The best part about that laugh is going back to all her previous laughs in the series up to this point and noticing they're basically the same laugh. She's been broadcasting it the whole time.
Indeed.
This has been a lot of words to say "Yes, sometimes the status quo reverts and sometimes it doesn't".
There was a time when X2 and Spider-Man 2 (Raimi) was considered an evolution and expansion of what a superhero movie could and should be. They were top tier movies, mentioned alongside Batman '89 and Superman: The Movie. X2 is not a bad movie in any respect, and you could argue that the MCU would never had happened without the steps that the X-Men and Spider-man series took in the early 2000s.X2 is better than most of the MCU still, effects aside.
Just having a really good third act elevates it above most superhero movies.
Of course not, how would they examine the era they are helping create? The point of traveling back in time to relive these sitcoms to hopefully provide some commentary upon their worth, importance, and the themes of the era. In addition to helping our character craft a reality that mirrors the evolution of their mental state.
Black sitcoms tended to examine their respective eras, so that's why I was wondering.
But since that wasn't the case for these, I think you may be conflating what you wanted out of this with what it was going for. I believe it was going for simple homage, not a deep analysis. The homages are done perfectly, to that end.
EDIT: And, if I wanted to get fancy with the analysis myself... Since the idea is that Wanda is looking for an idyllic family life, the simplicity of a sitcom that doesn't look too deeply into itself reflects both the sitcoms of the times perfectly as well as what Wanda herself wants.
I don't watch this show, but my daughter does so I wanted to relate a cool story she told me.
I don't think it's a secret that Yo Gabba Gabba made an "appearance" on the show, and many are writing that it is now canon in the MCU. Lots of funny theories abound.
Well, my 14yo daughter came over yesterday after watching the episode to tell me that one of the characters was watching Yo Gabba Gabba, and she said it made her feel "nostalgic". Yes, nostalgia happens even in the current generation.
FWIW, me and my daughter used to watch YGG all the time together. She had all the toys, even a Foofa knit hat (my son had a Brobee one). We even took her to see YGG Live once - which was fantastic by the way, even had a live Biz's beat of the day with Biz Markie in attendance.
Black sitcoms tended to examine their respective eras, so that's why I was wondering.
But since that wasn't the case for these, I think you may be conflating what you wanted out of this with what it was going for. I believe it was going for simple homage, not a deep analysis. The homages are done perfectly, to that end.
EDIT: And, if I wanted to get fancy with the analysis myself... Since the idea is that Wanda is looking for an idyllic family life, the simplicity of a sitcom that doesn't look too deeply into itself reflects both the sitcoms of the times perfectly as well as what Wanda herself wants.
I really don't think this show is going to dive that deeply into it, but they did have a couple of lines in the first two episodes that call it out. "We don't break bread with Bolsheviks" and "He's a communist!" feel like a little sly commentary on the writer's part.Again, its hard to criticize since the show isn't over. But, simple nostalgia is dangerous given the era she seeks to replicate. Why have nostalgia for the 50's where the male patriarchy is at its height and any hint of "liberalism" is treated as communism and thus warrant of crushing. As a Sokovian, its pretty weird for her to pine for the imagined height of American Conservatism. Let's not even get into the waving away of any racism. Rewriting history like that, without examination, should be considered dangerous.
However, again, the show is not over so we'll see how it ties it all together.
Jean has only ever died twice (and one of those wasn't actually her) three times if you include the Dawn of X death and resurrection.This has been a lot of words to say "Yes, sometimes the status quo reverts and sometimes it doesn't".
You can safely ignore me. I'm old. I'm old enough to have seen all these characters retconned multiple times. I'm jaded. If anything, I envy the younger generation.
Though I'm certain Wanda will get another retcon too. It's as common now as Jean dying.
I also count Endsong, where Wolverine just kept killing her over and over.Jean has only ever died twice (and one of those wasn't actually her) three times if you include the Dawn of X death and resurrection.
Her dying alot is a meme.
