As a long-time Marvel fan with a soft spot for Wanda Maximoff, I must say that my journey with “WandaVision” has been quite the rollercoaster ride. Initially, I found myself on the fence about the show, much like how I feel when I’m forced to eat spinach (you know, it’s good for you, but it doesn’t exactly set your taste buds alight). However, just as a hidden gem of flavor emerges from that unassuming heap of greens, so too did “WandaVision” surprise me with its compelling character development.
*POSSIBLE SPOILERS FOR AGATHA ALL ALONG EPISODES 1-5*
As a hardcore gamer, I’ve got to tell you about my latest binge-watching adventure: “Agatha All Along,” the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) fresh live-action streaming series, and the first under the new flag of Marvel Television. This thrilling ride is being unfolded across its nine episodes, and I’m right smack dab in the middle! Kathryn Hahn brings Agatha Harkness to life in this series, and Jac Schaeffer, our showrunner, has crafted it all.
WandaVision marked the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s debut in streaming television, and it was a huge hit, earning praise from both critics and audiences (not to mention 23 Emmy nominations and 3 wins). Given its success, it’s no surprise that the studio wants to highlight the links between these two shows. In fact, this is the first time the MCU has referenced the connection between a past and upcoming property in their promotional materials, as evidenced by the tagline for Agatha: “From the twisted minds that brought you WandaVision.
Not only does this collaboration go beyond empty promises with Schaeffer, but it’s also evident in the return of various members from the WandaVision creative team to work on Agatha. Fresh writers Giovanna Sarquis, Jason Rostovsky, and Gia King are accompanied by several veterans from the WandaVision writing room: Peter Cameron (co-writer for Episodes 5 and 6 of WandaVision), Megan McDonnell (writer for Episode 3 and co-writer for Episode 4 of WandaVision), Cameron Squires (writer for Episode 7 of WandaVision), and Laura Donney (writer for Episode 8 of WandaVision). Additionally, Laura Monti, who was Schaeffer’s assistant on WandaVision, has now joined the writing staff for Agatha.
Apart from the returning writers, executive producer Mary Livanos, composer Christophe Beck, and lyricists Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez have all moved on from WandaVision to work on Agatha. Notably, the duo of Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez have created a fresh set of original songs for this series, much like they did during the run of WandaVision, where nearly every episode featured an original theme song (as per the show’s sitcom structure). Interestingly, the title of Agatha’s upcoming solo series was derived from her powerful closing number in Episode 7 of WandaVision.
Besides Hahn, several actors from the WandaVision cast are also featured in Agatha. In the first episode released around mid-September, viewers recognized many familiar characters in Westview, New Jersey – the town setting of WandaVision. Debra Jo Rupp, David Payton, Emma Caulfield Ford, David Lengel, Asif Ali, and Amos Glick were among those playing residents of this small town that Wanda Maximoff unintentionally transformed into her personal sitcom world. Now, three years later, they all continue to reside in Westview, along with Agatha who is under a magical confinement.
We’re now five episodes into this new series, and as an avid fan of “WandaVision” (it’s my top pick – either show or movie – from the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe), I couldn’t be more content that “Agatha” has been maintaining the impressive legacy established by the preceding phenomenon. To put it straightforwardly, I must admit that I was initially quite apprehensive – there was a period when I wasn’t sure if this show would manage to hold my attention.
Initially, when the trailer for this series debuted in July, I wasn’t particularly interested. Given my lack of interest in witchcraft-themed media, limited knowledge about tarot cards and Ouija boards, a dislike for Halloween, and general unease with anything considered “scary” on screen, it seemed unlikely to captivate me. In contrast to WandaVision, where the prospect of superheroes in sitcoms alone would have been enough to pique my curiosity, Agatha’s gimmick didn’t initially appeal to me.
If the plot of “Agatha” didn’t hold my interest, was it still compelling to follow Agatha’s story, given that Wanda transformed her into a powerless version of her ordinary neighbor character as a kind of punishment and confinement? Did I want to see how her tale unfolded in this sitcom persona?
In a word, no.
I truly appreciated Kathryn Hahn’s portrayal of the nosy neighbor “Agnes” in WandaVision, who later unveiled as her true character, Agatha Harkness. However, at times, her character felt a bit one-dimensional and I wasn’t entirely sure where they could expand her storyline in a subsequent nine-episode series. In comparison to another supporting character from WandaVision, Monica Rambeau, who had similar screen time as Agatha, the antagonistic witch didn’t seem to have much depth. For example, she stated, “I take power from the undeserving. It’s kinda my thing.” in the final episode. Nevertheless, I now speculate that the decision to keep Agatha’s complex aspects under wraps was a strategic move for her upcoming spinoff show.
Initially, the plotline didn’t spark my curiosity about why Agatha’s story should continue in her own series. The trailers suggested that she wanted to regain her powers by traversing the Witches’ Road, a trial of magical tests. This objective seemed dull and unengaging from a character perspective, which made me find it hard to accept.
