The final stretch of WandaVision begins here! For the fifth straight week, the hit Disney+ series released an episode. This time around, Marvel Studios unveiled “All-New Halloween Spooktacular!” to the masses, finally reintroducing Pietro Maximoff (Evan Peters) to the masses once again.
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Though the buzz around social media has been real — especially in light of Pietro’s return — the sixth episode didn’t manage to debut atop our list. It did, however, come in second after surveying ComicBook.com staff members — causing a seismic shift with other episodes on the list.
Keep scrolling to see how the ComicBook.com team ranked all six WandaVision episodes this week!
6.) Episode 2 – Don’t Touch That Dial (-2)
Pulling up in last place is WandaVision Episode Two, “Don’t Touch That Dial.” The ’60s-based episode dropped two spots from last week’s poll, bypassing Episode One. Most of the ComicBook.com staff ranked the episode toward the bottom of their list.
“It’s not that ‘Don’t Touch That Dial’ is a bad episode of television but thematically, it’s stuck in the sitcom pastiche more than it is further advancing the narrative than other episodes. It’s good but lacks the creep factor found in the first,” our Spencer Perry writes.
5.) Episode 1 – Filmed Before A Live Studio Audience (-)
“Filmed Before A Live Studio Audience” managed to hold its spot from last week. In fact, since Episode plummeted two spots, the premiere is no longer in last place — largely thanks in part to a surprise first-place ranking. ComicBook.com’s Jenna Anderson loved the episode, applauding it for its ability to shake things up far from traditional MCU fare.
“As narratively important as the SWORD sequences and ‘real world’ explanations of the Westview anomaly have been, I’ve loved WandaVision the most when it is firmly and creatively within its sitcom world,” Anderson says. “Episode 1 worked on so many levels for me — it let Olsen and Bettany truly shine as actors, it was littered with detailed homages to 50s sitcoms, and it showed that Marvel is capable of making inventive and suspenseful stories out of even the smallest stakes.”
Writer Nicole Drum expressed similar sentiments in the scope of sitcoms. According to Drum, however, Episode One just can’t hold its own against other WandaVision episodes.
“This episode is honestly perfection from a spoof of the sitcom format perspective and might be one of my favorite episodes of television ever, but in terms of the strength of WandaVision overall, it just can’t compare. But it deserves a lot of love and respect because they absolutely nail the format and it’s a hoot to watch,” Drum adds.
4.) Episode 4 – We Interrupt This Program (-1)
Like most other movers on this list Episode 4 also dropped a spot to make way for a new entry at the top of the list. “We Interrupt This Program” continued to be one of the favorites of our Jamie Jirak, who ranked the episode second on her list — the highest of anyone else on the staff.
3.) Episode 3 – Now In Color (-1)
Again, Episode Three dropped a spot largely to make room for Episode Six. “Now in Color” found itself in the middle of the pack on the vast majority of our writer’s ballots. Surprisingly enough, it did finish dead last on one ballot, a move that certainly didn’t help its cause in the points race.
2.) Episode 6 – All-New Halloween Spooktacular (First Week)
Episode Six debuts at second place, a favorite amongst nearly everyone on the staff. Despite debuting high, “All-New Halloween Spooktacular!” only scored one first-place vote amongst staff and was either second or third amongst nearly all other voters.
“It was so much fun to watch Evan Peters play the goofy uncle and thrilling to see Wiccan and Speed come into their powers, not to mention Wanda’s badass extension of the Hex and the devastating moment when Vision comes apart,” Jirak says. “However, I’m also in it for the sitcom references and The Brady Bunch has a much bigger place in my heart than Malcolm in the Middle, which is why Episode 3 ultimately tops Episode 6 for me. I was a little disappointed we jumped right into the late 90s/early 2000s instead of getting more mid-90s references with shows like Fresh Prince, Roseanne, and Family Matters. The Halloween costumes were iconic, though!”
1.) Episode 5 – On A Very Special Episode… (-)
Surprising few, Episode Five remains atop our WandaVision Power Rankings as an overwhelming favorite amongst our staff. “On a Very Special Episode…” ended up tallying a whopping seven first-place votes, a runaway favorite.
“This is the episode where we most clearly got to see some real depth to what is going on and it comes down to the knockout performances by Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany,” Drum says of her favorite episode. “Watching Bettany’s Vision start to truly question what is going on in Westview as well as his brief bout of irrationality — something so “out of character” for him — was just incredible while Olsen’s portrayal of a Wanda that is slowly starting to crack and lose control was compelling, relatable, and heartbreaking all in equal turn. Not to mention the balance between Westview and SWORD portions of the action. It was a close one between 5 and 6 for me, but there’s just something about 5 that isn’t just good for this series but good storytelling, period.”
Perry adds, “‘On a Very Special Episode…’ represents the best version so far of the WandaVision concept, bringing us the continued stories on the inside of the hex and the consequences being felt in the larger MCU. The blend of tones and stories fits together with the right balance of narrative allowed for each.”
*****
The first six episodes of WandaVision are now streaming on Disney+.
How would you rank the episodes of WandaVision so far? Let us know your thoughts either in the comments section or by hitting our writer @AdamBarnhardt up on Twitter to chat all things MCU!
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