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WandaVision Episode 7 – Review

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Agatha Harkness WandaVision image
Marvel Studios

Episode seven of WandaVision series from Marvel is here, streaming now on Disney Plus, how does it move the story forward, here’s our review.

After last week’s extraordinary episode, it would have been going some for WandaVision Episode 7 to top it. This week’s episode felt more like a breather before we build to an epic finale. There was still plenty of intrigue, excitement and surprise to get our heads around though.

SPOILERS: If you’re reading this then you’ve probably seen the show, but if not there are spoilers ahead.

Into the naughties

In the early episodes, the sitcom homages were central to the plot development. Now, the plot has overtaken the homage so much so that the sitcom element feels slightly redundant. But, there were still some lovely nods to Modern Family and The (US) Office.

Elizabeth Olsen inhabited the role of Clare Dunphy brilliantly. I’m safe in the knowledge that if we ever misplaced Julie Bowen in the event of a reunion, we have a ready-made replacement. Equally, Kat Dennings did a brilliant take off of Alex Dunphy as she tried to help Vision learn about what had happened to him prior to Wanda stealing his body from S.W.O.R.D. HQ.

The re-imagined Office-style titles also threw up a couple of interesting points, as the title card told us that it was “CREATED BY WANDA MAXIMOFF”. We’ve now dispensed with any pretence that WestView is anything other than a creation of Wanda’s fevered imagination. Also, within the titles there was a brief shot of what looked like a ransom note that said “I KNOW WHAT U ARE DOING WANDA”. Although there may have been initial mystery about who may have written that note, by the end of the episode I think we knew ALL ALONG who wrote it.

Falling apart

Wanda’s ‘reality’ is visibly coming apart around her, as TV’s, game controllers, furniture and more all regress to older items in front of her eyes. The stork from Episode Three even makes a very brief reappearance. She is attempting to regain control of it by escaping from everyone for a day to try and regroup. Agnes takes Billy and Tommy under her wing to give Wanda a break. The boys seem to revel in this opportunity, telling her that it’s quieter there, especially inside her head. A clear reference to everything that Wanda is trying to do inside her mind.

One thing she is trying to do is to stop Vision leaving The Hex in the van Darcy stole from the circus. In a scene almost identical to Jim Carrey trying to escape Seahaven in The Truman Show, the closer they get to escaping, the more artificial obstacles are put in their way.

While Vision and Darcy are trying to get out of The Hex, Monica Rambeau is trying to get back in. The attempted entry with a space vehicle fails miserably, so she forces her way in on her own. As Darcy had warned her, her cells had already been affected by Wanda kicking her out of The Hex, so trying to get back in has mutated them even more. We saw her eyes turn blue as her powers manifested themselves. Then, she even made the classic Marvel Superhero kneel pose as she landed outside Wanda’s house for a showdown. We know this is a setup for Captain Marvel 2 but I hope we’ll get a real glimpse into her powers over the last couple of episodes.

Spectrum powers

But the big moment came after their confrontation in which Monica pleads with Wanda to destroy The Hex, to no avail. Agnes then takes her into her house to calm her down. Wanda realises Tommy and Billy are nowhere to be seen and goes into the basement, at Agnes’ urging. She then discovers a sprawling medieval crypt in the basement, and finally discovers what we’ve known all along – Agnes is Agatha Harkness. Agatha then uses her powers on Wanda, but we won’t see the effect of them till Episode Eight.

Introducing Agatha

Thanks to a lovely Munsters-esque title sequence, we know it’s been Agatha all along. She has been manipulating everything in WestView behind the scenes, most notably the surprise appearance of the ‘other’ Pietro. But, Evan Peters reappeared to shock Monica as she discovered Agatha’s lair in the first post-credit sequence of the series.

In Episode Six, the idea of the Marvel Multiverse being opened seemed to have been kyboshed, despite his star guest turn. But with the mid-show advert for ‘Nexus’ anti-depressants, has that idea gained new energy? If so, Nexus has done its job and made me happier.

One thing continues to puzzle me though – the postman. He’s turned up in several episodes but why? He utters a cryptic line or just watches the action closely and then disappears. He’s clearly got a key part to play in the final act of this series but who knows what it is? Answers on a postcard please…


CULTURE CROSSING SCORE 7/10


Thank you for reading our review of WandaVision episode seven. Do you agree or disagree with our points or have anything to add? If so, leave us a comment below.


Read our WandaVision episode six review HERE.

