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S01.E02: Don't Touch That Dial


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Well, they’re not wasting any time. Clearly Wanda is the center. I loved the pops of red when something from the outside burst the bubble. The ending was very interesting. Elizabeth Olsen is insanely talented seamlessly switching between zany sitcom housewife, fearful bewilderment and powerful witch.

I thought the Stark commercial in the first episode was just a fun Easter egg but with the Strucker commercial they are very Wanda specific. I wonder if we’ll get a Pietro reference?

I shouldn’t be surprise but Marvel nailed the supporting cast. 

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Spoiler tagging just in case:

To some extent, Wanda must know that none of what's happening is real, since she 'rewound' when she saw the person in the beekeeper's outfit climb out of the manhole. What I don't know is if she rewound her own knowledge that she's living in an illusion, if she's so powerful that she can mindwipe herself to maintain the happy life she's created. Because the bleeding together of different realities doesn't seem to be something she can stop, hence the in-color helicopter she found in the bushes.

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I'm a huge Bewitched fan so this was like manna from heaven for me. Special props for nailing the house set. It was completely on point. I do wish we could have had an Endora like character, but no bother. It didn't really fit.

I did think the talent show portion dragged a bit, but again it's just a small criticism.

Elizabeth Olsen is really taking the ball and running with it.

I was really surprised here how vulnerable they made Vision in this one. He seemed very human.

So how exactly did Wanda get pregnant just like that?  Very interesting.

Edited by vb68
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Lots to unpack here! Pops of color with the toy helicopter and the blood, and finally everything going full technicolor at the end. It seems like everyone, including Wanda, was actually seeing in black and white, based on her reaction to the color. And the beekeeper's outfit has the same symbol as the helicopter.

Now we have a Hydra commercial with the same people as the previous one.

More weird reactions from the townspeople. This time it's Dottie being unconcerned about her hand being cut by glass, but freaked out by the radio. I was trying to place the voice coming through the radio. Are we supposed to recognize it? 

More old sitcom references, with the animated theme, and the two separate beds. I also liked the animation when Vision swallowed the gum.

It does seem like Wanda has some control over what's going since she rewound time, but who knows. 

And babies! By magic! Which is basically how old sitcoms would pretend pregnancy happened, so that tracks. 

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41 minutes ago, phalange said:

More weird reactions from the townspeople. This time it's Dottie being unconcerned about her hand being cut by glass, but freaked out by the radio.

Also Monica "I don't know why I'm here" with that look on her face ....Whenever Wanda seems to be "stressed" or "flustered"  is when "reality" seems to break in a bit and it knocks the other people around her back to themselves briefly

Edited by Keywestclubkid
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Currently I am mostly fascinated by the commercials...is it just me, or are they mirroring Wanda's past? The first one was the stark toaster which had this uncomfortable long staring at it to "go off", basically mirroring Wanda and Pietro staring at the Stark Bomb, and the second one had the "Strucker" clock made by Hydra which was put around the wrist like a shackle, basically mirroring Wanda's and Piotro's time with Hydra.

Also, the Queen Bee of the neighbourhood association...I kept thinking that I should know who the actress is, but I couldn't really place her.

So far my only criticism is the overly long end credits, which I don't dare to turn off just in case something else pops up in them…..

 

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And babies! By magic! Which is basically how old sitcoms would pretend pregnancy happened, so that tracks

Not by magic! They turned the lights off.

Edited by swanpride
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Vision acting drunk when he got gum in his system was priceless.

Yup Wanda must know something I’d going on, she just doesn’t WANT to know.

Loved the Bewitched feel of this episode, while the first one was very I Love Lucy. And now they’re in technicolor, so I’m guessing the next one will be Brady Bunch? Can’t wait to see the theme song for that one.

I’m so in. Thank you, Marvel and Disney+!

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55 minutes ago, swanpride said:

Qeen Bee of the neighbourhood association...I kept thinking that I should know who the actress is, but I couldn't really place her.

