WandaVision, One Year On: A Retrospective

Marvel's first MCU Disney+ series, WandaVision, premiered just over 1 year ago today - and this is my (slightly belated!) anniversary retrospective. The series saw Elizabeth Olsen's Wanda Maximoff and Paul Bettany's Vision navigate a distorted reality, seemingly constructed entirely from a pastiche of classic sitcoms. Funny, emotional, and at times experimental, WandaVision became a phenomenon as it aired, with hundreds of thousands of viewers across the globe waiting on tenterhooks each week for the next episode and the revelations it would surely bring. However, since the episodes dropped, criticism of the show and its narrative has increased - particularly the finale, which sees Olsen's Wanda finally become the Scarlet Witch. This video sees me evaluate both the series itself and common criticisms thereof - and conclude that, one year on, the series has stood the test of time.
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My previous WandaVision video: • How WandaVision Destro...
Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction
1:09 Chapter 1, Pastiche and the Experimental
5:05 Chapter 2, WandaVision's Strengths
8:52 Chapter 3, Common Criticisms and the Finale
12:24 Chapter 4, Effective Villains?
17:10 Chapter 5, Trauma and TV
19:46 Chapter 6, WandaVision and 2021 (or, Story Time with Pillar of Garbage)
25:10 Conclusion
Three weeks after the events of Avengers: Endgame (2019), Wanda Maximoff and Vision are living an idyllic suburban life in the town of Westview, New Jersey, trying to conceal their true natures. As their surroundings begin to move through different decades and they encounter various television tropes, the couple suspects that things are not as they seem. The show's supporting cast includes characters such as Kathryn Hahn's Agnes / Agatha Harkness.
#marvel #wandavision #mcu

[@CaptainRaccoonWhitly]

I'm surprised you didn't mention Vision's "Ship of Theseus" debate with himself. That was easily one of the best moments in the finale, and a clear subversion of expectations that actually worked to its favour.

[@PillarofGarbage]

A great moment! Sadly, though, it didn’t fit into any of the arguments/points I wanted to make in the video.

[@legzzzzz]

I think I'm in the minority of liking the finale. I get what I want: Vision VS. Vision with their phasing fights is the best fight scene out of all the MCU shows, sadly it was short, I love the mind games Wanda's doing with Agatha but in the end, Wanda loses from her.

[@gordieramsey287]

As a brit did you not instantly think of Trigger's broom though?

[@CaptainRaccoonWhitly]

@@gordieramsey287 I'm not British.

[@julesgouton945]

Don’t forget how much of a significant role Twitter played in Wandavision. Twitter really made this show a national cultural event.

[@PillarofGarbage]

International, even!

[@airwaters]

I will say "global", it occupied multiple trending spots in my country and we dont have Disney+ at all. Such a cultural moment.

[@ATRAXXUSA]

RIGHT?!

[@geeky_doodles9003]

It was literally the only reason that I got Twitter :) Despite some of the fandom being a bit gatekeepy, it was a great time during the WandaVision and Loki era :>

[@nickowl128]

Can anyone please explain this for me? I adore wandavision but never heard about this

[@scottking8189]

I think Paul bettaney doing a little bit of trolling was hilarious

[@PillarofGarbage]

Paul Bettany definitely undertook a minuscule amount of tomfoolery

[@scottking8189]

@@PillarofGarbage love your channel man, hope everything is looking well for you, I can relate to the sad uk winter uni experience and I’m glad I had this show to watch with my friends weekly

[@elizabethdolorese5643]

"What is grief if not love persevering" was exactly what I needed to hear during the darkest period of my life. My 11 year old cousin was diagnosed with cancer in May 2020 and taken to the children's hospital for treatment, but she passed away very suddenly three weeks later. Because of covid lockdowns I never got to say goodbye. Winter 2021 I hit my lowest point. It felt like the grief and loss would overwhelm me. I'll always be grateful to everyone who brought Wandavision to life because it gave me something to look forward to every week and helped me begin to process my grief.

[@PillarofGarbage]

Very sorry to hear about your loss, that sounds dreadful :(

[@bwebbzw264]

I still can't get over Elizabeth Olson's superb acting in Wandavision more than a year later!

[@brianm3160]

The fact that this show is still winning awards and nominations, shows how amazing this experience was

[@josephivenegas]

I appreciate the Agatha song being an homage to THE MUNSTERS, a classic sitcom starring a loving witch and undead husband.

[@Alex-hx4on]

I hope in her own show the intro will be again something like Agatha All Along. Maybe now it can homage The Addams Family :D

[@daelen.cclark]

Now I’m imaging it sung by Fall-Out-Boy.

[@muhdiskandar02]

Although WandaVision had some major flaws, the way it portrayed grief really resonated with me. When I lost my dad at 13, the entire week I dreamed at night a life where my dad was cured and life just goes on. It felt so real that I felt disillusioned and couldn’t distinguish reality and my dreams. The series just felt so human even with its outlandish concept. This was definitely a special marvel property.

