Spoilers may need to adjust the antenna.

There’s obviously something strange afoot in what looks the dream life of Wanda and Vision. To start with, we don’t know how we got here. There’s something possibly obvious about the way that everything resembles the old classic sitcoms of the golden age of TV, but we seem to be in for a long ride. And yes, the show is part of the MCU franchise so knowing what we know, we’re a bit scared for the enduring happiness of this couple. We’re only three episodes in but the cracks in the surface are already starting to appear.

(Credit: Marvel Studios)

Wandavision (2020) was created by Jac Schaeffer with episodes directed by Matt Shakman. When we meet Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) they seem to be moving into life in the suburbs as a couple in the 50’s/60’s with an idyllic reality that seems to mimic TV sitcoms of that era even down to seeing themselves as black and white. The show is mostly told through Wanda’s point of view where she suspects something might be up but can’t quite fathom it yet.

There are a few things that we know are obvious. For some reason, we’re going down memory lane as we’ve covered the typical shows in black and white and now we’re transitioning to color. That means that characters were actually seeing themselves in B&W. This is someone’s feverish dream and – sorry if I am spoiling Endgame for you – the most logic person would be Wanda since Vision is… Well, is Vision alive or dead? Since the entire time travel solution of Endgame allows for a lot of loopholes to exist, we can’t be really sure.

The series is finally giving Elizabeth Olsen time and space to stretch and flex her acting abilities, and she does a terrific job as Wanda Maximoff, although it’s impossible not to consider that everything that she’s experiencing might be caused by her own reality-altering powers. That should be literally Theory #1 in everyone’s book. However, we’ve seen hints of an organization working behind the scenes with a sword logo. Whether this is SHIELD’s actual SWORD we’ve yet to discover. Actually, even if it is we’re not sure who we’re rooting for yet. I mean, if the worst fears are true, do we really need Wanda to wake up?

Recommended for Marvel fans because, obvs. As for the more casual viewer, I am a bit on the fence since I can’t be sure about their level of investment. Paul Bettany is spot on, but then again it’s hard to judge someone playing a synthetic lifeform. I guess this could go the same way than Star Trek: The Next Generation‘s Data was used to promote inclusivity, but since the show is reaching the 70’s it should have ample direct references to the subject of tolerance and acceptance. On the other hand, Elizabeth Olsen is playing Wanda beautifully, both in her exaggerated campiness and serious rejection of reality. I can’t blame her though, fantasy has great ratings compared to facts nowadays.

That will do for now.