Review of ‘VisionQuest’s Two-Episode Premiere

October 22, 2026 /

By Miguel Salinas

This review is spoiler-free. “VisionQuest” is streaming on Disney Plus, with new episodes releasing each Tuesday at 9pm ET. 

“VisionQuest,” directed by Terry Matalas, is the latest installment in Marvel Television, the Disney Plus-focused branch of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Eleven years after their roles in “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” the show stars Paul Bettany as The Vision with James Spader finally returning as Ultron. Ruaridh Mollica joins as a new face—Thomas Shepherd/Tommy Maximoff. As the end of the “WandaVision” trilogy, “VisionQuest” has big shoes to fill, and the first two episodes—“No Strings” and “Theseus” show some promise that it might fulfill them. 

“VisionQuest”’s greatest strengths are its visual style and creative direction—which makes sense considering the TV show is a sequel to “WandaVision” and “Agatha All Along,” two of Marvel’s most visually unique shows. The show features a recurring set in the form of The Vision’s mindspace, which manifests as a sitcom-style home. This set is packed with vibrant set pieces and creative props, as well as a cast of helper AIs that assist The Vision: Jarvis (James D’Arcy), Friday (Orla Brady), Edith (Emily Hampshire), DUM-E (Henry Lewis), and U (Jonathan Sayer). In conjunction with the set, this colorful cast of characters gives the show some personality, helping it feel more like a TV show than a sliced-up full-length movie (which was a critique of earlier Marvel TV shows like “Falcon and the Winter Soldier”).  

Not many of Marvel Television’s shows since “Avengers: Endgame” are particularly known for their cinematography, but “VisionQuest” subverts those expectations. Gone are the days of obvious CGI soundstages and the artificial-looking lighting that came with them—this show has some surprisingly beautiful shots and lighting worthy of quality television. While action sequences are sparse and short, they are memorable because of their visual style. The Vision has never looked more menacing or fought more brutally, incinerating enemies with his laser and leaving blood behind to show for it. It’s clear that the smaller TV budget holds the action back, but sometimes the obscuring of the action is done creatively—other times, the show finds a reason for synthezoid characters to shapeshift into their “human avatars,” which can feel forced and disappointing at times. 

While it’s too soon to tell, the humor in the show seems to be heading in the right direction. Previous Marvel projects like “She-Hulk,” “The Marvels,” and “Thor: Love and Thunder” received poor reviews for their oversaturation of “MCU humor,” the corny jokes and references that originally gave the MCU its charm. So far, “VisionQuest” finds a middle ground. Ultron, for instance, cracks a joke here or there, but James Spader’s delivery still makes it fit with Ultron’s intimidating and cynical personality, and the jokes do not disrupt emotionally heavy scenes. 

There are some elements of the show whose contributions are meant to be seen—namely Ruaridh Mollica’s Thomas Shepherd and Todd Stashwick’s bounty hunter character (no spoilers here!). While Tommy’s introduction in “VisionQuest” has its charm, it remains to be seen if his dynamic with his father, The Vision, turns into an unsatisfying father-son trope or becomes an emotionally rewarding part of the show. Stashwick’s antagonist character’s introduction felt empty and undeveloped, and it’s still unclear whether he will be a formidable threat to a hero as powerful as The Vision. 

Marvel Television has had trouble in the past with making finales land, especially “VisionQuest”’s direct predecessor, “WandaVision.” While it remains to be seen if Marvel learned its lesson or not, “VisionQuest” is off to a promising start, and is a breath of fresh air for Marvel TV.

Source(s):

“No Strings.” VisionQuest, created by Terry Matalas, season one, episode one, Marvel Television, 13 Oct. 2026. Disney Plus, www.disneyplus.com 

“Theseus.” VisionQuest, created by Terry Matalas, season one, episode two, Marvel Television, 13 Oct. 2026. Disney Plus, www.disneyplus.com