WandaVision Episode 1 Recap: A 1950s Dinner Party Marvel Style

WandaVision episode 1 is out now, ending our 18-month wait for brand new MCU content material, however this is not the Marvel that we bear in mind from Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: Far From Home. The complete episode is modelled after a Hollywood Golden Age sitcom, from the Nineteen Fifties, replete in black-and-white, a near-square side ratio, and a reside studio viewers, really. It's acquired these foolish jokes that you simply affiliate with old-timey sitcoms too, delivered with the sort of pauses and background sounds you'd count on from a theatrical manufacturing. It appears extra like a stage play than a TV episode. And there are nearly no clues right here about what's actually happening.

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The 22-minute WandaVision episode 1 — directed by Matt Shakman and written by Jac Schaeffer — opens with Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) driving right into a suburban American city referred to as Westview. Wanda is sporting a white robe and there is a “just married” signal on the again of their automobile. They're married! Wait, what? Also, how is Vision nonetheless round? He died in Avengers: Infinity War — twice in truth. WandaVision episode 1 is not excited by explaining any of that, although it does introduce their respective powers for viewers to whom the characters could be all new. Wanda is telekinetic and might put damaged issues again collectively, and Vision has an indestructible head. (There's extra to it, sure.)

Vision then notices {that a} heart-shaped image has been drawn subsequent to in the present day's date on the calendar within the kitchen. It's clearly a particular date for the couple, however the two of them cannot start to recall what it truly is. Not desirous to be labelled the forgetful one, they each fake that they know. This is the primary sign up WandaVision that one thing is amiss. Apart from the entire being within the fifties and Vision being alive enterprise, after all. Their reminiscence lapses are shared, and when one in every of them struggles to recollect, each of them are on the identical second. Could they be the identical individual? Is Wanda merely imagining Vision's existence? She's able to it, in spite of everything.

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Having kissed and located solace in tonight being particular for them each, Vision then leaves for work. Wanda is startled quickly after by repeated knocks on the entrance door. She opens it to search out Agnes (Kathryn Hahn), their neighbour on the best. “My right, not yours,” she provides with a chuckle. Agnes is interested in who she is, how she moved in so shortly (“Did you use a moving company?” “Yes of course, the boxes sure didn't move themselves”), and what a “single gal” like her is doing in a city like this. There's no ring on Wanda's finger, you see. Wanda assures Agnes that she's very a lot married, to a person (these are the ‘50s in spite of everything) — a human one at that (ha ha Vision is android, get it?).

After Wanda reveals that tonight in a particular night time for the couple, Agnes probes additional earlier than the 2 settle at “anniversary” as the reply. Wanda cannot recall the true factor anyway. Agnes then volunteers to assist Wanda put together for the particular night time.

Kathryn Hahn as Agnes in WandaVision episode 1
Photo Credit: Disney/Marvel Studios

Meanwhile, at Computational Services Inc., Vision is typing away at superhuman speeds. A colleague Norm (Asif Ali) remarks at his velocity after he is accomplished, noting that productiveness has gone up 300 % since he arrived and calls him a “walking computer”. Vision, who's attempting his finest to cover his true identification, replies instantly: “I most certainly am not.” He later wonders what the corporate does — do they make one thing? do they purchase or promote one thing? no, no, and no — in what comes throughout as a jab at capitalism and the way workers really feel like they haven't any larger objective.

Just then, Vision's boss Mr. Hart (Fred Melamed) walks in, sending everybody scurrying to their desks. Mr. Hart reminds Vision concerning the dinner, and Vision connects the dots to imagine that the particular occasion tonight should be a cocktail party with the Harts. There was a coronary heart on the calendar (ha ha, wordplay). Mr. Hart stresses on the significance of the dinner going properly, stating how the final worker to disappoint him — regardless of having 5 programs, a string quartet for leisure, and sporting a turtleneck (oh no) — has been fired. A nervous Vision rings Wanda to emphasize on the significance of tonight going properly. Except they're nonetheless pretending they know what the night time is admittedly about (oh no).

While Wanda is now getting ready for his or her anniversary, Vision believes she's getting ready dinner for the Harts. Naturally, this results in chaos when the Harts flip up at Vision residence. Wanda is prepared for a romantic night, and she or he spooks her visitors as she locations her fingers on Mr. Hart's eyes from behind. It would not assist that she's sporting a revealing robe. Wanda and Vision reconvene within the kitchen to determine issues out. Wanda says the outfit is as a result of it is their anniversary. Vision explains the center on the calendar was an abbreviation for a dinner with Mr. & Mrs. Hart. Wanda retorts: “You move at the speed of sound, and I can make a pen float in the air. Who needs to abbreviate?”

Now in a bind, Wanda assures Vision that she's going to prepare dinner one thing imminently whereas Vision tends to the hungry visitors exterior. She enlists the assistance of her neighbour Agnes, who turns up with sufficient components to feed three households. Through Agnes, WandaVision episode 1 takes pictures at conventional gender roles too: “What kind of housewife would I be if I didn't have a gourmet meal just lying about the place?” Once once more, Agnes outstays her welcome and guarantees to stroll Wanda by means of all the things, however that is as a result of she would not know that Wanda has actually totally different kitchen manners.

Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff in WandaVision episode 1
Photo Credit: Disney/Marvel Studios

After she all however pushes Agnes out of the again door, Wanda lifts her fingers and concurrently begins to prepare dinner each meal course along with her superpowers. For WandaVision, it is time to sprinkle in some bodily comedy. Hearing the commotion within the kitchen, Mrs. Hart (Debra Jo Rupp) volunteers to assist Wanda, forcing Vision to do one thing dramatic to distract Mrs. Hart. He launches into an impromptu track, which confuses Mr. Hart however will get the job accomplished as Mrs. Hart turns round and begins swinging. Wanda makes use of the temporary distraction to shut the shutters that see into the kitchen, stopping the Harts from understanding the couple's true nature.

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But Wanda has different issues. The cooking is not going so properly — she by accident overcooks the rooster till it is all burnt (“Oh no, too much!”), and when she tries to reverse the impact, it turns right into a basket of eggs (“Oh no, not enough!”). Amidst all of the chaos, as Mr. Hart barks at Vision about what a failure the night time has been, Wanda decides to improvise and serves breakfast for dinner. Mr. Hart is shocked, however the sight of wine calms issues down. At the dinner desk, Mr & Mrs. Hart begin asking the only of questions: the place they lived earlier than, once they married, and why they haven't any youngsters. This is one other reminder that Wanda and Vision haven't any reminiscence in any respect about their previous.

Mr. Hart is displeased that the brand new Westview couple can not seem to provide the simplest of solutions. “What is your story?” he calls for. With neither capable of provide up any reply, Mr. Hart in the end kilos his fist on the desk and shouts “Why?”. Just as he does, a bit of meals will get caught in his throat, which Mrs. Hart assumes to be a fake. “Oh, stop it,” Mrs. Hart reprimands her husband. WandaVision episode 1 reveals its otherworldly nature at this second. Wanda and Vision are seemingly transfixed, whereas Mrs. Hart retains repeating the phrases “Stop it” as her smile dissolves right into a cry for assist. Wanda in the end snaps out of her spell and asks Vision to really assist his boss and save his life.

Vision reaches into Mr. Hart's throat and pulls out the offending morsel of meals. Pulled from the jaws of loss of life, Mr. Hart makes no point out of the actual fact and as a substitute remarks that it is getting late. Wait, what? Incredulously, Mrs. Hart appears to have forgotten all concerning the choking incident too. The Harts rise up, bid goodbyes, and stroll out the door. Wanda and Vision are simply relieved that everybody survived. Wanda notes that they're an uncommon couple — to which Vision greater than agrees — given they haven't any anniversary and no rings. They resolve to choose in the present day as their anniversary, and Wanda then materialises rings for the 2 of them out of skinny air.

As the 2 embrace and kiss, WandaVision episode 1 ends with Vision flicking a button. That pulls us out of the TV present to disclose that an unseen particular person has been watching the occasions unfold on a literal TV, with the noise of helicopter wings within the background. It then cuts to the phrases “Please stand by”.

WandaVision episode 1 is now streaming on Disney+ and Disney+ Hotstar. New episodes launch each Friday round 1:30pm IST / 12am PT.