Review: WandaVision returns to reality but continues to surprise

While it gives us some answers, this week’s episode of WandaVision — “We Interrupt This Program” — leaves us with even more questions.

In a surprising left turn, the fourth episode of WandaVision begins to uncover the mystery of Westview and what is really happening with Wanda Maximoff. This week barely focuses on the superhero couple and instead introduces new characters, reacquaints us with returning ones, and firmly establishes the show as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where before it seemed like its own beast.

From the opening shot, this episode was tonally and compositionally different from what came before. The scenes looked more cinematic, making this installment feel more like a Marvel movie. It’s impressive that director Matt Shakman can seamlessly switch between filming scenes made to feel like a vintage sitcom and more traditional, MCU-ish sequences like these. There are also no laugh tracks for quick quips and jokes, although there is humor; it’s just the kind the MCU has usually given us.

I liked how the episode took its time to get the characters from point A to B; it lets us watch them figure out what’s going on. While the uneasy tension of the first three episodes is missed, it was great to have that familiar Marvel feeling again.

“We Interrupt This Program” makes surprising connections to Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame and Captain Marvel. It turns out that Geraldine was actually Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris), the daughter of Maria Rambeau from Captain Marvel, the whole time! The last time we saw Monica, she was a little girl helping out Carol Danvers, Nick Fury, her mother and the Skrull. Unfortunately, due to Thanos and the Snap heard across the universe, she never got a chance to say goodbye to her mother as she was “blipped” away along with half of humanity. The thrilling opening scene shows us chaotic aftermath of people being brought back.

Kat Dennings returns as Dr. Darcy Lewis, who we last saw in Thor: The Dark World. We don’t get a recap of what she’s been up to, but that’ll probably be explained later down the road. She and FBI agent Jimmy Woo (Randall Park) have some amusing scenes, including a miscommunication about a baby and potato chips. These two were responsible for the radio interruption at the poolside in the second episode. They’re piecing together what is happening in Westview.

We also learn a lot about Westview and Wanda in this episode. The big twist at the end is that Wanda is behind everything. She is in control, and nothing is going to ruin this fantasy world of hers. We got a glimpse of this in Episode 2 when she got rid of the beekeeper, who is a S.W.O.R.D. Agent. In an extended scene from last week’s episode, we see Wanda’s darker side as she confronts Monica before sending her flying out of Westview. Olsen’s performance is terrifying, and I’m intrigued to see more of the Scarlet Witch’s sinister side.

Westview seems to transform people and things that enter it. Monica was made to look more appropriate for the time period, the agent was altered into a beekeeper for some reason, and a S.W.O.R.D. drone was turned into a toy helicopter. If this is all Wanda’s doing, is she doing this intentionally? Can she subconsciously transform things with her powers, or did she make sure the force field around Westview did that for her? This episode may have answered some questions, but it also gave us more.

While this installment wasn’t typical of the show’s formula, it did give us one jarring scene featuring the destroyed face of Vision after Thanos ripped the Mind Stone from his head. It’s a quick scene but effective since it was unexpected. There’s a reoccurring theme of Wanda’s past continuing to haunt her, and I’m interested to see where it goes.

This week was heavy on story and surprise, and there’s still a lot to uncover. When does the sitcom world start blending with the real one?

Grade: A-

To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.

Get HBO, Starz, Showtime and MORE for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels