WandaVision
Just as episode 4 took us on a trip back in time to give some context to the 3 previous episodes, episode 8 of WandaVision gives us a go in the Way Back machine to offer some insight to what the hell is going on.
And I mean waaaaaay back, specifically 1693 in Salem, MA where a witch trial is going on. But it's not what you think.
Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) stands accused of being a bad witch by a coven of other witches that includes her own mother. The coven's efforts to execute Agatha backfire as she simply absorbs their powers as her own, leaving being a collection of emaciated skeletons.
Which brings us to where episode 7 left off with Wanda Maximoff in Agatha's basement and the kick off of another time trip with Wanda and Agatha revisiting key events in Wanda's past.
We learn of her childhood love of American sitcoms ranging from the 1950's to the 2000's.
Episode 7's trippy song (which is still stuck in my head) revealed it was "Agatha all along" but the heme of episode 8 could be it was Wanda all along too.
The Stark Industries rocket didn't fail to blow up because it was a dud but was influenced by Wanda's nascent abilities to stop it with a probability hex. The experiments by HYDRA did not give Wanda super powers but awakened the powers she already had.
It seems SWORD director Heyward has been lying. (Color me surprised!) Yes, Wanda did go to SWORD HQ to retrieve Vision's body but finding it disassembled and Vision's soul gone, Wanda leaves without the body.
She goes to Westview, NJ where we some familiar faces and locales but the town has seen better days. Wanda goes to a lot that Vision had purchased for a home.
And Wanda Maximoff just frigging loses it!
Rage and grief pour out of her in a tornado of crimson energy as Westview remakes itself into a town of 1950s sitcom idealism, a house forms on the lot and the Vision lives again in glorious black & white.
In her full witch's regalia with Wanda's twin sons pulling on eldritch leashes, Agatha Harkness confronts Wanda, describing her as a dangerous force of chaos magic and names her the Scarlet Witch.
Which is the first time anyone has used that moniker for Wanda Maximoff within the MCU.
Meanwhile, Heyward unveils a reaasembled Vision, bleached of all color and also without a soul.
The shit, as they say, is about to get real. And weird. And real weird.
Mr. Mayor
Well, that was quick.
Last Thursday was the end of the first season.
The episode opens with a public affairs program that airs at 4 AM (live for some damn reason) with an opening graphic from the 1970s and an out of date introduction (one of the two co-hosts died in 2003) and last all of 3 minutes and is followed by static. It is a surreal, LOL moment.
As much as it might be easy to portray Mayor Neil Bremmer as a buffoon, he displays a keen sense of strategy as he manipulates city business leaders, his lieutenant mayor and his own daughter to address the menace of Los Angeles' palm trees.
The main draw for Mr. Mayor is Ted Danson's easy charm and comedic timing as Neil. The supporting cast does nothing for me.
Mr. Mayor seemed too slight a concoction to think about much but I hope NBC gives it a 2nd season. I think there is potential in this series.
Jeopardy
Mike Richards is NOT a hottie!
Ever since the Jeopardy executive producer stepped up to host the show for two weeks, he's been getting a lot of hot buzz on the internet. Including some gushing that he's a hottie.
No, Mike Richards is NOT a hottie! His head is shaped funny.
Mike is a perfectly competent host but he strikes too much as a generic "professional game show host person".
And his head is shaped funny.
OK, that is that for today's Tuesday TV Touchbase.
Until next time, remember to be good to one another and try to keep down, will ya? I'm trying to watch TV over here.
No comments:
Post a Comment