Why WandaVision Was The Ideal Start To A New Era Of Marvel Studios
Over a single decade, Marvel Studios has become one of the foremost entertainment brands in pop culture. Building off world-famous characters pre-established in comic books and cartoons, Marvel has constructed an almost irrevocable trust with audiences worldwide. But truth be told Marvel is not the most diverse in terms of expanding their brand beyond the superhero origin fare and ending in a hero vs villain showdown. Marvel has developed a brand that has worked for them up to the present. In the clearest terms, if it ain't broke don't fix it.
However, Marvel is not the only major corporation releasing superhero content on a yearly basis. If anything, Marvel's success story has made others turn around and take notice of the lucrative finances that are to be made. Warner Bros, Netflix, and even Amazon Prime are now taking advantage of the goldmine that is the comic book medium. Everyone wants in on the superhero cash cow that is now flourishing thanks to Marvel. Though in hindsight, the superhero market may inevitably be in danger of becoming oversaturated with content. In order to stand out amongst the rest, Marvel is going to need to prove that they can still take risks and continually reinvent themselves.
It was Marvel's initial risks, basing their up-and-coming film division out of then relative C-list superhero Tony Stark a.k.a. Iron Man, and mastering the concept of a commercially successful shared cinematic universe with The Avengers in 2012. With the Infinity Saga beginning with 2008's Iron Man and culminating in 2019's Avengers Endgame, Marvel Studios are opening the first chapter of their new phase of films and content... WandaVision.
The first chapter of Marvel Studios' new era of risk-taking comes not through the big screen but from the recently developed streaming service of their family-friendly parent company, Disney Plus. With Disney Plus, Marvel finally has the opportunity to delve into the psyche and development of these super-beings who were either sidelined completely or relegated as supporting characters in the feature films. Who are these superheroes when they are not busy saving the world and do they even want to save the world at the end of the day?
Taking inspiration from several fan-favorite Marvel Comics storylines, particularly 2005's Avengers / X-Men crossover event House of M by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Olivier Coipel, WandaVision appropriately centers on two well established cinematic Avengers Wanda Maximoff a.k.a. the Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and The Vision (Paul Bettany). Two doomed lovers and superheroes, one an enhanced human and the other an advanced artificial intelligence, torn apart by tragedy in the previous films of the Avengers franchise. Wanda's grief from her final encounter with Vision ultimately acts as the catalyst which sets the series into motion.
Olsen's Wanda has been a major player in the comic book source material for years, starting as a reluctant villain under her father and X-Men arch-foe Magneto, before defecting to the Avengers alongside her twin brother and fellow mutant Pietro Maximoff a.k.a. the speedster Quicksilver. The film counterpart of Wanda always had the potential to reach the heights of her comics incarnation but was relegated to Marvel's ensemble team-up films, where the character faced limited screen time amongst other players.
While it is not made completely clear initially, WandaVision serves as an immediate continuation to the events of 2018's massive crossover film Avengers Infinity War and its 2019 follow-up Avengers Endgame, two films that prove crucial to the grand scheme of the series. For longtime fans who have been with the MCU since the beginning, WandaVision's first two episodes Filmed Before a Live Studio Audience and Don't Touch That Dial, maybe polarizing for some. They are not superhero stories, but rather superheroes Wanda and Vision placed into a sitcom environment.
WandaVision acts as a homage to classic American sitcoms, particularly 1961's The Dick-Van-Dick Show and 1964's Bewitched. But the Marvel series is not just replicating the nostalgia of the aforementioned sitcoms but stylistic elements from their narrative structure, visuals, character archetypes, and of course... a laugh track.
As the show progresses, WandaVision begins to experiment with subsequent decades of American sitcoms well into the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, before taking viewers into the present-day through modern documentary-style sitcoms such as Modern Family and The Office. It is not until the second act of the series, with episode 4 We Interrupt This Program, where all the puzzle pieces begin to come into place. Rather than simply spoon-feed the audience all of the answers, WandaVision gradually drops clues into each episode leading to the big reveal.