Again, its hard to criticize since the show isn't over. But, simple nostalgia is dangerous given the era she seeks to replicate. Why have nostalgia for the 50's where the male patriarchy is at its height and any hint of "liberalism" is treated as communism and thus warrant of crushing. As a Sokovian, its pretty weird for her to pine for the imagined height of American Conservatism. Let's not even get into the waving away of any racism. Rewriting history like that, without examination, should be considered dangerous.
However, again, the show is not over so we'll see how it ties it all together.
Endsong wasn't Jean it was the Phoenix Force. :)I also count Endsong, where Wolverine just kept killing her over and over.
Something he's very good at.
Wanda has experienced incredible trauma and wants to escape. When she creates these worlds as escapism, it would be incongruous to use that as an opportunity to explore the sexism and racism of those eras. She wants an easy, idyllic life. The version of this show that goes down that road is a fundamentally different show. It's certainly one you could have made, but I don't think it's fair to say this show is a failure because it doesn't explore those themes. Instead, we get a show that shows us that those idealized spaces can only exist in fantasy, that fantasy is incredibly fragile, and the cost of that fantasy is high.
Wanda/Agatha are literally mind controlling an entire town to create an idealized version of suburban America. The criticism of "but they aren't tackling the patriarchy issue" just doesn't ring true to me.
As a non-comic reader, it amuses me that somebody dying thrice is not considered "a lot". How many times do these characters die on average?Jean has only ever died twice (and one of those wasn't actually her) three times if you include the Dawn of X death and resurrection.
Her dying alot is a meme.
Wasn't she pleading with Logan to kill her to kill the Phoenix Force, but it just kept resurrecting her over and over? Then when it didn't work, she put her self on ice.
As a non-comic reader, it amuses me that somebody dying thrice is not considered "a lot". How many times do these characters die on average?
Can we just talk about Agatha's theme song.
Really all that needs to be talked about.
I feel like you're looking at it in a 2021 lens as opposed to a lens from the actual era.
Not to mention... she's white-passing with no accent in her perfect world. She's looking for a perfect world, not a teardown of the patriarchy and racism and all of that. Why would she want that in her dream world?
In her *sitcom* world, which never touched those things?
As a non-comic reader, it amuses me that somebody dying thrice is not considered "a lot". How many times do these characters die on average?
It's almost like the show is *about* the promise of sitcoms being fake and not representing a real, healthy family dynamic.Of course I am because the show is from 2021. The show did not have to be able Wanda going through different eras of sitcoms to create a "perfect" world, it chose to do so and thus it can be analyzed and critiqued. As a show in 2021, traveling back to a 1950's sitcom is going to bring about questions, especially when it is being portrayed as "idyllic" to our main character. Ideally, it should have something to say about nostalgia and specifically nostalgia for these shows of yester-years. Otherwise, what is the point of poking fun at the male patriarchy on display in those areas where the women is expected to be nothing but a housewife and any "beatnik" affectations are treated with suspicion?
If the show just wants to have fun, why even have those elements? I'd also argue simply "having fun" with those eras is also as dangerous as Wanda trapping people in her show itself.
It's almost like the show is *about* the promise of sitcoms being fake and not representing a real, healthy family dynamic.
Nope, we don't know that yet. As I repeatedly mentioned, I'm hoping it can actually bring all these elements to a satisfying resolution that offers some depth and commentary. But at the moment it has not leaned towards saying something like that.
It's 100% about that. Every episode plays with the idea that the presentation is an empty, meaningless facade on top of repressed trauma and guilt, and that the people playing their parts are being forced into it against their will.Nope, we don't know that yet. As I repeatedly mentioned, I'm hoping it can actually bring all these elements to a satisfying resolution that offers some depth and commentary. But at the moment it has not leaned towards saying something like that.
Of course I am because the show is from 2021. The show did not have to be able Wanda going through different eras of sitcoms to create a "perfect" world, it chose to do so and thus it can be analyzed and critiqued. As a show in 2021, traveling back to a 1950's sitcom is going to bring about questions, especially when it is being portrayed as "idyllic" to our main character. Ideally, it should have something to say about nostalgia and specifically nostalgia for these shows of yester-years. Otherwise, what is the point of poking fun at the male patriarchy on display in those areas where the women is expected to be nothing but a housewife and any "beatnik" affectations are treated with suspicion?
