WandaVision: Why The First 2 Episodes Don’t Feel Like The MCU

WandaVision is like nothing MCU fans have ever seen before, and not only because it is Marvel’s first Disney+ show. The MCU has forged a very distinctive style throughout its first 23 movies. It has been known for being mostly lighthearted, action-packed, and with stories that, although focused on building an expansive shared narrative, are always easy to follow. The MCU has also received its fair share of criticism for not taking many risks, but recent movies like Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame have challenged that assertion.

With the first three Phases of the MCU now behind, WandaVision didn’t hesitate to take a very different approach to the superhero genre. It’s easy to see how much WandaVision is inspired by popular sitcoms such as Bewitched and I Love Lucy, which help the show have a stronger focus on comedy. WandaVision also takes the first clear step toward the MCU’s upcoming introduction of different realities and magic-related catastrophes, but still manages to leave far more questions than answers.

However, all of these qualities are not enough to explain why WandaVision feels so different from everything the MCU has released up until now. From the very first moment, the Marvel Studios logo shifts from the MCU’s typical widescreen format to the “3:4” aspect ratio of ’50s television. This change pays homage to the boxy image of older TV sets and serves as a subconscious reminder of the era WandaVision‘s first episodes are set in, even without taking the black-and-white aspect into account. The effects of this change can be better felt at the end of WandaVision‘s first episode, where the image shifts to a modern and more familiar aspect ratio when S.W.O.R.D. is shown supervising Wanda’s fake reality.

WandaVision‘s fixed camera positions replicate the look of most sitcoms, contrary to the dynamic camera movements and CGI-enhanced sets of conventional MCU movies. The hyperbolic performances and the slow-burn story also differ greatly from the MCU’s established style, where the antagonist is identifiable from the beginning and the heroes punch, web sling, or hex their way to victory. Instead, the first two episodes of WandaVision focus entirely on the (apparently) normal life of the titular characters.

The couple rarely displays their superpowers and there are no battles to speak of. When Wanda and Vision do use their superpowers, it’s always for mundane purposes like cooking dinner for Mr. and Mrs. Hart or filling “computational forms”. Not only that, but the visual depiction of their superpowers also changes, as Wanda’s abilities are achieved with tricks of the camera that emulate the special effects of the era and Vision’s inner workings are illustrated with old-school 2D animation. To top it all off, the in-universe advertisements break the MCU’s linear storytelling.

Of course, WandaVision‘s bizarre premise is a big part of what makes the show so unique, but the way the show is produced deserves a lot of merit. Marvel Studios could have told the same story with its usual format and the plot would still work, but it wouldn’t feel as immersive. The reason why key moments like Mr. Hart’s close call and the SWORD beekeeper’s ominous appearance work so well is that the spine-chilling events are a countercurrent to the playful comedy. To say WandaVision breaks the MCU mold would be an understatement.

WandaVision: Biggest Unanswered Questions From Episodes 1 & 2

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