Marvel's Agatha All Along is a spooky and campy delight, but I wish the bewitching Disney Plus show fully embraced its horror roots
Date:
Thu, 19 Sep 2024 01:00:30 +0000
Description:
Agatha All Along has made its spooky season debut on Disney Plus here's my spoiler-light review of its first three episodes.
FULL STORY ======================================================================
Mild spoilers follow for Agatha All Along 's first three episodes. Full spoilers also follow for WandaVision .
"Who asked for this?" it's an eye-roll-inducing question that Marvel fans, myself included, have seen countless times since Agatha All Along was first announced in November 2021. In some people's minds, the forthcoming WandaVision spin-off is not just a superfluous addition to the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), but also a miniseries that, if handled incorrectly, might even sully the reputation of Marvel Studios' first-ever and arguably most popular TV project.
The comic book giant may not have polled its global fanbase on whether an Agatha Harkness-led show was necessary, but I'm glad they didn't. Agatha All Along is an enchanting, kooky, and occasionally spine-chilling WandaVision companion piece that confidently straddles the exploratory line between its weighty content, expansion of the MCU 's horror-filled corner, and being a campy romp that puts a modern spin on classic witch tropes. Previously on WandaVision Agatha All Along opens with the titular witch still trapped in Wanda Maximoff's spell (Image credit: Marvel Television/Disney Plus)
Agatha All Along begins three years after WandaVision 's final episode ,
with Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) still trapped in the reality-altering spell that Elizabeth Olsen's Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch placed her in after their Westview showdown.
However, with the aid of her spurned and unhinged ex Rio Vidal (Aubrey
Plaza), plus a mysterious Familiar known as Teen ( Heartstopper 's Joe
Locke), Agatha manages to claw her way out of her Hex-based mind prison. Unfortunately, her problems aren't over not only is Agatha still powerless after Wanda drained her of her sorcery-based abilities, but a powerful and covert organization called The Salem Seven are hunting her for reasons unknown.
If it sounds like there's a fair amount to set up in Agatha All Along, that's because there is
But Teen has a solution: all Agatha has to do is survive The Witches' Road, a life-threatening realm that few witches have successfully navigated, and she'll regain her powers. Cue a mind-bending, fun-filled, and harrowing journey "down, down, down The Witches' Road" that'll test Agatha, Teen he wants to walk it for reasons of his own and their hastily assembled coven of fellow misfit magic wielders, all of whom are vital in traversing the dangerous dimension.
If it sounds like there's a fair amount to set up in Agatha All Along ,
that's because there is. Like WandaVision , I found the first of its two planned TV spin-offs to be as much of a slow burn as Marvel's first Disney Plus foray, though I suspect some will argue that, with the new characters it has to introduce (more on this later) and the fact it's been over three years since WandaVision debuted on one of the world's best streaming services , a methodical approach to its early narrative is a necessity. Agatha All Along only begins to find its feet in its second episode (Image credit: Marvel Television/Disney Plus)
Even so, Agatha bizarrely spends the bulk of episode one in the warped
reality of a crime drama not unlike True Detective , or Scandinavian police procedurals including Wallander and The Killing . Sure, it's a novel
expansion of the television/sitcom genre storytelling that WandaVision was built upon, but I found it to be extraneous from plot and runtime perspectives. MCU newcomers, for whom Agatha All Along may be their introduction into Marvel's ever-evolving cinematic franchise, will benefit from this creativity-laced plot exposition but, as a Marvel veteran, it added little to my viewing experience.
Agatha All Along ratchets up the humor, spookiness, and high-stakes moments that'll... define this hair-raising yet rollicking series
Once Agatha breaks out of her mental jail, however, things quickly heat up and I'm not just talking about her sexually charged run-in with Rio at Agatha's Westview home.
From the enigma that is Locke's Teen and the revelations about The Witches' Road, to the assembling of Agatha's maverick coven and the creepy
introduction of The Salem Seven, Agatha All Along ratchets up the humor, spookiness, and high-stakes moments that'll come to define this hair-raising yet rollicking Marvel Phase 5 series. Showrunner Jac Schaeffer, alongside her fellow writers and executive producers, have struck a pleasing tonal and visual balance that instils Agatha All Along with its own identity without discarding many of the elements that made WandaVision one of the best Disney Plus shows around. It's an equilibrious act that few shows, especially ones with a superhero and/or comic book slant, have executed effectively but,
three episodes in, Agatha All Along is showing it will through its nine-episode run. Witches, assemble! Teen (first left), Rio (second left),
and Jennifer Kale (right) are all part of Agatha's fractious coven (Image credit: Marvel Television/Disney Plus)
Agatha All Along is at its bewitching best, though, once the titular sorceress' ragtag group of dark magic outcasts join forces albeit reluctantly, in some cases to traverse The Witches' Road.
Okay, it's the mysteries surrounding Teen and The Salem Seven that'll initially spark the most interest in viewers, and I fully expect to see numerous wild fan theories about their identities immediately after its two-episode premiere. Until those puzzling subplots are resolved in later episodes, though, Agatha All Along 's biggest strength lies in its compelling character-driven moments and a dysfunctional family vibe that reminded me of another of Marvel's found families in Guardians of the Galaxy .
