Agatha All Along premiered on Disney+ on September 18, 2024, and ran for nine episodes until October 30, as part of Phase Five of the MCU. It received positive reviews from critics, particularly for Hahn's performance, for which she received a Golden Globe Award nomination.
Premise
Three years after being trapped under a magical spell in the town of Westview, New Jersey, at the end of the miniseries WandaVision (2021), the witch Agatha Harkness escapes with the help of a mysterious teenager who wishes to face the trials of the legendary Witches' Road. Without her magical powers, Agatha and the teen form a new coven of witches to face the trials while contending with some of Agatha's old enemies.[2]
Cast and characters
Kathryn Hahn as Agatha Harkness: A witch who was trapped under the spell of Wanda Maximoff as "Agnes O'Connor" in the series finale of WandaVision (2021).[3][4] Agatha forms a new coven of witches after escaping from the spell and finding herself powerless.[2] Executive producer Mary Livanos described Agatha as both heartfelt and dangerous,[5] and a survivor who needs to learn to work within a coven to regain her power.[6]:4:57–6:02 Hahn enjoyed getting to the root of what is broken in Agatha underneath her sass and sarcasm.[7]
Joe Locke as Billy Maximoff and William Kaplan: A "familiar" with a dark sense of humor who acts as the assistant to Agatha's coven.[7][8] He is referred to as "Teen" by the other characters,[7][9][10] who are unable to perceive his name or any identifying information about him because of a "Glamour"—a sigil hex—placed upon him.[11][10] Locke initially described the character as "very thoughtful and kind" as well as impulsive,[9] with "fanboy-esque" feelings about witchcraft and a dream to join Agatha's coven and travel the Witches' Road.[7] The character is revealed to be William Kaplan, a Jewish teen who dies during a car accident and whose body is inhabited by the soul of Wanda and Vision's son, Billy Maximoff, shortly after his "death" in the finale of WandaVision.[12][13] To portray Billy's magic, Locke worked with the same movement coach Elizabeth Olsen trained with for her previous MCU appearances as Wanda.[14]
Ali Ahn as Alice Wu-Gulliver: A member of Agatha's coven and an ex-police officer who is a protector witch.[18] Alice's family has been afflicted by a generational curse that causes them to be haunted by a demon.[21]
Patti LuPone as Lilia Calderu: A 450-year-old Sicilian witch and member of Agatha's coven who experiences time in a non-linear fashion, and whose skill is in divination.[23] Chloe Camp portrays a young Lilia.[24]
Evan Peters as Ralph Bohner: A former resident of Westview who was previously trapped within the fictional WandaVision sitcom and controlled by Agatha to pose as Wanda's twin brother Pietro Maximoff[25]
Reprising their roles from WandaVision as Westview residents who play characters within Agatha's Agnes of Westview reality are Emma Caulfield as Sarah Proctor / "Dottie Jones", David Payton as John Collins / "Herb Feltman", David Lengel as Sarah's husband Harold Proctor / "Phil Jones", Asif Ali as Abilash Tandon / "Norm Gentilucci", and Amos Glick as a pizza delivery man / "Dennis Webber". Kate Forbes also reprises her role from WandaVision as Agatha's mother Evanora Harkness.[27][28]
The remaining six members of the Salem Seven are Marina Mazepa as "Snake", Bethany Curry as "Crow", Athena Perample as "Fox", Britta Grant as "Rat", Alicia Vela-Bailey as "Owl", and Chau Naumova as "Coyote".[29] Additional guest stars include: Elizabeth Anweis as Alice's mother Lorna Wu;[30] Laura Boccaletti as Lilia's Maestra;[31] Scott Butler as a doctor linked to Jen's past; Jade Quon as the demon from the Wu's curse;[24] and Abel Lysenko as Nicholas Scratch, Agatha's son.[32] Hannah Lowther, Tetra Lloyd White, Henriette Zoutomou, Holly Bonney, and Kim Bass appear as witches trapped by Agatha and Nicholas during the 1750s.[24]
Three years after her defeat by Wanda Maximoff in Westview, New Jersey, the witch Agatha Harkness is trapped under Wanda's spell,[a] believing herself to be the police detective Agnes O'Connor within a crime noir television series titled Agnes of Westview, where she is fixated on a Jane Doe murder case. One night, a teenager breaks into Agnes' house, looking for "The Road". Agnes believes he is tied to the murder case and arrests him. Rio Vidal, an FBI agent, comes to Agnes and helps her remember her true identity and realize the Jane Doe she is seeing is actually Wanda's body.[b] Waking up from the spell, Agatha realizes that her powers are gone and that Rio, a fellow witch with whom Agatha has history, is there to kill her. Agatha convinces Rio to spare her until she gets her powers back, but Rio warns Agatha that the Salem Seven will soon come after her. After Rio leaves, Agatha is unsure what to do about the "Teen", whom she actually kidnapped while under the influence of Wanda's spell.
2
"Circle Sewn with Fate / Unlock Thy Hidden Gate"
Jac Schaeffer
Laura Donney
September18,2024(2024-09-18)
Teen reveals he freed Agatha from the spell and wishes to travel the Witches' Road, which rewards any witch who survives its trials what they desire most—in Agatha's case, the restoration of her powers. Agatha also realizes magic is preventing her from learning any personal information about Teen, including his name. Needing a coven to open a portal to the Road, the pair recruits the witches Lilia Calderu, Jennifer "Jen" Kale, and Alice Wu-Gulliver who all have reasons to walk the Road as well. Needing a "green witch" but not wanting to recruit Rio, Agatha instead turns to Westview resident Sharon Davis, a talented gardener. As the four witches and Sharon perform the ritual to open the gate to the Road, they and Teen escape through it to narrowly evade the Salem Seven. The group then removes their footwear and sets off on the Witches' Road.