Read IMDB information about WandaVision HERE.

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TV News

Cobra Kai Season 4 – Review

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Cobra Kai Season Four image
Netflix

Cobra Kai season four is out now on Netflix and the All Valley is back and better than ever. Here’s our review.

SPOILERS: If you’re reading this then you’ve probably seen the show, but if not there are spoilers ahead.

It’s January, and new shows are popping up everywhere. This brings us to the show that I and my friends have been holding our breaths for: the fourth season of the hit Netflix series Cobra Kai! After three seasons, I wondered if there was anything left to mine from the Karate Kid lore or the Johnny/Daniel dynamic. I am happy to report that this might be my favourite season yet! It manages to not only expand upon the universe it has created, but to bring in a new villain, who is so bad that he threatens to outdo even John Kreese!

Alliance

Season four sets us off where the third left off, with Johnny and Daniel having joined forces to fight Cobra Kai. Their friendship arc is the glue that holds this season together. The story focuses largely on whether they will be able to pull it together and make their partnership work. As in previous seasons, their relationship has its ups and downs. The stakes are heightened, however, as the season leads up to the All-Valley Tournament. A bet between the three senseis – Kreese, Daniel, and Johnny – means that losing the All Valley is losing the title of sensei.

This season explores the ways that both Johnny and Daniel work with the kids. It also examines the kids’ struggles as they prepare for the All Valley while dealing with conflict within the ever-changing network of friends and enemies in the dojos. Robbie has left juvenile hall and decided to join up with Cobra Kai as a means of inflicting revenge on both his dad and Daniel. Tori and Sam continue their rivalry. And John Reese’s old friend Terry Silver (of Karate Kid 3 fame) shows up to kick Cobra Kai into high gear.

Daniel’s son, Anthony, who has largely been absent until now, faces his own dilemma when his friends begin bullying Kenny, the new kid in town. This soft-spoken middle school character brings us into the world of the younger kids, setting up yet another storyline. Kenny becomes the victim of a gang of kids (including Anthony), enduring round after round of bullying before Robbie takes him under his wing. After his induction into Cobra Kai, the formerly shy middle-schooler becomes a bully himself.

Shades of grey

This brings me to one of my favourite things about the show. The constant back and forth dynamic between characters makes us feel that anything is possible. There is no black and white in the world of Cobra Kai. Where the Karate Kid told us that Daniel was good, and Johnny was bad, this show gives us a very different point of view. It’s a world where we’re never sure who to root for. In this season, we even see Hawk make a return to the “good guys” side after giving up his spot at Cobra Kai.

With Eagle Fang (Johnny’s new dojo) and Miyagi-Do teaming up, the kids – and the adults – have to learn to work together. Of course, complications ensue. Johnny becomes jealous of what he perceives as Miguel’s preference for Daniel over him. Sam wants to learn both her dad’s karate style and Johnny’s, despite her father’s discouragement. Meanwhile, at Cobra Kai, Kreese is losing his grip on the dojo. His former war buddy, Terry Silver, puts off a rather benign appearance in episode one, growing more and more evil with each episode.

This season is lacking in many of the big fight scenes of the previous seasons, instead choosing to focus their energy on the characters. The All Valley Tournament features several great karate matches and offers a satisfying conclusion to Johnny and Daniel’s arc. In the end, Cobra Kai takes the tournament win, but Johnny and Daniel have reached an understanding.

New champions

Tori defeats Sam to take the women’s All Valley trophy but later overhears her sensei paying off one of the referees. It’s clear that Cobra Kai has pulled yet another fast one. But the season ends on an even more ominous – and unexpected – note. Terry Silver assaults the over-aged former Cobra Kai member, Stingray, sending him to the hospital. He then makes a deal with Stingray to blame the crime on Kreese. We end the season with Kreese in handcuffs, Terry Silver set to take over Cobra Kai, and the future of Eagle Fang and Miyagi-Do uncertain. In a last shocking twist, Miguel leaves town in search of his biological father.

Although some may miss the school hallway throw downs, I found this one satisfying in a different way. It just goes to show that the ever-expanding Cobra Kai universe can keep bringing surprises season after season.


CULTURE CROSSING SCORE 9/10


Thank you for reading our review of Cobra Kai season four. Do you agree or disagree with our points or have anything to add? If so, leave us a comment below.


Check out our Hawkeye episode one and two review HERE.

Read IMDB information about Spider-Man: No Way Home HERE.

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