[@AlexG-jk8tc]

WandaVision was, in my opinion, the best thing that Marvel made last year, quite possibly one of the best Marvel projects ever. Nothing else comes even close, with the exception of maybe No Way Home. It had layers, more than any other Marvel project. It was intended to be an exploration of grief and a love letter to TV, and it did both amazingly. I'm sure everyone could relate to Wanda's longing for an easier life during a time when vaccinations weren't widely available yet. The sitcom aspects were masterfully crafted, and, as a young man who's a sucker for all things vintage, especially 50s and 60s TV and radio (and whose parents introduced him to all these old sitcoms when he was very young), I feel they flawlessly captured the feel and mannerisms of each era. Was it perfect? No. Like anything, it has its flaws. Some episodes were weaker than others, Hayward was a really weak villain, and while I didn't dislike the finale as much as everyone else apparently did (and had no problem with Ralph), I have no problem calling it the weakest episode out of all of them. But in the end, these flaws didn't do anything to bring the project down for me. And even if it wasn't perfect for everyone, the fact alone that they were willing to make something so different and experimental, and that it turned out as awesome as it did, well, I think that should say something. Thank you for one year, WandaVision. You were truly something else. PS: My whole family is comprised of Marvel fans, and when the first trailer dropped, it inspired me and my brother to start writing scripts for what an actual Avengers sitcom would be like! It's been a blast, and my dad, who grew up with all these shows, helps us write them too.

[@toxin6922]

holds town hostage and doesent let them have free will. hayward: "you need to stop", wanda: "Im NoT ThE OnE WiTH The guNs"

[@colonyofrats4193]

@@toxin6922 are you familiar with the concept o nuanced characters?

[@toxin6922]

@@colonyofrats4193 🤣

[@lunchbox7337ify]

I give Wandavision credit for trying something different, and I give Elizabeth Olsen tons of credit for having to act out different styles depending on the time period being portrayed, that's not an easy thing to do and she nailed it. But that's it. Wanda was a straight up villain even though the show tried to paint her as sympathetic. Monica constantly saying DUR IT COULD'VE BEEN WORSE is ridiculously unrealistic optimism. Vision was a goofball meat puppet the whole time, Bohner could've had an eye opening revelation instead of turning into a dumb joke. Hey I'm glad you think this show is somehow better than No Way Home but you might be the only person on Earth who believes that. I'm glad when someone can get enjoyment from something but man WV just had too many things I couldn't look past.

[@heckandahalf1634]

@@lunchbox7337ify I think no way home was wildly enjoyable and I absolutely loved it but I liked Wanda vision more It was so much more interesting, and the performances in it were so good It kept you guessing and watching Wanda struggle and spiral and not be perfect was the best part of the show. I see your point about Monica excusing Wanda's actions but she was in the minority most others saw her as the villain so I don't think that stands NWH was great but predictable its probably my favorite marvel movie but beat by beat you could see what was going to happen at no point was I not able to see where the plot was going and the conflict in the movie was completely avoidable If Peter asked strange to just make it so everyone forgot Mysterio revealed his identity, or if he just went to appeal his denial into MIT before asking Strange, then no movie

[@malcolmroache3854]

I love this show and it's still number one out of all the shows because it's so different and not the typical. Yes the ending wasn't great but I really feel liked Wanda was fleshed out to the max. Grief and trauma aspects were awesome. Vision and Wanda fighting as a couple and being a normal couple were the best moments. The sitcoms were so weird but they're still the best part of the show. Loki was different especially the last episode but still kinda followed the typical Marvel format. FWS and Hawkeye are definitely following the format. This show was fresh and innovative. People are saying Peacemaker blow out the Disney shows.. imo hell naw. Just because you have swear words and dragged out comedic bits doesn't make that show better than others. Now if you enjoy that show more cool but come on. Moon Knight looks it could rival WV probably even better. WV is number one for me right now. Great breakdown man.

[@PillarofGarbage]

Thanks! And I agree, Moon Knight looks awesome!

[@malcolmroache3854]

@Paraone Ngatai no question for WV. I was anxious on Wednesdays but I never got that feeling with Hawkeye. Clint is one of my favorite heroes but this show felt dry to me man. I wasn't waiting to watch the episode when it came out. I finished it a couple of days ago and for me this show could've been better. Clint, Kate, Kingpin (last minute), and Yelena were cool but everybody else was just there.

[@sp0ngeb00b7]

@@malcolmroache3854 The opinions surrounding Hawkeye really intrigue me! For me, I was one of those in the theatre who wished they'd dropped him off the cliff on Vormir instead of Scarjo, but as much as everyone hated her movie I do understand now that it was a good way to wrap up her arc and not awkwardly segue her into the next phase when Clint would've left his whole family behind. I did not care for his character in any of the other films, but I must say, as a huge Loki Fan, Hawkeye changed my ranking to WV > Hawk > Loki > TFATWS! I didn't ever feel anxious ab Clint, but I did really enjoy his dynamic with Steinfeld's character, her and Yelena especially were a powerhouse. I even actually, really enjoyed Echo. The only let down for me, was the treatment of Kingpin (as imo, Daredevil is still the best Marvel show period, maybe even the best Marvel output ever).

[@Gregarious01]

@@PillarofGarbage Did you have any thoughts on Monica Rambeau I know she wasn`t the sole focus and some people think she forgave Wanda too easily but I think it`s apart her trauma as she knew what she was going through and wanted to help her even if it wasn`t in her best interest. I also think her transformation going into the hex was my favorite scene. The way she struggled while hearing all those voices and then coming to the otherside it felt like a classic superhero origin that to me felt earned. I`m genuinely excited to see her in The Marvels!!!!!

[@previllion5355]

I think I was more engaged with WandaVision than any of the other shows since, so I would probably agree. Loki came very close, but even though I love it and it was arguably a much bigger story, it didn’t strike the same chord as WV somehow.

[@elsiekarp]

The way that Wandavision pays homage to the genre of television it is imitating instead of cheaply satirizing it reminds me so much of Community. That genuine love of television is at the heart of both shows, and they both have a special place in my heart.

[@m11rrrs]

WandaVision probably introduced more ways of creating real cinematic drama than all of the other MCU projects combined…. Many of which would of been thought to be impossible in a superhero show or movie period. Who’d of ever thought that a live action scene of 2 superhero’s floating in the living room arguing could totally destroy us. Ralph Bohner is the greatest Red Herring in television history.

[@itskashkashi]

Completely relate to wandavision being something that got me through that period of time. When it all ended.... I didn't know what to do.

[@jasperalmoore]

Elizabeth Olsen's range! Her range though!! I fell in love with her (as an actor) over the course of this show.

[@joselinamador3757]

I think the line "what is grief if not love perseviring" alone is deserving of watching the show altogether XD

[@mattbaines5262]

I wouldn't say that the comfort you gained from the weekly ritual of watching Wandavision sounds pathetic at all. I've received similar encouragement watching the Disney Plus shows each week with my friends online when we couldn't be together in person. These things are meaningful.

[@OverlyPositiveFanboy]

The weekly side of WandaVision is the reason I look back on it so fondly.

[@baconwithmoreeggs7938]

There’s an amazing shot in one of the last episodes when Wanda is standing on the black and white set and looking at the cameras and the set, and there’s just silence. This moment was subtle yet powerful and perfectly illustrated her loneliness.

[@JurassicMarc1595]

I suffer from severe depression and have done my entire life. I'd always felt alone, and 2019/2020, i went through my mum passing away, and then covid happening. Two of the worst years in my already shitty life followed each other. On the day before the Wandavision finale, I matched with a girl on Bumble. She was hugely into Marvel but hadn't started WandaVision yet. I convinced her to watch through it, and afterwards we decided each to bing the entire, at the time, 23 films. We'd chat to each other about each of the films after watching, until the first time we saw one another face to face in a facetime after a week - we both watched 23 marvel films in one week - and now, almost a year later, I am the happiest I have ever been in my life. And it all started from asking a girl if she'd been watching WandaVision. I have tears in my eyes just thinking about it, but it will always and forever hold a special place in my heart.

[@PillarofGarbage]

Wonderful story, thanks for sharing!

[@jman090]

I think the pandemic + Marvel's year long break in 2020 really contributed to this shows success. This was the first Marvel project that was released after Spider-man FFH all the way back in 2019 and people were excited. We needed something to look forward to after that year and Wandavision was everything and more. The fact the show was just good had EVERYBODY hooked on it. It was a special time.

[@RamenzillaX]

I know I likely remember WandaVision with rose-tinted glasses. I do have criticisms of the series similar to what many people have already mentioned (Evan Peters presence having no/little payoff, Hayward becoming cartoonish "villain", Monica willing to take bullets for fake kids, etc), all those being valid points of criticism - the exploration of grief was really powerful and outshines some of the imperfections for me personally, especially considering the state of the world at the time of its release. In some weird, meta way, Wanda's journey was a catalyst for me confronting my own issues that sprouted during the panini. So yes, rose-tinted glasses or not, it's a special series for me.

[@AutumnLeavey]

Wanda vision had its issues but it hit hard in the places that count especially given where we were at the time, I’ll always love it

[@raccoonja5905]

One of my favourite scenes of the series is the reveal of Wanda coping thoughout her life by watching sitcoms. First with her parents and brother to escape the war for just a moment, then at hydra, while beeing isolated, then after her brothers death and finaly by creating the hex. In these few scence the series showed how important sitcoms were to Wanda, even beeing the way she learned English and how she bonded with Vision.

[@clairehindrup]

WandaVision was the first time i realized that I didn’t just enjoy watching marvel, but that I actually genuinely cared about the storylines, characters, and impacts of each feature to the greater MCU. The hype surrounding this show made it stand out in comparison to other MCU shows; this was the only time I ever actually took notes on each episode because I was so immersed in the mystery of it. If that doesn’t show the mental state I was in at that time of year idk what does😭😭

[@milagrosrociosalascenteno2497]

When the show ended, “we weren´t quite ready to leave the hex”. I think you nailed it

[@StaminaMC]

Agree 100% on the show hitting different on account of what the world was like at that time. I was in KZbin comments and Discord servers like never before, hoping to connect with others that were as excited by the show as I was; it really was ‘a moment’. I even feel it was for the best we didn’t get FATWS first as was originally scheduled, ‘cos even though some cool shit happened across its runtime it was markedly more ‘standard’ MCU fayre by and large, and for having been starved so long of Marvel content after Far From Home the next thing being as experimental as WandaVision was just what the doctor ordered. I’m so glad it exists, flaws and all - I can’t say whether it’s the _best_ or not, but it’s definitely my _favourite_ of all the shows. Seemed to do well in wider circles too though, ‘cos the pop Wanda got in the cinema in that No Way Home post credit trailer was a big ol’ surprise to me! People apparently like her way more now. And I’d love to be wrong, but I don’t expect a Marvel to take as big a swing as they did for this ever again, at least not on small screen, longer-form stories.

[@godlessbitch]

Thank you for this take on Wandavision. Let me tell you why this show meant so much to me and how I had understood everything you talked about in this take. December 2020 I turned 50. During a pandemic. Unable to enjoy the milestone with friends. I was also caring for my 90 year old grandmother and my mom who was sick with, what we didn’t know until January 2021 was an aggressive form of cancer. I brought her to my house on hospice on a Friday, she died Monday February 8, 2021. TV kept me together during all of this. Especially Wandavision. Then in June 2021 my grandma (my moms mom) died as well. 2021 was a hard year. I had my mom cremated and buried my grandma. Then had to clean out and sell my childhood home. I dealt with trauma and gained weight and kept going. Living vicariously though characters on TV.

[@PillarofGarbage]

I’m sorry to hear about your losses, that sounds awful. I lost my grandmother last year too (as an indirect result of the pandemic) so I know how it feels to have that time stolen away. I’m glad you were able to find some solace in WandaVision.

