Agatha à chaque fois

I came in to Agatha All Along with no pre-conceived ideas or having done any looking in to the back story. So, it wasn't until I was deep in and watching Episode 6 (?) that I realized that it had a connection to the Marvel Cinematic Universe - WandaVision in particular. I felt scammed and peeved.

Well, having gotten engaged in Agatha All Along, I paused it and had to watch WandaVission. While WandaVision has some critical element as back story to Agatha All Along, it is pretty tangential (and - IMO - a much lesser show than Agatha All Along).

Well I finished E6, then dove in to E7-E9 and have to really give the show credit. The acting is superb across the board, with Hahn as Agatha being a standout. The sets have an off beat, original perspective as the show moves along. Most of all, the trials the characters go through and their growth is well done. The show keeps an engaging, adult story line, none of the usual sugar coating where everyone ends up ok in the end.

While I don't think the connection to the MCU was necessary, it is what it is. And, it does not detract unduly from the overall show. I would likely watch a season two if in the offing.

This limited series, a sequel to WandaVision, follows Agatha, still trapped in Westview and stripped of her powers. Her situation changes when a mysterious teenager frees her, and together they embark on a quest along the Witch's Road, a mythical path said to grant travelers their greatest desire-in Agatha's case, the restoration of her powers. To navigate the trials of the road, they must assemble a coven representing the five witch specialties: Earth (green magic), Water (potion magic), Fire (protection magic), Air (divination magic), and Spirit. As they journey through the road's trials, tensions arise within the group, with secrets and hidden motives threatening their success, and they soon discover that nothing on the Witch's Road is as it seems. Overall, due to clever pop-culture references to classic horror and witch-themed features, chilling moments of genuine terror, a remarkable ensemble cast, -especially Hahn's electrifying performance as the titular character- and wicked dark humor, this show was really good, and although, I wish we had received more background lore and character development for some of the other coven members, I still thoroughly enjoyed my time with this series and thought that It served as a fantastic medium to further explore Agatha's character and is a strong addition to Marvel's comeback era, where quality is clearly being prioritized over quantity, and with its much more mature tone and language, the show reflects an MCU that has grown with its audience and paves the way for future projects, add to that some brilliant foreshadowing, jaw-dropping twists, and an insanely catchy song that refuses to leave my head, and this mini series has undoubtedly left a lasting impression and has quickly become one of my favorite Marvel Disney+ shows.

I love exploring this little corner of Marvel. It doesn't relate much back to the larger MCU but I don't think they ever led anyone to believe it would.

It's a great Halloween witch story very much in the vein of Hocus Pocus. It's silly, campy, quippy, but still with an edge that keeps you on your toes.

Kathryn Hahn excels and really drives the bus here, allowing everyone else to shine in their own way.

This is only after the first two episodes but really I don't have any complaints. The action could use some tighter choreography, that was my one note.

Whether Wanda returns by the end or not, I don't think it matters! This show enchants all on its own.

After two episodes I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue with this show. It was slow, didn't seem to be much plot, I wasn't identifying with the characters and overall it seemed like a show for goth teens but not for me. I decided if something didn't click in episode three then I'd write it off and move on to something else.

Boy am I glad I gave it that one last chance because it really started clicking in episode three. The real adventure finally began and some explanations started to come together for a lot of mysterious things that had me wondering if I just wasn't remembering enough from WandaVision or if I was supposed to read the comics first.

It still seemed like a bit of a teen show but at least it was on a more fun journey now. As the episodes went by something else happened as well, it matured into more adult themes and I was both surprised and genuinely moved by the final reveals.

Even if you think this show isn't for you at first, give it a chance and it will reward you in due time. By the end I was wishing for a second season but alas it sounds like it's one and done, and maybe that's for the best given the journey it took to get there. I'm glad I went for the ride!

Rooted firmly in what made WandaVision an enticing watch, Agatha All Along delivers a familiar viewing experience, but goes about it in its own way.

The premise is deceptively simple--a down-and-out villain on a quest to restore her power. As the story unfurls, we see it's about much more than that, and even Agatha's seemingly straightforward motivations are reframed by the end. The story takes its time with the plot twists, but once it starts, it doesn't let up until the very last minute of episode 9.

Led by a career-defining performance from Kathryn Hahn, the cast works well separately and best as a group. Locke and Plaza are highly engaging as the mysteries of their respective characters centre and recontextualize the narrative.

This is a thrifty production by Marvel standards, as you can sometimes--not very often--tell. The broom riding sequence is janky, and the final confrontation has to mostly take place offscreen. This has an upside as it more or less forces the narrative to zero in on the emotional aspect and make us empathize with these characters. The finale in particular surprised me with how poignant and small-scale they allowed it to be, respecting the core of the show as it offers a solemn and mature look into Agatha's world not often associated with the superhero genre.

Overall, this has been a quality MCU offering that shows not all superhero tales need expensive fireworks to shine.