The MCU has given us an abundance of entertaining and thrilling movies and TV shows from Iron Man and The Avengers to Agent Carter and Agents of Shield. When they announced the slew of MCU shows for Disney Plus, I was beyond excited with WandaVision being the most intriguing of the bunch, especially after the concept and promo teasers were released. It looked so fun and creative but also very emotional. Now with 4 episodes released I can safely say that this show is absolutely brilliant in its creativity, attention to detail and poignancy.
I’m not here to point out all the comic book references and Easter eggs as well as theorize (at least in relation to these details). I’ll leave that to others with more knowledge on that. Instead I will offer one of my areas of expertise with the show’s meta concept and use of sitcoms because not only does to this appeal to my taste and knowledge, but because I am blown away by the level of care, intricacy and intelligence by which this concept is employed aesthetically and thematically. I am part of the Nick at Nite generation who grew up watching classic sitcoms on repeat so diving into WandaVision in this sense is a treat.
Taking a look at all of the television references in WandaVision’s set design and architecture, fashion, plot and character beats, each of which is obviously well thought out, these homages are both complex and original with perhaps deeper meanings. Loving homages, parodies and spoofs are quite prevalent in film and we can see the influence for certain. A film like Enchanted is a cross between a loving homage and a parody as it is self referential and self deprecating in its humor while still remaining true to its heart and sincerity. The same can be said for The Brady Bunch movies, although these skew a bit more towards spoof. And there is definitely that kind of feel with this Marvel show. But what makes WandaVision so brilliant is that it’s all of these things combined with something entirely different. Let us dive into all the incredible classic TV homages and references.
– Set Design and Architecture
Episode 1: The most prominent influence for the set design for Wanda and Vision’s house is The Dick Van Dyke Show. The floor plan is nearly identical to Rob and Laura Petrie’s home specifically the living room and kitchen. The sofa, dining table, door and window frames to the kitchen, as well as the left side of the kitchen with its island, stove and sliding door leading outside are the same.
The are some differences however. The metal stove and brick fireplace and detail is on the opposite end of the living area instead of right by the kitchen, and there is no door leading to a bedroom like in the Petrie House. The WandaVision home also has more space in the kitchen. While very similar, the Vision’s kitchen is definitely larger.
What’s interesting to me is that generally speaking Episode 1 is said to be influenced by the 50s when actually it seems to be both the 50s and early 60s in terms of the architecture (and some character traits that I will discuss) as The Dick Van Dyke Show ran from 1961-1966.
Episode 2: This episode has a few influences but the most prominent is Bewitched with part of living room and dining room identical to the 60s magical sitcom. The door way and entry is also similar to the home of Samatha and Darren Stevens but the front part of the living room is quite different.
Wanda and Vision’s bedroom seems to have multiple influences. It’s similar in its design to the Steven’s home but the separate beds and more akin the Petrie’s on The Dick Van Dyke show as well as Lucy and Ricky Ricardo’s bedroom on I Love Lucy. When Wanda first moves the beds together it resembles the Ricardos bedroom early on which had 2 beds pushed together before censors required them to be separated in later seasons.
And when she makes them into one bed the Bewitched comparison is complete as not only does this resemble that home’s aesthetics but Bewitched was the first sitcom to show a couple sleeping in the same bed that were portrayed by actors who were not married themselves, which was a big milestone in the history of television.
For the first two episodes the look of the neighborhood is definitely akin to to the look of typical TV suburban neighborhoods we saw in the 50s and 60s. Interesting enough another show feels referenced here as the neighborhood of Westview most closely resembles Mayfield from Leave in to Beaver.
Episode 3: Now in color with another different set design, the most prominent influence is most certainly The Brady Bunch. We see a similar entrance, steps down into the living room, the iconic tile work, staircase and planter, and a similar living area with sliding glass doors that leads onto a patio.
