It’s Been 5 Years Since the Most Inventive MCU Show, and the Franchise Has Never Been That Promising Again

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For more than ten years, Marvel Studios consistently delivered hit movies, building a remarkably successful cinematic universe. They took chances on lesser-known characters – like those in Guardians of the Galaxy – and turned them into worldwide sensations. Even movies that fans disagreed on still made a lot of money and generated buzz. This consistency culminated in the epic finale of Avengers: Endgame, which wrapped up a decade of interconnected stories. Spider-Man: Far From Home continued the winning streak, proving the franchise seemed unstoppable. This success paved the way for expanding into streaming with Disney+, promising even more big-budget storytelling to build on the already rich history of the most popular film series ever.

Marvel truly demonstrated the possibilities of its TV shows on January 15, 2021, with the debut of WandaVision. The series was a bold move for Marvel, using the look and feel of classic American sitcoms to delve into Wanda Maximoff’s (Elizabeth Olsen) emotional pain after the battle against Thanos (Josh Brolin). Over several weeks, WandaVision became a unique cultural hit, rewarding viewers who stuck with it by slowly revealing a complex mystery that focused on character development and creative style rather than typical action. This innovative approach hinted that the Multiversal Saga would be willing to take risks and allow for diverse creative visions within the Marvel universe.

The initial buzz around WandaVision started to fade as the finale approached. Instead of continuing its unique style and clever references to classic TV, the show became a more typical superhero battle. Many viewers criticized the final episode for its basic special effects during a predictable flying fight, and for leaving several storylines unfinished, seemingly to promote the movie Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. This change from a focused, emotional story to a standard setup for future movies foreshadowed the problems that would later affect the broader Marvel Multiversal Saga.

The MCU Is at Its Best When It Focuses on Good Stories, Instead of the Broader Universe

WandaVision showed that Marvel stories work best when they focus on the characters’ feelings, rather than rushing to set up future movies. The show was brilliant at first because it deeply explored Wanda Maximoff’s grief and her longing for a family. However, the story lost some of its power when it had to start building towards the next big screen release. This tension – balancing a good story with the needs of the larger franchise – has been a recurring challenge for Marvel Studios recently.

The studio’s once seemingly unstoppable reputation has taken a hit recently, as several projects haven’t lived up to the quality of its earlier work. While shows like Agatha All Along, Werewolf by Night, and Thunderbolts showed the franchise is still capable of delivering good stories, others have disappointed fans. Captain America: Brave New World, for example, felt overly cautious, relying on predictable storylines and spending more time setting up future projects than resolving its own plot. The series Echo, starring Alaqua Cox, also struggled – one entire episode was dedicated to summarizing the events of Hawkeye, which felt like the studio prioritized catching up new viewers over maintaining a consistent flow for the show.

The release of Secret Invasion seriously damaged the brand’s reputation, especially because it didn’t live up to the popular comic book storyline it was based on. Instead of a suspenseful, high-stakes thriller, the series starring Samuel L. Jackson felt weak and didn’t impress either critics or fans. This has made the fifth anniversary of WandaVision feel a bit sad for dedicated fans, as that show originally felt groundbreaking and offered a new approach to the superhero genre. Now, with Avengers: Doomsday on the horizon, there’s a lot of worry about whether the franchise can recapture that initial magic, or if recent disappointments signal a permanent downturn.

WandaVision is currently available to stream on Disney+.

What’s your favorite moment from WandaVision? Share it in the comments and join the discussion in the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-01-15 20:17