If the show just wants to have fun, why even have those elements? I'd also argue simply "having fun" with those eras is also as dangerous as Wanda trapping people in her show itself.
It's almost like the show is *about* the promise of sitcoms being fake and not representing a real, healthy family dynamic.
It's 100% about that. Every episode plays with the idea that the presentation is an empty, meaningless facade on top of repressed trauma and guilt, and that the people playing their parts are being forced into it against their will.
Some people are saying the book is Darkholm from Agents of SHIELD but I find that to be very unlikely.
Of course I am because the show is from 2021. The show did not have to be able Wanda going through different eras of sitcoms to create a "perfect" world, it chose to do so and thus it can be analyzed and critiqued. As a show in 2021, traveling back to a 1950's sitcom is going to bring about questions, especially when it is being portrayed as "idyllic" to our main character. Ideally, it should have something to say about nostalgia and specifically nostalgia for these shows of yester-years. Otherwise, what is the point of poking fun at the male patriarchy on display in those areas where the women is expected to be nothing but a housewife and any "beatnik" affectations are treated with suspicion?
If the show just wants to have fun, why even have those elements? I'd also argue simply "having fun" with those eras is also as dangerous as Wanda trapping people in her show itself.
There are such things as wrong takes and this is one of them.That is not a commentary or critique on sitcoms, its simply Wanda forcing people against their will to create a fictional life for her. If it were damning the fictional portrayals of the happy families of sitcoms it wouldn't have the scenes of the Sword characters watching the show with genuine interest and getting emotionally invested in Wanda's plotlines within the show. It has yet to offer any grand thesis at the moment beyond "nostalgia is cool." So far, it neither damns nor praises sitcoms.
Pleasantville this is not. And I can see why one would be disappointed coming in with that expectation, as this show by no means reaches that bar.
I don't know if you can consider Wandavision a commentary on 50's and 60's sitcoms themselves, but it's certainly a dark mirror of them. All the actors on those shows were forced to smile through clenched teeth as they made an informercial for an idyllic white suburban paradise that completely denied the realities of the time. As much as we mock the Very Special Episodes of 80's and 90's sitcoms, I think you would be hard pressed to find any sitcom from the 60's or 70's that really confronted any kind of social issues.That is not a commentary or critique on sitcoms, its simply Wanda forcing people against their will to create a fictional life for her. If it were damning the fictional portrayals of the happy families of sitcoms it wouldn't have the scenes of the Sword characters watching the show with genuine interest and getting emotionally invested in Wanda's plotlines within the show. It has yet to offer any grand thesis at the moment beyond "nostalgia is cool." So far, it neither damns nor praises sitcoms.
Darcy gave her specs of a vehicle and suit she theorized could make it through the hex, keep in mind this was before the hex changed, and Darcy got swallowed up before she could study those changes - and Monica and Agent Woo aren't aware. So it's not unreasonable to think Monica believed she'd make it through and be fine.Is there some reason Monica thought that an astronaut rover vehicle might be able to penetrate the force field? Or any reason for her to believe that she could press through without succumbing to Wanda's mind control? Those parts of this episode made the least sense to me.
Is there some reason Monica thought that an astronaut rover vehicle might be able to penetrate the force field? Or any reason for her to believe that she could press through without succumbing to Wanda's mind control? Those parts of this episode made the least sense to me.
I guess that's the other thing I wasn't really sure about -- did Monica always have super-powers? Or did she get super-powers by spending time in and out of the hex?and she only temporarily got bested by Wanda's power once inside because she wasn't using her own very much, she's still gotta get a handle on what she can really do.
Space-faring vehicles are designed to protect you, not only from the lack of oxygen, but literal cosmic radiation that can fuck you up. It's not an insane theory that it might block out other energies.Is there some reason Monica thought that an astronaut rover vehicle might be able to penetrate the force field? Or any reason for her to believe that she could press through without succumbing to Wanda's mind control? Those parts of this episode made the least sense to me.
I guess that's the other thing I wasn't really sure about -- did Monica always have super-powers? Or did she get super-powers by spending time in and out of the hex?