WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Marvel's WandaVision Episode 3, "Now in Color," now streaming on Disney+.
As WandaVision emerged from a black-and-white setting inspired by The Dick Van Dyke Show and Bewitched into a world defined by avocado green, burnt sienna and teak, it didn't require a student of classic sitcoms to recognize the influence of The Brady Bunch on the third episode: If the color scheme and questionable fashion choices weren't enough of a giveaway, then the iconic staircase was. However, the Marvel Studios series' tribute to that story of a lovely lady goes a bit deeper.
Appropriately titled "Now in Color," the episode focuses on Wanda's (Elizabeth Olsen) sudden, and now rapidly progressing, pregnancy as she and Vision (Paul Bettany) grapple with the impending birth ... or births. As Wanda prepares the nursery, and attempts to hide the growing baby bump with coats, a bowl of fruit and, finally, a vase (a funny nod to the ridiculous lengths TV shows will go to disguise an actor's real-life pregnancy), bumbling Vision stumbles into classic "expectant father" mode, which, naturally, involves practicing how to diaper a newborn.
For that, he employs a child's doll, with which he's formed "an understanding," while Wanda times his efforts. Vision's super-speed is the obvious visual gag, but that isn't just any doll. It's Kitty Karry-All, Cindy Brady's beloved doll (or at least a close facsimile).
Immortalized in The Brady Bunch Season 1 episode "Kitty Karry-All Is Missing," the doll disappears, leading Cindy to blame Bobby, who's made no secret that he dislikes Kitty because her presence somehow affects his ability to play the kazoo. And, because this is The Brady Bunch, tensions rapidly escalate, resulting in growing riffs among the six kids and, yes, even a mock trial for Bobby. But when Bobby's kazoo disappears, Cindy becomes the accused. (Spoiler: The true culprit was the family dog, Tiger.)
The Remco toy company in 1969 released a 19-inch-tall Kitty Karry-All doll whose selling point, aside from the Brady Bunch connection, was apparently the multiple pockets sewn into her dress. (The colorful packaging read, "She's Got a Bunch of Pockets! A Pocket With a Comb ... A Pocket With a Hankie ... A Pocket With a Pad & Crayon ... A Pocket With a Flower ... And One With Beads.") However, Vision only needed Kitty as a stand-in.
But perhaps he should have purchased two.
Written by Jac Schaeffer and directed by Matt Shakman, WandaVision stars Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch, Paul Bettany as Vision, Randall Park as Agent Jimmy Woo, Kat Dennings as Darcy Lewis, Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau, and Kathryn Hahn as Agnes.