Agatha explains that to reach the end of the Road, the coven will face trials focused on different branches of witchcraft. They also realize that Teen's sigil prevents any witch from learning his identity. At the first trial, the coven finds a coastal house with a bottle of wine that everyone but Teen drinks. Jen privately warns Teen not to trust Agatha, who is said to have traded her child for the Darkhold. A timer starts counting down, and Jen realizes the wine was poisoned as Sharon faints. As they gather ingredients to create an antidote, the witches hallucinate: Lilia sees her younger self and her maestra from the Renaissance era, Jen hallucinates a doctor forcing her underwater, Alice sees her mother Lorna Wu about to commit suicide, and Agatha sees a crib containing the Darkhold. As they prepare the antidote, the house is brought underwater, threatening to drown the coven. With a few seconds left, they finish the antidote, drink it, and feed it to Sharon. Water pours in, but a tunnel appears in the oven and the coven escapes through it back to the Road. As they recover, Teen discovers that Sharon is dead.
4
"If I Can't Reach You / Let My Song Teach You"
Rachel Goldberg
Giovanna Sarquis
October2,2024(2024-10-02)
After burying Sharon, the coven is forced to summon a replacement green witch. Rio emerges from Sharon's grave, much to Agatha's annoyance. The coven encounter a house with a 1970s aesthetic that prompts renewed feelings of grief for Alice as it turns out to be a recording studio tied to Lorna. Just as Rio playfully suggests to Agatha that they betray the others, which is overheard by everyone, Teen accidentally plays a record backward, summoning the demon who is the source of the curse in Alice's family. To fight it, the group plays Lorna's version of the Ballad, revealed to be a protection spell, and Alice is able to kill the demon. As the coven leaves the house, they notice Teen had been severely wounded during the trial. Back on the Road, Jen is able to heal his wound, saving his life. Later on, Lilia, Alice, and Jen bond while Rio alludes to her history with Agatha. Teen asks Agatha what happened to her son, but she does not answer. Later, as Agatha tries to kiss Rio, she tells Agatha that Teen is not her son.
5
"Darkest Hour / Wake Thy Power"
Rachel Goldberg
Laura Monti
October9,2024(2024-10-09)
The Salem Seven arrive on the Road and chase the coven, who evades them using makeshift flying broomsticks. After being pulled back down by the Road, they enter the next trial which takes the form of a cabin with a 1980s aesthetic. The group uses an Ouija board and makes contact with Agatha's mother Evanora, who was killed by her daughter in 1693 along with her previous coven,[c] revealed to be mothers of the Seven. Warning the coven to leave Agatha behind, Evanora possesses her and attacks the group. Alice uses her powers to expel Evanora from Agatha, who proceeds to absorb Alice's magic. Teen, noticing another spirit's presence, stops Agatha by shouting its name: Agatha's son Nicholas Scratch, but not before Alice dies. Agatha insists that it was accidental, but Teen lashes out at her as well as Lilia and Jen, who affirm that their goals are the same as Agatha's. The latter mocks Teen by stating that he is just like his mother; angered, he magically forces Lilia and Jen to toss Agatha into a mud trap, then blasts them in as well. As the witches sink, a headwear similar to the Scarlet Witch's appears on Teen's head.
6
"Familiar by Thy Side"
Gandja Monteiro
Jason Rostovsky
October16,2024(2024-10-16)
In flashbacks, William Kaplan, a teenager from Eastview, is celebrating his bar mitzvah where he encounters Lilia. Reading on his palm something she does not disclose, Lilia casts the sigil on William to protect him, instantly forgetting his identity. The party ends when the Hex, created nearby by Wanda, begins to collapse.[a] While driving past Westview, William dies in a car accident, but at that moment, Billy Maximoff's soul enters William's body, resurrecting it. "William" struggles to adjust after the accident due to his newfound ability to read minds and his lack of memory of his life before. Three years later, William and his boyfriend Eddie meet with Ralph Bohner, who used to be controlled by Agatha inside the Hex.[a] He tells them about what happened there and about Wanda and Vision's twins Billy and Tommy, making William realize he is actually Billy. Determined to use the Witches' Road to find Tommy, Billy goes to Agatha and breaks Wanda's spell.[d] In the present, Agatha escapes the mud and, realizing the sigil has been destroyed, deduces Billy's goal and tells him that they must continue together since he cannot control his power.
Agatha and Billy continue on the Road before coming across a castle. Upon entering, they are garbed in costumes of witch characters from popular culture, and are presented with tarot cards. If they do not place the proper cards in the correct sequence, swords hanging from the ceiling fall down. Flashbacks from Lilia's first lesson in divination reveal that she has been experiencing her life out of order, explaining her memory lapses and precognitive abilities. After falling through the mud, Lilia discovers that Rio is the personification of Death (something Agatha knew), who forebodes that her time is coming. She awakens Jen, and after evading the Salem Seven, they venture through the tunnels, reuniting with Agatha and Billy. Knowing the trial is hers, Lilia places the cards in their proper order, saving them all. Prompting everyone to flee through the exit, Lilia chooses to stay behind as the Salem Seven approach. She flips one of the cards, causing the entire room to flip and impaling the Seven and herself on the swords. In the last scene, a young Lilia gleefully attends her first lesson in divination. The episode is narrated out of sequence to portray Lilia's non-linear perception of time.