Ever since the teaser trailer dropped, I’ve often found myself questioning, “What’s in it for me to see Agatha regain her powers and embark on the ‘Witches’ Road’? Her quest doesn’t seem captivating at all!” I yearned for the series to connect her power restoration with something deeply personal or emotional, as that would resonate with me. Strangely enough, it was a fleeting moment from the full trailer released in August that truly caught my attention and sparked my curiosity about Agatha.
In simpler terms, Joe Locke’s character “Teen” questions Agatha about why she allows others to hold certain beliefs about her. Agatha replies that the truth is too devastating. This conversation has left me curious and excited to learn more as we progress through the series, as it seems to hint at a deep emotional side of the show that hasn’t been explored yet. Despite not knowing the specifics of “those things” or the “devastating truth”, this exchange is one of the scenes I look forward to seeing unfold in the upcoming episodes.
Beyond a fleeting glimpse of Agatha’s human side, there wasn’t much for me to look forward to regarding the show. Moreover, the trailers didn’t provide significant insights into the other characters either. To be honest, I could barely recall their names, and my expectations for the new witches traveling with Agatha on the Witches’ Road weren’t high since they were portrayed by actors I hadn’t thought would join the Marvel Cinematic Universe (Patti LuPone, Aubrey Plaza, Sasheer Zamata, and Ali Ahn).
In simpler terms, before the two-episode debut on September 18th, the show Agatha didn’t have a plot that was particularly captivating to me, the main character was someone I enjoyed but wasn’t eagerly waiting for additional details about, and the group of secondary characters were so numerous that I often struggled to remember their names.
Essentially, I didn’t have a compelling motive to view it; thus, one may wonder why I did. Similarly, you might question my purpose for penning this article initially.
To be honest, even though I’ve been a dedicated fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe for more than ten years now and have always promised myself to watch each new live-action project at least once, it was mainly the team behind Agatha that stopped me from dismissing it beforehand.
Are you familiar with those creatives whose names I mentioned at the outset of this article? It was primarily due to them and my belief in their abilities on WandaVision, that I continued to have faith in Agatha, even when there seemed to be evidence against it.
As a gamer, even when the series didn’t immediately grab me like I expected, I never had a moment’s doubt about Jac Schaeffer and her team delivering an extraordinary spectacle. I figured it was probably my own limitations, thinking there must be some nuanced emotional aspect that wasn’t obvious in the promotional materials but would reveal itself as the story unfolded.
Since I placed such faith in the people behind Agatha, I felt a secret suspicion that my disappointment with not being able to engage with it stemmed from impatience. I didn’t want to find the show dull or dislike it; instead, I was still waiting for something compelling to grab my attention. Essentially, I was hoping that Agatha would offer me a reason to appreciate it more deeply, as there hadn’t been many captivating aspects revealed before its debut.
Midway through the series, I can confidently affirm that patience was indeed necessary. In just under 15 minutes, the show unveiled a deeply moving reason for Agatha’s actions, a motivation that was surprisingly absent from the promotional materials. We discover that she had a son named Nicholas Scratch, who she presumably lost at a young age. This revelation in the opening episode alone was enough to fill in the gap I felt about Agatha in the series’ early stages. It was immensely reassuring to see her grieve over Nicholas’ room and confirm that my trust in the creative team behind WandaVision hadn’t been misguided.
As a devoted fan, I’m expressing these thoughts because I truly believe it underscores the significance of maintaining consistent creativity across the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), a vast tapestry woven over 40-plus projects in the past 16 years. The faith we place in the creative minds behind these projects is crucial to their success, but never more so than with a universe as interconnected as this one. It’s when that trust is shaken that fans begin to lose their enthusiasm.
It’s important to acknowledge that occasionally, there may be limited similarities between two projects that feature shared characters or storylines, especially when multiple projects are ongoing, like with Marvel Studios. However, these similarities don’t necessarily have to negatively impact the stories. As a case in point, the upcoming film “The Marvels” skillfully integrated essential aspects from the preceding series “Ms. Marvel,” even though it was primarily developed by a separate creative team and began production before the show’s release.
Instead of building upon the intricate character progression established for Wanda in “WandaVision”, the movie “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” seemingly ignored and reversed much of it, leaving me greatly disillusioned. Since its initial release, I haven’t revisited that film beyond its opening weekend, instead choosing to ignore its existence altogether. Interestingly, this movie was in production before “WandaVision” premiered on Disney+ in early 2021, and it shared no significant creative ties with the series, save for Elizabeth Olsen (Wanda) and the actors who played her twins, Julian Hilliard and Jett Klyne. And it’s evident that this disconnect is apparent in the final product.
Regarding Agatha, since I had some doubts before the series began, I’m really appreciative of how well the storyline ties in with WandaVision so far. The show still has episodes to come, but it’s reassuring to know that the creative team behind it is capable and trustworthy. If Agatha or other characters from this series appear in future MCU projects directed by different filmmakers, I can’t predict if I’ll feel as confident, because, as my examples show, the end result can sometimes vary.
To put it simply, should any of these witches reappear in a Marvel Cinematic Universe production connected to this series or its prequel, I would have complete trust in the portrayal of their characters.
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2024-10-11 01:15