It's Anya (Emma Caulfield) from Buffy

Edited by Keywestclubkid
Capitalized Anya's name
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I’m not a particular MCU fan (I think the films that I have seen are fun, but they don’t speak to my inner fangirl like other media properties do), but I am a fan of historical TV sitcoms from all eras (and have watched a lot of them, especially Dick Van Dyke and, like @vb68, I had a real soft spot for Bewitched) and so was totally intrigued by the trailer and onboard for this show.

These episodes delivered on that combined funky nostalgia/ mystery box vibe promised by the trailer, so I really can’t ask for more.  I have no idea what the clues would or could mean, but I’ll enjoy reading the theories here.  Elizabeth Olsen is great in this role.

58 minutes ago, swanpride said:

I could have sworn that I saw Bewitched in Colour back in the day...did it change during the run of the series or do I misremember?

The first two seasons were in black and white, and then it was presented in color thereafter.  But they went back and colorized at least season 1.  I saw it appear on the Roku channel this month, and so I rewatched the pilot out of curiosity, and it had been colorized.

Edited by Peace 47
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3 hours ago, Kromm said:

Agnes' reaction to "The Devil's in the details" was interesting. On the surface "that's not the only place he is" seems to be about Dottie, the other neighbor, but it FEELS like it's about more than that.

It really does

Spoiler

That line, the constant repeating of "For the children", Wanda being pregnant, and "Who's doing this to you, Wanda", seems to be pointing at a bigger threat.  Dare I see, we're getting Mephisto as the one in charge of all of it, and he wants Wanda and Vision's offspring.

 

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I had no clue what to expect from this show but the unconventional premise made me watch, and I'm so glad I did! It marries the wholesome Bewitched vibe with a much darker, genuinely creepy tone (that beekeeper emerging from the sewer!) and has me totally intrigued. Wanda clearly knows all is not as it seems but is unwilling to confront it, and the question remains if this simulation is coming solely from within her mind or is something imposed on her (which the "Wanda, who did this to you?" coming from the radio would indicate). The reveal of color at the end was very well-done, and I wonder about the larger significance of that moment. Is WandaVision colorized simply because it's moving forward in time ('50s in episode 1, '60s in episode 2, presumably '70s in episode 3) or because Wanda is entrenching herself more deeply in this world, creating children and a fully-formed life with Vision that can never come to pass? 

Paul Bettany killed it as "gummed-up" Vision and I loved the old-school graphic of the gum messing with his internal gears. Don't swallow your gum, kids! Elizabeth Olsen is also nailing her role; you can feel Wanda's fragility and how desperately she wants to maintain this reality. I'll be honest and say that Wanda and Vision were never all that interesting to me in the movies, but in this iteration, I really do care for them already.

Lastly, I appreciated Disney's wink to the adult audience with some of the material. Wanda and Vision sliding under the covers together as their single beds became one and Vision's co-worker clumsily claiming he doesn't participate in "mastication" were cute moments that pushed the wholesome bill juuust enough. I like that this is something I can watch with my family and yet there's still humor aimed at the older audience. I'm looking forward to what comes next.

Edited by Linny
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49 minutes ago, Linny said:

Is WandaVision colorized simply because it's moving forward in time ('50s in episode 1, '60s in episode 2, presumably '70s in episode 3) or because Wanda is entrenching herself more deeply in this world, creating children and a fully-formed life with Vision that can never come to pass?

There's some theorizing that Wanda cracked under the strain of losing Vision (twice) in Infinity War, that she's retreated into a place where she can make reality whatever she wants it to be; settling down with the one she loves in a safe place, where he goes to work and she does community-related things, having a family, etc. That the very act of having to kill him only for it not to work is what broke her, even though she faced Thanos in the final confrontation. The moment where she realizes she's pregnant kind of breaks my heart for her, because she's sounds so tentatively hopeful when she asks, "Vision, is this really happening?" If that loss is the root cause, small wonder that she's so desperate to bury herself in the fantasy.

