Fittingly for such an episode, the show’s sitcom homages experience quite a bump as well. After honoring Family Ties, Full House, and other ‘80s and early ‘90s TV comedies in episode 5, this installment speeds ahead to the more experimental 2000s. Fox’s superb Malcolm in the Middle is in the driver’s seat this time and both Tommy and Billy are our precocious protagonists. Here are the many ways in which WandaVision episode 6 honors sitcom history.
Malcolm in the Middle
“Yes, no, maybe, I don’t know. Can you repeat the question?” That opening lyric from They Might Be Giants’ song “Boss of Me” was many early 2000s TV viewers heads up that they were about to be treated to an episode of one of the decades very best sitcoms: Malcolm in the Middle. Much of WandaVision episode 6 is lifted directly from Malcolm. The opening credits, featuring a new alt rock theme song from the Lopez family, is highly reminiscent of Malcolm in the Middle’s energetic opener. In fact, the font used for the “actors’” names appears to be identical. Check it out below: Additionally, Tommy and Billy’s penchant for turning to the camera to offer up added exposition is very much in keeping with Malcolm’s fourth wall-breaking powers. The house that Wanda, Vision, Billy, Tommy, and Uncle Pietro reside also resembles that of Malcolm’s family (which never got a last name) quite closely. When the first trailer for WandaVision was released, we theorized that this era would be paying homage to Roseanne. Now it would appear that WandaVision is influenced by Roseanne only inasmuch as Malcolm in the Middle was. This episode may be the most direct comparison to a classic sitcom since the show’s first installment mimicked The Dick Van Dyke Show.
Wacky Brother-in-Law
Midway through episode 6, Wanda and her brother Pietro have a discussion. Before Pietro compliments Wanda’s world-building abilities, he reveals that he has a shockingly thorough understanding of his role in all this. “I’m just trying to do my part, K? Come to town unexpectedly, create tension with the brother-in-law, stir up trouble with the rugrats, and ultimately give you grief. That’s what you wanted, isn’t it?” Truthfully, there are many kinds of sibling archetypes within the TV sitcom world. What Wanda and Pietro seem to be experiencing is a kind of Goofus and Gallant-style dynamic, where one sibling is foolish and the other is responsible. Pietro has wacky hair, a strangely personable East Coast accent, and sets a terrible example for his nephews by sleeping in until 4 p.m. The aforementioned Malcolm in the Middle is positively filled with wacky brothers. Though Malcolm is a genius, his brothers Francis, Reese, and Dewey are all different manners of dysfunctional. Sleeping until 4 p.m. but still being the hero to one’s younger siblings or nephews is very much a Francis move. The Pietro of Westview does not appear to be anything like the actual Pietro Maximoff of the MCU. Granted, our time with the former Quicksilver was brief, but when we saw him last, he was a dutiful, responsible brother intent on keeping his sister safe at all costs. He was also kind of grim, which is the sort of thing that’s bound to happen when you lose your parents and then spend your childhood being experimented on by HYDRA. Still, in Wanda’s perfect sitcom world it’s helpful to put Pietro in a recognizable sitcom role like everyone else in town.
Halloween Special
As episode 6’s name so helpfully suggests, this is WandaVision’s Halloween special, or “Spooktacular!” For the show this means getting to dress Wanda, Vision, and Quicksilver in the comic-appropriate versions of their costume. While those Easter eggs is appreciated, the nature of this episode is another Easter egg entirely for fans of TV sitcoms. While television is a 24/7 proposition now, traditionally the TV season began in the fall and concluded before the summer. This means that the early episodes of any sitcom will line up with Halloween on October 31. As such, TV sitcom history is awash in very special Halloween episodes. Spooky season is a dramatically rich time of the year for sitcoms to draw from. And of course WandaVision would put it to good use in an episode where everything gets far spookier.
