The critics are weighing in on WandaVision, and something tells us you won't be surprised to learn that the response so far has been overwhelmingly positive! The Rotten Tomatoes score will be revealed a little later today, but in the meantime, we have the first wave of reviews to share with you.
We'll start with the trades. The Hollywood Reporter appreciated seeing something new from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, noting "there's a big part of me that would be perfectly content to just let WandaVision be an eccentric oddity and to know that there's room for that under the Marvel banner." Variety, meanwhile, wasn't quite so keen on the sitcoms that "others have done better before." However, the trade does note that, "It’s 'Pleasantville,' if 'Pleasantville' opened with the characters stuck inside the black and white television. When 'WandaVision' leans into this uncanny-valley side of itself, it works much better."
The Playlist (never a fan of superhero content) gives WandaVision a C+, stating "'WandaVision' may ultimately be seen as a fascinating experiment, but right now—only three episodes to judge— it’s mostly just superheroes playing house within sitcom constraints and marginally amusing at best."
Vanity Fair was on the fence, and while their review was mostly positive, it wraps up with, "For all its invention, the ever so slightly gnawing tedium of WandaVision suggests that Marvel’s reach has not yet become so total that it can plug its characters into literally anything. Which may come as something of a relief for people weary of the brand’s hegemony. But, the show is a good enough that it ought to be a big hit."
Entertainment websites have embraced the Marvel Studios series, though, and io9 praises the show. "While there are shades and then some of classic comics plot lines present in WandaVision’s big picture and each weekly episode’s fine details," reads the review, "the series speaks in its own voice to tell a story love, delusion, power, and American pop culture." TV Line is also on board as they warn, "don’t let the show’s outside-the-box approach worry you: Yes, WandaVision is unlike anything Marvel has done before — but it turns out that’s a very good thing."
Total Film awards the show 4*, and says, "Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany are both fantastic in WandaVision's first episode, which highlights just how weird these Marvel shows can be."
Digital Spy was similarly impressed in its 4* verdict. "The feel and tone of the show is a bold choice, but one that absolutely pays off," it reads. "With a seemingly endless list of Disney spin-offs and re-imaginings of existing franchises, WandaVision has set the bar sky-high, and shows that there can still be room for creative flair and original storytelling."
There are lots more reviews out there, but these hopefully give you an idea of what to expect. The general consensus is a positive one, and while not everyone seems to love the sitcom elements, it sounds like we'll need to stick with them for what could be a slow burn approach to unravelling this story.
In our review, we summed up by saying, "A love letter to sitcoms and the perfect way to bring us back into the MCU, WandaVision is Marvel's most exciting project yet, with an unmissable, Emmy-worthy performance from Elizabeth Olsen." In Rohan Patel's review, he adds that, WandaVision is "truly unlike anything Marvel has ever attempted before, very light on action to start, but a wholly unique, wonderfully mesmerizing, and wildly entertaining adventure."