By George & Josh Bate
The following is a NON-SPOILER REVIEW of Agatha All Along episodes 1-4
WandaVision took the world by storm when it debuted in January 2021. While the COVID-19 pandemic was still very much active, there hadn’t been an MCU project released since Spider-Man: Far From Home in July 2019. At the same time, Marvel Studios was gearing up to make the jump from the big screen to the small screen courtesy of the new streaming service Disney+. Partially due to circumstance and partially due to purposeful decision-making, however, the relatively long gap between MCU projects did not lead to an archetypal Marvel project. No, the post-Endgame era and Disney+ initiation was not marked by a theatrically released Captain America or Iron Man movie, but, rather, a type of story Marvel Studios and the superhero genre more broadly had never experienced before. WandaVision came along as a wild, stylistically unique, horror-infused thrill ride told through the prism of American sitcoms and gripped audiences immediately.
Out of the myriad of intriguing and resonant elements that captivated fans in WandaVision, arguably the standout was Kathryn Hahn’s Agnes character. Accompanied with an extraordinarily catchy song, Agnes was revealed to be the show’s secret villain – Agatha Harkness – and charted a new course for villains in the MCU. With the ‘Agatha All Along’ tune stuck in everyone’s head, Marvel Studios soon decided to commission a solo series starring Hahn’s villainous witch character. And now, almost four years after WandaVision, Agatha Harkness takes centerstage in the new Disney+ series Agatha All Along.
Agatha All Along follows the title character three years after the events of WandaVision. After being trapped by Wanda at the end of that series, Agatha soon finds herself embarking on a dangerous journey, accompanied by some of her fellow witches and a mysterious teenage boy. The series sees Kathryn Hahn build upon her viral antihero, adding more depth and development to the character that stuck in the minds of so many in 2021. She is no longer just a villain here, nor is she an unsuspecting neighbor. There is more complexity and, intriguingly, a backstory that is sure to develop over the course of a season that is more surreal and hallucinogenic than anything from the MCU to date.
Agatha All Along begins in a way not unlike WandaVision. The audience is thrown into a show that, all things considered, looks more like Mare of Easttown than it does anything Marvel Studios has ever made. In the same way that WandaVision plummeted audiences into a sitcom, Agatha All Along plummets audiences into a dark murder mystery. And, like WandaVision, it is unclear just exactly what’s really going on here. This beginning is attention-grabbing to say the least, with an interesting atmosphere to accompany it. There’s a notable shift away from the sunshine and daylight of the MCU, with cloudy and rainy scenery as the backdrop for the story of a grisly murder of a young girl.
This beginning proves to be one of the more interesting and compelling aspects of the first few episodes. The writers tease the story as one focused on a murder, combining a grounded plot line with hints at the magical world that Agnes (aka Agatha) comes from. As the mystery progresses, Agnes has flashes of her old life but struggles to piece it all together. Just when things start to get interested with this plot, however, the series pivots to take Agnes (now Agatha) out of that world and into the central story of the series, which is the aforementioned journey with her ragtag team. Unfortunately, the series leaves this strong beginning in its wake as it ultimately has little consequence to the rest of the plot, outside of introducing Aubrey Plaza’s mysterious new character.
After this strong start, the first episode stumbles with convoluted storytelling before finding its footing again. Not only are audiences expected to remember key elements of WandaVision (a television series now almost four years old), but they are also thrown into an established world of witches, full of complex mythology and lore to grapple with. It takes a bit of time for the show to get over this jumbled start, but, once it does, things really kick into gear.
When the story settles down, Agatha All Along follows Agatha as she leads a team on a journey to reclaim her powers. The ensemble surrounding Kathryn Hahn’s Agatha is brilliantly chosen, with each member of the team having incredible and magnetic chemistry with one another. A particular highlight is Mrs. Hart/Sharon Davis (played by Debra Jo Rupp), who delivers some of the show’s funniest one-liners, although all members add so much to the quirky dynamic of the episodes.
This quirkiness is coupled with plenty of witch-vibes perfect for the Halloween season. The series is steeped in imagery, symbolism, and a tone that aligns closely to the likes of Hocus Pocus or The Craft, which makes Agatha All Along feel fundamentally different than any MCU project to date. The decision to release the show in Fall of 2024 makes all the more sense as the show will fit splendidly into audiences’ spooky season viewing plans.
More than anything though, what surprises in Agatha All Along is how surreal and hallucinogenic it all is. Each episode treads in such dreamy, trippy, reality-bending territory where nothing is at seems. Another MCU series, Moon Knight, explored a more dreamy setting and atmosphere, but that series limited it to a single episode. Conversely, Agatha All Along confirms that a reality-bending, surreal atmosphere and plot is the norm for this series. At times, how surreal everything is can get a little tiring, although it affords for plenty of stunning imagery, shots, costumes, and set designs.
Like WandaVision, there is an air of mystery surrounding Agatha All Along. Much of this has to do with the presence of Joe Locke as an unknown and unnamed teenager, who joins the coven of witches for their adventure. provides enough mystery to keep the story alive. The mystery box style approach, teasing audiences of a reveal down the line (and prompting fans to create theories upon theories as to what’s really happening), is exactly what WandaVision did so well. That series arguably did not fulfill its potential in that regard or give enough of a satisfying conclusion to what was a promising story, but Agatha All Along has a chance to subvert such issues here.
It’s difficult talking about Agatha All Along without talking about the woman who plays the titular character. Kathryn Hahn seamlessly steps back into her scene-stealing role from WandaVision, while adding more nuanced dimensions to the character. As opposed to being a straightforward villain, Agatha Harkness is far more complicated, with a dark history hinted at throughout and an endearing motherly attachment to Joe Locke’s teen character. Hahn is superb and delivers a kind of over-the-top performance that the witches in Hocus Pocus would be proud of.
Aubrey Plaza, meanwhile, plays a character with mysterious ties to Agatha’s past. Plaza and Hahn have electric chemistry, playing off one another with a range of witty one-liners and animated facial expressions. In the first four episodes, there isn’t really a main antagonist, although it appears that the show is heading in the direction of making Plaza’s character Rio Vidal the central villain. Until then, Plaza occupies the space of an untrustworthy ally for Agatha, one whose motives are always murky and who is having way too much fun with the treacherous situation at hand. Hahn is clearly the star in Agatha All Along and rightfully takes the spotlight, but Plaza is undeniably captivating right beside her.
VERDICT: 7/10
Agatha All Along is a fitting follow-up to WandaVision and perfect viewing this Halloween season. After a strong start, the show gets quite convoluted with a confusing narrative and dense witch mythology and lore before it finds its footing again. When things settle down, the series becomes unexpectedly surreal and hallucinogenic, with each episode featuring a dreamy, reality-bending atmosphere and plot. With a tone that takes after quirky witch tales like Hocus Pocus and a brilliant ensemble of witches bouncing witty one-liners off one another, the show always entertains, even if things become a bit narratively unwieldly and aesthetically trippy. Kathryn Hahn seamlessly steps back into the role that won audiences over in WandaVision, and adds new dimensions to a character once seen mostly as a villain. Aubrey Plaza, meanwhile, captivates as a mysterious figure with ties to Agatha’s past in a show that embraces LGBTQ+ imagery and characters more overtly than any MCU project to date. Agatha All Along may stumble at times, but it is undoubtedly a different flavor of MCU programming, one that will fit in perfectly with your viewing plans this spooky season.