It could be argued that the best Marvel properties to have come out since Endgame are the Disney+ series. While not all of them have been standouts, many such as Hawkeye, Moon Knight, and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (it was fantastic, and I will die on this hill) have been leaps and bounds above The Eternals, Black Widow, and others. Of course, all of these pale in comparison to the masterpiece that was Wandavision which, to date, is one of the best pieces of art they have ever created. And yes, I mean art. It took a superhero setting, made it crazy and weird, and turned it into a poignant treatise on grief. Agatha All Along takes place shortly after and seems like a complete 180 from its source material, but the further it moves along, the more similarities begin to appear.
While I have seen the first four episodes, this synopsis is only going to briefly touch on the story so as to avoid spoilers. If you’ve seen the trailers, it won’t cover more than that.
Our favorite witch Agatha (Kathryn Hahn) has been living somewhat peacefully in Westview since the finale of Wandavision when the Scarlet Witch drained her of her powers. Working as a tough-as-nails detective, she gets stumped on a murder with a familiar-looking corpse and begrudgingly allows herself to be assisted by FBI Agent Rio (Aubrey Plaza) who begins to show her that all is not as it seems in her little world. As Wanda’s spell is stripped away, Agatha becomes determined to walk the Witches’ Road to get her powers back, but not before putting together a new coven who travel with her to redeem their own destinies. Teen (Joe Locke), also tags along to discover his purpose in life, but it becomes readily apparent that not all are meant to survive the trials that await them.
First and foremost, I have homework for you. Many Marvel shows and movies rely on throwbacks to previous plot points, and if you are not familiar with Wandavision, you will be left in the dark. Everything that takes place here springs from that show so familiarity with it is paramount. Which isn’t a bad thing. Anyone who has not seen it is sorely missing out, and I’m excited for them to experience it for the first time.
While the tone of Agatha is decidedly darker, as they are playing up the horror aspect, it starts much more lighthearted than expected despite the murder mystery and eerie witchcraft that is being blended together. Kathryn Hahn, as always, is fantastic, and once she gets Agatha’s memories back, her acerbic wit serves her just as well as before.
Everyone gets their due as the small cast have great chemistry together, and no one really feels like a supporting character as they all carry the weight of the show equally. Even poor, old Mrs. Hart (Debra Jo Rupp) who is dragged along without a clue of what’s happening becomes more than just the comic relief as time goes on.
We also get a deeper and more nuanced understanding of these characters and not only their motivations for walking the Road but also burdens of the demons that weigh them down. Agatha especially becomes much more sympathetic as wounds from the past and guilt resurface and make her re-examine herself and where her quest is taking her. Or is it? You never know with her, and, it could all be a ruse.
Speaking of the Road, it becomes a character in and of itself and starts harmlessly enough while slowly evolving into the dread told of it in legend. It’s like a twisted version of the Yellow Brick Road as accurately represented in The Return to Oz. Also, without going into much detail, anyone familiar with the video game Returnal will be quite familiar with how the path plays out as it seems to be heavily influenced by the adventure players took there.
Of course, with the internet being the internet, people are “loudly” complaining about the diversity in this show and that it’s too “woke.” This is a show about witches, and we’re worried about the fact it has women and people of color in it? And queer characters!? It features multiple musical numbers and Patti LuPone for god’s sake! I don’t think it gets much gayer than that.
Since I’m barely halfway through, I don’t feel it’s right to give it a full score, but based on what I’ve seen, I’m hovering around a four and a half out of five. Witchy and bitchy, it hits the right notes to be both foreboding and campy, the story that is playing out is interesting, and it’s easy to get invested in the characters. By keeping us on our toes since we are unable to know what they are all truly after, it makes each reveal a treat and leaves us looking forward to what comes next. If they keep it up, this could easily reach the heights of Wandavision, and if it does, that is the highest praise I can give it.