The first of the Marvel Cinematic Universe offerings for Disney+ has arrived with WandaVision and I was able to watch the first three episodes ahead of the release of the series on January 15th.
The series features Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) who find themselves in a Black and White universe which is a perfect replica of the sitcoms of the 1950s and 1960s.
They go about their domestic life in the ideal community with gaps in their memories of the life they had before as well as key details of their history.
Shows consist of very sitcom stables such as dinner with the boss and a community talent show, but there are several endearing moments along the way that give fans a new dimension to the characters.
The show cleverly recreates the look and style of those early television classics and has a surprising amount of humor. There naturally are some serious undertones to the series which pop up now and then with moments that tease a darker and direr storyline is possibly lurking behind the shiny façade but the interruptions in the pseudo reality are subtle at times and will likely have fans debating them online as the series unfolds.
The series does make a move to color and does change eras as I saw elements of classic shows such as The Dick Van Dyke Show, Bewitched, and The Brady Bunch but they are done in such a lovingly nostalgic and creative way that it creates a fresh and unique Marvel experience.
The nine episodes of the limited series are supposed to set the stage for the characters and future films as Elizabeth Olsen is reportedly already at on “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” and I am very curious to see what the series has in store.
