TV Review: The ‘Agatha All Along’ Premiere Breaks Down Witchcraft In The MCU
by Frank Martin
There are so many different aspects of the Marvel Cinematic Universe that it’s hard to venture into unknown territory. Science has been completely exhausted with characters like Iron Man and Ant-Man. This is why the Werewolf By Night special was so well received: it touched upon the world of monsters. Magic has also been exhausted within this universe. Both Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) have various forms of it — advanced science and the “mystic arts” — while approaching the subject from different angles across five films in their respective series. What hasn’t been seen a lot of is witchcraft. And that’s where Agatha All Along stands apart.
Even though three years have passed since the events of WandaVision, the show picks up pretty much exactly where Agatha (Kathryn Hahn) left off as she has no knowledge of what has transpired since. Eventually the spell is broken, but without any powers at her disposal, she is forced to create a coven of witches with various specialties in order to walk what is called “the witch’s road” and regain her magical abilities.
It’s no surprise that the Scarlet Witch’s (Elizabeth Olsen) presence looms heavy over the series as she is a main character in the MCU. Both WandaVision and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness touch upon witchcraft, but it’s never truly explored. Agatha All Along really breaks down the concept within this universe and how it operates. Throughout the series so far, there are competing dynamics between classical witchcraft and modern witchcraft. This can be seen through Agatha’s wardrobe, as she wears a classic witch’s hat and hairstyle and yet also wears modern clothing and sunglasses. This unique flavor of witchcraft in the MCU is what makes the shows initial episodes so charming and unique.
Agatha All Along streams Wednesdays on Disney+.