TV Review: WandaVision Season 1 - Episode 8
“Previously on” is an exciting new turn for the show’s already bizarre premise featuring breathtaking work from Elizabeth Olsen
93/100 “sweet”
By Quinn Marcus
After the disappointing episode 7, I was almost ready to move on from the show, I just didn’t care enough anymore to keep watching. Little did I know that episode 8 would pack an emotional punch I wasn’t ready for. “Previously On” takes us on a trip down memory lane as Agnes and Wanda explore Wanda’s buried traumatic memories filled with grief and loss. That’s all I’ll say because there are too many juicy details to discuss that you should experience for yourself. Let’s get my one issue out of the way, the first scene gives us a little bit of Agnes/Agatha’s backstory in 1693, but that scene didn’t really do much for me. It felt like it was just there for the sake of being there. Besides that, I’d personally call this the best episode to date, it was something special. The way Wanda’s memories were explored was so creative, and it added more substance to the character previously unexplored. This made room for a breathtaking performance by Elizabeth Olsen, I haven’t seen her do better. Yes, this episode still raises a whole lot of questions that I hope will be answered in the finale, but it felt emotionally satisfying. I haven’t cared much about Wanda’s character in the past, but this episode explores how trauma can consume anyone, and it made me care. It showed me that despite being the most powerful character in the MCU, she’s also the most human of them all. We now have the why, the when, the who, the what, and the how, but I still don’t quite know what the ending has in store for us MARVEL fans. There are dozens of theories surrounding this show, it’s actually kind of amazing how invested people are to look for the smallest hidden easter eggs. All I can say is, MARVEL is finally back, and I hope the finale doesn’t disappoint.
The final verdict is…“Previously On” dives deeper into the shattered psyche of Wanda while throwing in a few more clever twists sure to keep the hype for the final episode…BINGE IT!