Disney+'s WandaVision [1] is unlike any Marvel show [2] you've seen before. The miniseries follows Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany [3] as Wanda and Vision as they move into the idyllic town of Westview. But it quickly becomes clear that not everything is what is seems. While the mystery will keep you enticed, the nostalgic sitcom references are sure to keep you entertained. As WandaVision [4] head writer Jac Schaeffer noted to Entertainment Weekly, "the show is a love letter to the golden age of television [5]," with each episode paying tribute to different eras of television [6]. See some of the most telling references to shows ahead!
WandaVision 1950s Sitcom References
The first episode pays homage to iconic sitcoms from the '50s and early '60s. While the outfits Wanda wears are reminiscent of I Love Lucy and Leave It to Beaver, Wanda and Vision's living room is almost an exact replica of the living room from The Dick Van Dyke Show, which premiered in 1961. The show's creators even talked to Dick Van Dyke about his experience [8] filming the show to get some inspiration for WandaVision [9], and the pilot episode was filmed in front of a live studio audience to give it that true sitcom feel.
I Love Lucy (1951-1957)
Leave It to Beaver (1957-1963)
WandaVision 1960s Sitcom References
The second episode takes inspiration from classic '60s shows. While some of the outfits resemble clothing from The Dick Van Dyke Show, the magical element in the second episode definitely seems to be a nod to sitcoms like Bewitched and I Dream of Jeannie, which usually showed the main characters getting into some wacky situations. There is even a transition from black and white to color at the end of the episode, since many of those shows were eventually shown in color in later seasons.
The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961-1966)
Bewitched (1964-1972)
WandaVision 1970s Sitcom References
The third episode is inspired by classic '70s shows, as shown by this image of Wanda in one of the teasers. While her outfit looks like something straight out of The Partridge Family, the staircase behind her looks exactly like the one featured on The Brady Bunch.
The Brady Bunch (1969-1974)
The Partridge Family (1970-1974)
WandaVision 1980s Sitcom References
The fifth episode jumps to the '80s, which was surely nostalgic for Elizabeth Olsen given her family background. While the house looks similar to the one featured on Family Ties, the outfits look straight out of Full House, which starred Olsen's older sisters, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen [10]. The theme song at the beginning of episode five also mirrors the theme song for Growing Pains.
Family Ties (1982-1989)
Full House (1987-1995)
Growing Pains (1985-1992)
WandaVision 1990s Sitcom References
Based on the trailer, it appears the creators took some inspiration from the ABC sitcom Roseanne, based on Wanda's plaid outfit and the similar wallpaper in the kitchen.
Roseanne (1988-1996)
WandaVision 2000s Sitcom References
In the Halloween-themed sixth episode, the show pays tribute to a handful of sitcoms from the 2000s [11]. While the theme song is exactly like Malcolm in the Middle, the town Wanda and Pietro trick or treat in looks like Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls [12]. In a teaser for episode seven [13], the show seems to pay homage to the ABC sitcom Modern Family.
Malcolm in the Middle (2000-2006)
Gilmore Girls (2000-2007)
Modern Family (2009-2020)