Although the overall layout is quite different the influence in the design is obvious from the large dining table, to the bright colors in the kitchen and various things that decorate the home. There’s a television and record player as well as giraffe and lion statues reminiscent of the Brady family room and infamous horse statue by their staircase.
The opening credits also features Vision constructing a swing set that he and Wanda are then seen swinging on. Both the yard and this play structure are near carbon copies of that of The Brady Bunch.
The WandaVision home also features a similar architectural element found in the Brady home: brightly colored glass in a rectangular design. These are called Mondrians as they are influenced by the artist Pier Mondrian.
The home itself is given a 70s look and out of all of them so far had the most obvious influences to me. Their home looks like a combination of the Brady Bunch home as well as Major Nelson’s house from I Dream of Jeannie.
Episode 5: Shifting into the 80s the Vision home now most closely resembles the Keaton household from the popular sitcom Family Ties. Their living room and kitchen are very nearly the same, but just like in the previous episodes some things are flipped and in different positions. In this case, in the living room, the entry and kitchen doors are in opposite positions, while in the kitchen the dining room table is on the left instead of the right. But the similarities are deliberate and striking. Both kitchen even have a Kiss the Cook sign in the exact same place.
The questions that arise when analyzing the set design is why are there both similarities and differences? Why not be completely the same or something entirely different but still set in the proper time period. I believe this a reflection of what this world or “reality” Wanda and Vision are living in truly is. If much of this is Wanda’s creation or influence it would make sense for things to not be identical and a strange combination of many different sitcoms. Wanda as we know is from Sokovia and it’s not uncommon for those in other countries to learn English and about the Western world from television, especially classic television such as sitcoms. If taken from Wanda’s memories and impressions growing up, these design elements being close but not exactly like the shows makes a great deal of sense when considering Wanda’s character. This would also account for the ways Episode 1 had influences from both the 50s and 60s. This is not a straightforward parody show. What we are looking at is a construct that we as an audience can recognize as simultaneously a loving reference and an illusion for the characters reside in.
For a real treat I highly recommend visiting to YouTube channel Marina Coates- Mockingbird Lane. There she creates computer renderings of classic tv homes and more and they amazing in their accuracy. Plus it’s simply fun to tour these classic abodes. Her channel can be found here: https://youtube.com/c/MarinaCoatesMockingbirdLane
– Fashion:
Episode 1: Wanda’s fashion in episode 1 “Filmed Before a Live Studio Audience” definitely is 50s influenced. Although the set design was very much The Dick Van Dyke Show, the dresses Wanda wears are not very Laura Petrie at all, although the character did wear them. Instead Wanda’s attire is on par with the atypical 50s housewife. Her shirt dress, apron and pearls most closely resemble the fashion of June Cleaver from Leave it to Beaver, Lucy Ricardo from I Love Lucy, Margaret Anderson from Father Knows Best, and Donna Stone from The Donna Reed Show as these ladies wore similar attire throughout the runs of each of their respective shows.
The evening cocktail dress she magically transforms into is also very 50s inspired, reminding me especially of the cocktail dress Lucy wears in the Season 5 Episode of I Love Lucy “Housewarming.”
These dresses are perfectly fitting for the era reflecting Wanda’s desire to fit into this new town. While filmed in black and white we know that her dresses are light blue as opposed to her signature striking red color, driving home that idea of Wanda wanting to blend into her surroundings and not stand out
Similarly, Vision’s attire is the timeless suit and tie that works both at the office and at home and is reminiscent of every tv husband of 50s and 60s sitcoms from Ricky Ricardo in I Love Lucy and Rob Petrie in The Dick Van Dyke Show, to Darren Stephens in Bewitched, Ward Cleaver in Leave it to Beaver and Jim Anderson in Father Knows Best.
