WandaVision (2021)

Title: WandaVision

Year: 2021

Genre: Action | Comedy | Drama |

Season: 1|

Runtime: 30-45 min/episode

Creator: Jac Schaeffer

Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Kathryn Hahn

8,2/10

INTERESTING CONCEPT WITH WEAK SCRIPT

Wanda Maximoff and Vision were first introduced in the Cinematic Universe from Marvel back in 2014, in a sequel featuring the Avengers. Ever since, they have developed a relationship that partly ended in the fourth avengers, Avengers: Endgame. But as nothing is really concrete and permanent the creations from Marvel, Visions dead were actually death – even if he died twice. Ever since Wanda went depressed after the events of the Blip where she created her own artificial world and characters she controlled.

In WandaVision, its setups change from a 50-60s rom-com with the audience with small details revealing a darker agenda from the main character. This progress during the mini-series with more information revealing the true nature, where even the government get involved and a section called S.W.O.R.D. gets a role in it as well.

It’s an interesting concept created as the illusion within the televised world of Wanda, serves the same policy and concept for the viewers on DisneyPlus.  It contradicts its form yet it is feasible and makes sense.  Not many new characters are introduced after the half-season of nine episodes. It’s a very character-driven mini-series which is a rare occasion, and it’s easy to follow each character. As Wanda and Vision has a strong position in the comics and the Avengers movies, it also feels a natural extension from both their past.

However, the storytelling and screenwriting struggles and has a tendency to become predictable and useless. The dialogue doesn’t serve the performances right in many episodes, at least by the end where everything appears to be very rushed. The directors and producers thereby seem to struggle to find the correct pace for the series as a lot of information needs to be included. Why the character Monica is involved, doesn’t get an explanation and the character Darcy is the most annoying part.

Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany in the lead, especially by the final episode, making the nine weeks’ wait worth it. Their emotional connection and chemistry feel honest and sells the imagery that they are their characters. The main issue with the series is that it’s stuck in a one-way out of storytelling, it could only end in one way and didn’t have the expansion potential it could’ve had. A lot of the writing feels forced, and the character feels off-putting. The attention to the classic sit-com overcome some minor issue but instead, it reveals something else down the road. It shines bright during its best moments but during its lack of imagination, it becomes bleak and forced. A with only one way to write Wanda Maximoff out of the dilemma and run from the government, it remains predictable.