Back in February of 2021, Marvel’s first Disney+ show, WandaVision, was released. The show took fans by storm, inviting everyone to fall in love with the original theme songs, sitcom references, thrilling mysteries, and the heartfelt emotion of the series. Just as each episode encapsulates a different decade of sitcom tropes, I’m going to present a song for each episode set in a sitcom that reflects Wanda’s journey through grief.
“Filmed Before a Live Studio”: “Softserve“ by Liana Flores
Plopped into a 1950’s sitcom starring two Avengers, episode 1 introduces the audience to Wanda and her dead synthezoid lover seemingly brought back to life. “Softserve” is a very cute and simple song about wanting to have a “Vanilla softserve/ sort of day.” Liana Flores’s song is composed from a ukelele, harmonies, and a very soft drum. I think this applies to the first episode because it reflects Wanda’s desire to simply have a carefree and simple life with Vision.
“Don’t Touch That Dial”: “my strange addiction“ by Billie Eilish
This episode draws many parallels to an episode of the 60’s sitcom, Bewitched. This is the first episode where we start to question the rose-colored environment Wanda resides in. We see certain objects colored red in the black and white filter, a voice outside of the show addressing Wanda through a radio, and a rewriting of the show by Wanda after seeing an unknown man enter her fantasy. I chose this song to reflect this episode because it has a haunting sound with lyrics describing a toxic and romantic addiction to someone: “Take what I want when I wanna/ And I want ya.”
“Now in Color”: “Something Super Sweet“ by Rory Webley
This episode, set in the 70’s, regards Wanda’s miraculous pregnancy with Vision’s child. Here, we find Vision experiencing more suspicious encounters in Wanda’s perfect fantasy, such as a neighbor trimming past his hedge into a wall. The sound of the song itself is very upbeat and catchy, yet the lyrics read disturbingly about a partner forcible attempting to keep a relationship alive: “Just let it die, we’ve had our time/ We’ll be alright/ But then you give me ten CC’s of/ something super sweet/ Yeah, you put me to sleep..kiss/ me on the cheek.” This reflects Wanda’s attempt to convince Vision that everything is fine in the perfect little world they reside in.
“On A Very Special Episode”: “Dark Red“ by Steve Lacy
In this episode set in the 80’s, Vision finally forces Wanda to address how she manipulates their world. Vision has a breakdown, as he doesn’t remember anything before Wanda and Vision moved into their new home. Wanda reluctantly says that she doesn’t know how anything began, but the conversation cuts quickly as Wanda refuses to elaborate further. I chose Dark Red because I feel it encapsulates both Vision’s dread and Wanda’s desperation. The lyrics that reflect this the most are “Something bad is ’bout to happen to me/ I don’t know it, but I feel it coming” and “Don’t you give me up, please don’t give up/ Honey, I belong with you, and only you baby.”
“All New Halloween Spooktacular”: “Spooky“ by Dusty Springfield
Set in the 90’s, this Halloween-themed episode shows Wanda’s dead brother, Pietro, appear as a guest star and very bluntly ask Wanda about how she altered reality within the town. It also shows Vision sneak off to the edge of town to discover the truth of this fantasy. I chose this song because of the lyric, “Love is kinda crazy with a spooky/ little boy like you.” The calm 60’s sound of the song combined with this lyric ironically captures Wanda’s chaos when attempting to maintain her fantasy.
“Breaking the Fourth Wall”: “Tippy Toes“ by Still Pigeon
This 2010’s episode is rooted in Modern Family references. This is the first time we see Wanda and Vision separated, Wanda handling a life crisis through denial and humor and Vision hilariously being prevented from returning home because of Wanda’s magical blocks. To reflect Wanda’s internal conflict, I chose this song which is full of contrasts, such as “All my thoughts, they clash like stay or should I go/ Trying to rise about it but I’m on my tippy toes.”
“Previously On”: “goodbye“ by Billie Eilish
This episode finally reveals the secrets behind Wanda’s fantasy, showcasing the repeated trauma she endured throughout her life upon losing her parents, brother, and lover. This song uses snippets of each song on the album which are distorted in Billie’s voice and put into somber harmonies which reflect the anger, sadness, and bravery Wanda endures as she reflects on her life experiences.
Well, I hope you enjoyed this musical reinterpretation of WandaVision! WandaVision is currently streaming on Disney+.