Summary
Marvel Studios officially made the jump to the small screen in January 2021, when the studio premiered its first Disney+ series,WandaVision. The series focused on Wanda Maximoff, as played by Elizabeth Olsen, as she struggled to deal with hergrief over the loss of Vision. It also followed a foe of Wanda’s, Agatha Harkness,as played by Kathryn Hahn. The nosy neighbor turned villainous witch was one of the biggest highlights of the series, quickly resulting in Marvel Studios' ordering the spinoff series,Agatha All Along.
The spinoff series, which would follow the events ofWandaVision, would focus on Kathryn Hahn’s Agatha as she found herself stuck in Westview under a spell cast by the Scarlet Witch. It was the first spinoff series ordered by Marvel Studios, and one that proved to be surprising among fans, who took note of the studio’s continued struggles with its television shows. However,Agatha All Alonghas managed to successfully do something that is bound to surprise many. The series has managed to not only recapture the magic ofWandaVision, but also find a way to stand on its own.
What Agatha All Along Does Best
Three episodes in andAgatha All Alonghas already proven to be a major course correction for Marvel Studios on the small screen. Not only is it the first series to be released under the reborn Marvel Television banner, but the series is also the first spinoff series released by the studio. More importantly, however, theseries has managed to earn a fresh ratingon Rotten Tomatoes with 83%. That’s an uptick from Secret Invasion’s 52% rating, andShe-Hulk’s 79%. The series doesn’t attempt to beWandaVision, but ratherdraws inspiration from its predecessor, finding new ways to incorporateWandaVision’s use of various settings. In the case ofAgatha All Along, this works wonderfully as it helps to showcase Agatha’s confusion after being released from the spell, but also as she has to deal with the repercussions of her actions - bothconcerning a certain childand her powers. While past Marvel Television shows, likeThe Falcon and the Winter SoldierandSecret Invasion,Agatha All Alongfeels as if it was properly treated like a television series rather than a broken-down Marvel movie made for the small screen. Despite all the magic and the use of episodic storytelling,Agatha All Alongis very much a character study first and foremost.
Prior toAgatha All Along, Marvel Studios sought to treat its television shows like mini-films. The studio often focused on hiring head writers rather than showrunners. This often resulted in shows that were uneven, with no clear path of storytelling, and shows that felt unnecessary to the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe and the story being told. Thankfully, after issues with its offerings, Marvel Studios decided to revisit how it produced its television shows. Not only did the studio revive the Marvel Television banner, but it also started hiring showrunners and ensuring proper writers rooms were assembled for forthcoming projects.Agatha All Along, which sees Jac Schaeffer return as the showrunner, is the first project to follow since the new studio implications, and the series is all the better for it. As it stands,Agatha All Along, likeWandaVision, is an exciting character study that isn’t afraid to try different methods to tell its leading lady’s story.
How Agatha All Along Compares to WandaVision
WandaVisionandAgatha All Alongboth hail from Schaeffer, but despite being set in the same world and being created by Schaeffer, they are very much their own series.WandaVisionfocused on Wanda’s grief as it overpowered her. With the show’s constant changing eras, Wanda often came off as an unreliable narrator. It was hard to decipher reality from fiction as Wanda made everything feel real. In the case of Agatha, it’s clear early on that things are wrong. The moment we see the “body” appear in the woods, the veil begins to lift - so to speak. The face is never shown, but the hoodie and jeans seem to suggestit is someone the audience knows, and onceAubrey Plaza makes her first appearance as Rio, it’s evident there’s something off about Westview’s newest resident. Both series are very much connected, as Wanda’s presence is felt throughoutAgatha All Alongdespite her never appearing on-the-screen, but they also stand on their own. Agatha is still very much a troubled character who clearly has a history full of secrets, some of which appear to be tied to the Darkhold.
What makes the shows work as companion pieces, though, is that Schaeffer and her writers are not afraid to delve into the negatives of the leading ladies. Wanda and Agatha are far from perfect, and both women have clearly suffered loss, but they have gone about handling their grief very, very differently.Agatha All Alongstands on its own, allowing its coven to shine, but also understands how to handle Agatha’s past with Wanda, all while moving forward with her desire to be back at her best. It doesn’t feel bogged down by too much story. In fact, the series seems to have a very tight hold on its story, much likeWandaVision, and that’s a good thing for the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe on the small screen.
Agatha All Alongis now streaming on Disney+ with new episodesreleasing every Wednesdayevening.
