Wandavision: ok for the recently bereaved?

May 12, 2022 2:39 AM

Wandavision is apparently about the processing of grief. Would you recommend someone who is recently bereaved to watch it now or put it off until things are less raw?

Everyone deals with grief differently, so I know this question is subjective, but I want to get a better idea of whether this should be next on our watchlist or not.

My partner lost her mother quite recently and is obviously finding certain things trigger strong emotional reactions. However, she has enjoyed watching some of the Marvel series like Loki and Falcon/Winter Soldier as a form of escapism.

What do you think about whether Wandavision is a good idea or not?

posted by knapah to Media & Arts (9 answers total)

Best answer: I watched Wandavision a few months after my husband died. It definitely brought up some strong emotions for me, though not in a bad way. It's essentially a show about grief and grieving (and then some relatively unsatisfying "flying superhero battle" stuff at the end). I found it cathartic rather than escapist, and I was glad I watched it but I'm sure I cried a lot.

I will also say it's a bit of a slow build, and it does get progressively more emotionally intense up to the last couple of episodes.
posted by mskyle at 3:38 AM on May 12, 2022

If you're looking at it as escapism, then no, I don't think so.

While the true scope of what Wanda is feeling doesn't really come into play until later, it is a central theme. If they want to engage with it as a way to process at least some of their feelings, then that's different, but if your goal is pure escapism then I don't think this would be suitable.
posted by Cannon Fodder at 3:51 AM on May 12, 2022 [3 favorites]

Best answer: As an additional point of information: one of the secondary characters returns after the MCU's five year 'blip' event to discover that her mother died from cancer while she was gone, so the show touches directly on losing a parent.
posted by damsel with a dulcimer at 4:22 AM on May 12, 2022 [2 favorites]

I'd say wait.
posted by cooker girl at 7:29 AM on May 12, 2022

My wife passed about two months ago. I had seen WandaVision before and watched it again about a month ago, for that cathartic release. Under those circumstances, it was fine. Not necessarily great, because it's still a Marvel movie and those shy away from really getting into feelings.

But even better was watching the movie Everything, Everywhere, All at Once. Much more compelling and moving. Plus the central relationship dynamic is between a mother and daughter, so it may hit her in all the awfully right spots. Bring tissues.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:46 AM on May 12, 2022 [4 favorites]

Maybe this is obvious and I guess it's a spoiler, but the framing conceit of the show is that each episode is a parody/pastiche of an era of sit-coms, starting in the 1950s and moving forward in time, until the overarching plot (centered on Wanda's grief repression/processing) starts to break through. If you hate sit-coms or you think they would trivialize the grieving process I'd think much of the show's humor wouldn't work for you.
posted by Wretch729 at 8:50 AM on May 12, 2022 [1 favorite]

Best answer: WandaVision is about someone not wanting to deal with their grief and creating an entire escapist reality instead so...I think it might hit close to the bone. On the other hand, it might feel like "wow, this is how it works eh?"
posted by warriorqueen at 9:48 AM on May 12, 2022 [1 favorite]

I would skip it, it's good but the rest of the series will still make sense, at least so far. It starts out with mild horror / uncanny moments and only midway reveals the grief connection. Spoiler, her brother who died in Age of Ultron comes back, the parents die, Vision, etc. Loss and the response to it are literally the narrative core of the show. There's a redemptive arc, to be sure, so maybe it would be OK, depending on the person. Seems to me like it'd be pretty raw, though.
posted by wnissen at 10:47 AM on May 12, 2022

Response by poster: Thanks everyone. We decided to give it a chance and although it certainly is an intense and emotional show, it worked out well. Both of us really enjoyed it and were impressed with the way they dealt with grief and coping/not coping.
posted by knapah at 7:15 AM on May 20, 2022