Once the cat is out of the bag, the Marvel formula begins to reemerge. The massive CGI battles and action sequences will satiate fans who need those ingredients in their superhero stories, but WandaVision works best when its focus is on the idyllic albeit flawed suburban family drama of title characters Wanda Maximoff and Vision.
Marvel Studios have always had a tendency of teasing future characters as well as storylines in each of their films and shows, but WandaVision is a largely standalone narrative that is not beholden to future Marvel projects. Now, this does not mean that certain characters and plots that are introduced in the show won't play a much larger role down the line. However, characters that do come into play such as S.W.O.R.D. agent Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) adds relevance to Wanda's overall journey as a character rather than acting as a shoo-in for a future movie or show.
There is a mystery that runs throughout the entire series. In addition to getting to spend more time with characters through a 6-8 hour format as opposed to a two-hour film, the advantage of the Disney Plus streaming model is the weekly release.
With WandaVision currently being released as a miniseries, the weekly format allows the creators involved to withhold some of the answers from their audience. In an age where Netflix has made binging television a common occurrence, whether it is shows like Cobra Kai or Bridgerton, returning to the weekly release schedule can be quite jarring. However, WandaVision has brought back that feeling of excitement of sitting with friends and family each week, anticipating what would happen next to the central characters and who would be left standing when the dust cleared.
If Marvel Studios continues on the trajectory kicked off by WandaVision for their future Disney + shows and adjoining film slate, both new and old fans alike are in for a wonderfully different set of superhero-sized treats.
Opinions and Perspectives
Jade_Dreamer
3 years ago
It was nice to see a Marvel project that prioritized character over spectacle.
StreamingServiceGuru_89
3 years ago
The series showed that Marvel can handle complex themes maturely.
Comic_Book_Movie_Nerd
3 years ago
Each episode felt like a love letter to different eras of television.
Inner-Peace_InMotion
3 years ago
It was refreshing to see a superhero story focused on emotional consequences.
Harmony_Waves
3 years ago
This show proved that Marvel TV shows can be just as high quality as their movies.
ElevateYourEnergy
3 years ago
I actually liked that they didn't explain everything. Some mystery is good.
QuantumFlux
3 years ago
The chemistry between Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany carried the whole series.
MidnightChronicles
3 years ago
The show really made me think about how we all deal with loss in different ways.
Brzezinski_Briefing
3 years ago
The way they handled the reveal of what was really going on was masterful.
TarynJ
3 years ago
My family looked forward to watching together each week. It brought back that feeling of appointment television.
TheWellnessEdit
3 years ago
This series proved that Marvel can tell intimate, personal stories just as well as big action blockbusters.
Marathon_MovieGoer
3 years ago
I loved seeing how each decade's camera work and special effects matched the era they were paying tribute to.
AwardSeason_Guru
3 years ago
The show did such a good job of making us sympathize with Wanda while still acknowledging that what she did was wrong.
DigitalWanderer
3 years ago
I think some people missed how clever the writing was because they were expecting traditional superhero action.
OldHollywood_Glam_47
3 years ago
Each episode felt like a puzzle piece slowly revealing the bigger picture.
Belloni_Blog
3 years ago
The series really benefited from being on Disney+. This kind of story wouldn't have worked as a movie.
Autumn_Skies
3 years ago
It was nice to see a Marvel project that wasn't trying to be bigger and louder than everything else.
Simon_Spotlight
3 years ago
The music for each era was spot on! Those theme songs are still stuck in my head.
EternalSeeker
3 years ago
I appreciate how they didn't shy away from showing the darker aspects of Wanda's actions.
TVBinger_24
3 years ago
The way they handled Vision's existential crisis was so thoughtful. It added another layer to the story.
Wallace_Watch
3 years ago
This show really proved that superhero stories can be about more than just fighting bad guys.
Bella_Whimsy
4 years ago
I found myself looking forward to each new episode in a way I haven't since Game of Thrones.
