VisionQuest first reviews: critics praise the end of the WandaVision trilogy

Published 14 October 2026. Words like "tonight" or "next week" refer to that date.

VisionQuest premiered on Disney Plus on October 14, and the first reviews from mainstream outlets are overwhelmingly positive. Right now Rotten Tomatoes has the series at 87%, and CBR went as far as giving it a 10 out of 10.

The show starts at 9:00 p.m. Eastern, 6:00 p.m. on the West Coast, and it's coming out of the gate with two episodes. I've gathered a lot of the early reviews and reactions below.

Critics and the VisionQuest fandom don't always see things the same way

Before getting into what critics are saying, here's a reminder I give a lot, especially going into Marvel projects. Critics don't often come from the same place as the fandom, and especially not the diehard fandom.

So regardless of what these reactions and reviews say, try to go into tonight with an open mind. For what it's worth, I've heard nothing but good things.

The Seattle Times and Polygon see a human story in VisionQuest

The Seattle Times focused on the emotional core of the show. Its review says, "It's about the bonds between fathers and sons, about what a family can be and who we are at our core." It adds that Vision may be made of vibranium and computer chips, but for better or worse, he's just as human as the rest of us.

Polygon acknowledged "some filler and a few rare missteps along the way," but said VisionQuest is the rare Marvel show that works better as a series than a movie. Its argument is that the episodic format is needed to tell a story on the scale Terry Matalas envisioned, and that it takes an actor like Paul Bettany to pull it off. "In that sense, VisionQuest is a resounding success," the review says. Polygon also calls it a triumphant sendoff to a grand streaming experiment that ultimately failed, concluding, "Either way, it's great television."

CBR gives VisionQuest a perfect 10 out of 10

CBR's review opens with a caveat before going all in: "No television show or film is ever truly perfect. But VisionQuest is as close as any of them could dare to get." It argues the show isn't just excellent for a Marvel show, and that "It easily earns a prestige TV label."

The review says that for all its deeply tragic moments examining grief and regret, the show does what comic book stories do best by giving the audience hope. It says great art can also be found in tales of love, happiness, optimism and heroism, and calls VisionQuest "the MCU at its best," a perfect sendoff for what this universe could achieve before Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars change everything.

The Daily Beast and Nexus Point News say VisionQuest strives to be its own thing

The Daily Beast says VisionQuest doesn't have a foundational hook as intriguing as WandaVision's sitcom fantasy, and that it rarely tries to duplicate what worked for its precursor. The review describes it as a series tethered to the past that still strives to be its own unique thing. If it sometimes gets lost along the way, the outlet says, that fits a hero who is forever torn between two worlds. With James Spader as "the electric engine," it calls the show "a relatively cohesive and compelling cog in the MCU machine."

Nexus Point News describes VisionQuest as a story about finding yourself when the past no longer provides all the answers. It says the questions Vision faces are universal: who we are beyond our memories, what gives our lives meaning, and how we define ourselves when everything familiar has changed. For the Maximoff family, the review says, the journey is far from over, with wounds to heal and family history still to fall into place. It ends simply: "A family is forever."

Filmspeak calls VisionQuest one of Marvel's finest hours, while Screen Rant and The Phantom Wire both score it 9 out of 10

Filmspeak gave the series an A. Its review says that after Avengers: Endgame, Marvel suffered from notable inconsistency in quality and storytelling, which shook the faith of some of its most loyal fans. VisionQuest, it argues, shows that with capable and creative hands, anything is possible, calling it "one of Marvel's finest hours. Full stop."

Screen Rant gave it a 9 out of 10. Its review says the biggest grievance is anxiously waiting to see what's next for these characters and where in the MCU they could show up. It credits the series with a spark of creativity that takes it beyond what most other MCU projects have managed, and ends with a plea: "please bring back Terry Matalas to helm more MCU stories."

The Phantom Wire also gave it a 9 out of 10, saying VisionQuest "brings the WandaVision trilogy to a satisfying conclusion with a strong mystery," resonant themes, and spectacular character work for Paul Bettany's Vision and James Spader's Ultron.

MovieWeb puts VisionQuest alongside Loki and Agatha All Along, while TechRadar calls it a terrific conclusion

MovieWeb gave the show a 4.5 out of 5. Its review notes that five years after Marvel Studios launched the TV side of the MCU, only a handful of truly great series have been made for Disney Plus, naming WandaVision, Loki and Agatha All Along. It says VisionQuest now joins their ranks, taking a more science fiction route to the same ends and introducing new heroes it expects to play a major role in the MCU. "I couldn't ask for more from a Marvel TV show," the review says.

TechRadar gave it a 4 out of 5, describing it as a terrifically assembled conclusion to the WandaVision trilogy that bends genres and works as both a standalone tale and part of a larger saga. The review says it delivers an emotionally rich examination of what it means to be human, with plenty of gusto, poise and visual flair.

FlickDirect says James Spader steals the first four episodes

FlickDirect gave it a 4 out of 5, and its review says, "The best part about VisionQuest is the cast." It points out that Paul Bettany has been part of the MCU since 2008, first voicing JARVIS and then playing Vision from 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron, and says it's impossible to imagine anyone else in the role. As the series begins he's somewhat robotic, as intended, but by episode 8 the review says we get the Vision we all know, the one with emotions who cares for humanity.

The review says Spader steals the first four episodes, with the funniest lines of anyone delivered with perfect tonal quality. It adds that he plays the bad guy well and gives Ultron complexity audiences might not expect. The supporting cast is described as terrific, with two members perhaps the weakest links, and the actor playing Wanda and Vision's son is called very good.

Collider calls VisionQuest another win for Marvel, and TheWrap calls it humane and hopeful

Collider gave it an 8 out of 10. Its review points to the record breaking Spider-Man: Brand New Day and the well received seasons of Wonder Man and Daredevil: Born Again as signs of a promising year for Marvel, and says VisionQuest "proves to be yet another win for the studio." It praises the world, the writing and the performances, saying the show is "firing on all cylinders" as both a conclusion to the WandaVision saga and a new beginning for the MCU.

TheWrap's Hunter Ingram writes, "VisionQuest is fun," and says that while that doesn't sound as effusive as it could be, it's the highest compliment. The review calls it well crafted, even if it's saddled with "one or 20 too many metaphors," and says it is "among the more humane and hopeful things Marvel has produced."

There were some less than shining reviews, but I'm not surprised the show is good

There were some less than shining reviews. None were scathing, but some mainstream outlets and writers felt there were inherent flaws in the show, much in the way some critics have opinions about all of Marvel's shows and films. It's not that I don't think those reviews are important. We may find tonight that we feel the same way.

But what's important is that the overwhelming majority of reviewers who had some sense of where this is supposed to fit on Disney Plus, in the larger MCU, and as the final piece of the WandaVision trilogy said it did everything we expected it to do. I don't really know why there were questions in the first place. Marvel set out to actually make a TV show, and then brought in James Spader, who is a TV actor at his core and a great one, having been the cornerstone of many successful series. I'm not surprised at all that this show is quality, and I can't wait to see it tonight.

Which of these early reviews of VisionQuest lines up closest with your own expectations?