I rolled my eyes after the first few minutes of WandaVision season 1, episode 3. They barely even went outside in this one. All that happened was that Wanda had some issues with her powers – predictable – there were some moments that Wanda erased – predictable – and the sitcom-esque gags were there in droves (predictable).
I’m beginning to feel like this series is basically designed for two kinds of audiences. First, you’ve got the Marvel nerds who are on the lookout for all the references and Easter eggs which are apparently littered all over the place.
Then you’ve got the people who love sitcoms and will happily sit next to their Marvel nerd friend/partner, enjoying those references, while the other person jots down all the fun little eggs which appear.
What about the people like me, who don’t want a family-friendly Disney-style sitcom – or a series veiled with Marvel eggs, fully-fledged fans only? There are some of us – obviously myself included – who enjoy Marvel without having a religious devotion to it. We tune into some of the movies to check out the action scenes and CGI effects. That’s about it.
This section of the viewing demographic, then, is probably not too happy with how events are going down so far. As I said last time, it’s only the action we’ve been promised in the trailer that means I’m not ditching this show entirely. Honestly, I’d have preferred it if Marvel had released either Loki or Falcon and Winter Soldier first. At least there you get a clear, traditional Marvel storyline with plenty of action to boot.
At least with this episode, there’s a sign that something exciting is FINALLY about to happen. This Geraldine character began to look interesting during the comedy act Wanda and Vision inadvertently put on in the last episode, and now we get her asking about Wanda’s brother: ‘He was killed by Ultron, wasn’t he?’
Then Vision comes in, asks where Geraldine is and gets the reply ‘She had to rush home’. Problem is, Vision has just been talking with the neighbors outside, who have confirmed Geraldine is somewhat of an anomaly. In fact, she doesn’t even have a home. So has she been planted by someone outside of this strange TV world by the people trying to get Wanda and Vision to realise they’re being tricked in some way?
That’s my theory, anyway, especially as the TV world seemed to spit Geraldine out in the final scenes and throw her out of a vortex onto some high-tech training ground, where people who looked like they knew who she was – and what she was doing – immediately piled around her. Fingers crossed we get at least more of Geraldine’s story – and that subtle change in aspect ratio we saw at the end of episode 3 – in the next instalment.