WandaVision Review: 'We Interrupt This Program' Makes Good On a Decade Old Promise

‘We Interrupt This Program’ is a bad episode of television. As part of an ongoing narrative, it barely hangs togethers and fails to advance the story. However, it is excellent at finally realizing a near-decade old promise that everything in Marvel Cinematic Universe is connected. And that opens up the MCU beyond WandaVision in a brand-new way, no matter what the next five episodes of this show hold.

Full Spoilers for ‘We Interrupt This Program’ follow. You have been warned.

Back when Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was initially being promoted—and continuing with the promotion of the Marvel Netflix shows—the various people working on the series kept touting the idea that it was connected to the MCU. That was always sorta-kinda true. The show often reflected the big events on its silver screen brethren, but those movies never acknowledged the show. This all stemmed from a dispute with Marvel Studios that separated the TV and movie departments not long before AOS. Now that the film department is in charge of the Disney+, they will connect more directly. Not just with protagonists like Wanda and Vision, but in the smaller ways that build out the universe. This episode does that by focusing on three returning characters.

The first of those returning character is Monica Rambeau, whom I can finally discuss here¹. You may remember Monica as the precocious daughter of Carol’s totally-just-a-friend Maria Rambeau in Captain Marvel. Because that movie was set in the mid ‘90s and this show takes place in 2022(ish), she’s all grown up.

The episode begins with Monica coming back from The Blip--still a garbage name for the most important event in history—and discovering her mother died from cancer while she was gone. This is an interesting way to introduce a character and its actually the first time a character has been shown returning. This comes into play minutes later as Monica is strangely drawn to the mysterious field surrounding Westview before being forcefully sucked into in.

Notably, Jimmy Woo (more on him in a moment) does not feel that same attraction to the town, nor is he pulled in when he gets closer. This leads me to believe Monica grief over the recent loss of her mother and the last five years drew her to the town. She was absorbed and took on her role as Geraldine because Wanda is subconsciously drawing and trying to “help” others in the same way she is herself.

Speaking of Mr. Woo, he makes his return from Ant-Man and the Wasp, though no longer in the role of Scott Lang’s FBI parole officer². He is instead investigating the mysterious town that did not exist until a few days ago. He gets briefly partnered up with Monica before she disappears, and this becomes a S.W.O.R.D. operation. He is still attached to the op though, as would be expected.  His presence in the episode is more significant than anything he does³, though that is bound to change in future episodes.

Much of this episode is focused on the returning Dr. Darcy Lewis. While Kat Denning feels like she is acting in a completely different show, her character is once again a clear tie between the movies and this television series after appearing in the first two Thor movies. She also confirms what every viewer knew: Wanda is creating this reality. Now that it has been said aloud, we can hopefully move forward.

The other notable thing in this episode is that S.W.O.R.D. has identified numerous citizens of Westview and they are not from around here. We get names for several, although no backgrounds or how they came into contact with Wanda. Conspicuously, Agnes and Dottie are not identified aloud. This could be a red herring or confirmation that they are not like everyone else in town. I suspect the latter as they have both been at the center of status quo breaks. There is probably something going on with there.

In an episode that exists largely to make explicit that which was already obvious and introduce new supporting characters, the most interesting aspect was the implications it has for the MCU at large. Finally connecting the TV and film sides could lead to what the MCU has always dreamed of: a franchise that conquers all screens and imitates the structure of comic books with characters weaving in and out of each other’s stories. And those stories being of various scales. Let us see if they can do it.

 

¹I knew Teyonah Parris was playing Monica because I follow casting news but did not wish to ruin it for y’all if you did not know.

²That’s my understanding anyway; I actually have not seen that movie yet. It’s on my list to watch soon. Randall Park was inspired casting though.

³It is revealed that he’s the voice radioing in during the tense scene with Dottie in ‘Don’t Touch That Dial’. That was a more effective mystery and tension builder than it was as a rote plot point here.