WandaVision (1.3): Who Knows What?

Following the sitcom format of the first two episodes of WandaVision, episode three introduces yet another era of sitcoms: the 1970s. More specifically, the episode largely plays off The Brady Bunch, especially in the show’s title sequence. The pacing of the show so far has been reliant on revealing more and more about this created world with each passing episode. That pace continues as the façade cracks even more in a couple new ways. Before we get to the biggest reveals of the third episode, there are a few things to touch on.

While Geraldine (Teyonah Parris) was introduced in episode two, it isn’t until this episode that she joins the ensemble. Wanda’s pregnancy is accelerating at such a pace that even Vision’s super speed cannot get the doctor to their home in time. Geraldine comes over to Wanda’s home to ask a favor and ends up staying to tell Wanda a story. In the midst of this sequence, Wanda is in labor and trying to hide it from Geraldine. In classic sitcom format, this results in hijinks as Wanda does everything from wearing big coats to holding a bowl of fruit in front of her stomach to hide her pregnancy (yet another familiar sitcom spoof). It reaches a climax when Wanda realizes she is having the baby now regardless of whether Geraldine is there. Geraldine helps her give birth to one of the twins before Vision gets back to help her give birth to the other one. After the chaos of giving birth in her living room, Wanda and Geraldine are standing over the babies in their crib, and Wanda mentions her late brother. This is the moment in episode three that marks the tonal shift from sitcom to drama.

For the first two episodes, I mentioned the importance of a great ensemble in crafting a sitcom that stands above the rest, and Teyonah Parris’ performance as Geraldine and her seamless transition into full fledged member of the ensemble is one of the highlights of this episode. This is even more true when we get to the part of the episode where the seams of the constructed world of WandaVision start to show. Parris’ performance shifts from a peppy, demonstrative, comedic slant to one that marks the transition of the show from sitcom to drama. That transitional moment rests on her performance and she does it understatedly well. After Wanda mentions her brother’s death, Geraldine’s voice gets low and she asks, “Wasn’t he killed by Ultron?” When Wanda turns to her to question why she would ask that, Geraldine breathing gets shallower and she tries to backtrack. At one point, she even tries to switch back into the sitcom, but there is no turning back now. Not for Geraldine anyway. She is kicked out of this world, and at the end of the episode, we see her barrel roll across an open field with multiple armored trucks approaching her.

The questions that arose in the last episode, especially ones based on my assumption of Wanda and Vision taking this journey with the audience, are being turned on their head. Geraldine’s slip-up of asking about Ultron and bringing in the outside world was only apparent to Wanda. When Vision finally walks into the house and asks where Geraldine went, Wanda gives a vague answer about her having to leave. Not unlike Geraldine, whatever assumption about Wanda not knowing about this constructed world seemed to fly out of the window at the moment. Even the neighbors and bit players in the ensemble seem to know more than we do and certainly more than Vision knows. The most pressing question three episodes into WandaVision also happens to be the vaguest: who knows what and how long till it all crumbles before our eyes?