8
"Follow Me My Friend / To Glory at the End"
Gandja Monteiro
Peter Cameron
October30,2024(2024-10-30)
After guiding Alice's spirit to the afterlife, Rio meets Agatha and agrees to leave her alone in exchange for Billy, who has disrupted the cosmic balance by gaining a second life. Billy and Jen rejoin Agatha at the end of the Road, discovering that it is a circle. Billy puts his shoes back on, and the three are transported to a version of Agatha's basement with grow lights that slowly go out. Jen learns that Agatha is the one who bound her magic and performs an unbinding ritual, regaining her abilities and vanishing, having gotten what she needed from the Road. Agatha helps Billy locate Tommy's soul, and Billy places it in the body of a drowning boy. Billy also vanishes, and with a seed from her locket, Agatha grows a flower within a floor crack, completing the trial. She escapes into her backyard, where Rio attacks her. Billy intervenes and gives Agatha some of his power, but Rio orders them to choose who goes with her. Hesitant at first, Agatha kisses Rio and dies, while Rio leaves and Billy returns home. Upon entering his bedroom, he realizes that many of the objects in it match aspects of the Road and hears Agatha laughing behind.
9
"Maiden Mother Crone"
Gandja Monteiro
Jac Schaeffer & Laura Donney
October30,2024(2024-10-30)
In 1750, Agatha gives birth to Nicholas. Death appears to take the baby, but on Agatha's pleas, she relents, warning that she will eventually take him. Agatha spends the next six years raising her son while killing witches, which Nicholas grows to oppose. Together, they create a children's song that would eventually become the Ballad of the Witches' Road and take on a life of its own. Eventually, Nicholas grows sick and Death takes him, devastating Agatha. With nothing holding her back, Agatha spends centuries murdering witches and stealing their powers by conning them with the promise of the Road. In the present, Agatha, now a ghost, tells Billy that he made the previously nonexistent Road a reality with his magic. Billy blames himself for the deaths of Lilia, Alice, and Sharon, but Agatha retorts that she was already planning to kill them and that Jen is still alive. Billy returns to Westview and tries to banish Agatha, but she resists, afraid of having to face Nicholas in the afterlife. Billy relents and allows Agatha to guide him. After sealing the entrance to the Road and recording the names of the fallen, Billy and Agatha set out to find Tommy.
Production
Development
Jac Schaeffer is the showrunner and lead director of Agatha All Along.
At Disney's biennial D23 Expo convention in August 2019, Kathryn Hahn was revealed to be cast in the role of Agnes, Wanda Maximoff and Vision's neighbor, in the Marvel StudiosDisney+ television series WandaVision (2021).[34][35] That series' seventh episode reveals that "Agnes" is actually Agatha Harkness, a powerful witch from Marvel Comics.[36] In May 2021, WandaVisionhead writerJac Schaeffer signed a three-year overall television deal with Marvel Studios and 20th Television to develop additional projects for the studios' Disney+ slate.[37] In pitches for several different projects centered on various characters, Schaeffer kept suggesting that Agatha be included as part of those series. This led to her and Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige pursuing a series centered on that character instead.[38][11] By October 2021, a "dark comedy" spin-off from WandaVision centered on Hahn as Agatha was in early development for Disney+ from Marvel Studios,[4] with Schaeffer returning from WandaVision as head writer and executive producer.[4][3] Hahn's involvement was part of a larger deal she signed with Marvel Studios to reprise her role in series and films.[39]
During a Disney+ Day event in November 2021, the series was officially announced.[3] Schaeffer was revealed to be directing episodes of the series a year later,[40] and Gandja Monteiro was revealed as another director in December 2022,[41] along with Rachel Goldberg in January 2023.[26] Each directed three episodes of the series.[22] By October 2023, Marvel Studios was changing its approach to television, hiring more traditional showrunners instead of head writers;[42] Schaeffer was being credited as the series' showrunner by July 2024.[43]Brad Winderbaum, the head of streaming, television, and animation at Marvel Studios, said Agatha All Along was the studio's least expensive series, costing less than the $40million budget of Echo (2024), and he attributed this to the series' use of practical effects rather than computer-generated imagery.[1] Marvel Studios' Feige, Louis D'Esposito, Winderbaum, and Mary Livanos also served as executive producers.[43] The series is being released under Marvel Studios' "Marvel Television" label.[44] Actress Debra Jo Rupp, who returned from WandaVision, described the spin-off as being a second season of WandaVision in an anthology sense, similar to the different seasons of the television series American Horror Story (2011–present).[45]Agatha All Along is intended to be second in a trilogy of series that includes WandaVision and Vision Quest (2026).[46]
Title
The series was initially announced with the title Agatha: House of Harkness,[3] but was renamed to Agatha: Coven of Chaos by July 2022.[47] The series was revealed to have been retitled once again in September 2023, this time to Agatha: Darkhold Diaries.[48] Actress Aubrey Plaza had previously posted a photo in May 2023 of a director's chair with that title, in a font based on the one used for the Disney film The Princess Diaries (2001).[49] Adam B. Vary at Variety reported that the multiple title changes were not caused by indecision from Marvel Studios and were instead indicating that the main character was "up to her old skulduggery",[50] and he said it was possible that the series was simply titled Agatha;[51] that is what the series was referred to as in a filing for the first episode with the United States Copyright Office as well as on the official Disney+ website.[52][53][54]
