WandaVision

Disney’s first MCU show breaks the superhero format in the best way

By Funmi Banjoko

The classic sitcom theme song, an obnoxious laugh track with transatlantic accents all in black and white might have you thinking you're watching something straight from the 1950s. However, the appearance of Wanda and Vision from the latest Marvel movies brings you right back to the present. The creators of “WandaVision”, the first of many Marvel shows coming to Disney+ this year, said the series is a love letter to the sitcom genre as each episode pays homage to a different era of sitcom history, from The Brady Bunch to Full House. 

This series is a refreshing change of pace from the action-packed Marvel Cinematic Universe. It truly is a sitcom about Wanda and Vision trying to figure out their relationship and protect their identities as super-powered individuals. But, lurking in the background, there is a greater storyline that the suburban town of Westview that they live in is more than what meets the eye. 

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the release of “WandaVision” was delayed but it was well worth the wait. The show balances easter eggs and references to pop culture with strong storytelling, great performances, and sharp writing. The story moves through the decades while seamlessly transitioning aesthetics from episode to episode in a way that I've never seen before. Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany in the lead roles play off each other well and transition their characters from the big screen onto the TV screen perfectly. 

 As a longtime fan of Marvel and sitcoms, “WandaVision'' has given me everything that I wanted and more. The series is enjoyable for die-hard Marvel fans and accessible to people with little knowledge of the over 20 Marvel films that have come out in the past 10 years. “WandaVision'' fits well within the Marvel Cinematic Universe pantheon and stands firmly on its own. The bar has been set high for the rest of Marvel shows coming to Disney+ this year.