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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.

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!

Plot

A spell-bound Agatha Harkness regains freedom thanks to a teen's help. Intrigued by his plea, she embarks on the Witches' Road trials to reclaim her powers and discover the teen's motivations.

Cast

Kathryn Hahn, Aubrey Plaza, Ali Ahn, Patti LuPone, Paul Adelstein, the always adorable Debra Jo Rupp and a cameo from Evan Peters! No cast problems here.

Verdict

Love it or hate it nobody can dispute that the MCU has accomplished something truly astonishing. Am I a fan? Yes. Am I a blind fan who defends it senselessly and claims it's all great? Absolutely not. Some is incredible, some is dire, it's a mixed bag and that's simply inevitable and should not be frowned upon. Taste is subjective, I didn't like Dr Strange, Black Panther or several others that were critically acclaimed for example.

Agatha All Along follows the fascinating Wandavision (2021) and I'm shocked it actually exists. Think of all the high profile Marvel heroes that have failed to get their own movie/show and yet Agatha Harkness has?! Very unexpected but I wasn't against it, this could have turned out to be a wonderful surprise I thought. I was wrong, but not entirely.

You see I like Hahn, she just tends to do movies I don't enjoy and her over acting style comparable with Kristen Wiig can get old fast. Sadly that's here in abundance, however the shows writers seem to tug the character and her personality left and right so dramatically throughout the shows 9 episode runtime that sometimes she's more bearable than the others. Thankfully a fantastic support cast manage to balance the tone out, except Locke who is for the most part awful. Yes he improves as the show progresses but overall I found him somewhat annoying and you can't have two annoying characters, especially when essentially they're the dual leads!

The show flips from marginally above average stuff to quite enjoyable, it keeps your attention, it kept me intrigued and yet at all times it felt like something entirely unidentifiable was missing and that frustrated me all the way until the very poor finale.

Agatha All Along is a passable watch, it's a novelty addition to the MCU, an acceptable companion piece to Wandavision but don't expect it to make a lasting impression.

Rants

This is one of those IMDB credits that you don't want to delve into the 1/10 reviews because you know exactly what you're going to find. Let's break it down, female lead, gay side lead, almost every character in the show is some description of LGBT, lots of diversity throughout and you can even see a trans lives matter banner in the final episode. Yep, the "Anti-woke" brigade love this one and reading their drivel, vitriol and absurd justifications for their intolerance is infuriating. Live and let live people, don't get upset about things where there is no victim. Think of your blood pressure if nothing else!

The Good

Great cast Some really enjoyable moments It's "Different" and the industry needs more of that

The Bad

Some characters can be a tad annoying Doesn't flow as well as it should Dreadful finale.

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.

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.