In May 2024, Marvel Studios released a new logo on Twitter with the title Agatha: The Lying Witch with Great Wardrobe, but took down the post soon after. Germain Lussier at Gizmodo thought this may have been a joke or a mistake and noted that it was referencing the C. S. Lewis novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950). He felt it was "the worst title of the bunch" despite being accurate to the character, and questioned why the series had received so many publicly announced titles during development. He felt the best choice would be Agatha All Along,[55] referring to the 'theme song' of the same name used when Agatha was revealed as the true villain in WandaVision.[56] The next day, Disney announced at an upfront presentation that the official title was Agatha All Along,[57][58] and released a video showing that the changing titles were "orchestrated by [Agatha] as a way of messing with Marvel fans".[59] Schaeffer and the writers conceived the various titles. Livanos enjoyed releasing "crazier and crazier" titles throughout the marketing stunt and felt it was appropriate for Agatha.[60]
Writing
Laura Donney, Cameron Squires, Giovanna Sarquis, Laura Monti, Jason Rostovsky, Gia King, and Peter Cameron served as writers on the series, alongside Schaeffer.[61] Squires, Cameron, Donney, and Monti all returned from WandaVision,[62][63] alongside Megan McDonnell, who was a consulting producer, serving as the on-set writer.[64] Monti had served as Schaeffer's assistant on WandaVision, aiding in the creation of the acclaimed line "What is grief, if not love persevering?"[65] King and Rostovsky contributed to the writing process with their respective interests in divination and gothic horror.[66] Livanos said the chance to continue Agatha Harkness's story and to get to know the character further was "immediately an imperative" for the creatives.[5] Winderbaum compared Agatha All Along to Marvel Studios' series Loki (2021–2023), because they both feature antiheroes, are different from the studios' other series, and explore similar emotional depths for their title characters.[67] Winderbaum called Agatha All Along a "Halloween show" that features a "Marvel brand of scary" with deadly stakes, while still being fun and dramatic.[68] Feige likened Agatha All Along to the film The Goonies (1985).[7] Comics that influenced the series included Scarlet Witch vol. 2 by James Robinson that introduced the Witches' Road, Agatha Harkness's early appearances in Fantastic Four, and The Vision and the Scarlet Witch vol. 2.[6]:7:57–8:22
Schaeffer said Agatha All Along would follow Agatha as she is joined by "a disparate, mixed bag of witches" who are all coven-less, explaining that the series would explore what happens when these witches, who are "defined by deception, treachery, villainy and selfishness", are forced to work together. She also noted that the series plays with witch lore and assumptions about them, in a similar way to how WandaVision played with the sitcom format,[17] looking to have "a similar mechanism and involve pastiche" as that series did.[18] Schaeffer was able to define witchcraft within the MCU with the series. The first episode sees Agatha in a true crime drama as a detective, in an homage to the HBO miniseries Mare of Easttown (2021).[11] As Agatha and her coven travel the Witches' Road, each of its trials alters the attire of the coven to "emulate a particular kind of witch from pop culture": "WASP-y east coast women in collared shirts" which Schaeffer described as "coastal grandma chic" who are "backstabbing and duplicitous", drawing from Practical Magic (1998); a "Fleetwood Mac-style band" drawing from singer Stevie Nicks' "white witch" era and the film Season of the Witch (1972); and 1980s summer camp attire using a ouija board. The series also draws from other well-known portrayals of witches, such as The Wizard of Oz (1939) and Maleficent (2014), incorporating visual cues and narrative elements inspired by these films.[69] Early attempts at creating the trials were elemental based, which did not allow for the infusion of illusion or pop culture or the creativity from the costume and production design.[18]
Agatha All Along is set in 2026, three years after the events of WandaVision,[70] which saw Agatha trapped in her "Agnes" persona by Wanda Maximoff. However, the spell has now become distorted because of Maximoff's death in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) and the Teen's intervention.[71] Following the abundance of fan theories and speculation on WandaVision that ultimately were not intended for that series, Schaeffer was more careful with her language in Agatha All Along to still be able to protect some of the series' surprises while hoping it would not create expectations in the fandom that would not come to fruition,[72] dismissing such as Thanos appearing due to his backstory with Death in the source material, with Schaeffer intending to just leave some of Death's characterization for interpretation in the show.[73]
Casting
Hahn was expected to reprise her role in the series with the reveal of its development in October 2021,[4] which was confirmed with the series' official announcement a month later.[3]Emma Caulfield Ford revealed in October 2022 that she would reprise her role as Sarah Proctor / "Dottie Jones" from WandaVision.[74] In November, Joe Locke,[75]Aubrey Plaza,[76]Ali Ahn, Maria Dizzia,[77] and Sasheer Zamata joined the cast.[78] Locke plays "Teen",[7] the male lead of the series,[8] while Plaza plays Rio Vidal.[76][79][80] Ahn plays the witch Alice Wu-Gulliver,[81] with Dizzia also reported to be portraying a witch,[78] and Zamata set for the recurring role of the sorceress Jennifer "Jen" Kale.[78][20]Patti LuPone joined the cast in December,[82] as the witch Lilia Calderu.[23]Miriam Margolyes turned down a role in the series after Marvel offered to pay her half of what she had asked for and because she did not want to film in Georgia.[54]
In January 2023, several cast members were revealed to be reprising their roles from WandaVision: Debra Jo Rupp as Sharon Davis / "Mrs. Hart";[15][27] David Payton as John Collins / "Herb Feltman"; David Lengel as Harold Proctor / "Phil Jones"; Asif Ali as Abilash Tandon / "Norm Gentilucci"; Amos Glick as a pizza delivery man / "Dennis Webber"; Brian Brightman as the Eastview, New Jersey, sheriff; and Kate Forbes as Agatha's mother Evanora Harkness.[26][28][27] Miles Gutierrez-Riley was cast as Teen's boyfriend,[22][26][20] with Okwui Okpokwasili also cast in the series as Salem Seven member Vertigo.[22][26] The series reveals that "Teen" is actually Billy Maximoff, who was previously portrayed by Julian Hilliard in WandaVision and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.[12][13]
