Arnaz would put together and Elizabeth Olsen carries some of the wit and humor that Lucille Ball did in a similar setting. Even the way the plot in the first episode is structured echoes I Love Lucy. From the misunderstanding between Wanda and Vision that leads to hijinks to when Vision’s boss and boss’ wife visit their home for dinner, it has classic sitcom setup written all over it. (A huge shout out to an absolutely delightful Debra Jo Rupp in the latter role). Beyond the homage of format from visuals to plot, there’s another aspect that is not so apparent but just as important: the ensemble. Any great sitcom – see: Everybody Loves Raymond, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Frasier, Arrested Development, Living Single – is only as great as its ensemble. From the outset of the first episode, WandaVision establishes this as a strength. As good as Bettany is as Vision and Olsen is as Wanda, the feel of the sitcom is neatly wrapped up with the addition of a third recurring member played by Kathryn Hahn (Agnes). Hahn immediately establishes the tone for the dialogue in her entrance into the scene. It is screwball comedy through and through. Fast-paced dialogue driven by an upbeat demeanor. She commits to this wholeheartedly and Olsen plays off of her. Even when she inserts herself in the middle of the most ‘tense’ scene in the episode, she manages to go toe to toe with the main characters of the ensemble with as much vigor as they exhibit. That is essential in crafting a great ensemble and from the first episode, WandaVision has it.

The second episode takes that format of the first – the misunderstandings, hijinks, and black and white cinematography – and starts to break it down and push its sitcom sensibilities further. It moves further from I Love Lucy and closer to Bewitched. (If you are going by decades of sitcoms, this also signifies the show moving from the 50s into the 60s.) This is when the show truly hits its stride and starts to separate itself. It primarily happens in two ways. By the end of episode, color bursts onto the scene and the utilization of close-ups. The camera moves so much more in the second episode, resulting in close-ups that are not present in the multi-cam format of the first episode. These form breakdowns culminate in the most beautiful moment between the two episodes (besides Debra Jo Rupp dancing to Paul Bettany singing in the first episode). As the camera spins around the home of Wanda and Vision, color explodes throughout their place. It is simultaneously wonderful and ominous. It is a moment that ultimately leaves us with more questions than answers.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of these changes in form from episode one to two is that Wanda and Vision are experiencing them the same way we are. Just as we are curious about how this insular universe is unfolding before our eyes, it’s clear in the second episode that Wanda and Vision are wondering the same thing. They are not sure how they got here or what it means. Neither are we. It puts all of us in the same boat and leaves us wondering and hoping. Isn’t that what the best TV shows do anyway?