WandaVision: The Good, The Bad, And The Scarlet

WandaVision, Disney+’s first big-budget Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) series, has officially concluded its first season. With six episodes emulating decades of sitcom history, two episodes showing classic MCU action, and one episode taking us down memory lane, WandaVision never ceases to capture its audience. But with such big shoes to fill after Avengers: Endgame, has WandaVision succeeded in propelling us into Marvel Studios’ Phase Four? And SPOILER ALERT!

Here are five things WandaVision does right and five things it does wrong.

5 Things WandaVision Does Right:

The MCU never fails to please audiences, and the Disney+ show adds countless easter eggs and comic-accurate moments left and right. Here are 5 things WandaVision does right.

1. WandaVision Brilliantly Recreates Sitcom History

Through its first seven episodes, WandaVision follows a brilliant formula that recreates numerous decades of television sitcom history.

The series' first two episodes delicately recreate the black and white aesthetic of the 1950s and '60s, boasting silly jokes and old-fashioned special effects we haven’t seen since I Love Lucy and The Honeymooners. Each proceeding episode recreates the following sitcom decade from the 1960s to 1970s, then the '80s, '90s, and even catches up with modern-day.

Not only does the show shift from black and white to color, but costume accuracy, cinematography, and set-design all change in coherence with each time jump.

The 1970s themed Now In Color episode shows off large-pointed collared shirts and bell-bottomed pants while the 1980s On A Very Special Episode… sports permed hair, leg warmers, and wacky patterns. Episode seven, Breaking the Fourth Wall, takes a step up by altering its cinematography for the 2000s, filming with a shaky-cam aesthetic, and having Wanda speak to the camera in a The Office or Modern Family mockumentary style.

The show is a nostalgic love letter to sitcom culture that makes the series unlike any other. And even if you’ve never seen I Love Lucy or Malcolm in the Middle, it’s still worth the watch.

2. Jimmy Woo Brings Joy to Westview

After charming audiences in Ant-Man and the Wasp, actor Randall Park’s role as Agent Jimmy Woo is back in action investigating Westview’s hex.

Since being a glorified babysitter during Scott Lang’s (Ant-man) house arrest, it seems Agent Woo has been making wise career moves, climbing up the F.B.I. ladder, and making powerful allies in Monica Rambeau and Darcy Lewis. His craving for the truth makes him a valuable asset in facing off against S.W.O.R.D. Director Hayward, and trying to communicate with Wanda.

Jimmy also seems to have been practicing his online magic, showing off his sleight-of-hand skills throughout the series; revealing his business card from up his sleeve, and freeing himself from handcuffs.

3. Monica Rambeau Becomes Spectrum...Kinda

Teyonah Parris makes her MCU debut as the grown-up Monica Rambeau who audiences may recall being a young girl in Captain Marvel. 

Twenty-eight years after the events of Captain Marvel, Monica seems to be living up to her name of “lieutenant trouble,” wreaking havoc on Hayward’s plans and risking everything to enter Wanda’s hex. She brings wonder, heart, and wit to WandaVision which meshes well with Jimmy Woo’s sincerity.

Not only is she a trustworthy asset, but her efforts to breach the hex rearrange her molecules, giving her superhuman abilities which could lead to her role as Spectrum; an energy wave-controlling superhero.

By the end, Monica makes a good impression on Wanda and outer-world influencers. This won’t be the last we see of her charming escapades.

4. Speed and Wiccan Make Their MCU Debut

WandaVision ushers in one of the MCU’s most adorable families since the Starks and their love shows every step of the way.

We already know Wanda and Vision as a true pair, but episode three Now In Color introduces their twin sons Tommy and Billy. By aging from infants to toddlers in mere minutes, it’s clear Tommy and Billy are no ordinary children.

The twins have deep comic book origins in which they are magically birthed, and boast super speed and magic abilities, similar to their appearance on WandaVision. The two boys use their powers to become superheroes Speed and Wiccan and are notable members of the Young Avengers.

Wanda, Vision and the boys become the MCU’s first superpowered family to fight side-by-side on the screen and it is a wondrous sight to behold! Fighting off rogue S.W.O.R.D. agents never felt so good.

5. Wanda Maximoff is Officially the Scarlet Witch

Ever since Avengers: Age of Ultron fans have been anticipating the reveal of Wanda’s comic-accurate costume and superheroine title.

Officially dubbed the “Scarlet Witch” by Agatha Harkness, Wanda is revealed to have been a witch since birth, not just since her interaction with the mind stone. Not only that, but she’s the most powerful witch on earth, and, supposedly, one of the most powerful beings in the universe; even more powerful than the Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor Strange himself.

Her all-red outfit exceeds expectations by including her iconic "M" shaped crown, sleek dress, and elbow-length gloves which she magically creates during her final battle with Agatha. Are you getting Magneto vibes too?

Although we’ve known Wanda since 2015, it appears we’ve barely scratched the surface of her true potential, and it's promising that she’ll play a key role in Marvel’s phase four.

5 Things WandaVision Does Wrong:

Nothing on TV is ever perfect, not even the MCU. Here are 5 things WandaVision does wrong.

1. Darcy Lewis Falls Off the Radar

Put down your torches and pitchforks because there isn’t anything wrong with Darcy herself but instead the handling of her character.

Ever since her debut in Thor way back in 2011, Kat Dennings’ performance as Darcy Lewis has charmed audiences with her quirky sense of humor and geeky atmosphere, and her appearance in WandaVision is no different.

She makes for good fun with Jimmy Woo and Monica Rambeau, and she proves herself a talented scientist, techno-master, and escape artist. She holds a lot of importance, especially during her time with Vision in episode seven in which she tells him about his death.