Edited by Cobalt Stargazer
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It's Anya (Emma Caulfield) from Buffy

Ah thanks. That makes her as friendly neighbourhood demon even more funny.

I really, really hope that if we are dealing with a suggested pregnancy story that they will handle the topic with care. Honestly, I really would prefer it if despite what is suggested Wanda is actually doing it to herself in her grieve instead of someone else forcing a pregnancy on her. That is just...urgh….

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8 minutes ago, Cobalt Stargazer said:

There's some theorizing that Wanda cracked under the strain of losing Vision (twice) in Infinity War, that she's retreated into a place where she can make reality whatever she wants it to be; settling down with the one she loves in a safe place, where he goes to work and she does community-related things, having a family, etc. That the very act of having to kill him only for it not to work is what broke her, even though she faced Thanos in the final confrontation. The moment where she realizes she's pregnant kind of breaks my heart for her, because she's sounds so tentatively hopeful when she asks, "Vision, is this really happening?" If that loss is the root cause, small wonder that she's so desperate to bury herself in the fantasy.

Yup. What made having to kill him even worse is that Thanos undid it and killed him again right before her eyes so it was all for nothing. Made it all the more devastating. No wonder she looked so relieved when she got dusted.

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Really enjoyed these first episodes! I was born in 87, so after these TV eras, but I grew up watching Nick at Nite. I loved I Love Lucy, Bewitched and I Dream of Jeannie so this took me back.

Great cast all around. Olsen and Bettany were awesome and the supporting cast was just great as well. Watching Olsen I just can’t help thinking; in the 90’s when the Olsen Twins were everywhere, who would have thought it was their little sister who had the real talent in the family.

I’m really looking forward to seeing where this goes and learning more about what is actually happening.

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45 minutes ago, swanpride said:

 

I really, really hope that if we are dealing with a suggested pregnancy story that they will handle the topic with care. Honestly, I really would prefer it if despite what is suggested Wanda is actually doing it to herself in her grieve instead of someone else forcing a pregnancy on her. That is just...urgh….

The comics def did that a lot with female characters over and over

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8 minutes ago, Keywestclubkid said:

The comics def did that a lot with female characters over and over

Marvel has been (in)famous for plots using both kinds of er... magic pregnancies. Without going into detail which had which, Wanda AND Carol Danvers respectively had pregnancy plots that typified one of these. Of course even looking it up wouldn't be an assurance the same version was being done here. 

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7 hours ago, Kromm said:

... And they make it DAMN clear Wanda is controlling this, while on some other level putting herself in ignorance about doing so. The voice on the radio doesn't understand that, but I think we're supposed to. You can see from her expressions that she's knows, resets, then stops knowing. Stuff like coming full into color is just her "being a witch". But the reset based JUST on seeing the Beekeeper (AIM and NOT Sword?  I may have to rewatch...)?  It's fully knowing and intentional by her within that moment. 

I’m not entirely sure yet if she’s controlling it, manipulating something done by a outside force or some combination of both. 

5 hours ago, phalange said:

Lots to unpack here! Pops of color with the toy helicopter and the blood, and finally everything going full technicolor at the end. It seems like everyone, including Wanda, was actually seeing in black and white, based on her reaction to the color. And the beekeeper's outfit has the same symbol as the helicopter.

The pops of color and reaction to it reminded me a lot of Pleasantville. 

4 hours ago, swanpride said:

Currently I am mostly fascinated by the commercials...is it just me, or are they mirroring Wanda's past? The first one was the stark toaster which had this uncomfortable long staring at it to "go off", basically mirroring Wanda and Pietro staring at the Stark Bomb, and the second one had the "Strucker" clock made by Hydra which was put around the wrist like a shackle, basically mirroring Wanda's and Piotro's time with Hydra.

