WandaVision, Marvel’s much hyped new televised series, has finally landed on Disney+.
But wait! If you’ve already checked out after seeing it’s a Marvel creation, keep reading.
The ‘superhero sitcom’ follows Marvel Comic characters Wanda Maximoff, played by Elizabeth Olsen, and her husband Vision, brought to life by Paul Bettany.
Set in suburbia, the series takes place after the events of the film Avengers: Endgame (2019), and parodies classic sitcoms as the couple go about their lives overcoming the kind of ordinary mishaps people in the suburbs are faced with.
But as with any of the Avengers squad, Wanda and Vision are anything but conventional: Wanda is a woman with psychic powers, and Vision is a synthetic android.
Here’s five reasons why you really should believe the hype...
1. Not a fan of Marvel? Step right up
The suburbs make for relatable comedy and it turns out there’s no better people to satirise the suburbs than those with superhuman powers (honest).
The setting, and the fact the show focuses on the two lead characters means viewers who typically shy away from the superhero genre with its multiple characters and plotlines will find the snappy half-hour episodes a lot easier to digest.
Instead of expansive CGI shots with people flying about everywhere and talking loads of jargon - the comedy is extracted from everyday situations that affect us all.
It’s also a clever commentary on suburban life. WandaVision often parodies the stereotypical domestic roles of men and women in suburbia. It makes jokes about these tropes in a new set up for the superhero genre.
2. It’s bonkers. Properly bonkers
The first scene features a familiar setting enough for any self-respecting 1950s housewife: Vision has his boss over for dinner.
And much like in an ordinary sitcom, things become farcical as the pair dart around to entertain guests, with Wanda using her powers in the most pleasingly chaotic scene involving flying pots and pans.
In episode 2, Wanda and Vision are enlisted to perform at a local Talent Show. But will Wanda and Vision manage to entertain a bemused crowd?
Through all the mishaps, Wanda and Vision appear to thrive. After all, when you can walk through walls, move objects without touching them and redecorate at the click of a finger, suburban life appears to be a doddle.
3. Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany are just perfect
At the heart of WandaVision is an unquestionable chemistry between leads Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany, who give these characters a real human edge.
Of course, these actors and characters have met before. Wanda and Vision first met on screen in the 2015 Marvel blockbuster Avengers: Age of Ultron, and have returned for sequels Avengers: Infinity War and Captain America: Civil War.
Paul Bettany plays up Vision’s apparent forgetfulness with his erratic body language, and delivers his plummy British accent as only a true Brit could (yes, it’s slightly camp and all the better for it).
Wanda is a witch in the original Marvel comic books, and Elizabeth Olsen delivers an equally physical performance. All dizzy head wobbles and dainty footsteps, she parodies the role of the classic 1950s housewife to perfection - but is assertive too, and not afraid of stepping out of line in front of the other housewives.
4. It looks s-t-u-n-n-i-n-g
Episodes are set in different decades, starting in the 1950s, with The Dick Van Dyke Show cited as the inspiration for the first episode, as Elizabeth Olsen revealed to Emmy Magazine recently.
Because of the eras, the first two are set in startlingly crisp black and white but by episode three, the couple are plunged into the multi-coloured 1970s.
In each sharp 30-minute episode, the furnishings, fashions and attitudes of the decade are celebrated, creating an ever changing colour palette, which backdrops Wanda and Vision’s daily lives.
Vision also has the ability to morph from android into what appears to be a human, and the way CGI changes his face depending on his environment isn’t dissimilar to how each of us has a public face and a private face, depending on who we’re with.
5. But it’s not all about looks
WandaVision feels like a commentary about how different we all are, but how easy it is for us not to notice.
In the suburbs, Wanda and Vision are often encouraged to blend in, but the joy of the show is in how they stand out.
We’re not used to seeing Marvel characters in suburbia, and the show plays on how jarring, explosive and ridiculous everyday interactions for these two are.
The first 2 episodes of WandaVision are streaming on Disney+ now. Episode 3 will debut on Friday 22 January.