The ‘WandaVision’ Intro Was Inspired By ‘The Office,’ ‘Modern Family,’ And A Third Sitcom With A Connection To The ‘Avengers’ Directors

[Minor spoilers for the new episode of WandaVision]

Before WandaVison premiered in January, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige teased that the Disney+ show’s sitcom homages would “go up to the Modern Family and The Office style. The talk-to-the-camera, shaky-camera, documentary style.” That episode arrived on Friday, with Wanda speaking directly to the camera (and the person behind the camera, although we wouldn’t know who that was until later). The opening credits also were inspired by The Office (with the lyric-less theme song) and Modern Family (with the font), as well as a lesser-known sitcom that might be the best of the three.

ABC’s Happy Endings only ran for three seasons, but those three seasons packed more jokes than most sitcoms do in five. Created by David Caspe, the ABC comedy starred Eliza Coupe, Elisha Cuthbert, Zachary Knighton, Adam Pally, Damon Wayans Jr., and Casey Wilson, and was produced by, among others, Anthony and Joe Russo. They also directed episodes of Community and Arrested Development, as well as Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, and two of the five highest-grossing movies of all-time, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. The Marvel connection is likely the reasoning behind the delightful and unexpected Happy Endings homage. Or maybe the world is finally coming around to the show’s rapid-fire brilliance.

Either way, nothing but respect for my captain America.

×