Text by JERRY FANG
Wanda MARVEL’S RECENT SHOW IS
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S THE FAMILIAR and Infinity War.” To combat her anguish, she majestic Marvel fanfare uses her powers to place herself in a sitconcludes, time seeming- com world with Vision, living a peaceful ly rewinds. The orchestra life together. As the show progresses, plot degrades to a muted melody and twists greet the audience, along with hints the color drains from the screen, that the cheery sitcom Wanda has created is the black-and-white overlay mim- concealing something far larger and more icking the style of ‘50s television. An sinister. “I really like the awkwardness that they unfamiliar and cheerful tune takes over, and a classic American car with a newly- [the show] had when the characters were wed couple inside rolls into the suburban being fake or showing the cracks between the illusion that Wanda created,” Palo Alto town. This is the sitcom-style introduction High School junior and casual Marvel fan April Wu said. of the first episode Each episode is of “WandaVimade in the sitcom sion,” a minise- “WandaVision” is an style of a specific deries created by unusually deep show cade, starting with the Jac Schaeffer. The ‘50s style comparative show premiered on for the superhero to the show “I Love the streaming plat- genre. Lucy” and becoming form Disney+ on Jan. more modern with 15, and marks the beginning of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s each episode, ending with a 2000s portrayPhase Four, the latest group of Marvel re- al based off “Modern Family.” This media style is a departure from traditional Marleases. “WandaVision” follows the super- vel films, and the studio’s experimentation hero couple, Vision — seemingly keeps the audience craving more of the resurrected from the dead — and comedy. Whether it’s Vision’s dad jokes or Wanda Maximoff, who settle situational irony, the comedic aspect adds a down in a small New Jersey welcome lighthearted touch. Because of the stylistic decision to shift town and attempt to live normal lives while con- time periods, the first two episodes are in cealing their powers. The black-and-white. Color is symbolic, and show takes place follow- is used to gradually reveal more about the ing the film “Avengers: true nature of the sitcom. Red in particular Endgame” when Wanda is the signature color of Wanda’s magic and is still grieving over Vi- is the first color that appears on the initialsion’s death in “Avengers: ly colorless screen –– representing division,
44 APRIL 2021
