On Sept. 18, Marvel concluded Phase Five of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the launch of “Agatha All Along” and explored deeper into a previously untouched topic by Marvel — witchcraft. The show introduces a strong cast of both veterans and newcomers that add an intriguing layer to the puzzle.
The series is mostly set around the main character, Agatha Harkness (Katherine Hahn), a witch who has lost her powers due to the manipulation of the Scarlet Witch. Suddenly, without the ability to cast spells or perform magic, she turns to the assistance of a disgruntled boy known simply as Teen (Joe Locke). Together, they meet a group of aspiring witches, Sharon Davis (Debra Jo Rupp), Jennifer Kale (Sasheer Zamata), and Lillia Calderu (Patti Lupone), to attain these powers for themselves. The plot revolves around Agatha and the group of witches, also known as a coven, attempting to travel down the mysterious Witches Road and face its trials to receive mystical powers that could help change their destinies.
Since this show is essentially a sequel to “Wandavision,” the show starts off with a similar vibe, also taking on the aesthetic of TV shows. ”Wandavision” is centered around Wanda Maximoff and her spouse, Vision, an android who attempts to live out their life in a perfect suburban television show. Unfortunately, this life is all but an illusion, and countless troubles after another lead to Wanda going into hiding. In contrast, while “Wandavision” starts as a charming 1950s black-and-white show, “Agatha All Along” begins as a chilling murder mystery, similar to the likes of “Law and Order.” Agnes O’Connor, the main character, investigates the unexplained death of “Jane Doe.” She is given a paper with the book title “Dialogue and Rhetoric Known History of Learning & Debate.” Eerie and unsettled music fills the air with obscurity and wonderment around the question, who is this Jane Doe, and what does this evidence have to do with her? The audience is then revealed to Rio Vidal. Our first impression of her is that she is a nonchalant, no-fuss federal agent. Plaza excellently captures the essence of a potential rival to our main character, Agatha.
We later learn that the book’s title secretly spells out “Darkhold,” referencing a mysterious object that holds immense power in the Marvel Universe that was destroyed in “Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness.” Due to the inclusion of this mystical object into the show, it’s also revealed that “Jane Doe” is actually Wanda Maximoff, the Scarlet Witch who was the main character in Wandavision, who cast the spell that made Agnes, now known as Agatha Harkness, forget who she was, and perish during the conclusion of Doctor Strange Multiverse of Madness.
At the conclusion of the first episode, “Seekest Thou Road,” the viewers learn plot points such as the goal of Agatha attempting to travel the “Witches Road” in an effort to regain her powers again. Aubrey Plaza’s character, “Rio Vidal,” is secretly the “Green Witch,” an old enemy of Harkness, which could add depth and layers to the story. Her portrayal of the role as a creature bent on the intent of revenge plays perfectly with Harkness as they contrast each other with sarcasm but also have similar profiles of a classic Joker vs Batman scenario. Two menacing characters that oppositely hate each other but also have mutual respect towards each other.
Throughout this episode, the overall quality of the production is comparable to Marvel’s “Secret Invasion” as they both have decent fight choreography but are limited in the type of shots that they can attempt. A lessened amount of CGI usage was welcome and surprising as it added a sense of reality that wasn’t apparent in earlier Marvel productions.
“Agatha All Along” does a decent job of introducing new personalities to the MCU and evolves Harkness into an anti-hero. Viewers can look forward to an overall solid first episode with a great music score and engaging performances.
