By Janie Walenda
This article contains spoilers for “Agatha All Along”
I’ve been burned by Marvel shows before.
Most MCU shows have followed an unfortunate pattern of starting off strong and crashing at the finale. You see, the superhero formula requires that the climax of the story be a high-stakes action scene. This formula has been mastered in the film format but proven difficult to execute in television.
“Agatha All Along” joins the short list of MCU shows that stick the superhero landing on the finale. The success of the show’s finale revolves around how little action there is in the final episode. The penultimate episode has the magic fight and costume level-ups, while the finale spends its time on character development and resolution.
The finale’s flashback to Agatha’s time with her son Nicholas Scratch resolves questions from as far back as “WandaVision.” The flashback isn’t really trying to be surprising or a plot twist, but instead closes the door on why Agatha is the way she is.
To the show’s benefit, it never shies away from the fact that its protagonist is a lying, murderous witch. While the flashback gives us a sympathetic look into Agatha’s past, it also shows how her grief turned her into a villain. Thanks to Kathryn Hahn’s spectacular comedic performance, and effortless selling of the tragic beats, Agatha harkens back to the era of Disney villains we love to hate. She’s fun to watch and endlessly hilarious, but it’s clear she’s scheming and plotting all along.
I also have to give “Agatha All Along” credit for being so well-structured and written that it almost demands a second viewing. The plot twists layer on top of each other and every episode adds a new revelation that causes the viewer to reevaluate everything that came before.
Among the most notable twists is the identity of Teen. The reveal that he is Wanda’s son, Billy Maximoff, is not the biggest surprise for comic book fans. Within the context of “Agatha All Along” and the MCU, Billy Maximoff is a compelling new character who’s brought to life wonderfully by Joe Locke.
In a lesser show, the reveal would’ve overwhelmed and sidetracked the following episodes, but “Agatha All Along” spent enough time on Billy to flesh him out while effortlessly integrating him into the main plot of the show. I have a multitude of problems as far as the comic adaptation goes, but as a reviewer, I have few complaints.
In my opinion, the real star of the show is Patti LuPone as Lillia. I will admit that when I started the show, I was certain that LuPone’s talent would be wasted. Instead, the episode centering on Lillia is my favorite of the series. Nonlinear storytelling is not a new concept, but it’s wielded so precisely here to place the audience in Lillia’s head and experience. The continued realizations of how the past, present and future are affecting each other, often out of order, make the episode satisfying and triumphant, even as it ends in tragedy.
While I will sing “Agatha All Along’s” praises, I don’t think it ever quite put me at ease with its magic and imagery. It is set in the context of a world where aliens and Norse gods exist, so it’s fantasy magic was well-established enough for me to watch comfortably. However, it so clearly and consistently draws from real-life ideas of witchcraft that I won’t fault Christians who are uncomfortable watching it.
A wonderful balance of comedy, tragedy and mystery that knows how to let its actors shine and how to (mostly) satisfy its nerdy fanbase, “Agatha All Along” is a rare gem in Marvel television’s tarnished crown.
All episodes of “Agatha All Along” are streaming 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
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