Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) in Marvel Television's AGATHA ALL ALONG, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Television. © 2024 MARVEL.
Agatha may have ‘killed Sparky’ but she hasn’t messed up her own series.
After Kathryn Hahn made her star-making debut as Agatha Harkness in WandaVision, it seemed inevitable that Marvel would want more from the character. Now, with the release of Agatha All Along, Harkness finally gets to refuel her purple power with a story that’s both eerie and entertaining.
Created by Jac Shaeffer (WandaVision), Agatha All Along sees the return of estranged witch Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) … and she’s looking for revenge. Last seen trapped in Wanda’s cursed vision of Westview, Agatha still lives in her personal dreamworld. However, when an old foe (Aubrey Plaza) calls her back to reality, Agatha realizes that she needs to magically recharge by taking a journey down the legendary Witches’ Road. But she can’t do it alone. Begging her former witch acquaintances to join her coven, Agatha sets out to walk down, down, down The Road in an attempt to take back the power that she’s lost.
With Agatha, Marvel once again dips their toe into the realm of horror. While the series is far from a fright-fest, its tempo and tone feel closer to Sam Raimi’s dalliance with the dark in Multiverse of Madness than it does The Marvels. Although the series begins with WandaVision‘s blend of pop culture satire, Agatha quickly shows its true colours. This is a show that is willing to sit within the shadows, even if it also carries Marvel’s trademark playfulness. In doing so, the MCU has created content that feels perfect for the onset of the ‘spooky season’. In Agatha, Marvel serves a few genuine jump scares (especially in the show’s second episode) yet still offers engaging characters that viewers will love… well… all along their journey together…
Once again, the star of the show is Hahn. As Agatha Harkness, Hahn absolutely sparkles with scintillating deviousness. It can be difficult to make a franchise’s villain relatable (or, even likable, for that matter) but Hahn shines like the darkest of nights. We know her character’s designs for power stem out of revenge. (After all, the appearance of a familiar—and fan-favourite—corpse is the spark to her machinations.) Even so, Hahn breathes such fire on screen that one can’t help but want her to succeed, regardless of her motives.
Though it’s also worth noting that Hahn has surrounded herself with a team of misfits that are (almost) as enjoyable to watch as she is. As nemesis Rio, Plaza absolutely burns with feminine fury. ‘Teen’ Joe Locke is an enjoyably-annoying sidekick that simply breathes mystery. Even Debra Jo Rupp brings a delightful energy as the comic relief to the otherwise grim tone. In essence, each member of the cast has something to contribute to the journey, bouncing off the other stars with joy. (And, frankly, that doesn’t always happen in Marvel fare.)
Ultimately though, Agatha taps into the need to claim your power. As Agatha awakens from her Wanda-inflicted haze, Agatha finds herself (literally) powerless. This becomes especially true when she’s confronted by Rio and threatened for her past actions. In her skirmish with Rio, Agatha recognizes that she is missing a piece of herself that needs to be reclaimed. For Agatha, her magic is her identity. And, without it, she feels as lost as she is weakened. (What’s more, this theme of empowerment also plays into the film’s themes of strong femininity and LGBTQ representation as well.) Yes, she’s may understand the history and power of her magic but, without it, there’s a piece of her soul that’s missing.
In some ways, Agatha’s trek down the Witches’ Road echoes the darker shades of the Wizard of Oz. Both Agatha and Baum’s Dorothy embark on a trek with a ragtag band of followers, in the hope of meeting with a powerful figurehead at the end. Though, rather than looking for ‘home’, Agatha is looking for the thing that she believes defines her. As such, the journey down the road becomes as much about rediscovering herself as it is about the magic itself.
In that spirit, there’s lots of power behind Agatha’s purple in All Along. Tapping into the best parts of Marvel fare, it’s definitely got the fury necessary to make it fun. Backed by a perfect performance by Hahn, there’s no doubt that the series is worth taking the trip down the Road.
The first two episodes of Agatha All Along are available on Disney+ on Wednesday, September 18th, 2024 at 9:00pm with new episodes streaming weekly..
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