[@lincolnbeckett8791]

I relate a lot to how this show brought a lot of much needed comfort into my life. I'm also from England and my final semester of university got completely fucked because of the lock down (film student. My mother also got ill so had to take care of her all while dealing with my first break up. But watching this show through Discord, coming up with theories and laughing to meme's in between each episode honestly was what kept me going during that awful period. So much so, this show almost already feels nostalgic to me.

[@PillarofGarbage]

I’m still not over losing the last part of my 3rd year to that first lockdown. I’d finally started making some proper friends on my course, and felt like I was really getting the hang of my course. And instead of what could have been the best few months of my life, all of it went away like *that*, and there’s people I was starting to really get along with that I’ll likely never see again. So I can sympathise with you there! Sounds like your lockdown was worse than mine, though. Good thing WandaVision helped somewhat! But I hope your mother recovered, and that you’re doing well since the breakup :)

[@lincolnbeckett8791]

@@PillarofGarbage I totally get that dude. Their is this a special kind of pain you get from looking back on end of your in education being so anti-climatic. Like, after all these years, that's how it ends? I also made some friends in my first semester of final year, that while I got to spend some time with both then and a little after my final semester, I would have given anything to have spent more time with. Its still crazy to me that I managed to endure almost half a year of pure isolation while finishing my degree. But I thankfully, I still got a 2:1. Mother is better. And while I haven't seen anyone new since, I think I'm finally over the break up too. Hope your doing much better over all too, and got the grade you wanted.

[@Waggers789]

WandaVision was my introduction to the MCU, I just contacted to the characters and I loved it was a love letter to tv. I then watched the other films but in the wrong order. Probably my favourite thing I’ve seen.

[@Tempest1816]

This show held me together last winter. It gave me something to look forward to and connecting with the world with our theories. It was so much fun. ❤️

[@adriancontreras3906]

Wandavision came out two days before my brother unexpectedly passed away. (i didn’t watch until the day before the finale however) so to say it came out at an intense time for me is an understatement. Being able to relate to Wanda throughout the duration of the season was a cathartic experience in a really dark time for me. The episodes that explored the loss of her brother particularly cut deep. I’m so grateful for this show and the time that it came out.

[@PillarofGarbage]

I’m so sorry for your loss :( Glad WandaVision could provide a small amount of solace for you in such a horrible time.

[@thedollaisle]

Best tv watching experience I’ve ever had. Dying having to wait a week to see the next episode. They made such a masterpiece

[@reyzanjoeunay937]

To the guy who makes these videos, I really love all the attention & respect you've been giving to Avengers: EMH but if you had to name some flaws in the show, what would they be? just curious

[@PillarofGarbage]

I think the storylines get less unique after the show runner change in S2. I don’t really like the episode where the Avengers liberate Wakanda from Man-Ape - I think it reflects weirdly on then-current American foreign policy. Might make a video on that one. I also think that more recent cartoons like Bojack Horseman or Harley Quinn have demonstrated that the cartoons can be fun, zany, and also emotionally intense. I think I would have preferred it if EMH had put more emphasis on emotion, too - but that’s a personal preference, not a flaw.

[@reyzanjoeunay937]

Do you plan on making more videos that criticize the show in the future? Most if not all of your videos about it are mainly about the pros so I'm just curious to know all the cons too

[@PillarofGarbage]

@@reyzanjoeunay937 No immediate plans, but it’s not off the table

[@kadiriolanipekun6486]

@@PillarofGarbage you gotta admit tho. Man Ape is a cool villain. I know he’s kinda racist, but I just love how huge he is

[@TheMimiSard]

Honestly, when it comes to relationships, the best relationships in the MCU tend to be the brotherly and brothers-in-arms relationships, not the romantic ones, and that is not just because I'm a slasher who has shipped Stucky (serious, the best brother relationship in the whole series), because I think relationships like Tony and Rhodey, Steve and Sam, Stephen and Wong, Sam and Bucky are all really well done. But I think the way this show handled Wanda and Vision was really great, which shows, IMO, that romance can be done better when not restricted by the time limits of an action movie.

[@TheMimiSard]

While you seem to offer a critical mention of F&WS, I liked it, simply because it was more of Bucky. It gave us more of him than the rest of the MCU all together, and from my mention above, I have shipped Stucky (I am on an IronStrange binge at the moment, so I'm not actively reading Stucky), so I like Bucky.

[@scottking8189]

Woah I was literally thinking of rewatching wandavision 20 minutes before this video was uploaded. From my memory I really enjoyed it until the final 3 or so episodes but I might give it a rewatch now, my favourite part was the sitcom era accurate acting and vfx

[@dubleCC]

WandaVision is literally almost like the MCU's Don't Hug Me I'm Scared.

[@TheEvilCheesecake]

it's the dark souls of weekly superhero tv drama

[@ChrisCoxCycling]

I rewatched WandaVision last week, and I agree, it's held up really well. In fact, I kind of enjoyed it more on rewatch than at the time. I got caught up in a lot of the speculation and theories in the first place and so absorbed some other people's disappointments. What I love most about it is that there is no clear good guys and bad guys (ok you can argue Agatha is an evil witch, and Hayward the stereotypical narcissistic government authority). That's what's so different about it compared to everything in the MCU before it. There's always villains, and heroes. This was, oddly, much more like real life, where there aren't such clear separations between good and evil. Just people trying to figure their shit out, and a lot of innocent victims caught in the crossfire. Even Agatha's main motivation was to figure out why, how and what Wanda was doing (and then stealing it). I loved it.

[@AJ-xc4qe]

This is one of the few shows I watch random reaction videos from the cameos to the sitcom references!