What’s interesting to note is the tie Vision wears is very similar to one Ricky wears in many episodes of I Love Lucy, both featuring a dot design. What’s brilliant is that it’s both a homage and reference to another character’s attire as well a reflection of the state of Vision’s character. The design is changed. Instead of a long string of dots there are two dots inside a rectangle with a few on the outside, reflecting how he and Wanda and enclosed inside this TV world with others on the outside.
Episode 2: In “Don’t touch that Dial” we see a clear cut 60s influence for Wanda reminiscent of two characters. The first is the episode’s main homage. Samantha Stevens on Bewitched wore Capri pants and fitted shirts and sweaters on many occasions, even in the same color scheme as Wanda does as we see the switch from black and white to color at the end of the episode. Unlike the 50s episode, Wanda is being more herself. She wants to fit in but is incorporating more of her own sense of style in color and form.
The fact that she is dressed differently than all the other women is mentioned on more than one occasion. First by Agnes, and then by Geraldine/Monica who calls her pants “peachy keen.” Wanda expresses her worry over this stating that all the other women are in dresses. This actually is two fold in its meaning. Firstly, it represents the ever changing nature of this reality and Wanda’s attempt to adapt while still being true to who she is. Whether this is on a subconscious level remains to be seen. It’s also a direct reference to another character who dared to wear pants on the regular despite censors objecting. Mary Tyler Moore fought and hard and won for her character Laura to wear pants regularly in The Dick Van Dyke Show as it reflected a realistic look at how women’s fashion is varied and more relaxed while at home.
Wanda’s outfit therefore is not only cute, appropriate for the era and strikingly similar to classic sitcom characters, but also reflects both her characters’s strength and the rising era of feminism in the 1960s. It’s a simple detail but brilliant in its multiplicity.
Vision’s attire may not have multiple meanings but is in direct comparison to sitcom characters of the era. Rob Petrie on The Dick Van Dyke Show definitely wore cardigans like one Vision wears. But unsurprisingly this sweater looks just like one Darren Stevens on Bewitched wore, and this episode’s main influence is indeed Bewitched.
Episode 3: While the fashion that we see in episode 3 “Now in Color” is most assuredly of the 70s era, the fashion feels more fast and loose with the specificity. Instead, the fashions we see in the opening theme and the episode itself are simply reflective of 1970s attire and sitcoms in a general sense with influences including The Brady Bunch, The Partridge Family, Three’s Company, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Bob Newhart Show. I will say that it’s interesting how Wanda’s striped dress matches the Mondrian art glass in her living room. Is it a reference to the Infinity Stones which were the source of her power?
Episode 5: “On a Very Special Episode” takes up into the 80s in full force as far as fashion, from Wanda’s high waisted jeans and suspenders, and turtleneck and vest ensemble to Agnes’s Jazzercise workout clothes., not to mention their very big curly hair. While not specifically influenced by any one character, much like the 70s gar, it is simply reflective of the era. Vision’s wardrobe on the other hand is most certainly influenced by Stephen Keaton’s from Family Ties.
– Plot and Character
The general concept of the series of people with powers that want to lead an everyday life or knowing someone as such and keeping it a secret is not only the perfect compliment to Wanda and Vision’s characters, but also something seen in television, most especially sitcoms throughout the decades. As we saw in Avengers: Infinity War, Wanda and Vision were hiding away in Scotland seeking peaceful moments and normalcy. Sitcom wise, in the 50s there was My Favorite Martian, in the 60s there was Bewitched and I Dream of Jeannie, in the 80s there was Alf, Small Wonder and Out of this World, and in the 90s was Sabrina, The Teenage Witch. I am also reminded the Disney Channel movie trilogy from the 80s Not Quite Human, about a man who build a android son. There is obviously a more meta and complicated aspect to WandaVision, but the basic structure is an obvious starting point. Beyond this set up, each episode has references and illusions to sitcoms with the character dynamics and plots of each episode.