Design
Daniel Selon served as the costume designer, after previously working as an assistant costume designer on WandaVision, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and Thor: Love and Thunder (2022).[83] John Collins was the production designer.[84] The different witches in Agatha's coven all have their own styles which were categorized by Gordon Jackson of Gizmodo as the goth, the clairvoyant, the hippie, and the "coastal grandmother".[85] The series end credits examines where many of the misconceptions and stereotypes about witches originated.[72]
Filming
Principal photography began on January 17, 2023,[86][26] at Trilith Studios in Atlanta, Georgia,[87] with Schaeffer, Monteiro, and Goldberg directing episodes of the series.[26] Caleb Heymann,[88][third-party source needed] Jon Chema,[89] and Isiah Donté Lee served as cinematographers.[90] The series was filmed under the working titleMy Pretty.[87] Filming with Rupp also occurred in Los Angeles by February 2023, before moving to Atlanta for two months.[45] The start of the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike in May 2023 was not expected to impact production of Agatha All Along, with Marvel Studios reportedly planning to shoot what they could during principal photography and make any necessary writing adjustments during the series' already scheduled reshoots.[91] Plaza filmed some of her scenes concurrent with the last two weeks of her commitments to the film Megalopolis (2024), also in Atlanta.[79] Filming took place on Blondie Street at the Warner Bros. Ranch for Agatha's house and other Westview exteriors prior to the street being demolished.[60]
Hahn stated that filming used as many practical elements as possible, including practical magic opposed to having it done through CGI.[92] Livano said this was done to be an homage to the golden age of fantasy and horror films, using many in-camera effects such as backdrops, miniatures, special effects, makeup effects, and creature effects. The creatives wanted Agatha All Along to elicit similar nostalgic feelings for the audience as WandaVision had with that series' homage to sitcoms.[6]:8:54–9:16 Filming wrapped by May 28.[93] Hahn said in January 2024 there were a few days left of reshoots to take place,[94] which were completed in one day in early February.[95]
Post-production
Jamie Gross, Libby Cuenin, Dane R. Naimy,[96][97] and David Egan serve as editors on the series.[citation needed]Kelly Port served as the visual effects supervisor for Agatha All Along, after previously working on some MCU films, with Digital Domain providing visual effects.[98]
Music
In January 2023, Hahn hinted that the series would include original songs similar to those featured in WandaVision such as "Agatha All Along".[56] In March, Christophe Beck revealed that he would be returning from WandaVision and other MCU media to compose the score for the series.[99] The following month, Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez were revealed to have written the series' original songs, also returning from WandaVision. Hahn serves as the lead singer for some songs, with the other witch actors such as LuPone acting as background singers.[100] Schaeffer wanted to work with the composers to find a way to weave whatever songs they came up with into the series' narrative.[6]:10:44–11:06 One of their songs, "The Ballad of the Witches' Road",[101] became an ancient tune in the series that all witches are familiar with.[6]:10:44–11:06 In September 2024, Michael Paraskevas was revealed to have composed the score with Beck, after previously working together in the MCU series Hawkeye (2021).[102]
On September 19, Hollywood Records released the single albumSongs from Marvel Television's Agatha All Along (Episodes 1 & 2), which includes two versions of "The Ballad of the Witches' Road"—one being the "true crime version" performed by Matthew Mayfield which was featured in the first episode, and the "sacred chant version" in the second episode.[103][104] Beck and Paraskevas' main theme composed for the series, titled "Agatha's Theme" was also released on the same day.[105] On October 3, Songs from Agatha All Along (Episode 4) was released featuring Lorna Wu's version of the song performed by Seomoon Tak, as well as a 1970s rock cover performed by the cast.[106][107][104] Another version performed by the indie pop band Japanese Breakfast, featured in the finale, was released on October 17.[108]
Beck and Paraskevas' score was released digitally by Marvel Music and Hollywood Records in two volumes: music from the first five episodes was released on October 11, 2024,[109] and the music from the last four episodes was released on November 1, 2024.[110] A soundtrack album was released on vinyl featuring all versions of "The Ballad of the Witches' Road", as well as selected tracks from the score, on October 30, 2024.[111]
Agatha All Along: Vol. 1 (Episodes 1–5) [Original Soundtrack][109]
"The Ballad of the Witches' Road" (Sacred Chant Version) (featuring Kathryn Hahn, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, Patti LuPone, and Debra Jo Rupp)
3:18
10.
"Salem's Seven"
2:49
11.
"The Ballad of the Witches' Road" (Score Version)
1:42
12.
"Wine & Die"
0:57
13.
"Lucid Spellbound Divination"
4:12
14.
"Sous Vide"
3:20
15.
"Out of the Brew"
4:01
16.
"Three of Pentacles"
2:39
17.
"Old Ass Curse"
3:45
18.
"Play It Rite"
2:12
19.
"The Ballad of the Witches' Road" (Cover Version) (featuring Kathryn Hahn, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, Patti LuPone, Aubrey Plaza, and Joe Locke)
4:40
20.
"Three of Swords"
2:14
21.
"Rio"
3:01
22.
"Broomhaha"
3:30
23.
"Spirits Be Known"
2:47
24.
"Séance in a Blood Moon"
2:32
25.
"Knight of Wands"
5:43
26.
"Heavy Is the Head…"
2:23
27.
"The Ballad of the Witches' Road" (Lorna Wu's Version) (featuring Seomoon Tak)
4:41
Total length:
1:15:11
Agatha All Along: Vol. 2 (Episodes 6–9) [Original Soundtrack][110]
No.
Title
Length
1.
"Rite of Passage"
1:20
2.