 

Absolutely agree. The Stark one also included a ticking bomb sound and Iron Man sound effects. Then the second one pointing to Wanda and Pietro’s time with Baron Von Strucker. Assuming they keep to the pattern Ultron should be next. 

Edited by Guest
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So much is going on here, I really feel like I need to watch this again to really notice everything that is going on and analyze it. Wanda rewinding when she and Vision saw the creepy beekeeper makes me think that she is somewhat aware of what is going on, and possibly even in control, but I don't think that she is fully in the know all the time. Possibly this world is one she created to escape the trauma of everything that happened in Infinity War/Endgame, warping reality due to loss is pretty on brand for comic book Wanda, but then what's up with the control room and the commercials? Until she saw the beekeeper, Wanda seemed completely confused by the weird stuff happening, like finding the toy in color or the radio saying her name. Even if Wanda is subconsciously creating this world, I feel like there is someone else pulling strings here.  

Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany are both really killing it, they have those wacky sitcom performances down while also showing some cracks in whatever is actually happening. Wanda's outfit this episode reminded me of the outfits that Mary Tyler Moore wore in the Dick Van Dyke show, very nice way to subtlety take us from the early to late 60's before everything turned to color at the end. 

The Strucker watch commercial, complete with Hydra label, is certainly interesting, especially considering Wanda's history with Hydra. So first we get the Stark toaster (maybe representing the Stark bomb that killed her parents?) then the Strucker watch (the powers Hydra gave to her) so what does it all mean? I also find it interesting that Agnes keeps talking about her husband Ralph, but we have never seen him onscreen, even at the talent show where you would expect him to be. I think Agnes might be more than the wacky neighbor...

Edited by tennisgurl
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3 minutes ago, tennisgurl said:

also find it interesting that Agnes keeps talking about her husband Ralph, but we have never seen him onscreen, even at the talent show where you would expect him to be. I think Agnes might be more than the wacky neighbor...

The devil's in the details... 

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What do you think it looks like? Spoiler tag if you'd like.

Well, between the "think of the children" mantra from the neighbours and the whole "who is doing this to you" from the radio, it is so far implied that someone is pushing Wanda into a pregnancy...and if that is the case, that would be REALLY creepy. It CAN be handled well, but I am not sure if it will be.

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11 minutes ago, Dani said:

I’m not entirely sure yet if she’s controlling it, manipulating something done by a outside force or some combination of both. 

We've got different players and different possible objectives shown already... 

Player: We've got Wanda with clear power and control, but also clearly unknowing at the same time. 

Player: We've got SWORD all over the place. One of the few things we know for certain is that they have no element of control here, although a limited ability to pierce this illusion. 

Possible Players: HYDRA is explicitly referenced, through the logo and Strucker, and AIM at least implied, via the Bees/Beekeeper aspect. It doesn't mean either actually is involved, but the hints are deliberate. 

Player: We've got strong suggestions of Mephisto through Agnes via her lines about The Devil. 

Objective: The Children are important, but it's not clear if they are an objective of an outside force, or of Wanda. 

Objective: The Infinity Stones--possibly ALL of them and not just the one taken from Vision are part of this plot. Zero doubt here. The various TV commercials hint at part of this, but the ring of six "stars" around the Moon is a heavy heavy clue. 

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Well they managed to make "for the children" creepy even before the magic pregnancy reveal. The Strucker watch was less weird than that repetition.

Loved "Geraldine" and she Wanda and Agnes being the naughty schoolgirls of the group, especially for the sin of wearing pants, TP looks fabulous in the 60s clothing. And the "how does a housewife do something? Herself" is an actual joke I'm pretty sure I've heard in a lot of older sitcoms. 

I'm still really enjoying the crazy Bewitched/IDOJ etc sitcom conceit even if we didn't have obvious "who's doing this to you Wanda?"

I suspect this is a way to have her really pregnant or at least real babies for the Young Avengers set up. Wanda does seem to have at least some control over the situations and how she wants her "life" to go. Is she using this as protection against someone/thing or just grief? Or the more obvious one is that they're keeping her occupied whilst something else is going on or want something from one of her "visions".  