Episode 1: This episode is said to represent the 50s, but as stated already there is both a 50s and 60s influence. The plot of the episode where Vision’s boss and his wife come over for dinner and troubles, shenanigans and hilarity ensues is very much like The Dick Van Dyke Show Season 1 episode “Sol and the Sponser.” In that episode an army Buddy of Rob’s invites himself over for dinner, causing issues with his behavior and like Wanda needing to get dinner together quickly, he and Laura must find a way to stretch dinner for 4 to 6 people. Mr. and Mrs. Hart are even very similar to the Sponsor and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Bermont. There also some similarities in plot to I Love Lucy. The Heart drawn on the calendar is similar to when Lucy draws a circle on the calendar in the Season 2 episode “The Anniversary Present” as a subtle hint for Ricky to remember their wedding anniversary. This is of course interesting as Wanda and Vision do not have one. The dinner shenanigans are also similar to the season 2 episode “Lucy’s Schedule” especially with the scrambling to get dinner and the gruff boss.
Moreover, the commercial break for the Toast Mate 2000 toaster is a clear homage to Lucy and Ricky. Not only do those in the commercial bear a striking resemblance to Lucy and Ricky, but there was also a running joke about Lucy always burning the toast. There is also Lucy’s propensity to buy new fangled gadgets like the Toast Mate seen in “Sales Resistance” when Lucy cannot resist buying Handy Dandy products.
One of the most interesting moments of the episode is when the carefree sitcom vibe briefly disappears and is replaced with a more eerie feeling. When Mr. Hart is choking and his wife repeating says “stop it” notice how the camera movement and shots drastically change, and that black and white hue is even slightly altered to a cooler more blue tone. This surreal and serious moment is very much akin to The Twilight Zone.
The character comparisons for Episode 1 are also a mixture of 50s and 60s sitcoms. Wanda has similarities to Laura Petrie, Lucy Ricardo and Samantha Stevens. How often were there things floating through the air in Bewitched like Wanda does in kitchen? Practically every episode!
Vision is very much like Rob Petrie. The opening credits even pays homage to Van Dyke either tripping or side stepping an ottoman in the opening credits with Vision going straight through a chair.
There is also a bit of Ward Cleaver thrown in when it comes to his workplace. This is definitely interesting as it’s actually a bit of a Mandela effect, which is something that is commonly known but not truly accurate. Over the years there’s been the common conception that we never know what the sitcom husbands of the 50s and 60s did for work. Vision questioning this is an illusion to that and could be an homage to Ward Cleaver as his job, was never perfectly clear. However, in actuality we do know what most of these characters did: Ricky Ricardo was an entertainer and band leader, Rob Petrie was a comedy writer, Father Knows Best’s Jim Andersen worked in insurance and Darren Stevens in advertising. The fact that they took the approach they did makes sense since this world is am imaginary construct made up of many different elements.
UNITED STATES – JUNE 13: LEAVE IT TO BEAVER – gallery – 1960-61, HUGH BEAUMONT, (Photo by ABC Photo Archives/ABC via Getty Images)
Their neighbor Agnes is being closely compared to Gladys Kravitz, the nosy neighbor from Bewitched. But she is really a combination of Mrs. Kravitz, Millie Helper, the Petrie’s neighbor on The Dick Van Dyke Show and Betty Ramsey, the neighbor to the Ricardos when they move to Connecticut in I Love Lucy. Betty even has a husband named Ralph just like Agnes. And Like these women Agnes is instantly chummy and always nearby to offer her two cents. Watch the season 5 episodes of I Love Lucy “Lucy Gets Chummy with the Neighbors” and “Lucy Raises Chickens” and the comparisons will be obvious.