"Home Sweet Home"
3:54
3.
"Billy Kaplan"
1:38
4.
"Hooligan!"
2:04
5.
"Let's Find Out Pt. 2"
4:24
6.
"Tricks & Trials"
3:25
7.
"Magic Castle"
3:08
8.
"Queen of Cups"
3:48
9.
"The Tower (Reversed)"
3:36
10.
"Liminal Space"
2:57
11.
"Do Not Pass Go"
1:51
12.
"High Priestess"
3:31
13.
"One More Breath"
4:52
14.
"A Seed Resown"
2:34
15.
"Fisticuffs"
5:43
16.
"Kiss of Death"
2:48
17.
"Flowers"
2:48
18.
"Going Through the Motions"
2:12
19.
"Maiden Mother Crone"
3:03
20.
"From Birth"
1:30
21.
"Salem, 1756"
2:21
22.
"The Ballad of the Witches' Road" (Nicky's Version)
0:49
23.
"Down the Windy Road"
2:58
24.
"Hold Your Hand in Mine"
2:39
25.
"To Death"
2:00
26.
"The Ballad of the Witches' Road" (Agatha Through Time Version) (featuring Kathryn Hahn, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, and Patti LuPone)
2:36
27.
"One Door Opens"
3:35
28.
"The Ballad of the Witches' Road" (Pop Version) (featuring Japanese Breakfast)
4:41
Total length:
1:16:45
Marketing
A first-look at the series was included in the bonus features of WandaVision's physical home media, which was released in late November 2023.[5] Hahn, Locke, and LuPone promoted the series at Disney's May 2024 upfront presentation, where the release date and official title were announced and the first trailer was shown.[112][113] The title announcement was accompanied by a video, which was released online, that shows the progression of announced titles for the series leading up to the official title, Agatha All Along. The video is set to the song of the same name from WandaVision.[59]
A teaser trailer was released online on July 8, 2024. Michaela Zee at Variety noted how it cycled through various genres, the first of which presented Agatha as a detective in "a hardboiled murder mystery".[2] Charles Pulliam-Moore at The Verge felt that the trailer was giving a "promising horror turn" and indicated that the series was darker and more "horror-oriented" than other Marvel projects.[114] Jennifer Ouellette of Ars Technica wrote that the series looked like "a lot of dark, spooky fun" and was the perfect fit for releasing in the Halloween season.[27] Writing for Kotaku, Zack Zwiezen said the teaser was "promising a creepy, fun, and wild time" for the series. He was particularly curious about Rio's connection to Agatha and was excited for "a witchy, creepy, spooky show" for the Halloween season.[115] Two days after the teaser's release, Hahn, who had been guest hosting the late-night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live!, ended her opening monologue with a song recapping the MCU.[116]
Feige promoted the series at Disney's D23 convention in August 2024 with the Lopezes and members of the cast. The latter performed the song "The Ballad of the Witches' Road" at the panel, where the official trailer for the series also debuted.[101] Nina Starner of /Film praised the costumes, cast, and music featured in the trailer.[117] Nick Romano of Entertainment Weekly compared the tone of the trailer to the film The Wizard of Oz (1939), particularly Agatha and Lilia respectively resembling the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda from that film.[118]
Release
Agatha All Along premiered on Disney+ with its first two episodes on September 18, 2024,[57] with subsequent episodes releasing weekly, before concluding on October 30 with the final two episodes. The series consists of nine episodes,[33] with the release coinciding with the Halloween season.[119][115][27] The series was previously expected to debut as early as late 2023,[47] but by February 2023 it was not included on a list of "sure bets" to be released that year amid Disney and Marvel Studios re-evaluating their content output.[120] The series is part of Phase Five of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.[47]
Reception
Viewership
Disney announced that Agatha All Along attracted 9.3 million views globally within its first seven days of streaming.[121][122] The series also garnered over 9.8 million viewers during its premiere week.[123][124] It became the No. 1 television show on Disney+ during that period.[125] Streaming analytics firm FlixPatrol, which monitors daily updated VOD charts across the globe, reported that the series ranked in the top 10 across 56 countries and territories as of October 2.[126]Brad Winderbaum, head of streaming for Marvel Studios, noted that it achieved the highest audience retention rate of any Marvel series to date.[127][128] Fan engagement on social media was also notably high, with enthusiasm comparable to the second season of Loki.[129]
The streaming aggregator Reelgood, which monitors real-time data from 20 million users in the U.S. for original and acquired streaming programs and movies across subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) and ad-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) services, announced that Agatha All Along was the second most-streamed series in the U.S. during the week of September 19.[130][131]Nielsen Media Research, which records streaming viewership on U.S. television screens, estimated that the series was viewed for 426 million minutes from September 16–22.[132] It subsequently garnered 365 million minutes of watch time from September 23–29.[133] The series returned to Nielsen's chart for the week of its fifth episode with 310 million minutes of watch time. It scored 410 million minutes viewed across its first six episodes the following week.[134] The show tallied 744 million minutes of viewing on Disney+ for the week of October 28 – November 3, marking a 75% increase from its premiere week.[135] Following its conclusion, the show retained a spot on the chart for the week of November 4–10 with 287 million minutes watched.[136]JustWatch, a guide to streaming content with access to data from more than 40 million users around the world, reported it among the top ten most-streamed series in the U.S. from September 16 to November 3.[137]
TVision, which uses its TVision Power Score to evaluate CTV programming performance by factoring in viewership and engagement across over 1,000 apps and incorporating four key metrics—viewer attention time, total program time available for the season, program reach, and app reach—calculated that Agatha All Along was the top-streaming show from September 16–29. It remained in the top five most-streamed shows from September 30 to October 20.[138]Whip Media, which tracks viewership data for the more than 25 million worldwide users of its TV Time app, revealed that it was the second most-streamed original series in the U.S. from September 22 to October 6. It subsequently rose to first place from October 13–27.[139]