[@thebc5754]

I would actually like your perspective on the other MCU shows. Particularly Loki.

[@PillarofGarbage]

I already have a few shorter videos on MCU Disney+ shows on my channel - including Loki - but I’ll try to put out longer ones like this over the next few months!

[@jotunfalls4026]

This is my favorite mcu show by far. It’s not even just the show itself, I was having a difficult time when it aired, but I always looked forward to next Friday. I loved texting my friends about it and seeing the show being discussed everywhere on the internet. The songs are one of my favorite aspects of the show as well.

[@alexandriaegan4899]

Hayward was for sure the biggest problem in the show, standing out as very one note when everyone else was so well rounded. They should have developed his supposed hatred of superheroes to give him a purpose. That and the messy CGI in the final along with some dumb and unintentionally hilarious decisions in the final such as White Vision picking Wanda up and squeezing her head. Maybe they should have renamed "Agatha All Along" to be less confusing for the people who were confused by the messaging. (Though I thought Agatha was a good villain and a great performance). The Wanda isn't accountable criticism makes little sense for me. There is no way to make a character of her power and mentality accountable by our legal system and standards. The show is never asking the Westview citizens (or the audience) to forgive Wanda at any point, only to appreciate the situation she is in. Wanda's guilt and decision to move forward to better control her powers so she doesn't hurt anyone again are the best possible atonement in this situation. Audience reaction to Wanda's actions or lack thereof have been very eye opening for me. This begs the question as to whether Monica's infamous comment deserves the criticism it received from so many or if the criticism is a result of a fundamental misinterpretation of the line spurred by an audience wanting to punish Wanda. The fact that so many people criticize it might mean there is some weight to the former, but I am not completely convinced.

[@missdancefan]

The main problem with Hayward is that WandaVision obviously didn't make people feel where he is mentally and emotionally. Some of that is writer, performance & director flaw. But, I think, if FATWS came out first and hadn't had it's pandemic subplot wiped, the flagsmashers would have let us have some incite into how the post-blip world grew in fear of magic and even of superheros. And how the Thanos was right concept grew as well. We would have would come into WandaVision with some understanding of the Hayward mindset. To most of the world what Thanos did was magic and what Wanda was doing would have felt very similar for many people who live post snap. Hayward thinks he has to protect the world from another Thanos level event. He doesn't believe Wanda's kids are real kids. Both of those things informed his decision to trigger Wanda at SWORD & to use any means possible (even Chaos magic) to bring white Vision online. And why he would shoot at little kids. After Doctor Strange 2 premieres people are going to realize why a barely knows they have powers Monica wouldn't have been able to do anything to Wanda. Understanding where Wanda was and is at this moment was her best option to keep things stable. Wanda is OP and her mental issues is what holds that at bay. Either for the good or the ill of humanity. People didn't understand Agatha all along was both Agatha mocking & the last wave of engaging Wanda so she could finally figure Wanda's power. It wasn't the show saying it was Agatha all along.

[@lisamarieligreci-newton7804]

So far this is still my absolute favorite Marvel show - I'm always kind of surprised when I see some reactors I follow mention how this is lower on their list of Marvel shows. It might be because, as much as I enjoy Marvel content as a fun diversion, I've always felt it's a bit formulaic (it's a good formula!) and I'm not actually quite as interested in the flashy battles. Even from the previews I could see this show would be different. I grew up on all those old sitcoms as well (an 80s kid who watched a lot of Nick at Nite) so I also understood the references. I loved the homages, but also the slightly off kilter sense that something just wasn't right as more and more was pulled back. I loved the theorizing. I loved the exploration of grief and trauma and cycles of hurt/pain. My association with 2021 and this show is that I was working from home at that time, and had been for nearly a year. And I remember that for those few months, the virtual project checkin calls we had every week were full of WandaVision gossip and theories. It was just a fun time. The other show I strongly associate with the pandemic is season 2 of the Mandalorian (which just shows how skewed my sense of time is - for a second I was thinking they both came out in 2021). I can't even explain how important it was - especially in the context of lockdown, isolation and planning for the holidays without extended family - to all of a sudden see Luke freaking Skywalker and then find hundreds of reactors online having the same reaction, without sounding absolutely unhinged and insane. The funny thing is I don't even mind the Ralph Bohner thing anymore. It's such a brilliant bit of meta-trolling. It tells the audience it's Quicksilver but not Quicksilver, and it teases at the multiverse which IS a thing now, but also just ended up being a total red herring. And nothing can take away for the absolute shock of it at the end of episode 5. I honestly don't know if the creators had any idea how insane the theorycrafting and expectations were going to get (I definitely remember theories that Mark Hamill was going to be Mephisto or all sorts of insane stuff). It was all such a perfect storm. Regarding trauma as the real villain, the funny thing is that we watched Encanto recently and I couldn't help but notice some parallels as it's basically another story about grief, trauma and holding on too tightly...and even the imagery of Abeula manifesting the miracle out of her grief gave me immediate WandaVision vibes when I watched it.

[@National7575]

This will always be on top for me but moon knight looks like the next daredevil

[@kendrick5501]

WandaVision is really the best of Marvel 2021 The fact that the way the story was done and how it sets up hype for not just the rest of the D+ MCU shows, but also No Way Home and Multiverse of Madness (Loki and What If? also helped built that hype) really shows it WandaVision sparked a fire of what's to come for the MCU so excited for Multiverse of Madness

[@rkstevenson5448]

Man, the fact that everyone still thinks "Ralph Bohner" wasn't a misdirect astounds me. They were still in the Hex when that was revealed, meaning that couldn't have been his real name or profession. "Ralph Bohner" was a part of the WandaVision fiction just as much as every other character's fake names were. I think they just haven't yet revealed the truth about "Fietro" yet.

