"Filmed Before a Live Studio Audience" is the series premiere of the Disney+ streaming television miniseries WandaVision and was released on January 15, 2021, alongside the second episode. It was written by Jac Schaeffer and directed by Matt Shakman.
Synopsis[]
Wanda and Vision struggle to conceal their powers during dinner with Vision's boss and his wife.
Plot[]
In a black and white 1950s sitcom setting, Wanda and Vision are a newly married couple that move into a nice neighborhood. They try to blend in as an ordinary couple, despite the fact that Vision is an android and Wanda has magic/telekinetic powers. One morning, they notice that there is a heart labeled on their calendar. Neither can seem to remember what it means, but they agree that it is important. After Vision leaves to go to work, Wanda meets with her friend and neighbor Agnes who also wonders what the heart on the calendar means. Wanda believes that it is their anniversary.
Meanwhile at Computational Services Inc. Headquarters, Vision does his work efficiently due to his robot powers. However, he does not know what it is they do at their workplace as his co-worker Norm seems to give him vague explanations. Vision's boss, Arthur Hart, arrives to tell him that he and his wife will be over at his house for dinner; the reason for the heart on his calendar. Vision calls Wanda to inform her of this, but she misinterprets the conversation and tells him that she has everything under control for the night.
The "show" cuts to commercial for the brand new Stark Industries Toast Mate 2000 toaster oven, during which the product's small light comes on red, despite the rest of the commercial being in black and white.
Vision returns home along with Mr. and Mrs. Hart. An embarrassed Wanda had set up candles and is in her dressing gown, but she and Vision cover by claiming that it is a Sokovian greeting. Vision gets Wanda into the kitchen so that she can prepare something while he stays in the living room to play music. Wanda has Agnes come over to bring ingredients and recipe cards for her to use, though nothing goes right as Vision desperately tries to occupy the Harts. Wanda eventually settles to make breakfast for dinner, confusing, but nevertheless pleasing the Harts.
The group sit down to eat, but when Mrs. Hart asks how they met and where they came from, Wanda and Vision seem genuinely confused. Mr. Hart grows furious and suddenly chokes on his food. At this point, the sitcom format subsides and Wanda orders Vision to save Mr. Hart. He does so and things return to "normal" with Mr. Hart praising the couple for the dinner and offering Vision a promotion. Wanda and Vision congratulate and make wedding rings for themselves. As the episode comes to a close, the events are shown being viewed by someone in a control room on an old TV.
Cast[]
Starring[]
- Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff
- Paul Bettany as Vision
- Debra Jo Rupp as Mrs. Hart
- Fred Melamed as Mr. Hart
- Kathryn Hahn as Agnes
Guest Starring[]
- Asif Ali as Norm
- David Lengel as Phil Jones
- Ithamar Enriquez as Commercial Man
- Victoria Blade as Commercial Woman
- Amos Glick as Dennis the Mailman
Uncredited[]
Trivia[]
- The episode's format draws inspiration from classic '50s and early '60s sitcoms, such as I Love Lucy, Father Knows Best, Leave It to Beaver, and The Dick Van Dyke Show.
- The ToastMate 2000's bleeping red light, featured in the advert, is revealed to be the same one, from a Stark missile, as seen in the eighth episode.
- The episode's title is an old fashioned term used in many older sitcoms to refer to the fact that sitcoms with laugh tracks are filmed before an actual audience.
- Fred Melamed's character Todd Davis (a.k.a. Arthur Hart), does not appear after this episode, though he does make an animated cameo in the intro of the following episode and his photo appears in "We Interrupt This Program". This makes him the only starring actor in the series to only be credited for one episode.
- This episode was indeed mostly filmed in front of a live studio audience, all of whom were made to sign non-disclosure agreements to prevent spoilers. Teyonah Parris, who plays Monica Rambeau, was among the audience members. The only scenes that were filmed without the audience were scenes involving the illusion nearly being broken.
Gallery[]
External links[]
Filmed Before a Live Studio Audience on Wikipedia- "Filmed Before a Live Studio Audience" on IMDb
Filmed Before a Live Studio Audience on Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki
