'WandVision' was Quite a Spellbinding Vision

Disclaimer: Before you read this, this is a review of a television series that came out over three months ago.

 

'WandaVision' was quite a spellbinding combination of superheroism, sitcom, and surprises. It had frequent hilarity with the titular duo making homages to numerous past sitcoms while also exhibiting some crazy plot twists. It will keep people going with a lot of questions with what’s going to happen to the remaining Avengers next in the MCU. 

Wanda Maximoff, played by Elizabeth Olsen, uses her powers to resurrect and marry Vision, played by Paul Bettany, and settle down and live a normal life with him. Unfortunately, she’ll have more than her telekinetic hands full as she crosses paths with suspicious neighbors and agents from intelligence organization S.W.O.R.D. trying to discover her secrets. 

Given how the show dropped a lot of hints that Wanda’s mind games couldn’t fool everyone, including S.W.O.R.D. Captain Monica Rambeau, played by Teyonah Parris, and that Vision passed off as more machine than man, there was suspense in the majority of the series. For those who haven’t watched the series, let’s just say there are times when you will wonder who the real hero or villain is. 

In the first episode, Wanda had comical mishaps using her magic to cook dinner for Vision’s boss and his wife, played by Fred Mulland and Debra Jo Rupp. Seeing her cooking shenanigans was like watching “Bewitched”. The second episode intro was similar to Bewitched as well, with its old school animation and catchy background music. In both episodes, it was amusing watching Vision struggle to keep his genius-level intellect under wraps and mingle with his co-workers.

Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff as a housewife in Marvel Studios' 'WandaVision'. Photo courtesy of Disney+.

Paul Bettany as Vision, struggling to work the grill in Marvel Sutdios' 'WandaVision'. Photo courtesy of Disney+. 

Watching the fifth episode with its intro and difficulty with the WandaVision family managing a dog reminded me of the merrymaking from “Full House”. 

Besides Wanda’s struggles to be a convincing housewife, Vision’s struggles with blending in at an office job and respects made to late 20th century entertainment, two other interesting pieces about “WandaVision” were including Evan Peters and Kathryn Hahn in the cast. Peters was always funny playing Quicksilver in the “X-Men” film series, and he brought back that humorous scene stealing by being the fun uncle to Wanda and Vision’s children. As for Hahn, the way she transitioned from nosy neighbor Agnes to evil sorceress Agatha was remarkable. What was remarkable about Hahn was that she walked into new territory playing a live-action supervillain, a major depart from her usual sex-crazy characters. 

The admirable things about Monica are her empathy towards Wanda and her stepping into Wanda’s alternate world like an Avenger and an astronaut. She’s continuing her mother’s tradition of boldly going where no Rambeau has gone before, which could inspire more black females in military careers.

Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau, using strategy to help reach Wanda in Marvel Studios' 'WandaVision'. Photo courtesy of Disney+. 

It was good to see that Kat Dennings’ character, Darcy Lewis, was given a more prominent role than the comic relief she brought in the first two “Thor” movies, as she’s helpful with getting S.W.O.R.D. to understand the science behind Wanda’s objective and how to stop her from bending reality. People may be more satisfied to see she has more than looks to offer. 

Another engaging thing about the series is that it tells more about Wanda’s origins. It humanizes her because it shows why she’s so protective of Vision and what made her become a villain before an Avenger, along with why the show is titled 'WandaVision'. It will help audiences grieving the loss of a loved one connect with her and see what makes her such a powerful woman. On the positive side, Wanda wears more elegant costumes than her usual trench coat closer to the end of the series. 

Overall, I recommend streaming 'WandaVision' because it’s funny, suspenseful, and empowering for diverse audiences. It’ll also be enjoyable when people see what makes Wanda a hero, which will help audiences like her more, and what happens when Vision tries to be mortal with hilarious, near-disastrous results. Stream 'WandaVision' on Disney+.