[@PillarofGarbage]

New MoM trailer makes me even more confident that this is right!

[@gregorydain4847]

Wandavision is the best mcu show (not including Netflix shows) no doubt about it

[@michaelchancley1617]

I disagree that it was a fluke of the pandemic. I didn’t watch WandaVision until a few months ago (put it off because people had already posted spoilers). I think overall, even with some of it’s faults like the bogus red herrings, it was a brilliant concept that was executed really well as a way to bring us to the “Scarlet Witch” portion of her story arch, as well as her reality-warping abilities that will impact so many other characters. It’s probably the most important turning point of the next phase of the MCU. It also let us know there’s so much more to explore about the character beyond just being a product of HYDRO experiments who turned to the good side.

[@Phantom9252]

Out of all the Disney+ MCU shows so far WandaVision is still the most consistent quality from start to finish and most rewatchable as it's the only one were subsequent viewings can lead to that "I can't believe I missed that the first time" feeling.

[@mateom1691]

Honestly, I loved Wandavision so much and not just because I love Vision or The Scarlet Witch. I loved Wandavision because every homage to classic television, not only felt well done, but done with love and reverence. Dick Van Dyke, I Love Lucy, the Brady Bunch, even Modern Family. It was all done with such care that it was hard for me not to love it. Hell, I could have watched an entire season of Wanda and Vision living in a sitcom world. It was truly a marvel to behold.

[@EndlessOcean36]

WandaVision will always have a special place in my heart. I thoroughly enjoyed this video. Thank you :)

[@gaze5393]

I absolutely love WandaVision. And I need more Paul Bettany in future MCU projects :( thank you for the great video!

[@PillarofGarbage]

Thank you for the great comment!

[@christinadavies1925]

Like a lot of people I hit my lowest point last year in January and early Feb due to some really stressful stuff happening at work, living near DC during the insurrection, and just generally processing the chaos of 2020/Jan 6. I was basically at my breaking point, and in the in-between weeks of starting therapy and enduring near daily panic attacks, WandaVision kinda helped keep me going and looking forward to something each week. I don't think I could ever look at the show objectively for its flaws due to how important it was for me at the time, and the comfort/catharsis it brought when I really, really needed it.

[@photodude24]

Wanda in the Scarlett Witch Halloween costume made it very special.

[@ericslyericson]

You nailed it. I cried watching this video. I’ve been trying to tell my brother (a DC through and through) that it was so much more than a tv show. It had real world weight and meaning. It came out at a “perfect” for all of us. And it spoke to our exact experience of loss and coping. It was perfectly imperfect.

[@nicholasmaione5694]

I love this break down. I think you are correct on so many levels. I guess something I don’t understand was why Wandavision, in all it’s fandom and fame and Award nominations etc, was never greenlit for a movie or season 2? Loki was promised a season 2. Falcon is getting a movie. Hawkeye is pretty much getting season 2 most likely. What If gets a season 2. Wanda was the most insane fan response yet gets a Agatha spin off? Huh? Maybe this will make sense after Multiverse of Madness but people LOVE Wanda. They LOVE Quicksilver. They LOVE Vision. They LOVE the kids. Fans would drop 💰 💰 💰 to get a season 2 with all their hopes and dreams confirmed. Mephisto. X-men cross overs. House of M. Wiccan and Speed adventures. Vision finding if he can live without the stone. Wanda trying to control her magic and her destiny. Magneto or Prof X cameos. Of all the series to beg for season 2, why was Wanda skipped over?

[@PillarofGarbage]

Perhaps it only became clear to Marvel in the wake of Wandavision how popular these characters were - but I agree it seems strange!

[@glennhkboy]

Because the Scarlett Witch will be on Dr. Strange 2

[@adrianbetts9146]

Thanks for such a thoughtful review one year on. Thanks too for sharing your own emotional point of view in the context of COVID and lockdown. That was pretty brave of you and I applaud you for it, because by doing so, it may help others who experienced similar feelings of isolation and loss to normalize their own. I LOVED this show. I was so invested and like you was online exploring theories and applying my own substantial knowledge of Wanda & Vision, Silver and Bronze age Marvel Comics in an attempt to figure out what the hell was going on. I agree while it may not be the best MCU Disney+ show, it is my favourite. I stayed up 'til three in the morning to catch it as soon as it dropped which I have not done before or since. I also watched every episode at least three times, perhaps more, combing them for clues and Easter Eggs - and there were tons. So. Much. Fun. The exploration of grief and trauma was hugely impactful to me. One of my dearest friends was murdered by someone we both knew. The killer's trial took place the year before and I was in a deep depression. Complex emotions of anger, guilt, regret and deep, deep sadness put me into an almost fugue state, functional but not really functioning. Then being thrown into lockdown and dealing with all that uncertainty and loneliness, all while working on the front lines. Well, it was a lot. Like Monica in the show, I speculated if I had Wanda's powers, I may have done the same thing. But it was that line from Vision that brought the most healing personally. "It can't all be sorrow can it? I've always been alone, so I don't feel the lack. It's all I've ever known. I've never experienced loss because I've never had a loved one to lose. But what is grief if not love persevering?" Some call it trite. For me, well it let some light back into my life. Sorry, I didn't mean to get so personal or schmaltzy. As the show demonstrates so well, TV is one way we escape the trauma or even just the grind of our lives at times; to be entertained, to be informed, to escape, and at times to be comforted. For Wanda it's sitcoms, for me its Marvel Movies and shows and I will revisit this show probably for as long as it's on the air. Wanda has always been one of my favourite Marvel characters, so I was perhaps a little biased going in but what a ride; finally bringing the Scarlet Witch into the MCU. I cannot wait for Doc Strange in The Multiverse of Madness to see what comes next.

