I don't even know where to start. I am at a loss for words, which is rather uncommon because I talk a lot. I grew up watching Marvel movies, from the “Iron Man” movies to the “Spider-Man” movies (the Tom Holland ones are the best). However, since 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame,” which featured the death of Iron Man, it is almost like Marvel has gone entirely off the rails and is just producing shows for the money. With this, it’s no surprise their newest show, “Agatha All Along,” is entirely unnecessary, features slightly disturbing themes that clash with the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and overall does not make sense. Needless to say, I am not a fan of this irrelevant show.
(Quick disclaimer: I am not saying that all of the new Marvel television shows are bad; in fact, one of my favorite shows is “Loki,” which centers around the titular antihero and his ability to time travel. I wanted to add this in here before my very long rant.)
“Agatha All Along” depicts the main characters Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) and Wiccan (Joe Locke) as they travel along the “Witches’ Road” with their coven, which is composed of five witches who specialize in different areas of witchcraft. As the group journeys, they face trials related to their personalities or witch specialties. Not creepy or ominous at all, right?
I have never been one to believe in the mythological and witchcraft stuff, if you will. I am not one to have my palm read or have someone read my aura, and I do not read deeply into how astrology signs supposedly determine personality. It is a waste of time and money, and it should go without saying that stars determining your personality has no scientific backing. Therefore, I find their presence as central themes in “Agatha All Along” ridiculous. This is one of the first times these specific themes have appeared in a Marvel television series, making it so out of the ordinary that it just doesn’t make sense. Yes, I understand that the show is fiction, but these themes are just irritating distractions that clash with the underlying spirit of Marvel, which typically revolves around ideas like “superhero saves the day” or “superhero confronts and resolves a public issue.” This raises the question: why did Marvel release this?
Overall, the show hardly references the larger MCU, aside from a single character, Wanda. She was mentioned briefly in the show’s trailer — the only real promotion for the series — and then referenced just once or twice during the episodes. As someone unfamiliar with the connection between Wanda and Agatha, what does that offer me? Nothing. Where’s the background? Why does Agatha hate Wanda? If Wanda is part of the storyline, why doesn’t she appear? These were the questions I had while watching. A flashback or some deeper exploration of their relationship would have been incredibly helpful.
That said, one thing that I can appreciate about the show is the costume design. Throughout the show, the characters wore several different outfits as they went through the “trials.” These outfits ranged from super fancy to hippy to laid-back. I enjoy this aspect of the show, as it hits on many different periods and allows for dynamic costumes that alternate through many different patterns and colors.
While the two main actors did a fantastic job bringing their characters to life, I found “Agatha All Along” disappointing. It seems so out of place in the MCU and simply does not make sense. Honestly, this show gives me a “Wednesday” wanna-be vibe.
