WandaVision - S1E2: Don’t Touch That Dial
DISNEY+The second episode of WandaVision focuses on opening up the new world that Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) have found themselves in. The audience observes the smitten couple practising for a magic show that they aim to take to the stage for a fundraiser. The aim is to impress the town’s most important person, Dottie (Emma Caulfield Ford), a woman who seems to be the deciding voice amongst the townspeople.
Before the fundraiser, Wanda and Vision split up and we are introduced to a whole new host of characters and settings. Whilst Wanda is with her neighbour, Agnes (Kathryn Hahn delights in cracking a recurring joke about Agnes’ useless husband), Vision meets some of the town’s men at an unproductive neighbourhood watch meeting. What will be interesting to fans who have paid close attention to details regarding the show is that Teyonah Parris makes her debut in this episode – however, she plays a character called Geraldine and not the grown up version of Monica Rambeau she has already been confirmed to be playing.
Further tantalising details about the world outside of this sitcom are starting to be drip fed in. A Schindler’s List-esque tactic of using colour in this black and white world to differentiate from the norm hints at exterior forces at work.
The magic show itself is the high point of the episode. Bettany gets the comedic meat once again – a lodged piece of chewing gum has caused his insides to stop working, resulting in an almost drunken attempt at performing magic. Bettany really sinks his teeth into it and channels a performance reminiscent of Rik Mayall, present at most when he attempts to do a card trick on new friend, Herb (David Payton). While it is great to see Bettany having fun – and out of his Vision costume for the majority – it does feel like Olsen is getting the short end of the stick for the time being, especially when this seems to want to be a show that is centering around Wanda.
This episode is also nearly ten minutes longer than its predecessor and actually feels it. The sitcom style isn’t quite wearing thin, but it proves that it works best in slightly smaller chunks. It is still a welcome and fresh take on these loved characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it is going to be hard to justify waiting a week between each instalment if things don’t pick up.