[@PillarofGarbage]

I’m so sorry to hear about your friend, that sounds awful :( I’m glad that WandaVision helped a little with the pain, though. Hope you’re doing OK.

[@adrianbetts9146]

@@PillarofGarbage Thanks mate, I am well on the mend.

[@SkreamingSkeletons]

I feel that Wandavision is an effective thematic piece, but an ineffective mystery. I think that the show branding itself as an unfolding mystery led a lot of people to believe there was something more that we were missing. Pretty much anyone who had any loose connection to the comics figured out Agatha's presence from episode 1, and the show dropped a fair few hints at something greater (ex: Evan Peters Quicksilver, Nexus reference in an ad segment, allusions to the House of M comics, etc.). When I look back on the show, knowing now what it actually was, I see a pretty lovely piece of art that didn't quite know its own identity. I think the ending reveals were so easily uncovered and the substance of the show was so immediately understood that the mystery branding bred disappointment in viewers upon discovering there was nothing beneath the surface.

[@esthykechan]

I love it because it is such a good example of character driven narrative and grabbed emotions so well! unfortunately the rest of the MCU shows/movies in this phase did not live up to it in this aspect

[@Moskarth]

Such an amazing show and incredible video summing up everything I loved about it!! The pure creativity this show produced was like nothing I have seen. It definitely is my favorite marvel show and one of my all time favorite shows in general.

[@ScotInTheDot]

We all know a lot of the finale was chopped to bits due to Covid restrictions and time constraints - enough that there ought to have been an extra episode. I do hope Marvel Studios revisits this and puts out a more complete version someday, when they can get around to restoring it all the way it should have been.

[@SebWhitaker]

just on the music, the underscores for episodes 8 and 9 are STELLAR. I agree not all of the score is that revolutionary but goddamn the emotion in the music of the final two episodes are on a whole nother level

[@MTV2O2O]

I agree with the other comment that the Hayward guy kinda sucked, and became a borderline 80’s villain by the end, kinda lost all interest to me. Personally my biggest gripe with the show (and many other Marvel Disney+ show) is that they don’t use more of the secondary characters that the movies wouldn’t use, like Wonder Man or The Grim Reaper.

[@PillarofGarbage]

Wonder-Man solo film franchise will lead phase 5 😎😎

[@MTV2O2O]

@@PillarofGarbage I hope so, Simon Williams is super underrated. Also, why’d you type out your comment twice?

[@philiphunn194]

Grim Reaper’s helmet can be seen in the Bewitched-style intro (while Vision is phasing through the floor getting ready for work, you can see it hidden in a crawlspace), so they’re obviously aware of the guy.

[@MTV2O2O]

@@philiphunn194 I know, they also knew about Wonder Man (which makes it worse)

[@KingCanuck2814]

You did a great job with this!

[@PillarofGarbage]

Thanks!

[@paiwanhan]

The lyrics to making it up as we go along is so incredibly sad when you consider what Wanda is going through. It has to be my favorite music from the MCU.

[@soshilucy]

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS to everything in this video essay. i just remember the nice feelings the show gave me and how comforting it was. wandavision has become my comfort show. nothing but love for it.

[@cooky2991]

I had never seen Wanda or Vision before the show as I'm not really a Marvel fan, so learning that Vision was dead shocked me a lot. The show was pretty damn great!!

[@philiphunn194]

I re-watch WandaVision on a semi-regular basis - it’s been the peak of MCU TV so far.

[@ravenpurple1527]

WandaVision is my favorite Marvel show. Though it has it's flaws, Elizabeth, Paul and the other actors did a great job! Wanda, Vision and their love was the biggest reason I wanted to watch this show. I didn't care what the show was gonna be about or look like, as long as I got to see them together. But I really liked it! Not every episode was AMAZING and I get that not everything made sense, but I liked it (especially the tv shows through the years thing they had going on) and it's so cool that everyone got together to watch this show.

[@saudbintalib5701]

Damn the show was actually good for the most part.......

[@rhetiq9989]

My fave show D+ show. Sure it had its flaws like the rushed finale but the positives outweighed the negatives I feel. The sheer creative concept of the show itself is enough to make it so much different than the rest of the MCU and it was refreshing to watch these characters in a brand new fun and unique way. It’s also one of the most self contained MCU stories what with the setting mostly set in one small town throughout it all and the main story it’s telling was relatively small and personal, yet the implication of the aftermath was so huge for the future of this universe. We’ll never get anything like WandaVision again

[@TheRpruiz25]

Thank you for giving the old X-Men shows some love and attention!

[@PillarofGarbage]

No problem! More videos on them on February!

[@kingkarrot9304]

I love this show, so original. The acting from the leads r phenomenal

[@superkid801]

Good video. It definitely helped last year and it was creating exploring Wanda’s Trauma. I love the different sitcoms too

[@karlotty]

WandaVision came in the right time. It was really an escape. Thanks Mate.

[@Salloum-nc8sj]

You’ve got this spot on mate. I always felt that there was something special about this show for me and you were able to describe exactly that feeling.

[@tk24life]

I actually find Hayward to be a sympathetic villain. His desire to bring back Vision seems to be motivated by his trauma regarding the snap and wanting to prevent another catastrophe, similar to Tony Stark creating Ultron. Hayward's desire to kill Wanda isn't even that bad considering she was torturing a town full of people. The writers had to make Hayward unlikable because if he is likable, the audience would realize Hayward isn't that bad and that Wanda is the real villain, which would call into question the entire narrative.