However, after spending a few splendid episodes with her, she drops off the radar only to reappear for a deus ex machina and a quick goodbye in the series finale. Taking down Hayward is no easy feat, but her arc feels cut short and forgotten amidst Wanda’s battle with Agatha which leaves viewers a bit unsatisfied.

Maybe we’ll see more of her in Thor: Love and Thunder or Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness.

2. Agatha Harkness Isn't as Spooky as She Should Be

The inclusion of Agatha Harkness allows for a window into Wanda’s true identity as the Scarlet Witch and lets Kathryn Hahn’s twisted humor shine, but she isn't a perfect villain.

Kathryn Hahn's wit and light-hearted sass help fill WandaVision with splendor that shouldn't go unappreciated. However, Hahn’s fame makes her appearance on WandaVision less than subtle which renders her climactic reveals underwhelming.

Her performance as Agnes the nosey neighbor is a delight but also makes it extremely obvious that she’s more significant than a quirky ensemble member. And her reveal as Agatha Harkness had been predicted on episode one, so the twist never carried much weight for many viewers.

Her presence as the antagonist, as well, is overshadowed by Wanda’s already spooky control over Westview, and her less than impressive witches cloak diminishes our fear of her since it looks as if it came straight out of Disney’s 1998 film Halloweentown.

3. Quicksilver Isn't From the X-Men Universe

The Evan Peters cameo was riveting at first but quickly turned sour after only one episode with our favorite running man.

For those in the know, Evan Peters has famously acted as Peter (not Pietro) Maximoff, a.k.a. Quicksilver, in 20th Century Fox’s X-Men films since 2014. You may recall him super-speeding to the tune of Time in a Bottle by Jim Croce, or the beat of Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) by Eurythmics.

The X-men films are notably NOT part of the MCU, but with Disney's recent acquisition of 20th Century Fox, and the title announcement of Doctor Strange’s sequel film The Multiverse of Madness, Evan Peters’ appearance on the show could only imply one thing: Marvel Studios is bringing the X-Men into the MCU by way of the multiverse.

Ever since Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s MCU Quicksilver met his demise in Avengers: Age of Ultron, fans have been dying for either his return or the introduction of Evan Peters. So, with his surprise casting, we were finally getting our wish, and it seemed like the perfect way to do it.

Unfortunately, WandaVision’s finale completely crushed this dream by revealing Evan Peters’ character to be a resident of Westview named Ralph Bohner, (yes, you read that right) not a character from the multiverse. So, no, he isn’t the Quicksilver we know and love but is instead an MCU nobody from New Jersey.

Honestly, the cameo was a bad idea if Marvel Studios had no intention of him being X-Men’s Quicksilver, especially if a future crossover is in the works. Cheap move, Marvel!

4. A Lack of Cameos

Speaking of cameos, WandaVision was theorized to have more than one surprise star-studded appearance.

Star of the show Elizabeth Olsen and creator Jac Schaffer both teased mind-blowing cameos and surprises on par with The Mandalorian’s Luke Skywalker appearance. A tease like this could’ve been about Evan Peters, but since even that got squashed fans were left underwhelmed at the end of the finale.

At the show's end, we’re given two end-credits scenes to keep us wanting more, except they kind of do the opposite. The mid-credits scene with Monica Rambeau sees her meet with an undercover Skrull; a shape-shifting alien that audiences first met in Captain Marvel.

But this Skrull is someone we’ve never met before, not a mind-blowing cameo such as Skrull leader Talos, or even Nick Fury himself. Seeing as Captain Marvel 2 is set for release in 2022, and the Disney+ series Secret Invasion revolves around Nick Fury and Talos, a meatier cameo wouldn’t have been too much to ask for.

In the second end-credits scene, we see Wanda hidden away in the mountains. At first, we see her making tea, but it's revealed that her astral projection is in the back room studying the Darkhold spellbook. We love seeing Wanda use her magic, but fans half-expected Doctor Strange to make a surprise cameo here.

WandaVision has been confirmed to tie directly into Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, so it would’ve made a lot of sense for Stephen Strange to say a quick hello. Besides, an end credits scene with Wanda knocking on the doors of the Sanctum Sanctorum would’ve produced more hype than a recreation of 2008’s The Incredible Hulk end credits scene.

5. No Reunion Between Wanda and White-Vision

The introduction of White-Vision is a notable comic book recreation that makes Vision’s journey more compelling than expected but also fails to come to fruition.

In the comics, White-Vision is the product of Vision’s death, memory loss, and resurrection. Without the mind stone, he is more robot than human, but he still stands for justice alongside his fellow Avengers.

White-Vision’s origins are roughly the same in WandaVision, but in the show's finale he is given back his memory, flies off, and we don’t see him again. Hmm...

Marvel Studios is clearly waiting for the right moment for Wanda and Vision to reunite, but since White-Vision is the physical remains of the Vision we’ve known since Age of Ultron, we have to ask: why not have him and Wanda meet?

We’re given no conversation, no eye contact, or even a mention before the season is over. Wanda is left completely unaware that White-Vision is flying around with full memory of who he is, but instead, we’re given a sorrowful goodbye to hex-Vision who, despite him feeling like an old friend, was never real, to begin with.

Hex-Vision is a figment of Wanda’s imagination, an illusion that, yes, could potentially be reinstalled into White-Vision. But since White-Vision is more real than hex-Vision, it would’ve been nice to give us some sort of interaction between him and Wanda before the credits rolled.

So, is WandaVision a good show, or a bad one?

WandaVision is a splendid experience for the whole family to enjoy. Whether you've been an avid fan of the MCU since 2008's Iron Man, or just a casual viewer, it's worthwhile for its truly unique mixture of superhero action and nostalgic sitcom aesthetics. And just because a show has a few sour moments doesn't make it bad.