Spoilers Ahead

The Blockbuster Machine that is Marvel Studios has dominated the superhero franchise in the film industry since the inception of the first Iron Man movie. With an army of 23 films and 12 TVshows, it’s hard to imagine the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) expanding its collection even further. I will admit, over the past year I have really felt the superhero fatigue starting to kick in. I mean, more spin offs increases the risk of oversaturating the MCU with too-complex-to-keep-up-with crossovers, inconsistent character storylines and more loose ends. However, the latest release of WandaVision has banished previous doubts about Marvel’s ability to create something fresh and relevant.

The miniseries, stylised in a classic 50’s sitcom format, gives a humorous and creative insight into the characterisation of Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen). She made her first appearance in Avengers: Age of Ultron alongside her twin brother Pietro (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). Her tragic origin story, telekinetic powers and cornerstone romance with Vision (Paul Bettany) has made her mutant status all the more alluring. Whilst the series has been praised for its boldness and emotional complexity, I was more impressed by the style and tone of the first half of the series. Having– mostly– kept up to date with the chronology of the MCU films, I’ve familiarised myself with the Stan Lee cameos and constant interjections of comic ease, the latter clearly being a backbone of American humour. With the MCU entering its Fifth Phase, Marvel has undoubtedly maintained a consistent and recognisable style with each new release. But ironically, I think it’s WandaVision’s divergence from the conventional Marvel formula that has earned its accolade and praise.

WandaVision introduces the two main protagonists, Wanda and Vision, as they lead an American suburban life. Moving chronologically, the first four episodes are set against a different decade backdrop from the 20th Century. Cleverly, WandaVision plays on the nostalgia pendulum, giving us a modern spin on old-time classics. The show’s ability to mix together moments of dramatic irony, suspense and horror is a testament to their mastery of tonal shift as achieved by the show’s production and its actors. The nosy neighbour Agnes (Kathryn Hahn), later revealed as Agatha, embodies this double-lined personality extremely well. The sudden tonal genre shifts throughout the series is what builds suspense and creates moments of fear and anticipation. Following repeated scenes of comic relief, the moments in which the lighthearted sitcom would morph into a psychological thriller are my favourite moments because they are entirely unexpected and challenge our perspectives of our misperceived heroes. The detail and skill it takes to seamlessly transition between interplays of sub-genres demonstrates Marvel’s capacity to adapt from the MCU legacy and create something refreshingly un-MarvelTM for once.

With each new episode, the director Matt Shakman plays on the classic television tropes of that specific era. The first episode is set in a 4:3 aspect ratio, paying tribute to the 50’s and 60’s black-and-white sitcom. Particularly with reference to the 60’s Dick Van Dyke Show, the authenticity of the costume and set designs were remarkable! But now let me bring your attention to the challenge of costume design; the issue of styling for black and white scenes is often evaded without much afterthought, particularly as film noir is becoming a rarer medium in mainstream film. Colour sensitivity was a huge factor that had to be accounted for in the design and filming of costumes. Especially given the black and white film stock, the colour of Vision’s head was painted blue, as opposed to red in the first two episodes, because the shade looked more desirable on the greyscale. This same meticulosity was also applied to hair and makeup with Marvel designers drawing on the work of Edith Head, a legacy of the Hollywood film industry. This authenticity and construction of restorative nostalgia throughout the mini-series was furthered by the decision to have a live studio audience on set. Discovering that the laugh tracks were, in their own right ‘original’, presented a whole new level of appreciation for the show’s production and execution. Without too much historical revisionism, WandaVision is a homage to the latter half of the 20th Century.

But whilst WandaVision was an intricate and cleverly planned out miniseries, it also had its modern flaws. Clearly, the theme of grief laid the foundation of the existence of Westview. It dominates the paralleling storylines of the two female leads, Wanda and Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) who are both faced with loss and denial. What I can appreciate is the consistency of the script and the way in which the theme is threaded into the character arches, as well as the plotline itself. However, in an effort to humanise Wanda as a multi-faceted and flawed ‘superhero’, the directors also overplay the core theme of grief. Don’t get me wrong though, the acting and characteral tonal shifts speak to the amazing efforts of the cast and their artistic skills. In one sense, tying Monica’s origin story to the premiere of WandaVision might be viewed as a clever and also convenient cross-over. But my fawning over the show had to do with its digression from the traditions of Marvel storytelling. In a way, it felt like the miniseries was just a cover for Monica’s pilot episode, laying easter eggs for the newest superhero’s debut and relation to the MCU. I think if the producers were to have taken advantage of how divergent the show was to its Marvel predecessors, they may have excelled at sub-textualising grief in a less overt fashion. But as a Marvel show aimed at Marvel maniacs, I guess the interweaving of two female heroes intrinsically linked by trauma and acceptance were strong and vivid enough emotional responses that resonated with audiences. In the words of our favourite synthezoid: “what is grief, if not love persevering?”

I think the show peaked in its initiation because it promised something undone and artistically cinematic. But the flaw of WandaVision is its inability to extend itself further as a “big swing” production indifferent to anything else from the MCU. Whilst it held promises of non-conformity and resourcefulness, it did in the end fall through as another innately stylised Marvel production. I doubt the MCU vs. ‘real’ cinema debate will ever stop being raised because it begs the ever-more relevant question of how mediocrity sells and the ways in which big media stifles artistic risk and originality in all mediums.