so why is it utterly genius that WandaVision has been set in vintage sitcoms throughout the years
i don't know about you guys but i really wasn't expecting WandaVision to turn out the way
that it's turned out and to be honest it's the best possible surprise i really didn't
know where they were gonna go from Avengers: Endgame it was so huge so emotional so i mean that
they just tick so many boxes with that show it's ridiculous
and then the very first show after Avengers: Endgame is WandaVision
it's really kind of building the tension you can't wait for the next episode again kind of
like what broadcast used to be but now it's not but anyway we digressed so they took what was this
hugely science fiction action thriller alternate universe universe and then they based it in
the style and eras of sitcoms from the 50s that we know we recognize the shows
and the tropes and the visuals that they've gone out and created for each episode of the series now
for those of you who have not seen WandaVision you probably don't know that each episode actually
transpires in a totally new decade of tv sitcom history with the first episode starting in the 50s
with massively 50s style look story sound even the way they walk and talk have been
specifically designed to evoke something from that era but why on earth is this choice so successful
nostalgia which is probably what you feel when you're watching WandaVision because
you recognize something from your past is actually incredibly healthy for the human mind
we revert back to certain memories and ideals of our past and that helps us deal with current
harder situations and makes us more emotionally resilient
it also reminds us that there are better times ahead so all in all it's a very positive thing
now obviously that can swing the other way if you are too nostalgic you look for the answers
so much in the past and you're not really in the present at all then there can be just as much
detrimental effects and i think this is what's key to the current story in WandaVision it really
does show us the ramifications of looking for the answers in our past so much looking for almost
a a reality that could never have existed so much that we lose all grasp on reality
Wanda
welcome home now pair that concept of nostalgia with good filmmaking and good filmmaking really is
when the filmmakers the director the writer the producers they take a look at the characters
they take a look at those characters pasts their motivations their moral code and they come up
with new and interesting ways to explore that character's psyche and the situations that they
can throw at that character now as you probably know and if you haven't seen Avengers: Endgame
probably go watch that now before you watch this bit at the end of Infinity War we see
Vision the titular hero is killed in the fight in fact twice he's killed once by Wanda and once by
so we already know and understand that Wanda has seen the death of the love of her life twice
in mere moments we don't meet Wanda again
in Avengers: Endgame on a personal level like we do with many of the other characters
so we really haven't had time to check in with where she's at since the death of Vision
i can't feel you so WandaVision picks up from that in a beautiful way and explores what would
a person with incredible time and space bending powers do to get the love of their life back well
this is where the creators of WandaVision i think have done an amazing job at consistently
surprising us creating a story and a world which not only makes sense but also utilizes
the power of nostalgia in the audience to create an incredibly powerful story in this tv series
so what do we know about Wanda well from her history and from the universe we already know
that she had a pretty troubled childhood uh and even into her young adult years as well with
her brother and then she's watched many people she loves die in front of her she has had huge traumas
feeling the guilt and sense of responsibility from her actions where innocent civilians have died
through their battles in the various films it was only a matter of time before one of the characters
would try to escape the responsibility of reality and try to change things based on the fact that
they have the power to do so so when she goes and changes an entire town to be that of a sitcom
we then think to ourselves well where did where did she get this idea from i think we can easily
see that what they've done here is they've taken the nostalgia that we have as an audience for
shows of those periods and transpose that into the character allowed the character to try and find
the perfect era the perfect time and sensibility and moral code for her to live a happy life with
the love of her life Vision with Wanda Maximoff's history of well not being a very good history
she probably doesn't have that many good nostalgic memories to pull from from her history so instead
she's gone and pulled from sitcoms that maybe she remembers from her childhood and that she
remembers fondly for having an idealistic vision or version of life that she would love to have
with Vision so ultimately by exploring Wanda's own motivations to find the perfect life from her own
nostalgic memories of tv sitcom we actually get to understand wanda so incredibly well we see that
she is willing to do almost anything to be with Vision you can't control me the way you do them
can't i so the filmmakers have used each era's cliches the stories that used to be explored
in those times in sitcom to actually explore Wanda's own character to explore her motivations
and how flawed it all is in this way it gives them the motivation
to move to another era each and every week as each era fails to live up to her desire
the desire for a perfect life and this is ultimately the core problem with sitcoms in
general from all eras they present a version of life which is impossible to live up to oh agnes
you're a lifesaver uh what kind of housewife would i be if i didn't have a gourmet meal before just
lying about the place unfortunately i believe that the only way that this story can be completed
is tragically because there is no way that Wanda and Vision can live in an impossible
sitcom stylized world with ideals and values that are impossible to live up to a lifestyle
that is just not real and you see this in the way in which all the characters around Wanda
are desperately trying to get out of this sitcom world
please please help me Vision can see even though his mind has been altered by Wanda he can
see that there is something wrong he's working it out episode on episode and i really really
look forward to seeing how they wrap up this story and i really hope that they find a way
of pulling together all of these incredible elements and stories that they've explored the
eras they've explored in a fantastic message for us at home Wanda
be good it really allows the filmmakers to explore some of the more troubling aspects of what sitcoms
in each era used to explore tell the audience this is the right way to live each era had different
stereotypes different social rules that were either healthy or not healthy gender roles have
changed over time and it's incredible to see each episode so starkly different from the others from
the attire to the way in which the cameras move to the stories that were explored the filmmakers even
went as far to actually use entirely different lenses cameras lighting and aesthetics in the home
to really convey the story each and every time even the rooms change entirely from era to era
as if each home the ideal home changed from era to era this is some brilliant meticulous detail
orientated oriented orientated oriented filmmaking and makes WandaVision worth a watch just for that
who's doing the sea Wanda