Evelyn_Clark
4 years ago
The visual effects were incredible, especially in showing how reality was warping around Westview.
SkylarHansen
4 years ago
I actually liked that they didn't try to set up too many future projects. The focus stayed on Wanda's story.
TVShowAddict99
4 years ago
The supporting cast was amazing too. Monica Rambeau's character development has me excited for her future in the MCU.
Comic-Con_Lover
4 years ago
I think this was the perfect way to kick off Phase 4. It showed that Marvel isn't afraid to experiment.
Jason_1988
4 years ago
The show handled grief in such a realistic way, despite being set in such an unrealistic scenario.
SamanthaB_77
4 years ago
Can we talk about how perfect Paul Bettany was in every era? His physical comedy in the early episodes was fantastic.
Winona_Lavish
4 years ago
The series really showed what Marvel can do with a longer format. Some stories need more than 2 hours to tell properly.
Cohen_Comment
4 years ago
I loved how they incorporated elements from House of M without directly adapting it.
KimberlyGray
4 years ago
Those early episodes make so much more sense on rewatch when you know what's really going on.
CamilaBailey
4 years ago
The transition from sitcom to supernatural thriller was so well done. I didn't expect to be so invested in the mystery.
Adalian_Article
4 years ago
I have to admit, I was skeptical about Marvel doing TV shows, but WandaVision proved me wrong.
MovieTheaterVibes
4 years ago
That's part of what made it great though! It mirrored how reality was breaking down in Westview.
Sundance_Festival_Addict
4 years ago
I found the pacing a bit odd. The first few episodes were slow, then everything happened so quickly at the end.
Mayer_Media
4 years ago
This series definitely raised the bar for future Marvel shows. I hope they continue taking creative risks like this.
Noa99
4 years ago
The show really made me care about Wanda in a way the movies never did. Now I understand why she's such a beloved character in the comics.
CameoSpotter_99
4 years ago
My favorite part was seeing Kathryn Hahn as Agnes. She absolutely stole every scene she was in.
TVShowRerunKing_77
4 years ago
I just finished watching it and I can't believe how well they balanced the mystery with character development.
CyberWave
4 years ago
The attention to detail in recreating each sitcom era was amazing. Even the commercials had hidden meanings!
CharlieT
4 years ago
Not at all! The finale felt earned to me. We needed to see Wanda fully embrace her powers as the Scarlet Witch.
Witchy_Cinema_Girl
4 years ago
Am I the only one who thought the ending fell into typical Marvel formula? All that build-up for another CGI battle.
LeilaniXO
4 years ago
This show really proved that Marvel can handle complex themes like grief and mental health. I was genuinely moved by several scenes.
Phoebe_Soul
4 years ago
The sitcom homages were brilliant, but I wish they had spent more time in each era. The 80s episode was particularly fun.
IndieFilmLover_Jazz
4 years ago
Does anyone else think they could have done more with Vision's character? I felt like his story got overshadowed by Wanda's grief.
Helena_Hope
4 years ago
It was refreshing to see Marvel focus on character development and emotional depth rather than just action sequences.
ThemeSong_Addict_88
4 years ago
The weekly release format drove me crazy at first, but looking back, it really added to the mystery and gave us time to develop theories.
Riley_Joyful
4 years ago
I agree! Elizabeth Olsen really showed her range as an actress in this series. The way she adapted to each decade's sitcom style was incredible.
VFX_Wizard_333
4 years ago
You're missing the point entirely! The sitcom format was crucial to show Wanda's psychological state and her attempt to create a perfect reality.
Hayes_Herald
4 years ago
I actually found the first two episodes pretty boring. Not everyone wants to watch old-style sitcoms. They should have gotten to the action faster.
IMAX_Junkie_007
4 years ago
I love how WandaVision took such a bold creative risk by starting with those classic sitcom episodes. It really made me appreciate Marvel's willingness to try something completely different.