WandaVision episode 1 is out now, ending our 18-month wait for brand spanking new MCU content material, however this is not the Marvel that we keep in mind from Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: Far From Home. The complete episode is modelled after a Hollywood Golden Age sitcom, from the 1950s, replete in black-and-white, a near-square facet ratio, and a stay studio viewers, really. It’s acquired these foolish jokes that you just affiliate with old-timey sitcoms too, delivered with the type of pauses and background sounds you’ll anticipate from a theatrical manufacturing. It appears extra like a stage play than a TV episode. And there are just about no clues right here about what’s actually happening.
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The 22-minute WandaVision episode 1 — directed by Matt Shakman and written by Jac Schaeffer — opens with Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) driving right into a suburban American city referred to as Westview. Wanda is carrying a white robe and there is a “just married” signal on the again of their automotive. They’re married! Wait, what? Also, how is Vision nonetheless round? He died in Avengers: Infinity War — twice in truth. WandaVision episode 1 is not curious about explaining any of that, although it does introduce their respective powers for viewers to whom the characters could be all new. Wanda is telekinetic and may put damaged issues again collectively, and Vision has an indestructible head. (There’s extra to it, sure.)
Vision then notices {that a} heart-shaped image has been drawn subsequent to in the present day’s date on the calendar within the kitchen. It’s clearly a particular date for the couple, however the two of them cannot start to recall what it truly is. Not desirous to be labelled the forgetful one, they each faux that they know. This is the primary check in WandaVision that one thing is amiss. Apart from the entire being within the fifties and Vision being alive enterprise, after all. Their reminiscence lapses are shared, and when one in all them struggles to recollect, each of them are on the identical second. Could they be the identical individual? Is Wanda merely imagining Vision’s existence? She’s able to it, in spite of everything.
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Having kissed and located solace in tonight being particular for them each, Vision then leaves for work. Wanda is startled quickly after by repeated knocks on the entrance door. She opens it to search out Agnes (Kathryn Hahn), their neighbour on the best. “My right, not yours,” she provides with a chuckle. Agnes is interested by who she is, how she moved in so shortly (“Did you use a moving company?” “Yes of course, the boxes sure didn’t move themselves”), and what a “single gal” like her is doing in a city like this. There’s no ring on Wanda’s finger, you see. Wanda assures Agnes that she’s very a lot married, to a person (these are the ‘50s in spite of everything) — a human one at that (ha ha Vision is android, get it?).
After Wanda reveals that tonight in a particular evening for the couple, Agnes probes additional earlier than the 2 settle at “anniversary” as the reply. Wanda cannot recall the true factor anyway. Agnes then volunteers to assist Wanda put together for the particular evening.
Kathryn Hahn as Agnes in WandaVision episode 1
Photo Credit: Disney/Marvel Studios
Meanwhile, at Computational Services Inc., Vision is typing away at superhuman speeds. A colleague Norm (Asif Ali) remarks at his pace after he is completed, noting that productiveness has gone up 300 p.c since he arrived and calls him a “walking computer”. Vision, who’s attempting his greatest to cover his true id, replies instantly: “I most certainly am not.” He later wonders what the corporate does — do they make one thing? do they purchase or promote one thing? no, no, and no — in what comes throughout as a jab at capitalism and the way staff really feel like they haven’t any better function.
Just then, Vision’s boss Mr. Hart (Fred Melamed) walks in, sending everybody scurrying to their desks. Mr. Hart reminds Vision in regards to the dinner, and Vision connects the dots to consider that the particular occasion tonight should be a cocktail party with the Harts. There was a coronary heart on the calendar (ha ha, wordplay). Mr. Hart stresses on the significance of the dinner going nicely, stating how the final worker to disappoint him — regardless of having 5 programs, a string quartet for leisure, and carrying a turtleneck (oh no) — has been fired. A nervous Vision rings Wanda to emphasize on the significance of tonight going nicely. Except they’re nonetheless pretending they know what the evening is absolutely about (oh no).
WandaVision episode 1 is interrupted halfway by by a pretend business a couple of toaster referred to as ToastMate 2000. The toaster is made by Stark Industries, the sequence’ first connection to the bigger MCU. There’s one thing ominous and telling in regards to the tiny pink mild and the beeping sound it is accompanied by. The advert for ToastMate 2000 ends with the slogan “Forget the past, this is your future”, which sounds prefer it’s speaking about WandaVision.
