Review: AGATHA ALL ALONG Puts a Spell on the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Since its inception, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been full of surprises. No one could have predicted the success of “Iron Man” back in 2008. Then, after the Avengers were assembled, there was no way to tell that the Guardians of the Galaxy would be the next big superhero team. Now, they’re so well known that there are two theme park attractions based on their adventures. And when it comes to “WandaVision,” the first Marvel Studios show to debut on the then-brand new streaming service Disney+, who would have thought that Agatha Harkness would be among the biggest breakout characters from the cast? Though she is steeped in Marvel history thanks to connections to the Fantastic Four and Wanda Maximoff, the powerful witch was a relatively obscure piece of the Marvel puzzle until Kathryn Hahn brought her to life in the 2021 streaming series. True Believers simply fell in love with the villainous spell-caster thanks to the acclaimed actor’s charismatic performance and one hell of a theme song. So much so in fact that the architects of the MCU deemed it fitting to give her a spinoff. And now, just in time for the Halloween season, we finally have the chance to check out “Agatha All Along.” 

Set three years after the Scarlet Witch’s Westview anomaly, AKA The Hex, the miniseries picks up with Hahn’s Harkness trapped in the spell cast by her rival. But rather than just being sentenced to life as a nosy neighbor, the once-powerful magic user was living out her own TV show in a similar fashion to Wanda’s own time in the town. That is, until she is broken out of the trance by some unexpected factors. With her memories restored, Harkness assembles her own team to help her regain the power she once possessed.  

To quote another breakout MCU character from Disney+ that unexpectedly stuck with fans (Madisynn King from “She-Hulk: Attorney At Law”), the first two episodes of “Agatha All Along” were “fun, then scary, then fun again, then spooky, but in a fun way.” While that just about covers it pretty succinctly, part of what makes this show so good is how intricately things are woven together by series creator Jac Schaeffer and company. The team expertly bridges the gap between this show and “WandaVision” by utilizing a similar thematic element where Agatha is also living in a world modeled after iconic TV shows. But instead of sitcoms, we’re dealing with crime dramas, particularly “True Detective.” Although, this doesn’t continue to the point where we’re just retreading the same path. We get allusions to the original show scattered throughout some exposition, then we’re thrust right into the new adventure. With only nine episodes in the run, there’s no time to waste on too many cumbersome callbacks and recycled references.

But isn’t that what makes a great spinoff? Shows like “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” “Mork and Mindy,” and “Frasier” quickly establish their own agenda in order to separate themselves from what came before. While “Agatha All Along” may not be in the same league as these seminal series just yet, we’re off to a great start. The first two episodes bring together an eclectic cast of both old and new characters and thrust them into action. Of course, not everything is revealed up front, as a growing collection of mysteries is sprinkled throughout these chapters as well. What’s the deal with Joe Locke’s character, who is currently only known as Teen? Who is Nicholas Scratch? Why is Agatha being pursued by the Salem Seven? What unknown dangers await the coven on The Witches’ Road? And will Mephisto finally appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Okay, maybe that last one isn’t that important, but it will be exciting to see how the answers to the other questions are uncovered as the story progresses.

Despite the various stories depicting magic in the MCU in the past, “Agatha All Along” feels different than its predecessors. That could have a lot to do with the scale of this story as a TV show versus a movie, the caliber of cast (including standouts like the phenomenal Aubrey Plaza as Rio Vidal and the legendary Patti LuPone as Lilia Calderu), Hahn’s magnetic presence, or even the unsettling pursuit of the Salem Seven that really plays into the horror/supernatural elements of the story. But it really is the mystery that will keep audiences tuning in. And we’re not just talking about the plot. “Agatha All Along” and the character of Agatha Harkness aren’t necessarily bogged down by decades of well-known mythology. This show feels like one of the MCU’s more original projects and one that might even be an easy jumping-on point for those looking to test the waters with the House of Ideas. Time will tell if that statement holds true by the time the season (or series?) finale on October 30, but so far it seems like it will be an exciting ride to get there whether you’re a long-time Marvel fan or not.

Score: 4/5

New episodes of “Agatha All Along” debut on Disney+ every Wednesday at 6:00pm PST.