Us poor Marvel fans barely had enough time to reflect on the events of Endgame and Far From Home before the next three years of our cinematic lives were neatly planned out with new release dates acting as mini milestones to mark in our diaries. If there was one good thing to come out of the Covid-19 crisis, it was that we were able to have a much needed break from what seemed to be an endless factory line of Marvel movies.

As a result of the subsequent reshuffle, the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first official* canonical foray into television, WandaVision, acted as the springboard for Phase 4, and what a springboard it was…

*There is still a lot of debate over Agents of Shield *grabs tissues*

Starting out as a black and white homage to classic American sitcoms such as The Dick Van Dyke Show and I Love Lucy, we see Wanda Maximoff and her beloved Vision living an idyllic life of wedded bliss. You don’t necessarily have to be familiar – although it does help – with any of the earlier events of the MCU to quickly realise that something is not quite right with the perfect picture.

As we move forward with the series, the style of the show also moves forward celebrating other fan favourites such as Bewitched, Malcolm in the Middle and Modern Family. And although it is fun just to indulge in the nostalgia, there are a number of questions that bubble under the surface; Is Wanda in control or being controlled? How aware is she of what is going on?

After teasing and toying with us for a few episodes, the story ramps up and things begin to happen very quickly. And the more the audience learn about what is going on, the more Wanda seems to lose control on her reality and cracks start to appear, making way for some new characters to take the reins.

I think its fair to say that the overall style of the series – at least for the first few episodes – is very different from what we have come to expect from the MCU and some may find it difficult to engage straight away but I urge you to stick with it, it all comes together in the end. I loved the different cinematic styles, particularly in the earlier episodes that featured a live studio audience. They added a real point of difference to the usual superhero fare and showcased the beautiful relationship between Wanda and Vision in a way that hadn’t previously been possible in the films.

Going in, most of the audience will already be aware that WandaVision sets up the storyline for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, although we will have to wait until 2022 to really understand how, but in true Marvel fashion they have managed to balance the wants of the fans with their overall plan.

For those who shipped the WandaVision romance, we see them happily living their life as a couple and a family. In much the same way that Marvel brought a touch of ‘Planet Hulk’ into Thor: Ragnarok, there are enough elements of the ‘House of M’ storyline to satisfy even the most die hard fans of the source material. They teased the inevitable introduction of the X-Men universe and even fans of Agents of Shield were not forgotten, with enough easter eggs to please the Easter Bunny.

The storyline was excellently paced and well delivered but I do feel as though they dropped the ball a little bit with some plot points not being addressed properly, or seemingly forgotten altogether. Although knowing how interconnected the Marvel Universe is, those questions will probably be answered some long way down the line and Kevin Feige will just be sitting in his office chuckling to himself like some kind of Bond villain.

However I digress, back to the matter at hand.

I think what really makes WandaVision work so well is the fact that Marvel have pared things back a little bit and just allowed us to focus on a few select characters. Despite both Vision and Wanda Maximoff being well established characters, the series almost had the feel of an origin story and that gave both Paul Bettany and Elizabeth Olsen a chance to shine. They took that chance and ran with it.

Paul Bettany – often underappreciated in my humble opinion – brings a sense of fun and humanity to the vibranium synthezoid that is Vision and is a joy to watch. Despite initially being very reluctant and nervous to film in front of a live studio audience, Bettany has a great sense of comedic timing and ultimately seems to revel in the sitcom aspect of the show. He has a great chemistry with Elisabeth Olsen and they really complement each other well. The dialogue overall is fantastic but Bettany expertly delivers one of the most powerful lines in the whole of the MCU.

Despite the show’s title, Vision is pretty much a supporting role to Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff and boy! does she deliver the goods. Given the amount of emotional trauma that Wanda has experienced throughout the MCU, we can forgive her for wanting to make a little haven for herself but, as any good therapist will tell you, holding it in is not healthy and over the course of the show, Olsen expertly portrays the five stages of grief until her ultimate rebirth as the Scarlet Witch. The amount of range that Olsen displays over the course of nine short episodes is incredible and a massive middle finger to all those crying about nepotism in Hollywood.

The supporting cast are all also excellent in their own way. Previous MCU bit-part players such as Ant-Man and the Wasp‘s Agent Jimmy Woo (Randall Park) and Thor‘s Darcey Lewis (Kat Dennings) reinforce the links between the old and the new, and act as a vessel to explain what is going inside The Hex to the wider audience. Teyonah Parris delights as a grown up Monica Rambeau (originally introduced as a child in Captain Marvel) and it’s clear to see that she will have a bigger part to play as Phase 4 progresses.

In terms of brand new characters, there are none quite as impactful as Kathryn Hahn’s portrayal of the overly friendly, nosey neighbour Agnes. Usually relegated to the realms of kooky best friend, Hahn seems to have an absolute ball being in the spotlight. She has a style and physicality that is absolutely perfect for the sitcom style in the early episodes and she holds her own alongside Olsen’s brilliance during the show’s climactic scenes. Whether she will be involved in the MCU moving forward still remains to be seen but the door is open and I guess we will just have to be patient.

Overall, WandaVision is a mind bending introduction into the next phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and with The Falcon and the Winter Soldier premiering on the 19th March, buckle up for another rollercoaster ride.