While Wanda is now making ready for his or her anniversary, Vision believes she’s making ready dinner for the Harts. Naturally, this results in chaos when the Harts flip up at Vision residence. Wanda is prepared for a romantic night, and he or she spooks her friends as she locations her fingers on Mr. Hart’s eyes from behind. It does not assist that she’s carrying a revealing robe. Wanda and Vision reconvene within the kitchen to determine issues out. Wanda says the outfit is as a result of it is their anniversary. Vision explains the guts on the calendar was an abbreviation for a dinner with Mr. & Mrs. Hart. Wanda retorts: “You move at the speed of sound, and I can make a pen float in the air. Who needs to abbreviate?”
Now in a bind, Wanda assures Vision that she’s going to cook dinner one thing imminently whereas Vision tends to the hungry friends outdoors. She enlists the assistance of her neighbour Agnes, who turns up with sufficient components to feed three households. Through Agnes, WandaVision episode 1 takes pictures at conventional gender roles too: “What kind of housewife would I be if I didn’t have a gourmet meal just lying about the place?” Once once more, Agnes outstays her welcome and guarantees to stroll Wanda by the whole lot, however that is as a result of she does not know that Wanda has actually totally different kitchen manners.
Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff in WandaVision episode 1
Photo Credit: Disney/Marvel Studios
After she all however pushes Agnes out of the again door, Wanda lifts her fingers and concurrently begins to cook dinner each meal course along with her superpowers. For WandaVision, it is time to sprinkle in some bodily comedy. Hearing the commotion within the kitchen, Mrs. Hart (Debra Jo Rupp) volunteers to assist Wanda, forcing Vision to do one thing dramatic to distract Mrs. Hart. He launches into an impromptu track, which confuses Mr. Hart however will get the job completed as Mrs. Hart turns round and begins swinging. Wanda makes use of the temporary distraction to shut the shutters that see into the kitchen, stopping the Harts from realizing the couple’s true nature.
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But Wanda has different issues. The cooking is not going so nicely — she by chance overcooks the hen till it is all burnt (“Oh no, too much!”), and when she tries to reverse the impact, it turns right into a basket of eggs (“Oh no, not enough!”). Amidst all of the chaos, as Mr. Hart barks at Vision about what a failure the evening has been, Wanda decides to improvise and serves breakfast for dinner. Mr. Hart is greatly surprised, however the sight of wine calms issues down. At the dinner desk, Mr & Mrs. Hart begin asking the only of questions: the place they lived earlier than, after they married, and why they haven’t any children. This is one other reminder that Wanda and Vision haven’t any reminiscence in any respect about their previous.
Mr. Hart is displeased that the brand new Westview couple can not seem to provide the best of solutions. “What is your story?” he calls for. With neither capable of provide up any reply, Mr. Hart in the end kilos his fist on the desk and shouts “Why?”. Just as he does, a bit of meals will get caught in his throat, which Mrs. Hart assumes to be a faux. “Oh, stop it,” Mrs. Hart reprimands her husband. WandaVision episode 1 reveals its otherworldly nature at this second. Wanda and Vision are seemingly transfixed, whereas Mrs. Hart retains repeating the phrases “Stop it” as her smile dissolves right into a cry for assist. Wanda in the end snaps out of her spell and asks Vision to truly assist his boss and save his life.
Vision reaches into Mr. Hart’s throat and pulls out the offending morsel of meals. Pulled from the jaws of dying, Mr. Hart makes no point out of the actual fact and as a substitute remarks that it is getting late. Wait, what? Incredulously, Mrs. Hart appears to have forgotten all in regards to the choking incident too. The Harts stand up, bid goodbyes, and stroll out the door. Wanda and Vision are simply relieved that everybody survived. Wanda notes that they’re an uncommon couple — to which Vision greater than agrees — given they haven’t any anniversary and no rings. They determine to select in the present day as their anniversary, and Wanda then materialises rings for the 2 of them out of skinny air.
As the 2 embrace and kiss, WandaVision episode 1 ends with Vision flicking a button. That pulls us out of the TV present to disclose that an unseen particular person has been watching the occasions unfold on a literal TV, with the noise of helicopter wings within the background. It then cuts to the phrases “Please stand by”.
WandaVision episode 1 is now streaming on Disney+ and Disney+ Hotstar. New episodes launch each Friday round 1:30pm IST / 12am PT.
