WandaVision: Episode 2

2. Don't Touch That Dial

Wanda and Vision prepare a magic skit for the town’s Talent Show to better fit in at Westview. She befriends neighbor Geraldine (Teyonah Parris) and tries to win the approval of queen bee of suburbia, Dottie Jones (Emma Caulfield Ford), but a freak accident with a radio calling out her name and asking who is doing “this” to her ends up with bloody hands. Earlier that day, Wanda finds a toy helicopter in the front yard, its red/yellow motif sticking out like a sore thumb in the predominantly black and white environment. Vision tries some chewing gum at the boys’ neighborhood watch meeting, causing his inner mechanism to malfunction. Seemingly drunk, he unwittingly reveals his abilities at the talent show, but is deflected and hidden by Wanda’s own powers. As they get home, Wanda grows a baby bump out of nowhere. The two hear a noise outside and find a beekeeper in white emerging from a manhole. Wanda says NO and rewinds to the baby bump moment, as they start to transition from black and white to full color.

The show seems to be hopping a decade at a time. From 50’s in the pilot episode, we are now in 60’s black and white, right before the chapter ends transitioning to 70’s full color. Color is somehow used as an indicator of reality. Here, that means the toy helicopter, the blood on Dottie’s hands, and the bright white costume of the beekeeper towards the end. Given how the next episode is already in full color, I wonder how they will integrate more clues. The dialogues are still telling, with lots of reference to illusions and charades, probably hinting on a literal show put on to hide reality. A subtle but persistent clue present since the first episode is that logo of a circle which has some kind of sword in the middle and what appears to be flames as a base. It is on the notepad and the TV monitor in the first episode; on the crimson toy plane and on the beekeper's uniform in this episode. The short commercial in this chapter is that of a watch from Strücker with Hydra’s logo underneath. The commercial in the pilot episode is a toaster from Stark Industries. Connect the dots!

“Wanda, you're not at all worried that the audience might just see through this little charade?” –Vision

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