WandaVision - S1E5: On a Very Special Episode...
DISNEY+Thankfully, it seems like WandaVision is done skirting tentatively around its main, juicy plotline. Episode Five sees a natural branch off from the last two episodes' events; Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) are attempting to deal with their new found parenthood, whilst Monica (Teyonah Parris) leads SWORD in an attempt to make contact with Westview.
The dual narrative is a welcome relief, but also shines a crack on the increasingly detrimental sitcom format. The scenes in the real world feel akin to something one would see in a regular Marvel movie, so much so that the sitcom moments end up feeling rather too silly now. As a standalone gimmick, there was some weight behind it and fun to be had, but at this point in the show, it feels like it’s time for it to start unravelling.
It does, however, seem like writer Jac Schaeffer is aware of this to some degree, with there being a noticeable split in the sitcom world’s scene here. Agnes (Kathryn Hahn) continues to exude and amplify said tropes, but Vision is off on his own path and, finally, we get to see him picking apart the seemingly perfect world he lives in. The pace at which events are unfolding now only seem to indicate that the last four episodes are going to be jam-packed with surprises.
What this episode also tries to do is cement Wanda as the antagonistic force at play within the series. Although it would be hard to convince anyone that she is the sole villain of this series, Olsen does do a good job of showing off Wanda’s evil and tormented side. It’s a side of her that was glimpsed in the final climactic battle of Avengers: Endgame, in which she nearly took down Thanos single-handedly. The shock twist at the end of the episode actually indicates further that Wanda isn’t totally in charge of this world – if there are things happening that surprise even her, her control is limited which suggests other forces at work.
Teyonah Parris is WandaVision’s most welcome addition. Parris, as Monica, outshines even Olsen and Bettany in terms of performance, with her sheer grit and determination. There’s a star quality here and it will be interesting to see how Parris continues to blossom in the rest of the show and into the Captain Marvel sequel.
The latest installment of WandaVision really seeks to pick up the pace and there’s a lot to unpack here. The sitcom trope is beginning to be sidelined in favour of an increasing awareness of reality, whilst Wanda is now forced to deal with threats from both inside and outside Westview.