Just when we think we have a handle of what the upcoming Marvel's Disney+ show WandaVision is going to be, the people behind the series show us something else that makes us even more unsure. The promo that aired during Super Bowl LIV also covered Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Loki, but the glimpses that it gave us of what WandaVision has in store were intriguing.
Specifically, while the show was previously described as having a '50s vibe, it’s clearly going much further than that. Instead, it seems to be referencing classic TV sitcoms across the decades with the 1950s being just one of them. Here’s a look at the series WandaVision is paying homage to.
The 1950s
The black-and-white shots don’t seem to be making a specific reference, but they certainly evoke The Dick Van Dyke Show. The layout of the living room where Wanda and Vision appear is similar to that in the classic sitcom, but not the same, and it’s shot from a much different angle than was usually seen in that show.
The biggest difference in layout is a large double window replacing what, on The Dick Van Dyke Show, were a couple of doors to other rooms in the house. Other than that, the furniture looks to be mostly the same style. There are the same blinds on the windows close to the camera and a collection of throw pillows that look right out of the '50s series.
It’s not as close a replica as some of the additional shots are to other famous shows in the teaser. There are some elements of I Love Lucy or even Bewitched in the design (though the latter premiered in the 1960s and was in color for most of its run). So most likely, what we're seeing is a tribute to the shows from that time in general, rather than a reference to one specific show.
The 1970s (The Brady Bunch)
Now those are some iconic stairs and color work! In the trailer, we very clearly see Wanda sneaking past Vision by the stairs from The Brady Bunch. Unlike the show's homage to the shows of the '50s, there’s no ambiguity to this one.
What is strange is that Wanda doesn’t seem to have the same role in this setting. She was clearly the wife in the 1950s segment (she’s even wearing a wedding dress!), but in The Brady Bunch shots she looks like she's Marcia Brady, the oldest daughter in that sitcom's blended family. She has the same hair as Marcia and a very '70s outfit, though what these varied roles mean for WandaVision isn't clear.
The 1980s (Family Ties)
The '80s reference in the promo is pretty clear as well. While most fans will likely speculate about the cribs in the shot suggesting Wanda and Vision’s twins, the set around them is an allusion to Family Ties. The window on the door is a clear giveaway to the Keaton residence -- it has essentially the same pattern, although the Keaton's window was stained glass rather than just the outline of the pattern. The rest of the set looks like a pretty accurate replica as well, and Wanda and Vision have a real ex-hippie vibe, matching the parents on Family Ties.
The 1990s (Roseanne)
While the funnier 1990s sitcom reference might be Full House, the shot in the WandaVision teaser is clearly a reference to Roseanne. Everything looks drab and beaten up and there are way too many magnets on that fridge, which definitely resembles the kitchen from Roseanne. It’s unclear which member of the Conner family, Wanda is playing -- she’s dressed kind of like Roseanne, but her hair looks more like middle daughter, Darlene's, which would potential make her role similar to the one she may be playing in The Brady Bunch homage.
The 2000s/2010s
Yes, this is Wanda wearing a cheesy, Halloween costume-like version of her comics outfit, but that’s not what we’re interested in here. While this shot's reference isn't specific, it looks a lot different than the others in the trailer. While those clips were all shot to look like multi-camera sitcoms, this one is clearly created to look like a more modern, single-camera comedy. The obvious comparison is Modern Family or The Middle, though that’s because of the camera work not Wanda's look or the set design. The look and feel of the shot, seems to reference a bit of Gilmore Girls, Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Charmed, which allows the show to step outside of the world of sitcoms.
Whatever WandaVision is actually going to be, it seems like it'll be a trip. With so many references to old TV shows, maybe there's a double meaning in the show’s title; instead of just a mash-up of Wanda and Vision's names, maybe the “Vision” in WandaVision also stands for “television”?