Successful succession with WandaVision!
As with any successful film or TV franchise, it’s often difficult for the filmmakers to follow up with an equally successful iteration or spin-off. Quite often, filmmakers are snared by the tempting adage:
“Bigger equals better”
We’ve all seen it before: our favourite series or movie gets a spin-off, it doesn’t quite perform well, and it flops … Cough, Terminator Genysis anyone?
However, the creators of WandaVision have brilliantly avoided such a trap by deciding not to go big, but rather intimate — a close encounter with the beloved Marvel characters Wanda Maximoff and Vision.
The first perceptible thing the creators have done to distinguish and embolden Wanda’s world is to use the reverie rooted in nostalgia.
As a period drama, the show relies heavily upon the tones and textures found within classic sitcoms from the 1950s into the 1990s. The familiar cliches and tropes that were developed during these periods are carefully folded into the premise of the story. They serve as the momentum pushing Wanda’s narrative forward all the while engrossing the audience in a wistful and familiar world.
For instance, each episode highlights the substance and culture of a specific era, such as episode one — set in the ‘50s — hones in on the rather subservient role women occupied within society, particularly wives in relation to their husbands. The episode comedically highlights how the female characters fuss about what they’ll cook for dinner upon their husband’s arrival from work. It’s a direct reference to the loveable and quirky nature of shows like Bewitched, I Love Lucy and The Honeymooners.
As we travel into the ‘70s, we get a far more integrated and interesting style palette matched by an equally era-appropriate storyline.
In essence, the more we tumble through time, the further we’re drawn into the terribly tragic story of Wanda Maximoff as she desperately searches for the perfect time and place to live happily with her love (Vision) and effectively experiencing the life that was stolen from her.
Although it is a herculean pursuit, especially after Avengers: Endgame, Wanda’s quest is beautifully charioted by the creators’ decision to go intimate, to draw us into the universe of one person rather than a universe of people. Ultimately, we as humans can relate much more to the personal struggle of one character than we can to the pain and struggle of an entire universe of characters. Similarly, Marvel’s use of nostalgia affectionately pays homage to generations of Marvel fans and the timeless sitcoms that have influenced us. Altogether, this emotional personal drama combined with well-placed nostalgia scratches a deep-seated itch in all of us — WandaVision is a well of catharsis.
Moreover, WandaVision does not need “big scale” to have a “big heart”, and fundamentally, that is what attracts us to this fantastic series. WandaVision is available for viewing through Disney+.
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