Agatha All Along hangs its hat on compelling character-driven moments and a dysfunctional family vibe
And maladjusted Agatha's coven most certainly is. Debra Jo Rupp's Sharon Davies, the comic relief and only non-sorceress of the group,
notwithstanding, the other witches Jennifer Kale (Sasheer Kamata), Lilia Calderu (Patti LuPone), Alice Wu-Gulliver (Ali Ahn), and Plaza's Rio all
have an ax to grind with Agatha. Despite their obvious dislike for the conniving and callous protagonist and her suspicious plan, the quintet agree to joining Agatha's quest with the promise that grand rewards await them, which provides ample opportunity for spicy and venomous melodrama, as well as lashings of delightfully awkward humor, to unfold amid their strained collaboration. Teen and Agatha's dynamic takes center stage throughout Agatha All Along (Image credit: Marvel Television/Disney Plus)
I venture we'll learn more about these characters' backstories, their inner demons, group dynamics, and relations to Agatha (the one she shares with Rio will be especially fascinating, given Plaza's lethal-yet-aloof scene-stealing performance) as the series progresses. But, it's evident from the get-go that the serendipitous nature of Agatha and Teen's bond is what'll really drive
the plot forward. Hahn and Locke have a natural chemistry that's easy on the eye, subtly amusing in its unexpected buddy cop makeup, and, even this early into its episodic run, emotionally impactful. Keen as I am to see them interact with the rest of the supporting cast, I hope their relationship doesn't get lost in the fabric of the show with each passing episode. Scare and serenade me more, Marvel Aubrey Plaza's Rio Vidal has a small but significant role to play in the first three episodes (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney Plus)
If there's two things I'm disappointed with so far, it's Agatha All Along 's reluctance to wholeheartedly lean into its horror and musical sensibilities.
I really want to see Agatha All Along adopt a braver, fright-filled stance
Okay, on the terror front, Agatha All Along is an extension of WandaVision 's 16-plus/TV-14 story, so it's bound to the same or similar thematic, visual, and storytelling guidelines that its progenitor was. And yes, as part of a huge Disney Plus show update delivered by Marvel TV chief Brad Winderbaum in July, I should've known that a series Winderbaum labeled as a "Marvel brand
of scary" was probably going to play it safe in the gore, jump-scare and psychological horror stakes. Heck, Moon Knight and Werewolf by Night , which were similarly teased as full-blown horror offerings, didn't go as hard as I liked, even though I enjoyed them immensely. Agatha All Along 's early episodes are atmospherically spooky, rather than genuinely terrifying (Image credit: Marvel Television/Disney Plus)
Unfortunately, while Agatha All Along 's trailers and awesome, horror film-inspired posters suggest it might not only break the mould, but also fully embrace a genre it's tailor-made for, it's yet to convince me it will. There are unsettling moments, such as The Salem Seven's creepy introduction
as they advance on Agatha's home in episode 2. Some brief psychological
horror sequences that occur in its third episode are also discomforting in their art direction, filmmaking style, and deep-seated trauma
characteristics.
I was anticipating more in the way of catchy original songs in Agatha's early episodes
Those instances, though, are the extent of the scares in Marvel's final live-action show of 2024. The comic titan has already proved it can go
further in in the supernatural, body horror, and Lovecraftian stakes just look at the Scarlet Witch scenes in Doctor Strange 2 , the cosmic trippiness of its forebear, or even the undead nightmare scenes in Spider-Man: Far From Home and What If...? season 1's zombies episode. I really want to see Agatha All Along adopt a braver, fright-filled stance in the six episodes that follow, especially as it leads us down the horror-based rabbit hole with its Hereditary -meets- The Wizard of Oz storyline. Contrary to popular belief, Agatha All Along isn't a full-blown musical, either (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney Plus)
And what of its musical elements? Considering Agatha's standalone series has been billed as a dark comedy musical since rumors of the WandaVision spin-off's existence first emerged in October 2021 , I was anticipating more catchy and original songs in its early episodes. 'The Ballad of the Witches' Road' is the only addition thus far, albeit it's a pleasingly constructed ditty that, thanks to the harmonies and vocal range of the show's primary and supporting cast, wonderfully builds to a euphonious crescendo in episode 2's final act.
As with its somewhat underwhelming horror characteristics, I'm willing to
give it more time to deliver on the musical front. Maybe my confidence is misplaced, but I'm optimistic Agatha All Along will deliver more frights and earworm jingles to assuage my concerns in the weeks ahead. My verdict
Three episodes in, Agatha All Along is an unapologetically queer, amusingly catty, and enchantingly twisted MCU offering that'll make for ideal viewing this Halloween. Unless it becomes a full-blown horror spectacle, I doubt
it'll be the dark and spine-chilling show I'd really like it to be. Even if
it does, I doubt it'll ever become my favorite MCU TV series of all-time.
Nonetheless, there's enough cackle-inducing entertainment value to be had
with its morally ambiguous characters, spectral glamor, and like The Penguin on Max the magical deconstruction of its tragic villain lead for MCU
veterans and casual horror enthusiasts to enjoy. I'm sure its target audience will get an even bigger kick out of what's on offer, too and, after all of those "who asked for this?" accusations, Marvel won't care one jot about
those dissenting voices if they do.
Agatha All Along's first two episodes are out now on Disney Plus. New episodes air weekly until the two-part finale on October 30 (US) and October 31 (UK and Australia).
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Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/streaming/disney-plus/agatha-all-along-marvel-disney -plus-op-ed
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