After a long year, the MCU has finally brought some heroes to save us, in the form of WandaVision, a sitcom-inspired adventure featuring Scarlet Witch and the Vision. But Vision being alive isn’t the only weird thing going on, and what does it mean for the universe going forward?
Mild Spoilers for the first episode to follow
“This is gonna be a gas!”
In case you were worried about “Superhero fatigue“, WandaVision is closer to a classic sitcom, than a superhero show. Although their powers are used, they aren’t fighting evil aliens or homicidal robots. Instead, Wanda is using her powers in the kitchen, to quickly cook a meal for Vision’s new boss. She also may or not be responsible for their new life, but more on that later.
The show captures the sitcom feel perfectly, with a musical title sequence explaining the “premise” of the show: he’s a robot, they’re an odd couple. Vision has an office job, even though he isn’t quite sure what he does, using his powers to look like a normal human. While Wanda is trying to be the perfect housewife with the help of their neighbour. The look and feel of the show is perfect for the era it’s going for. The formal accents, clothes and even the way characters walk really sell the era. Perhaps most importantly, it’s actually funny, and not in the typical Marvel self-aware way. Even without the franchise connections, this is a solid premise for a sitcom.
It’s not all audience laugh tracks though, it’s implied that there is something “strange” (pun intended?) going on. Wanda and Vision can’t seem to remember how they arrived in the neighbourhood, or anything outside it. The trailer seems to hint that this will become a mystery throughout the season, but with no second season offically announced, who knows how it will end?
“What’s your story?”
Wanda is set to return in Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness, so it’s safe to assume that whatever happens here will lead into the upcoming film. The MCU is in a transition phase, as new heroes step up to fill the gaps left in the wake of Avengers: Endgame. With no Avengers 5 to build towards, it’s unclear where she’ll show up after that. Likewise, it’s unclear if Vision will appear after the series ends.
Marvel’s current slate includes a mix of old and new characters, over films and series. With most of these focusing on new heroes or ones that haven’t been a focus (like WandaVision or Falcon and Winter Soldier), the universe is clearly moving forward. Most of these seem much smaller scale than recent entries, more akin to Phase 1. It could be that the franchise is going for a “soft reboot”. With over 20 films, there are a lot of plot threads and characters to keep up with, so some smaller stories which could see new heroes replace older ones (Hawkeye, Falcon and Winter Solider) would be welcome. Additionally some multiverse, time travel stories could fix some continuity errors or close some plot threads.
Rating 
(4 / 5)
Marvel has clearly gone as big on its Disney+ offerings as Star Wars has. Unique and refreshing, it’s a real treat after the superhero drought. Olsen and Bettany have great chemistry, and it captures the sitcom feeling perfectly. With dozens of theories already out there, the wait for answers seems like it’s going to be worth the wait.
While they may have been gone longer than intended, the next stage of the MCU is finally here. And if this is anything to go by, it’s going to be like nothing we’ve seen before…
Also Read: MCU Storylines That Are Still Unresolved