[@Luke-fu5co]

I agree with people that the ending was a bit of a let down (while still enjoyable on its own merit imo) but no criticism will be able to ruin the excitement and enjoyment i got from talking about this show every week, discussing what just happened and what could happen next, and not to mention the real origin of the MCU's Scarlet Witch, since she'd only been a shadow of the character up until that point, while the destination may have been a little underwhelming, the ride to get there was phenomenal

[@Durvington]

I appreciate you opening up about your life bc I went kind of through the same thing except all motivation still fell even when I had what I thought would solve it. I ended up failing out of university but I’m on a better path now and I know I’m getting close to a breakthrough in my life!

[@PillarofGarbage]

Great to hear you’re on a better path - well done for getting through it!

[@georgiapeachboy]

I’m sorry you had a lonely time, and I echo your sentiments. Hopefully things are better for you now. Thank you for your content!

[@Durvington]

My ad hasn’t even played because my phone for some reason stopped it but just based on the title and the premise of the video I have already said “I love this” 3 times

[@deepakjain7548]

Very detailed video covering everything I could think of and more. Thanks for making this.

[@meganintenbro]

Spectacular video essay. I wasn’t subscribed before but I am now. I’m very impressed by the pacing and points you made about not only WandaVision’s story structure, themes, and characters, but also the public’s reaction to it.

[@PillarofGarbage]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@gabriel38g]

I wasn't so disappointed in the ending. In all honesty, I thought the ending should've been broken into two parts and maybe extended a little longer, that way the whole 'Darcy getting lost in the land of the absurd' could be dealt with separately from Wanda's confrontation with Agatha. Perhaps the whole CO-VID lockdown screwed-up whatever plans they had just enough to make the ending disjointed. I think all of the same 'conclusions' could have reached in a more satisfying way if they had more time or more ability to adjust.

[@PillarofGarbage]

I think I remember that the finale was originally 2 episodes, but that they were squeezed together for Covid reasons!

[@OverlyPositiveFanboy]

I recently realised that the MCU bookended 2021 with it's strongest villain performances of the year.

[@mickdipiano8768]

I want a video like this for each show

[@nickowl128]

I really really enjoyed your take on how your life at the time had an influence on how you took the show. Very, very interesting. It isnt pathetic, my friend. You seem awesome dude, easy sub

[@PillarofGarbage]

Thanks so much!

[@christinea2355]

I've seen it three times in the past year. Love it!

[@KariahBengalii]

My favorite episodes of this show are still the first two. I feel like I'm so burned out with modern comedy and want more classic sitcom, comedy of errors sort of comedy and WandaVision was able to give me that.

[@jameskircher5235]

It was genius to herald the integration television series into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with such a well crafted Love Letter to the form. Matching the writing style and sense of humor employed, not to mention obtaining the same cameras and film stock used by each era, demonstrates the requisite understanding to pay homage to these culturally relevant series, but then to still tell a cohesive story true to the characters involved, and advance the larger narrative, completes this masterful nod.

[@KierTheScrivener]

I love your thoughts in the end

[@docdoc2011]

Most fans crowned Loki as the best Disney+ Marvel series to date simply becoz of Kang, but quality-wise, WandaVision is gonna be hard to beat. That creative new spin on story telling, those twists and turns, those performances, those weekly buzz.

[@JuliaDelbel]

Second fave Disney+ show and great to watch weekly esp during a harsh winter lockdown where I lived (TF&TWS helped with the subsequent one haha, and it only lifted when Loki was starting up).

[@charivnick]

Thanks, it was really interesting!

[@jacquesscholtz9603]

Okay but why was this video so touching 😭😭😭

[@christinea2355]

Agreed, those few weeks last year were a special time.

[@obviouslyPSM]

I still cant decide between Loki and WandaVision because I find both of them to be great character studies. Guess I'll have to do a re-watch and pick one haha

[@nonaborhan7269]

Great video! It just reminded me of exactly why I love this show and how unique and awesome it was, but I will say this in 2021 we could forgive some of the wearied choices of the finale due to the pandemic but 5 years from now if someone watches this, he won't go "Oh it was the pandemic that's why" would he, you know what I mean like in a few years when we do retrospectives and look back at this show we won't give it that kind of pass, especially for people who start watching it years after it's release. But the finale is only a small part of the show and I overall just loved having something this experimental in the MCU.

[@Bradley_Lute]

The show did so many great things it is hard not to be satisfied at the end. I think Marvel will start leaving dangling plot threads from now on and picking them back up over a year after. Ralph Boehner definitely feels like one. You are left with disappointment but then it will pay off big in the future. There were so many things you want to revisit. Where is Vision going? How evil will Wanda get? How much will she break the universe? How will her kids get reintroduced injury the universe? How will Agatha escape? Who was the person in protective custody? Etc... etc... Having the real villain be trauma was special. The show wanted to keep misdirecting you until thinking it wasn't Wanda but really that's where your mind goes and it's scary. You identify with Wanda the most, or maybe Vision. Either way is like you are going to the dark side or your loved one is. And you have so much power to harm and so little power to stop it. Brilliant. And to have it a meta commentary on the classic MCU and classic TV. A perfectly cohesive package with so much attention to detail. It did nostalgia bait so well. We really want all done nostalgia right now and Marvel isn't afraid to confront that directly, giving it sufficient commentary. It's my favorite of the many good shows so far.

[@pokejourneys8919]

first disney plus marvel show and first piece of marvel content since endgame and far from home

[@corvid.monarchy4875]

I just watched Multiverse and we need an updated video with the new information.

[@ayshbaysh999]

Reminds me so much of The Truman Show