Last week on WandaVision, we had an unexpected change of pace as we were taken out of the sitcom world to see how the situation unfolded in reality during the previous episodes. Even though there’s a lot of mystery hanging over the series, many of the pieces seem to be coming together. It’s hard not to talk about this episode without spoilers, so please be advised this review will go into spoiler territory.

The episode reveals that “Geraldine” is, in reality, Monica Rambeau (the daughter of Maria Rambeau from “Captain Marvel”). She’s an agent of S.W.O.R.D. (Sentient Weapon Observation and Response Division) who recently came back to life after “the Blip” from “Avengers: Endgame.” The timing of this episode reveals that this series takes place from the end of Endgame forward. Monica’s next assignment is to investigate the disappearance of multiple people who have been traced to a New Jersey town called Westview, alongside Jimmy Woo from “Ant-Man and the Wasp.” When Monica ends up inside the energy field surrounding the town, Woo calls in S.W.O.R.D. to investigate this strange anomaly, including Darcy Lewis from the “Thor” films. We then experience their attempts to reach into the town of Westview, including the discovery of the television broadcast and Wanda.

I have to admit it’s very strange to have hardly any Wanda or Vision during this week’s episode. While they do appear here, the focus is primarily on the new characters and their attempts to reach into the sitcom world. Even though these are characters most people would vaguely remember from previous films, it was still exciting to see how they would interact with one another and factor into the show. They did an excellent job introducing Teyonah Parris as Monica, as she gives us our first look at the real world through her experiences with the Blip and with S.W.O.R.D. Even team-ups like Randall Park as Jimmy Woo, and Kat Dennings as Darcy Lewis, were entertaining to see.

After three weeks of traveling from one sitcom to another, it’s nice to finally know what’s happening in the real world. The opening starts off with an excellent portrayal of the poorly named “Blip.” While “Spider-Man: Far From Home” gave us a glimpse of what happened after the return of almost everyone Thanos had killed, the Blip was used mostly as a comedic setup. Here we get a chance to see the opposite effect of the tragedy that occurred at the end of “Avengers: Infinity War” along with the chaos that erupted from the world’s population immediately almost doubling in size. Watching the reactions of the survivors of the “Snap” react to the return of everyone after they’d been missing for five years is a unique experience. This is a detail I feel the films have glossed over and I’m glad it’s finally being properly addressed. Maybe the producers always had this show in mind for the more serious side of the return. If they did, I’d like to say, “Job well done.”

The plot of the episode revolves primarily around providing the audience an interesting, albeit expository, way to start unlocking the mysteries of the series. This may seem as trite, but thankfully they do it in a way that gives more context to the situation. For example, it turns out that the neighbors from the previous episodes are the same ones who disappeared, albeit with different names. It is also shown how the agents’ attempts to reach into the sitcom world factor into the previous episodes. Remember that colorful toy helicopter on Wanda’s lawn, the creepy beekeeper from the sewer, or the radio broadcast that was reaching out to Wanda? All were attempts to try and gain an understanding of the whole situation. It’s also interesting how the agents, much like the audience, are doing research and forming theories on what’s going on. A lot of the questions they’re asking are the same ones we have. How did Wanda get these people? Did she bring Vision back? Why is this world in the style of a sitcom? Despite what’s going on, one thing is made certain. Wanda is behind everything.

To summarize my thoughts, I think this episode was a well-timed dose of reality that gives the audience context as the story unfolds. It gives you much-needed information while also delving into subject matters that need to be explored. Now that we all know the pieces that are in play, let’s see where this show takes us from here on out.

Rating: 4.5  / 5 Sails.

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