Once upon a time , the television side of theMarvel Cinematic Universeseemed shiny , new , and astonishingly promising . That metre seems like a distant memory now — even though it was only three years ago . In former 2021,WandaVisionended the MCU ’s pandemic - enforced yearlong break and usher in what seemed like a new era for the multimedia system franchise . A cross between a character - driven superhero story and a dear letter to television history , WandaVisionreally was n’t like anything else that Marvel Studios had made before . adequate parts funny , tragic , and class - breaking , the serial encouraged possibility - craft and save viewers entertained on a workweek - to - week footing , all while spotlighting a performance from Elizabeth Olsen that finger spell - binding and genuinely revelatory .
For a abbreviated period , WandaVisionmadethe MCU ’s futureseem brighter than ever . That promise has n’t just dimmed since then but wholly bite out . It is notwithstanding admirable to watch Marvel ’s recent goggle box offer , Agatha All Along , adjudicate to rekindle it . Across its first four episode , theWandaVisionspinoff does its best to both call back to the past and chip at a young path forward for itself and its witchy characters . While the serial publication reminds one in its best moments ofWandaVision‘s clever , tongue - in - boldness mother wit of formal fun , though , it also ca n’t escape many of the flaws that have drag down other late MCU efforts . It ’s an unpaired mix of older and new , lively and unwieldy , and it is kept afloat by a group of actors who — in an more and more rare occurrence for the MCU — actually seem like they want to be here .
In what has to be one of the most playful and economic routine of MCU storytelling in years , Agatha All Alongspends its opening minutes at the same time answer fan question , snap jokes , and creating clear threads between it , WandaVision , and 2022’sDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness . This extended prologue , the details of which are best provide unspoiled , seesWandaVisionandAgathacreator Jac Schaeffer operate at a level of confidence as a writer that feels now refreshing . Unlike the cockiness ofDeadpool & Wolverine , which is used to cover up some of the most inelegant storytelling in the MCU ’s history , Agatha All Along‘s authority is mostly earned , too . This is a series that — even when it is deform itself to look like another — know just what it is .
There are long ( condone the pun ) spells inAgatha All Along‘s first two episodes in which it seems contented to have itself and its lead , Agatha Harkness ( a command Kathryn Hahn ) , have as much playfulness as potential . The sense of narrative space in these sections has become hard to happen in the MCU , and soAgatha All Alongfeels , at first , like a much - call for modification of yard for its enfranchisement . Things get mismatched and a spot wonky , however , once the series is forced to abandon its initial , laidback cool in party favour of more on - the - nose plotting and MCU - flavored action . It is n’t long before Hahn ’s Agatha has wake from the spell that Olsen ’s Wanda Maximoff snare her in at the goal ofWandaVision . When she does , she ’s horror-stricken to attain that her witching powers are move . unluckily for Agatha , that leaves her vulnerable to the vengeance of all of her many witchy enemy .
With nowhere else to turn , Agatha is forced to walk the legendarily dangerous Witches ’ Road to seek to get her powers back . In social club to do so , she must assemble a coven of similarly desperate witches to walk the Road with her . These kooky eccentrics turn out to be Lilia Calderu ( Patti LuPone ) , a divination witch who has grown shopworn of making penny translate other citizenry ’s fortunes ; Jennifer Kale ( Sasheer Zamata ) , a sorceress and potions master who lost access to her powers long time ago ; Alice Wu - Gulliver ( Ali Ahn ) , a burnout “ shielder enchantress ” who is haunt by the death of her magical beldame mother ; Rio Vidal ( Aubrey Plaza ) , a dangerous hag who shares a shady history with Agatha ; and Sharon Davis ( returningWandaVisionstar Debra Jo Rupp ) , a normal human womanhood experience in Westview whom Agatha coerces into take the air the Witches ’ Road with her . A cryptical , magic - haunt tike drifter know only as “ Teen ” ( Joe Locke ) also convinces Agatha to rent him mark along for the ride .
At the end of the Witches ’ route lies a well of want - fulling power that Agatha and the member of her coven will be able to divide up . That is , of course , if they can survive the trials that lie between them and their swag . These tryout are custom - fit for each coven phallus , and they need them to subdue — through often zany substance — the harm of their past . Stylistically , these pit stops giveAgatha All Alonga chance to alter its look every episode and focus on a dissimilar member of its corroborate form . They also require Schaeffer and her writers to do a hatful of singing instead of exhibit , which results in otherwise adorably funny characters like Ahn ’s Alice and Zamata ’s Jennifer explaining the details of their backstories — sometimes while we are also seeing them visualized onscreen .
Agatha All Along‘s trials , therefore , find clunkier than the rest of the show . They impel it to frequently leave alone its Witches ’ Road fix behind as well , which is attractively rendered by the serial ’ production team and suitsAgatha All Along‘s spooky story better than any of the Road ’s supernaturally adjure prisons . These detours are , frankly , less fun than everything elseAgatha All Alonghas to offer . The series works well when it is letting its actors jape , wander , and — in sure instances — let the cat out of the bag together . Its writing and characterizations are crafted at an over - the - top rake that perfectly become actors like Ahn , Zamata , Plaza , LuPone , and Hahn .
Zamata and LuPone , in particular , show to be redoubtable scene thief over the line ofAgatha All Along‘s first four episodes , and their foundation provoke some of the series ’ biggest laughs . They arethestandouts in what is one of the intimately supporting casts in recent MCU account . That said , Agatha All Alongis primarily held together by Hahn , who finagle to turn over a Marvel - produced superhero show into yet another well - deserve case of her many talents . The actress well slide back into herWandaVisionrole — leaning again into Agatha ’s theatrical villainy while also give her more emotional profoundness than her last TV serial was willing to allow for .
As Agatha , Hahn is probably fierce and yet tender , maniacal and lovely . The actress ’ comedic skill have seemingly only sharped over the years , and even when she ’s sharing the screen with a equal to performer like LuPone , Hahn never lets you doubt who the limelight belong to inAgatha All Along . Its lusterless action and stretches of forced , in - your - nerve exposition frequently drag the series down , and it lacks — perhaps a bit ineluctably — both the elegance and freshness of its parent show . The biggest thingAgatha All Alongultimately has in common withWandaVisionis that its greatest strength is n’t its welcome gumption of humour or ever - develop style , but its central performance .
Like Olsen before her , Hahn has take an expensive addition to an already unwieldy enfranchisement and made it her own . That ’s a magic trick deserving celebrate — even ifAgatha All Alongfrequently struggles to live up to its ace ’s greatness .
The first two episodes ofAgatha All Alongare streaming now on Disney+ . New episodes premier each week on Wednesdays . Digital Trends was given early access to the serial ’ first four installments .