I hope they baby(ies) did spring from her and Vision/"Vision" and weren't planted there by creepy beekeeper/SWORD. I think it could go either way but I would imagine that they'd want them to come from WandaVision (the couple) and not out and out forcing a "real" baby on her if they want to use them in other projects. Especially with Marvel touting how progressive they are/will be in the recent and upcoming slate. 

Paul Bettany really got the chance to shine in this one. I know he's talked a little about it in some interviews I've seen but it must be such a trip to start off doing voice work for a random AI butler so they don't rip off Alfred too much and end up kind of playing the same character in a sitcom but with a body. 

I knew that was Anya, didn't know beforehand that she was going to be in this. 

I don't know the comics apart from what I've read on various wikis and theories about this series and @tennisgurl is right I suspect there's a lot to unpack at each subsequent viewing. 

I'm so glad I'm enjoying this. I've wanted to see how it would turn out since they announced it but I was worried the sitcom would annoy me and/or get too trippy for the sake of it, but it's definitely firing on all cylinders for me so far. 

Edited by Featherhat
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4 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

Yup. What made having to kill him even worse is that Thanos undid it and killed him again right before her eyes so it was all for nothing. Made it all the more devastating. No wonder she looked so relieved when she got dusted.

Thanos greatly admires the commitment and strength of will to kill someone you love.  It why he strokes Wanda's hair after she kills Vision.  It's also likely why she got "Dusted."  When he did the Snap.  He probably specifically included her to give her the peace of death.

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They are certainly hinting at Sword.....

 

Also, I am wondering

Spoiler

If Geraldine is Monica, and considering Monica's abilities, it is possible that she and maybe some of the others are actual human beings who got trapped with Wanda?

 

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5 minutes ago, swanpride said:

 

 

Also, I am wondering

  Hide contents

If Geraldine is Monica, and considering Monica's abilities, it is possible that she and maybe some of the others are actual human beings who got trapped with Wanda?

 

its been confirmed she is so something is going on 

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I find it very interesting that in this whole suburban fantasy world straight out of a 60s sitcom, there were no children seen at all. Those shows almost always had families with kids, so...where are the children in this neighborhood? They were raising money for the elementary school, but there were no children at all at the talent show. In fact, the only references to kids besides Wanda becoming suddenly pregnant were the red toy that Wanda found which freaked her out, and the creepy "For The Children" chants and the fundraising for the elementary school and kids that we never see.

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So...we have six episodes, right?

1. Episode: 1950s/Dick van Dyke shows/Marriage

Ad hint: Stark bomb

2. Episode: 1960s/Bewitched/Pregnancy

Ad hint: Wanda's time at Hydra

3 Episode: 1970s/Brady Bunch/Birth

Ad Hint: Ultron

4. Episode: 1980s/??? (Please, let it be Full House)/Toddler years

Ad Hint: Civil War

5. Episode: 1990s/Roseanne/Child or teen years

Ad Hint: Thanos

6. Episode: Big finale...or they pick a sitcom from the 2000s and have the teen years there.

 

 

 

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This is great. I loved the 50/60's vibe. I felt the first ep was more BeWitched but this one has the opening title. 

They are doing great at the zany sitcom feel while sprinkling in something is off. I think Wanda is partially aware, but doesn't want to snap out of the reality where she can live happily ever after with Vision. I just wonder if the other people neighbors are real,

I know some of them are

like Dottie and the Hart's from last episode. Is Wanda trapping a whole town in her reality?

And Anya went from being a demon to being a demon neighbor. The guest cast is great. I loved seeing Kitty from That 70's show. I hope she shows up again when now that they are in the 70's. 

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7 hours ago, Captain Stable said:

The sofa changed from the previous episode!
I don't know if it means anything, but I noticed, mainly because I thought the sofa in Episode 1 looked a bit too modern for the setting.

