IR TV Review: WANDAVISION - EPISODE 5 [Disney+]

While the concept of "Wandavision" using sitcom variances continues to work, it is the words between the lines that are continually making this story and series even more interesting. It is a tale of psychosis but retroactive grief. Whether Wanda herself is creating all of Westview is besides the point. "Episode 5" in terms of its sitcom reflects in the notion of the 80s. It uses that idea to great effect but like the conceits of the episodes before it, Wanda is not quite practicing what she preaches. Seeing her give life lessons which, quite literally, she is not obeying is eye opening and startling, not because of the action but because of the level of storytelling that is being done. Most TV shows don't have the breathe of such large scale $200 million films as a backdrop. Indeed, this reviewer doesn't think the makers of the first Avengers movie versus what the Russos eventually unleashed in "Infinity War" could have seen the breathe of thematic resonance. But it is distilled down to grief in an epic way (and as a TV series) here without quite spelling it fully out, which is part of its power. Vision is here but it questions existence. And by not giving away the final moment reveal, it gives that exact same question of existence even more relevance in so many deep seated developmental ways. It will be interesting to see how it unwraps itself. A

By Tim Wassberg