WandaVision Series Review - Retro Delight...with Twists

When we saw the first episode of WandaVision many of us thought  “Say…whut?” Our Avengers Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and her love Vision (Paul Bettany) are living in some kind of “I Love Lucy” fantasy? How the heck will this tie in with the rest of the Marvel Universe and isn’t Vision dead?  As this very creative series progressed, we realized all was certainly not what it seemed.

Warning: Spoilers Below if you have yet to binge the entire series.

A 1950's sit-com Wanda and Vision

Bad guys: S.W.O.R.D. bigwig Hayward and friends, witch Agatha Harkness (posing as nosy neighbor Agnes (Kathryn Hahn) and more, are intriguing and we tried to pick up Easter Eggs in the commercials as the timeline constantly progressed from the 1950s to the present. Helpmates for Wanda included Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) long associated with Captain Marvel, computer whiz Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings) and friendly FBI agent Jimmy Woo (Randall Park).

Monica Rambeau

We gradually learned that the series was far more than sit-com laughter but was packed with backstory development for the Wanda/Scarlet Witch character, was a tender love story and sometimes a tear-jerker as well as a superhero action-packed visual treat (especially in the series finale).

Wanda and Vision have to hide their powers

The filmmakers (TV showrunners) could have taken many routes to give us more of Wanda’s origin story and continue her love relationship with Vision but they chose one of the most unique methods/storylines we can think of and it was very enjoyable. 

To catch you up, here are synopses of the WandaVision episodes:

Episode 1 - Filmed Before a Live Studio Audience

Wanda and Vision are newlyweds in the 1950's

In the 1950’s, newlyweds Wanda and Vision move into the cozy town of Westview. Despite their various powers, they attempt to blend in; both using powers sparingly and in secret. One day they notice a heart drawn on their calendar but neither can remember what the occasion is. While Vision is at his job at Computational Services Inc., Wanda decides that the heart represents their anniversary. Classic nosy neighbor Agnes introduces herself to Wanda and helps her prepare to celebrate that night.

Wanda tries to whip up dinner for the Harts

Vision amazes his co-workers with his work speed but is unsure what his company actually does. He learns that his boss Mr. Hart and his wife are coming for dinner, thus the heart on the calendar. Wanda and Vision struggle to hide their abilities while making a last-minute dinner for the Harts. Mr. Hart chokes on his food, and Vision uses his abilities to save him. We see that someone is watching this weird WandaVision sit-com on T.V.

Episode 2 - Don’t Touch That Dial

Geraldine and Wanda plan the talent show

It’s suddenly the ‘60’s. Wanda and Vision practice a magic act for the neighborhood talent show. They hear strange noises outside their house. Wanda and Agnes spend the day with the show's planning committee, led by Dottie (Emma Caulfield Ford) while Vision goes to a neighborhood watch meeting where he accidentally swallows some chewing gum. Wanda befriends another neighbor, Geraldine and notices weird things like a colored toy helicopter in her black-and-white world; a voice on the radio that seems to be warning her and a red bloodstain. Due to the gum caught in his system, Vision seems drunk at the talent show and reveals his levitation abilities. Wanda uses her powers to cover this up and takes out the gum. At home there is a weird beekeeper coming from a manhole in the street and Wanda appears to be pregnant. There is a reset to the 1970’s.

Wanda is pregnant!

Episode 3 - Now in Color

WandaVision is now in color!

It’s the 1970’s and Wanda learns she is four months pregnant. She and Vision paint a nursery while talking baby names then, suddenly, Wanda is more and more pregnant. When she begins contractions, things levitate and fly all around the house and her powers shut down the town's electrical grid. Geraldine arrives and helps Wanda deliver twins Tommy (Jett Klyne) and Billy (Julian Hilliard).

Twins won't stay babies long

Vision catches Agnes and neighbor Herb dishing about Geraldine, who has just arrived and has no home or family. Later, Wanda interrogates Geraldine who knows that Ultron killed Wanda's twin brother Pietro and she’s wearing a pendant with a sword emblem on it. Wanda casts her out of town, through a crimson wall of electrons and she is surrounded by S.W.O.R.D. agents.

Geraldine is cast out of town

Episode 4 - We interrupt This Program

Agent Rambeau discovers the barrier around Westview

We see that Geraldine is Captain Monica Rambeau, an agent of S.W.O.R.D. who returned to life following the famous MCU blip to learn that her mother Maria had died of cancer. Monica thought she had only taken a short nap but it’s been five years. Weeks later, Monica returns to work and is sent by Director Tyler Hayward (Josh Stamberg) to help FBI agent Jimmy Woo with a missing persons case in Westview, New Jersey. They discover a hexagon-shaped force field surrounding the town, which Monica is pulled into. Quickly S.W.O.R.D. creates a base around the town and sends drones and an agent in to investigate. Dr. Darcy Lewis studies the phenomena and discovers broadcast signals for the sitcom WandaVision. The agents watch these to snoop on doings in town. They learn that the residents are actors cast in this weird sitcom and there is Monica “playing” Geraldine.

Agent Woo and Dr. Darcy Lewis discover more about WandaVision

Darcy and Jimmy try to use the radio to contact Wanda. When Monica mentioned Ultron, Wanda threw her out of the town. Wanda is evidently running the show! Wanda sees Vision appear as he did when he died, before shaking the memory off.