When it comes to Vison and Wanda together, their romantic and comedic chemistry is quite similar to Rob and Laura Petrie. Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore were natural and wonderful together and portrayed Rob and Laura as being very affectionate and flirty with each other. Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany bring that same romantic, sweet and flirtatious chemistry into Wanda and Vision’s characters perfectly as they most assuredly fit into this world but still feel true to character deep down. A specific comparison was obvious to me initially. Vision commenting on the negligee Wanda is wearing with gusto and appreciation reminds me of the Season 2 episode “Don’t Trip Over the Mountain” in which Rob and Laura have a fight about him going skiing and when he returns she is wearing a beautiful negligee- a signifier that she wants to make up and Rob, like Vision, is intrigued but frustrated because he can’t do anything about it at the moment. Vision must entertain his boss and Rob has injured himself.
This dynamic is something that continues in the subsequent episodes as well. The way they dance in the opening credits and at the end of episode 2 is very similar to the way the Petries would often dance together in their living room.
Episode 2: Plot and character wise we still see the influences of The Dick Van Dyke Show but the most prominent one is Bewitched. The plot of the episode is similar to the Season 1 episode “It’s Magic” where Samantha assists in a magic act in a way that astounds the audience much like Wanda and Vision’s Magic act.
While there are still Rob and Laura vibes for Wanda and Vision together, there is most definitely Samantha and Darren ones too. Wanda wants to fit in and be a part of the community but not let her magic be known much like Samantha. Vision’s confusion and frustration, especially with the gum, but in the end acceptance and reaffirming his affection for Wanda is very much like the way Darren would be exasperated at the use of witchcraft but in the end all that he cared about was his love for Samantha.
Paul Bettany once again was influenced by Van Dyke in his performance in the opening scene where Vision and Wanda are frightened of a noise outside their bedroom window. The way Vision fearfully tugs the bed sheets towards his face and bites them is just like Rob watching a scary film in the Season 2 “It May Look Like a Walnut.”
The eerie- ness and change in tone and camera movements away from the sitcom style in the moment where a bee keeper emerges from the sewer once again had the surreal and uncertainty seen frequently in The Twilight Zone.
The way the color changes from black and white to color at the end of the episode is not only a signifier of another change in decade coming but a clear allusion to sitcoms who changed their filming during their run. The most obvious is the episode’s main influence Bewitched; but this also occurred in many other sitcoms including I Dream of Jeannie, My Three Sons, The Andy Griffith Show and Get Smart.
Episode 3: Although the plot and character influences are not that specific, there are still obvious homages to 1970s shows like The Partridge Family, Three’s Company and most especially The Brady Bunch. The plot has no direct connection as I far as I can tell but the humor and hijinks have that 70s feel. The doctor making a house call feels very much like instances where that occurred in the Brady house. Seeing the washing machine overflow is akin to Bobby overflowing the machine with too many soap suds in the Season 4 episode “Law and Disorder.” And Vision practices changing a diaper on the doll Kitty Karryall, Cindy Brady’s favorite doll that she adored.
The song heard at the end of the episode had a bit of a double meaning and usage. “DayDream Believer” is performed by the Monkees and lead singer Davy Jones is Marcia Brady’s favorite, even promising he would sing at a school dance based on a fan letter she received back. He if course does indeed fulfill that promise.
The lyrics to “Daydream Believer” are also reminiscent of the concept of this alternate reality Wanda and Vision are living in. They are in a bit of a dream world and when things get serious, Wanda reverses things or eliminated threats to this illusion. Although not exactly the same as, this is comparable to the man in the song trying to cheer up and make things perfect again for his girl.
Episode 5: The most notable thing about “On a Very Special Episode” is the mix of classic family sitcom humor and more serious moments. The title and this plot element signifies that this episode is reflecting something that actually began in the late 70s but really took off in the 80s and into the 90s. When these normally carefree and humorous sitcoms began to include more serious subject matter, these became known as very special episodes. This episode of WandaVision reflects this trend with the ways death, marital fighting and other things were brought into the episode much like other sitcoms who tackled such serious issues such as alcoholism and sexual harassment in Family Ties, drug use and the consequences of drunk driving in Growing Pains, pedophilia in Different Strokes and Mr. Belvedere, rape, domestic abuse and the aids epidemic in Designing Women, eating disorders, peer pressure and child abuse in Full House, and teenage sex, drugs, alcoholism and eating disorders in Blossom, the show in which the phrase “A Very Special Episode” was coined.
