It has become a cliché at this point, but Marvel’s Agatha All Along is truly unlike anything we’ve seen to this point in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. An Agatha Harkness series was certainly not on the Bingo cards of Marvel fans in the early days of the MCU, but thanks to the character’s popularity found in WandaVision, it was only a matter of time until we saw her on Disney+ again.
The infamous Agatha Harkness finds herself down and out of power after a suspicious goth Teen helps break her free from a distorted spell. Her interest is piqued when he begs her to take him on the legendary Witches’ Road, a magical gauntlet of trials that, if survived, rewards a witch with what they’re missing. Together, Agatha and this mysterious Teen pull together a desperate coven, and set off down, down, down The Road…
Addressing the horrifying elephant in the room, this new series is certainly different from anything we’ve seen in the MCU to this point. Yes, Marvel has dipped a toe into the horror genre in the past with Werewolf by Night, but while that special presentation was an homage to classic monster movies, Agatha All Along goes down the road of horror comedy. This series will push the envelope for what you though you could see on Disney+, for more reasons than one.
And while some great laughs are nothing new to the MCU, giving Kathryn Hahn the reins is a recipe for hilarity. Her comedic indifference drives the early episodes and as the show gets darker and darker, a twisted sense of humor begins to shine. It may not land for everyone, but the right audience is going to love it.
Hahn wastes no time proving herself as a leading lady in the MCU, showing off both comedic and dramatic chops. However, she is flanked by one of Marvel’s strongest supporting casts in some time. Joe Locke is instantly lovable and brings the heart to this series while Debra Jo Rupp is as delightful as always and brings the Hart to this series. (Get it?) Aubrey Plaza also gets plenty of chances to shine and she delivers in every way you would expect. Ali Ahn and Sasheer Zamata provide both comedy and depth for the series and, of course, Patti LuPone delivers an incredible performance as well. Altogether, this unlikely crew of MCU additions mesh perfectly.
And while this is different from what we typically see in the MCU, it still offers plenty to excite the Marvel fans. There are plenty of references to both characters we’ve seen already in the MCU and to some who have not yet made an appearance. It will certainly be interesting to see how this series connects to the bigger picture and what new characters we might see pop up.
Likewise, fans of WandaVision will also be very pleased with this new series. More specifically, fans of the way WandaVision played with genre from episode to episode. Agatha All Along also has some fun testing the waters of different styles and it keeps the show feeling fresh. You never know what’s coming next when you start a new episode. And of course, the music will make fans happy as well.
Overall, Agatha All Along is a new type of hit for Marvel. Of course, with it not following the cookie cutter type of super hero story, there will be voices calling for the downfall of the MCU, but those who are looking for something new will enjoy it. The fresh story and incredible cast deliver an exciting new project that takes a very different path. And again, that path does lead to some things you may not expect to see on Disney+, so keep that in mind as well.
Marvel’s Agatha All Along is now streaming on Disney+.