It changed from a Dick Van Dyke Show inspired sofa to a Bewitched inspired one. The first was mid-century modern and very popular in that time period. The living room also gained a window seat and staircase. 

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If you raise funds from only the same people who are in your ladies club, I don’t get the point.

i like that there is a central mystery, but I don’t enjoy how they are depicting it through cheesy sitcoms. Bewitched this time. 

So this is Wanda’s dream of a fantasy life, that she is using to protect herself from someone. I wish they would just show this normally as today. 

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The voice saying "Wanda, who's doing this to you?" sounds familiar to me, but I don't know if I'm thinking that because I'm trying to make it true. Since Wanda has some telepathic abilities, is this her reaching out to someone mentally and they're getting a glimpse of what's happening to her. Sam, Bucky or Hawkeye seem like they would be the most likely candidates since they're getting their own spinoffs and she's close to Sam and Hawkeye. 

I hope she just got pregnant by Vision before the Snap (scientifically implausible tho it may be) and she's been kidnapped by someone. And if we could throw in a "pregnancy somehow gives link to Vision that can allow him to be rebuilt" I'm totally fine with it. 

I loved the Bewitched vibe throughout the episode. Not sure what the Beekeeper guy is. 

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First things first - I'll be the idiot to ask what's SWORD? I know HYDRA from the movies but I have never read any of the comics so I have a very limited knowledge of the Marvel Universe.

I am loving this show. Elizabeth Olsen is wonderful and her small adjustments to her acting for both shows was perfect. There were subtle differences in the cadence of her voice and her way she reacted between the 1950's and 1960's - and it wasn't just the clothes or the set design, it was her. Paul Bettany is very good but he is a supporting character in the show - it is about Wanda and what is being done to her.

I don't trust Kathryn Hahn at all, she almost seems like a handler for a witness protection program, making sure Wanda stays lost in the show and doesn't want to leave. I am also interested in seeing if this "child" is real or just another illusion to keep her rooted in this reality. Letting her live out her fantasy of a normal life with Vision and their child is a great way to keep her from fighting to leave.

As a fan of Simon Pegg, all I could think about when the said "For the Children" and then repeated it was Hot Fuzz. The bad guys in that movie always claimed what they were doing was for "The Greater Good" and it was always repeated.

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18 minutes ago, cmahorror said:

First things first - I'll be the idiot to ask what's SWORD? I know HYDRA from the movies but I have never read any of the comics so I have a very limited knowledge of the Marvel Universe.

S.W.O.R.D. is basically like S.H.I.E.L.D., but for outer space.

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17 hours ago, Kromm said:

Wanda's change in wardrobe from 50s to 60s, is the first thing I really noticed. It was a clever way to telegraph the change even though it was still all black and white. 

She also went from being the devoted housewife who just stays at home to a woman who gets out of the house and does her own stuff. She also seemed to get a lot snarkier with all the best one liners. Elizabeth Olsen must be having a blast doing this.

13 hours ago, Captain Stable said:

The sofa changed from the previous episode!
I don't know if it means anything, but I noticed, mainly because I thought the sofa in Episode 1 looked a bit too modern for the setting.

The whole house changed, look at the position of the kitchen relative to the front door. But at the same time the outside of the house looks the same.

58 minutes ago, bettername2come said:

 hope she just got pregnant by Vision before the Snap (scientifically implausible tho it may be) and she's been kidnapped by someone. 

Maybe, who the hell knows. From what I remember the machine that made Vision in Age of Ultron was able to replicate human tissue. Maybe it could replicate organs too.

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6 hours ago, swanpride said:

Episode: Big finale...or they pick a sitcom from the 2000s and have the teen years there.

 

I really hope that if we get a show from the 2000's it is done as an Office/Parks and Rec style fake documentary. After what I have seen in the last few eps I need to see Elizabeth Olsen do some of those fake confessional scenes.

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