“Agatha All Along” wavers between wicked and whimsical.

By Janie Walenda

Raise your hand if you weren’t allowed to read “Harry Potter” as a kid.

As Christians, we’re rightfully cautious of stories that use witchcraft as a source of magic. I feel comfortable watching something if it’s clear that the magic is more fantasy-based than reality-based, as in Harry Potter. If not completely fantastical magic, then the content should portray the witches as evil. The first “Hocus Pocus” distinguishes witchcraft as something exclusively for its villains, but its sequel’s portrayal of magic is more dubious, which explains my reluctance to add it to my annual fall rewatches.

“Agatha All Along” is the MCU’s newest Disney+ show, following Agatha Harkness after the events of “Wandavision.” After Wanda stole her power in that show’s season finale, Agatha must journey down the perilous Witch’s Road to regain her magic before her many, many enemies find her. 

Part of what makes me pause is that it’s unclear what Agatha’s character arc will be as the protagonist. Agatha was undoubtedly a villain in “Wandavision,” and her motivations continue to be self-serving in “Agatha All Along.”  As mentioned above, I can deal with darker witches in stories if the witches are the villains. If I’m not expected to root for the character using witchcraft, I feel a lot more comfortable with the use of witchcraft in the story. But because Agatha is the protagonist, and this show shares “Wandavision’s” showrunner, I have little confidence in their ability to let her stay evil.

All of this to say, I wish I could give a solid answer on where “Agatha All Along” lies. The MCU has never been the most detail-oriented in its worldbuilding, so most of the magic in this and its predecessor, “Wandavision,” exists as just that: comic-book movie magic. “Agatha All Along,” however, embraces both the pop-culture perception of witchcraft and the darker truths in a way that will give many Christians pause.

Besides that sticking point, “Agatha All Along” starts incredibly strong. Kathryn Hahn as Agatha Harkness is an incredibly talented comedienne, and the writers bring this out excellently while grounding the character enough to make her a compelling protagonist.

The entire supporting cast is superb. Despite it only being three years since “Wandavision’s” release, it’s incredibly nostalgic to see the supporting cast return, and giving Debra Jo Rupp a larger role is enough to get me excited about the rest of the series. Sasheer Zamata and Ali Ahn make solid first impressions, but more importantly, they work well within our group of main characters. This cast has great comedic chemistry, and so far, the writers are doing an excellent job of capturing it.

As a theatre kid, I just need to appreciate how crazy it is that Patti LuPone is in this show. Additionally, it is close to a crime that the show had a musical number, “The Ballad of the Witches Road,” and her voice nearly got drowned out. What is the point of having Patti LuPone belt on a show if I can’t hear it?

Joe Locke’s unnamed “Teen” annoyed me far less than I thought he would. He’s been able to mix the more exaggerated of his writing with endearing enthusiasm. He also has fantastic chemistry with Hahn, and watching their chaos as they recruit the other characters was the highlight of the first two episodes for me. 

The show also boasts some excellent production design and writing. The first two episodes move along quickly, but without feeling rushed. The first episode features a prolonged parody of grim detective shows, imitating the best aspects of “Wandavision.” I will say, since “Wandavision” was parodying sitcoms, its cheesier moments felt right at home, whereas “Agatha All Along’s” parody felt a bit too obviously a parody. 

From a purely quality perspective, “Agatha All Along” makes an excellent start. It connects seamlessly with “Wandavision” while quickly establishing its own identity, and so far, it hasn’t fallen to the nine-episode pacing curse. Its use of witchcraft raises red flags for Christians, but if you’re a fan of spooky films and shows (or just a fan of Patti LuPone), it might be worth starting.

“Agatha All Along” airs new episodes Wednesday nights on Disney+

Janie Walenda is a senior Global Business major and the A&E editor for Cedars. She is overly passionate about musicals, caffeine and weirdly enough Dracula. 

Images courtesy of Marvel Television.