Episode 5 - On a Very Special Episode…

The 1980's nosy neighbor Agnes

Now it’s the 1980’s and Wanda and Vision struggle stop their little boys, suddenly age five, from crying. Agnes wants to help but Vision is suspicious of her. When a dog appears at their house, the boys ask to keep it and Agnes suggests the name Sparky. Wanda almost reveals her abilities to Agnes then the boys are quickly age 10. At work, Vision reads an email from S.W.O.R.D. that reveals the situation in Westview. He breaks through to a real Westview resident and learns that Wanda is controlling the town. S.W.O.R.D. sends a drone into Westview to kill Wanda which causes Sparky to run off. Wanda comes through the barrier with the drone and warns Hayward to leave her alone.

Wanda uses her powers

Episode 6 - All-New Halloween Spooktacular

Wanda is very excited for Halloween

In the late 1990’s, Wanda wants the family to be together for Tommy and Billy's first Halloween but Vision is off to patrol the streets with the neighborhood watch. "Pietro" (Evan Peters) Wanda’s reincarnated brother is in town and takes the boys trick-or-treating, causing mischief with his super speed, which Tommy has inherited. Meanwhile, Vision finds residents standing frozen in position the further he gets to the edge of the town including Agnes who later tells him he’s dead.

Agnes as a witch on Halloween

Meanwhile Hayward kicks Monica, Darcy, and Jimmy off the base when they don’t agree to attack Wanda. They discover he’s been tracking Vision who tries to push his body through the force shield but he starts to disintegrate. Billy senses this and tells Wanda who expands the town’s “wall” but Darcy and some agents are also now inside.

Vision pushes through the town barrier

Episode 7 - Breaking the Fourth Wall

Darcy tells Vision about Ultron and his death

Late 2000’s. Wanda decides to have a day to herself and Agnes agrees to babysit Tommy and Billy. Wanda sees various parts of her house constantly changing and is unable to control this. Vision wakes up to find the S.W.O.R.D. agents now inside the boundary are members of a circus. He releases Darcy from Wanda’s spell and she fills him in on Ultron and his death. Monica tries to use a special vehicle to get her across the town barrier but it doesn’t work so she decides to enter herself.

Monica tries to walk through the barrier

She passes through the barrier wall and emerges with seemingly heightened vision. When Monica talks to Wanda, Agnes takes Wanda to her house. Wanda looks for her boys in the basement and discovers a strange lair. Agnes reveals herself as a witch named Agatha Harkness, and says that she sent the Pietro imposter.

Pietro in his lair

Episode 8 - Previously On

Agnes challenges Wanda as Agatha Harkness

It’s a flashback to 1693 Salem where a coven of witches attempt to kill Agatha for practicing dark magic, but she drains their life forces. In the present, Agatha demands to know how Wanda is controlling Westview and forces her to relive unpleasant moments of her life. We learn that Wanda has had magical powers since childhood that were amplified by the Mindstone. She and her family always enjoyed American sit-coms. After the Blip, she visited S.W.O.R.D. to recover Vision's body to properly bury him but Hayward refused to let her. Finding no trace of life in the body, she drove to an empty lot he’d bought for their dream home and, in a fit of massive grief, she manifested a house and a new version of Vision. The Hex force field appeared around the entire town. Agatha has learned that Wanda’s power is ancient, called Chaos Magic and she is the “Scarlet Witch”. Meanwhile Hayward reactivated the now re-assembled body of Vision, now all white.

Vision must do battle with White Vision

Episode 9 - The Series Finale

Agatha attempts to absorb Wanda's powerful Chaos Magic. The White Vision enters the town and starts fighting with Wanda's created Vision, while Agatha releases the residents of Westview from Wanda's control. Angry, they turn on Wanda and demand she let them go. Wanda is overwhelmed and starts to open the barrier for them, causing the new Vision and her boys to start disintegrating. Hayward and other S.W.O.R.D. agents enter before Wanda seals the barrier again. Monica, trapped by "Pietro" who is actually an actor named Ralph Bohner, fights then releases him from Agatha's spell.

The twins use powers to stop S.W.O.R.D. soldiers

She and Wanda then help the twins use their powers to stop S.W.O.R.D. soldiers while the new Vision is able to restore the memories of White Vision who stops fighting and leaves. Wanda tricks Agatha, takes away her magic and traps her in Westview as "Agnes". Wanda makes the agonizing decision to give up her family and says goodbye before collapsing the barrier.

Vision and Wanda see the town being erased

Mid-Credits - Monica is informed by a Skrull that a friend of her mother's wants to meet.

End-Credits- Wanda goes into hiding in a mountain cabin and is reading the Darkhold book to learn how to use her Scarlet Witch powers. Is that the voices of her twin sons I hear in the background?

1950's Wanda sometimes uses her powers

Wrapping Up

Like every TV series, some episodes of WandaVision are superior and more revealing than others but none were boring. Elizabeth Olsen has especially grown into the Wanda character and she and Paul Bettany as Vision got to play both sit-com humor and soul-searing sorrow (especially in the final episode). Supporting actors are all great in their roles and Kathryn Hahn proves that she can handle supervillain drama as well as comedy.

Nosy neighbor Agnes wants to help

The series set-up for future Marvel entertainment has both fans and haters but I found the “flesh-out” of the Wanda/Scarlet Witch character to be very satisfying. I plan on revisiting all of the episodes to catch Easter eggs and details I missed. If you skipped the series, go watch it. Despite your feelings about the connection to possible future Marvel films, you can enjoy WandaVision on its own. Scarlet Witch will appear next in Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness in 2022  but may have her own movie.

Wanda must use all her powers to stop Agatha

We don’t see how the series could have been done much better so we award five stars!

WandaVision Series Review:  

See the final episode or binge the whole series available now on Disney+!