– Additional Details and Questions: I found it humorous how the meat tenderizer that Wanda hands to Vision resembles Thor’s hammer. He is worthy after all. Does this mean Wanda is too?
The opening and end credits each feature a different theme song written by award winning song writers Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez and composer Christophe Beck . They each reflect the era perfectly and are in direct comparison to other sitcoms of those decades. The episode 1 music has a 50s vibes feel much like I Love Lucy although it’s more of an overall vibe of that era. The others however are obvious. The 60s feel of episode 2 is clearly a take off of the opening credits of Bewitched.
Watch a side by side comparison here: https://youtu.be/AqEpIola9Sg
And the 70s vibes in episode 3 are very much in the Brady Bunch style with the use of shapes, with other influences including The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Three’s Company.
Moreover the theme song music at the end of the beginning and end of the episode sound very similar to the theme song from The Partridge Family. And this isn’t the first time this this theme song has had a connection to the MCU. In Ant Man and the Wasp we see Scott Lang singing this song during a montage of his house arrest. Interestingly, this film is also the first appearance of WandaVision’s Agent James Woo. Watch that sequence here:
https://youtu.be/LzXywwT9fI0
And the opening credits for “On a Very Special Episode” are very much like of two 80s sitcoms. The drawing and animated painting are just like the credits for Family Ties, while the use of photos showing the characters growing up is just like Growing Pains. There is also a clever meta nod to Full House which starred Elizabeth Olsen’s twin sisters Mary Kate and Ashley.
And the theme song sounds a great deal like a cross between the song from Family Ties theme “Without Love” and the Growing Pains theme “As Long as we Got Each Other”, with also some influences for the theme songs from The Hogan Family and The Torkelsons: Almost Home. Additionally, the end title music sounds like those with a dash of Greatest American Hero.
Speaking of the credits, it’s interesting how the plot of Episode 3 “Now in Color” and the opening credits contradict each other. In the credits Wanda and Vision are happily and seemingly very openly preparing for their baby over a period of time. But in the episode they are keeping it a secret as her pregnancy is accelerated so much that she has her babies within a day. The same can be said with Episode 5 “On a Very Special Episode” as we see something that never existed- Vision as a child.
The way Wanda tries to hide her pregnant belly from Geraldine/Monica with large coats and a bowl of fruit is an obvious reference to the numerous times television shows have tried to hide the pregnancies of their actresses because their characters weren’t meant to be so. Anywhere from tables, large pillows, purses, coats and what not, this practice is commonplace in the world of TV.
Each episode’s filming style reflects the era it’s meant to depict from the types of shots and angles, to the musical scores to the style of humor, each decade is perfectly represented.
In the first 3 episodes, Agnes is seen wearing plaid. And low and behold I found an instance (and I am sure there are more) of one of her influences in character Millie Helper wearing plaid as well. Is this simply a stylistic choice or is there a deeper meaning to it? Is it a reflection of her jumbled and mixed up consciousness.
Interesting though how this shifts in Episode 5. Agnes is no longer wearing plaid, and seems aware that what they’re doing isn’t completely real when she suggests they start a scene over again and doesn’t bat an eye when the twins age themselves up. But who is wearing plaid, and who seems somewhat aware but still confused about what’s going on- Wanda.
The way the twins Tommy and Billy age themselves up is an obvious homage to the trope that’s seen numerous times in sitcoms- child characters who age up with no explanation. We saw this occur in I Love Lucy, Family Ties, Growing Pains, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Modern Family among others.
