Here we are -- the beginning of Marvel's "Phase Four," and it all starts with a TV show -- WandaVision. Officially, I believe this is the first TV show to belong to an official "phase." Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and all the Netflix shows evidently don't count for reasons I don't fully understand.
Instead of doing a long stretched-out TV show lasting several seasons, they gave us more of a mini-series -- nine episodes. It's kind of like a movie on the small screen with more time to flesh out the plot. And overall, I think it was a huge success. It does require a subscription to Disney+ -- and yes, it's all a big money machine, but they can take my money as long as they keep it interesting.
The first episode of WandaVision pulled me in immediately. It features Wanda and Vision starring in their own 50's show -- much like The Dick Van Dyke mixed with a little Leave It to Beaver. I was laughing, as it plays fun at all the tropes and issues that permeated most of the shows of the time.
The second episode moves on to the 60s, and so on. At the same time, the audience is trying to figure out what's really going on. Who's watching? Why is Vision alive again? Who is the influence behind it all?
Toward the end of the first episode, there's an awkward moment as Wanda and Vision try to remember their past, only to note that they can't, letting us all know that something is very wrong.
One of the biggest successes comes from all the funny Easter eggs that persist throughout the whole show -- inside jokes -- hidden meanings -- all kinds of things for Marvel fans to pick up on. It also manages to bring in characters from older movie series -- Ant Man, Thor, Captain Marvel, and so on. All to remind us that this show really does belong in the official Marvel universe.
It also sets the stage for future stories to take up the mantle -- a very successful formula in a franchise. Though, I understand that this show relies heavily on a known comic book series -- so some people already knew what was going to happen, and most likely know what's coming next.
Like all Marvel products, it's nowhere near my favorite show of all time, but it was very good in what it does. I may forget the details five years from now, but it was fun while I watched.
If you're a Marvel fan, it's worth catching this -- it does look like "required" watching so you can understand what's happening in later shows and movies. I know -- I usually hate that type of thing, but this time I'm really enjoying the new format. So, give it a try.
No comments:
Post a Comment