A spooky sequel series to Marvel’s 2021 show “Wanda Vision,” Marvel’s newest Television show, “Agatha All Along,” premiered Sep. 18. Taking place three years after the events of “Wandavision,” “Agatha All Along” gives an inside peek into the town of Westview and how its citizens are coping with life after Wanda Maximoff’s reign, specifically Agatha Harkness, the main antagonist of “Wandavision.” Spoilers will ensue ahead in this review for “Agatha All Along.”
With “Wandavision” earning a 92% rating on “Rotten Tomatoes”, fans had high hopes for the sequel. The vibe that “Wandavision” provided for its viewers during 2021 is something that can only be described as nostalgic. With each episode about Wanda’s family taking place in a different decade, along with a jaw dropping finale, every Marvel fan was glued to their Disney+ screen whenever a new episode came out. I hoped that “Agatha All Along” would once again give its viewers a similar nostalgic and comforting vibe to it, but I was unfortunately a bit let down. One of the reasons that “Wandavision” was so loveable was because of its characters. Even before the series came out, characters like Wanda, her husband Vision, and S.H.I.E.L.D Agent Jimmy Woo from “Ant-Man” were some of the most memorable examples of familiarity in the series, something that “Agatha All Along” lacked. The new Marvel era consists of many new characters since old actors’ contracts are ending and characters’ storylines are dying, but I enjoy the familial feeling of the Marvel characters that I know and love. In the new show, the only real returning character was Agatha, who was just introduced in “Wandavision” and fans hadn’t grown a real connection with her yet. Although throughout her show we do get to know the witty and sassy Agatha, it can be hard to be interested right away in a character we aren’t quite attached to.
The storyline for “Agatha All Along” was pretty unknown to everyone before the release of the show. “Wanda Vision” left Agatha in a delusional state in Westview after being defeated by Wanda. Since Agatha was the main villain in “Wandavision,” watching “Wandavision” first is a strong recommendation before settling into “Agatha All Along,” since it shows Agatha’s background and sets up the true plot for “Agatha All Along.” I decided to watch the new show without refreshing my memory about the “Wandavision” finale, which was a mistake. Without watching the finale, episode one of “Agatha All Along” was extremely confusing to me. I had to Google what the episode was even about, so I can’t even imagine watching this show with no knowledge of “Wandavision.”
Once my memory was jogged, the rest of the show was quite enjoyable. “Agatha All Along” featured popular actresses and actors like Kathryn Hahn and Joe Locke. Due to the interesting plot, I finished the nine episode series in less than a week, often watching multiple episodes a day. There were countless plot twists, such as the reveal that the “Witches Road” was completely made up, and everything was really unexpected, keeping my attention grasped and jaw dropped during every episode. Due to the context required for the show and unfamiliar characters, I rate “Agatha All Along” 3/5 stars. I highly recommend this show to Marvel fans who are familiar with Agatha’s backstory. If you are not familiar with “Agatha All Along,” watch “Wanda Vision” first, because they are both really fun and entertaining Marvel shows that you won’t regret watching.