The town of WestView is a very apropos name for this town. Not only does it suggest this a very “western” or American viewpoint, but it also sounds very reminiscent of other towns from classic sitcoms fictional or otherwise including Westport, Connecticut in I Love Lucy, Mayfield in Leave it to Beaver, and Springfield in Father Knows Best.
The times when color is seen in the black and white episodes is reminiscent of a film about people who are also trapped inside a sitcom: Pleasantville. And similarly, any time there are cracks in this seemingly pristine and perfect reality in references and intrusion from the outside world, either in influence or directly, color emerges. It’s a striking similarity and I am certain this film provided a great deal of inspiration for WandaVision.
All of the questions that FBI agent James Woo writes on the white board in episode 4 are ones we’ve been asking since the beginning.
– Why the hexagon shape usage? It’s everywhere. Is it a reference to the Infinity stones or something else. I find it interesting how in Captain Marvel the plates in Maria Rambeau’s kitchen, the ship where Carol’s powers fully emerge and the windows in her home are this same shape.
– Why sitcoms? And why does the decade keep changing. As stated earlier I believe a great deal had to do with Wanda’s character, not only her background and likelihood of growing up and learning English through sitcoms, but because of what sitcoms represent. Although they have realism than they are given credit for, they are an idealized conceptual construct where problems are easily fixed and life is happy, warm and peaceful. After all the trauma Wanda has experienced losing her patents, her twin brother Pietro, her home and Vision, wouldn’t she want to escape into a world like that. One that represents a typical and idealized family life. The time period keeps changing because try as she might things always get serious in a moment, threatening this ideal existence. The shift and decade represents her desire to keep changing the setting until all is well. This is most especially seen at the end of Episode 5 where she tries to end her fight with Vision y rolling the credits, but the conversation continues and she says she doesn’t know how everything got started. It suggests she has some control but not completely.
– Is Vision dead? That’s the number one question and I truly have no idea. Obviously I would like him to be alive because like Darcy Lewis I am invested in these two. I am however prepared for him not to be, especially after the shocking image of him in Episode 4 which simultaneously scared me and broke my heart.
Conclusions
Although there is still much to be revealed and more tv homages to be seen thus far, I am thoroughly impressed and completely blown away by the level of care that has gone into the creation of this series. These references are not haphazardly included. They are extremely well thought out, and a true feast for any classic television fan. And they execution is absolutely brilliant from the direction by Matt Shakman, the writing by Jac Schaeffer, Cameron Squires, Megan McDonnel, Laura Donney, Gretchen Enders, Bobak Esfarjani, and Roy Thomas, production design and costumes by Mark Worthington and Mayes C. Rubeo , music by and performances by Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Kathryn Hahn, Teyonah Parris, Randall Park, and the rest of the cast. WandaVision is a absolute tour de force in creativity.
This love story is a classic one- a story of love across social status and obstacles from family and societal conventions. We have seen this story before where the servant, or poor boy falls in love with the girl of wealth and higher social status. In this case we have the Chauffeur Tom Branson, somewhat of a radical political wise compared to the Crawley family, quickly becoming enamored and falling for the middle Crawley daughter Sybil, equally politically minded and forward thinking, caring little for parties or high society life, and learning more about what truly matters in the world when she becomes a nurse in World War One. While she chides him for his forwardness when he makes his feelings for him known, it’s clear how much she cares for him too, and when she finally allows herself to let him completely in, they throw caution to the wind, defying her family in the name of True Love. Luckily her family comes around after they marry, and when she comes homes expecting a baby all seems like it will be a happy future. But tragedy befalls the couple when complications from childbirth takes Sybil’s life in one of the most devastating scenes in television history as Tom begs his wife not to leave him through his sobbing. Left with a baby girl that he names after his dearly departed, Tom finds his place in the world and the Crawley family, eventually, and Sybil’s loving, beautiful spirit will live on. But their love story will remain a tragic but profound one, and this couple a true testament to undying love.
The Girly Nerd 