I never thought I’d turn into a Marvel nerd, but here I am. I grew up on the DC movies and cartoons, so I didn’t even realize another comic book movie world existed.

Until my son grew up.

Thanks to his enthusiasm, my husband and I have enjoyed the Marvel movies to the point of watching them via Marvel timeline, including the TV shows Agents of Shield and Agent Carter.

Then came Disney+. Part of the reason I emotionally stayed stable during our quarantine was learning the ambitious plans to bring several Marvel characters to the small screen with their own shows.

One of those is WandaVision. I was skeptical when I first heard the premise. A sitcom. Featuring Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch and her true love, Vision. Without giving too much away, how could Disney/Marvel take SciFi characters who had a pretty staightforward story in Avengers Endgame and make it a sitcom?

It took creative brilliance and patience on the part of the viewer. Giving a tip of the hat to classics like the Mary Tyler Moore show, Bewitched, The Brady Bunch, Family Ties and Growing Pains, the writers wove together the best of sitcom and the Marvel universe. More than that, the throwback commercials seem to be clues, big clues, to the story.

I’m hooked.

I love when writers take a risk, and to me, this paid off. Again, without sharing too much, I can relate to where it appears Wanda’s head is at.

When the going gets tough, let’s check out.

After a bumpy 2020 and a harsh start to 2021, I have lamented that I just want to eat cookies and watch Dallas. Yes, that larger than life show from the 70’s and 80’s. I grew up with JR and Bobby, and with both parents gone, the show has been a comfort to a simpler time. I’ve checked out mentally more than once when the grief and reality were too much and I turned on that familiar Dallas theme song and settled in.

Wanda, I get you.

For trivia fans, the show is also enjoyable for me because it showcases the amazing acting chops of Elizabeth Olson. As in the Olson twins from Full House. She is the little sister, and if you follow Mary Kate and Ashley’s fashion lines, they have a brand named after their siblings. Watching Elizabeth in the sitcom format has been enjoyable simply because she looks like her sisters, and I watched them for years in the same kind of show WandaVision is depicting.

More than that, the acting syncs beautifully with the writing. Together it puts me in Marvel nerd giddiness.

If the Marvel universe is new to you, chances are Wandavision would be a tough place to start your journey. I almost think you’d have to start at the beginning with Captain America, or at least Avengers: Age of Ultron. For those of you nerding out like me, what do you think of WandaVision? What advice do you have for those curious but new to the MCU?

Image: Disney+/Marvel