The first three episodes of WandaVision relied very heavily on an overarching mystery angle. There were hints and nods that there was something much greater happening, but nothing substantial was given away in those first three episodes. Every time there was something that could explain the mystery, it was rewound or censored. The fourth episode, titled “We Interrupt This Program,” forgoes this by diving into everything that’s been going on behind the sitcom facade.
Instead of paying homage to shows of the past, this week’s episode tells us how Teyonah Parris’ character, Monica Rambeau (aka Geraldine), ended up in Wanda’s life and why she was catapulted out of it. Starting with Monica re-materializing during the Blip, she finds her way back to a S.H.I.E.L.D.-like organization, called S.W.O.R.D., where she reconnects with her old colleagues after a five-year absence.
She receives an assignment that leads her to agent Jimmy Woo (Randall Park) who is investigating a missing person who was in Witness Protection in Westview, New Jersey. However, Westview no longer exists according to the people in the neighboring area. When Rambeau approaches the town, she gets pulled through a force field and disappears. This prompts a full-scale investigation to be made around what’s happening in this town.
Personnel from all types of government and private organizations are brought to the operation. The most important of them being Darcy Lewis, with Kat Dennings reprising her character from the first two Thor movies where she displayed her astronomy knowhow. Lewis helps the team quickly find out that Wanda, Vision, and the entire population of Westview are trapped in some sort of sitcom reality. They are able to view Wanda and Vision’s life on an old TV set.
The slow reveal of what’s been going on in the WandaVision’s sitcom world is partly answered. The story now has a jumping off point. While this episode was mainly exposition, the exposition is very much needed in contextualizing what’s to come in the future. It adds a bit more depth to Wanda’s character and her motives—depth that was surely missing.
By the end of “We Interrupt This Program,” the audience has more of a solid idea of what’s taking place in Westview. The biggest question left is why. The death of Vision in Avengers: Infinity War is one strong indicator of why Wanda is so protective over this town. The groundwork for a more engaging plot has been laid. While past episodes did nothing but allude to the mystery, these new few episodes will hopefully make WandaVision a show to remember.
WandaVision releases a new episode every Friday on Disney Plus.
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