As a sequel to Marvel’s hit show “WandaVision,” “Agatha All Along” bubbles magic and intrigue, chronicling the enthralling journey that comes with being a witch. From iconic characters to mesmerizing spells, “Agatha: All Along” successfully follows in its predecessor’s footsteps, creating a one-of-a-kind story filled with the mysterious allure of the Witch’s Road.
The show creates a thrilling sense of suspense with the discovery of a dead body in Westview, three years after Wanda steals Agatha’s (Kathryn Han) powers and memories of being a witch. Wanda, who disappeared during the collapse of Darkhold Castle in “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” (2022), is implied to be the victim; the crushed body’s face is never seen, but the red hair and fingers corrupted with dark magic are signatures of Wanda. The writers brilliantly use this development to return Agatha’s memories and send her on a journey to recover her magic.
Agatha’s character is developed beyond that of just a power-hungry witch, however. Her genuine fondness for Nicholas Scratch, a new character, promises a more fleshed out and human character than the somewhat two-dimensional Agatha seen in “WandaVision.” A combination of heartfelt storytelling and Hahn’s superb acting shows that witches can be more than just cruel spell-casting antagonists in this series.
The introduction of the Salem Seven and Rio Vidal (Aubrey Plaza) also adds to the chilling, supernatural quality of the show with the darkened background, haunting music and nature slowly turning destructive upon their arrival. This sets the scene for a greater power and villain to come.
Although the overall plot shows promise, the dialogue is somewhat lackluster and banal. Agatha has lost some of her sassy fun from “WandaVision,” and her interrogation scene with Teen (Joe Locke) feels childish at best, using cliché taunts such as “provoking the bear” and “lacking a perfect life.”
Some plot points, such as Agatha appearing naked in front of the whole town and eating a piece of paper, appear to have been included as a subpar attempt at comedic relief, contributing nothing to the development of either characters or plot.
The first-rate production design makes up for some of the writing’s flaws by maintaining an eerie quality. Designer Daniel Selon flawlessly uses Vidal’s sleek black outfit to feature her intimidating presence and dresses Sasheer Zamata’s (Jennifer Kale) in white pastel to showcase elegance and sophistication. As there has been very little use of CGI so far, fans can only hope those match the quality expected from Marvel Studios, an aspect that remains to be seen.
“The Ballad of the Witch’s Road” by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, which is used as a spellsong to access the Witch’s Road, includes a mesmerizing melody that creates a unique, hypnotic effect at the end of the pilot, marvelously setting up future episodes to come.
While only the first two episodes have been released so far, the series shows promise in expanding the Marvel Cinematic Universe and developing Agatha as a character, making it a worthwhile watch for viewers. Although she may currently act childish, the current episodes set her up for a far more serious journey that will hopefully reflect the wisdom she’s gained from centuries of being a witch instead of a teenage girl.
“Agatha All Along” will be released every Wednesday on Disney+ at 6 p.m. for the remaining seven episodes.
