WandaVision

_WandaVision_ is a fairly standard MCU entry disguised as a unique MCU entry, and its biggest problem is a lack of commitment to the bit. The eerie set-up of an idealistic, suburban rom com used as a false life for Wanda to live is genius(!!) and deserves **so** much better than being knocked to the curb by the final few episodes in exchange for more bland concepts. The scattered focus with all the characters means that not one idea really gets as much development as you would hope, which is especially prevalent once the whole thing wraps up. By the time you really get a grasp of the true extent of Wanda's struggle, you're pretty much at the final episode, and the established style through TV shows of the era is absent. It's too bad, because I didn't really dislike any of the plot threads either, they just sort of come and go? I think Darcy Lewis adds plenty to the series, but there needed to be more of her to prevent her from just seeming like a front for a boatload of exposition. Jimmy Woo is **always** a treat, but I don't know why his run-in with the "surprise" antagonist was made out to be as big a deal as it was when it's really only a temporary inconvenience that adds nothing to anything? Wanda's entanglements go all over the place, from memories of her husband, her brother, to even her desire for kids. It's a lot to tackle, and I just don't think the writers stuck the landing. The measures Wanda takes for sake of conformity and repression of her past were such strong themes that for a second I thought the series was going to commit to making her the antagonist, which would've been a cool inversion of the hero in comparison to where she was before. This angle could've also helped emphasize the true damage that can come from acting on your grief with no rhyme or reason. The bittersweet peaks of the show between the two title characters are powerful when done right, and sometimes even made me want to bat an 8/10 for the show. Unfortunately, everything I mentioned with Wanda is scrapped for another surprise twist villain instead, and the finale just turns into every Marvel fight ever, so no, the show did not end up meeting its own goals. Overall a kind of cool experience, but I already can't remember half the characters or episodes, so I don't think this will be sticking with me for very long. I'm really happy the MCU is transitioning into TV shows for what that's worth.