WandaVision is an exciting entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but not everyone is on board with its sitcom approach. As the first installment in the long-awaited Phase 4, WandaVision sets the stage for what audiences can expect from the zany stories coming in the next few years, particularly with regards to Marvel Studios' TV shows and the franchise's expansion into the multiverse.
The interesting thing, though, is that WandaVision wasn't meant to kickoff the new era of Marvel movies and TV shows; Black Widow, a prequel to Avengers: Infinity War, was supposed to launch the new phase on the big screen with The Falcon and the Winter Soldier launching the studio's TV initiative on Disney+. WandaVision would've come at some point after that, which would've given Marvel fans a smoother transition into the off-kilter story presented in Scarlet Witch and Vision's TV series. But the slate shifted quite a bit due to the pandemic, and now, WandaVision is people's first taste of MCU Phase 4.
Given how much praise the first three episodes of WandaVision have received from critics (two of which have already released), and the general reaction from fans who've tuned in so far, Marvel Studios seems to have a hit on their hands once again. It's validation of their plans to build a transmedia universe, one that's populated with more auteur releases like WandaVision. However, because the first two episodes were largely in black-and-white and the series dove headfirst into its sitcom homages, quite a few viewers have been turned off by the series, because it can be seen as not meeting expectations for what Marvel is to them, which is a fair argument.
Everyone gets something different out of entertainment; some want standard superhero fare that Marvel has been delivering for over a decade now, and which was popularized in the modern age with other Marvel and DC adaptations before the MCU even began. And despite the MCU incorporating other genres and elements into their films, such as turning Captain America: The Winter Soldier into a political thriller, the films have always put the superhero/blockbuster part of the formula first. With WandaVision, the tables have been turned.
By going with genre first, WandaVision has come off as boring to a portion of viewers, who feel that nothing is happening so far. Since this series is meant to have its story build from week-to-week, there's not much to be explained in the first few episodes, since the focus is on building the mystery surrounding Westview and Vision being "alive" in some way. Marvel and Disney+ may have expected this outcome, which is why they released two episodes instead of one. If only the first episode came out, then more people may feel the same way, but the second episode ends in such a way that it begins to play up the mystery.
Although WandaVision was designed to leave audiences questioning what to expect from week-to-week, it might turn out, in the end, to be better viewed as a single release, to be binged all at once. The series' cast have said in the past that the season ends in typical Marvel fashion, so the action and excitement fans have come to anticipate from MCU films may still be on the way. But for now, WandaVision is moving through its "slow burn" phase before it ups the ante, which is why people may feel that it's boring.