Disney+, which calculates its "Top 10" list by considering daily views for episodes and movies alongside the growing popularity of newly released titles, announced that Agatha All Along was the second most popular title in the U.S. on October 30.[140] Disney later revealed that the seventh episode of the show achieved 4.2 million views globally within its first day of streaming, marking a 35% increase compared to the premiere episode.[141][142] The eighth episode garnered 4.6 million views on Disney+ within its first day, reflecting a nearly 10% increase from the viewership of the seventh episode. The series finale, which premiered the same night, drew 3.9 million first-day views. In comparison to the premiere episode's 3.1 million views, the eighth episode represented a 48% increase, while the ninth episode saw a 26% increase.[143]
Critical response
The series holds an 84% approval rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, based on 210 critic reviews with an average rating of 7.25/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "The marvelous Kathryn Hahn is backed up by a coven of memorable performers in this MCU spinoff that refreshingly concocts its own distinct brew."[144]Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, gave the series a score of 66 out of 100, based on 32 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[145]
Writing for the Rolling Stone, Alan Sepinwall noted that the series "worked as a proper TV show rather than a chopped-up movie, and harks back to the comics giant's most successful project for the small screen, WandaVision."[146] Eliana Dockterman of Time felt that showrunner Jac Schaeffer "seems to be one of the few writers working in the superhero realm who understands that emotional revelations are far more compelling than CGI magic," and wrote that "the greatest trick of Agatha All Along is that the show used its extended time on the small screen to make us empathize with Agatha and Billy."[147] Lucy Mangan of The Guardian gave the show a grade of 5 out of 5, stating, "This royally entertaining Marvel series slips seamlessly from comedy to tragedy." She praised Hahn's performance, saying, "Kathryn Hahn is so good you can barely take your eyes off her" and commended the supporting cast, concluding that "although it remains indubitably Hahn's show [...] she is surrounded by excellence."[148]
In a less positive review, Rob Owen of The Seattle Times opined that although Hahn's "chemistry with Locke and Plaza, especially, makes Agatha watchable," the show "is not as creative as WandaVision and threatens to feature the same plot over and over, episode after episode."[149]
Accolades
Hahn's performance was an honorable mention for TVLine's Performer of the Week for the week ending October 12, 2024, with Rebecca Iannucci stating, "Kathryn Hahn has one of the most formidable acting ranges in the business" and commending her for "her comedy chops [...] and her subtle dramatic skill".[150] The website went on to feature Hahn among their 20 finalists for Performer of the Year in December 2024, with R. I. praising her "delicate moments: her hints of genuine longing for Rio; the glimpses of grief over her son’s death; and her surprising — ill-advised, even! — protectiveness over Teen".[151] Locke was an honorable mention on the website for the week ending October 19, 2024. Matt Webb Mitovich lauded his layered performance, writing that "Joe Locke worked all kinds of magic with the variety of material given him".[152] LuPone received an honorable mention for the week ending October 26. Mitovich described her work as "a tour de force", and praised her character's impactful presence by concluding, "LuPone conjured every emotion."[153] In December 2024, Agatha All Along ranked 15th on TVLine's Best TV Shows of the Year list, while episode 5's reveal came in 5th on the website's Top 30 Plot Twists ranking. [154][155]Episode 7, Death's Hand in Mine also ranked #7 on Entertainment Weekly’s list of 20 Best TV Episodes of 2024. [156]
By November 2024, Marvel Studios and Disney had decided to submit the series for award consideration in comedy series categories, rather than in limited series categories, including for the Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild Awards, Primetime Emmy Awards. Clayton Davis of Variety opined that this decision indicated future seasons of the series could be made.[163]
Agatha Harkness is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Fantastic Four #94. Agatha Harkness is a powerful witch and one of the original witches from the Salem witch trials.
Salem's Seven is a fictional team of magical beings and former supervillains appearing in Marvel Comics. They were initially foes of the Scarlet Witch and the Fantastic Four, but became allies to both. All seven are the children of Nicholas Scratch and the grandchildren of Agatha Harkness. They are witches and warlocks with magic powers who can transform into fantastic creatures with super-powers.
Kathryn Marie Hahn is an American actress. She began her career on television, starring as a grief counselor in the NBC crime drama series Crossing Jordan (2001–2007). Hahn gained prominence appearing as a supporting actress in a number of comedy films, including How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003), Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004), Step Brothers (2008), Our Idiot Brother (2011), We're the Millers and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022).
Jacqueline Schaeffer is an American screenwriter and producer best known for her 2009 feature film debut TiMER and for her work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe creating the Disney+ television miniseries WandaVision and Agatha All Along as well as co-writing the initial story to the film Black Widow.
WandaVision is an American television miniseries created by Jac Schaeffer for the streaming service Disney+, based on Marvel Comics featuring the characters Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch and Vision. It is the first television series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) produced by Marvel Studios, sharing continuity with the films of the franchise, and is set after the events of the film Avengers: Endgame (2019). It follows Wanda Maximoff and Vision as they live an idyllic suburban life in the town of Westview, New Jersey, until their reality starts moving through different decades of sitcom homages and television tropes. Schaeffer served as head writer for the series, which was directed by Matt Shakman.
Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is a group of American superhero films and television series produced by Marvel Studios based on characters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics. Phase Four features all the Marvel Studios productions released from 2021 through 2022. It is the first phase in the franchise to include television series, alongside television specials marketed as "Marvel Studios Special Presentations", with Marvel Studios developing several event series for the streaming service Disney+ in addition to the feature films that it was already set to produce. Animation in the phase was produced by Marvel Studios Animation. Phase Four began with the series WandaVision, which premiered in January 2021, while the first theatrical film in this phase is Black Widow, which was released in July 2021 by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The phase concluded with the television special The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special in November 2022. The release schedule of Phase Four was changed several times due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Kevin Feige produced every film and executive produced every series and special in this phase, alongside producers Jonathan Schwartz for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Nate Moore for Eternals and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Amy Pascal for Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Brad Winderbaum for Thor: Love and Thunder.
Phase Five of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is a group of American superhero films and television series produced by Marvel Studios based on characters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics. Phase Five features all of the Marvel Studios productions set to be released starting from 2023 to mid-2025, with Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures distributing the films, while the series release on Disney+. Starting with Agatha All Along in late 2024, live-action series were released under Marvel Studios' "Marvel Television" label, while animation in the phase was produced by Marvel Studios Animation. The first film in the phase is Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which was released in February 2023, while the first series in the phase, Secret Invasion, premiered in June 2023. The release schedule of Phase Five was changed several times due to the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes. Kevin Feige produces every film and serves as executive producer of every series in this phase, alongside producers Stephen Broussard for Quantumania; Lauren Shuler Donner, Ryan Reynolds, and Shawn Levy for Deadpool & Wolverine; and Nate Moore for Captain America: Brave New World.
"Filmed Before a Live Studio Audience" is the first episode of the American television miniseries WandaVision, based on Marvel Comics featuring the characters Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch and Vision. It follows the newlywed couple as they try to conceal their powers while living an idyllic suburban life in the town of Westview, New Jersey. The episode is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the films of the franchise. It was written by head writer Jac Schaeffer and directed by Matt Shakman.
"We Interrupt This Program" is the fourth episode of the American television miniseries WandaVision, based on Marvel Comics featuring the characters Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch and Vision. It follows an investigation of the idyllic sitcom life that Maximoff and Vision are living in the town of Westview, New Jersey. The episode is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the films of the franchise. It was written by Bobak Esfarjani and Megan McDonnell, and directed by Matt Shakman.
"All-New Halloween Spooktacular!" is the sixth episode of the American television miniseries WandaVision, based on Marvel Comics featuring the characters Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch and Vision. It follows the couple as they try to conceal their powers while living an idyllic suburban life in the town of Westview, New Jersey. The episode is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the films of the franchise. It was written by Chuck Hayward and Peter Cameron and directed by Matt Shakman.
Marvel Studios: Assembled is an American anthology television docuseries of specials created for the streaming service Disney+. Produced by Marvel Studios, each special goes behind-the-scenes of a Marvel Studios Disney+ series or film, particularly those within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), with the creatives, exploring the process of creating each series or film.
"Breaking the Fourth Wall" is the seventh episode of the American television miniseries WandaVision, based on Marvel Comics featuring the characters Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch and Vision. It follows the couple inside the town of Westview, New Jersey, as their idyllic suburban life begins to unravel. The episode is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the films of the franchise. It was written by Cameron Squires and directed by Matt Shakman.
"Agatha All Along", also known as "It Was ______ All Along", is an original song from the Marvel Studios Disney+ miniseries WandaVision. Written by the series' theme song composers Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez for the seventh episode, "Breaking the Fourth Wall", the song was performed by star Kathryn Hahn, with Lopez, Eric Bradley, Greg Whipple, Jasper Randall, and Gerald White serving as backup singers. The song drew inspiration from the theme songs from The Munsters and The Addams Family.
"Previously On" is the eighth episode of the American television miniseries WandaVision, based on Marvel Comics featuring the characters Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch and Vision. It follows Maximoff and Agatha Harkness as they explore Maximoff's past to see what led her to create an idyllic suburban life in the town of Westview, New Jersey. The episode is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the films of the franchise. It was written by Laura Donney and directed by Matt Shakman.
"The Series Finale" is the ninth episode and series finale of the American television miniseries WandaVision, based on Marvel Comics featuring the characters Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch and Vision. It follows Wanda as she tries to protect the idyllic suburban life and family that she created in the town of Westview, New Jersey. The episode is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the films of the franchise. It was written by head writer Jac Schaeffer and directed by Matt Shakman.
Phase Six of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is a group of American superhero films and television series to be produced by Marvel Studios based on characters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics. Phase Six features all of the Marvel Studios productions set to be released starting from mid-2025 to mid-2027, with Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures distributing the films, while the series release on Disney+. Live-action series are released under Marvel Studios' "Marvel Television" label. The first film in the phase will be The Fantastic Four: First Steps, scheduled for release in July 2025. The release schedule of Phase Six was changed several times due to the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes. Kevin Feige produces every film and executive produces every television series in this phase, alongside Anthony and Joe Russo for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, and Amy Pascal for the untitled Spider-Man: No Way Home sequel.
"The Ballad of the Witches' Road" is a song from the Marvel Studios Disney+ television miniseries Agatha All Along, written by composers Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. Eight versions of the song were used throughout the miniseries. The main version of the song is referred to as the Sacred Chant Version.
"Death's Hand in Mine" is the seventh episode of the American television miniseries Agatha All Along, based on Marvel Comics featuring the character Agatha Harkness. It follows Harkness, who has been stripped of her identity after the events of the miniseries WandaVision (2021), and her coven as they continue their journey down the Witches' Road in search of power. The episode is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the films of the franchise. It was written by Gia King and Cameron Squires and directed by Agatha All Along showrunner Jac Schaeffer.
1 2 Stanmeyer, Anastasia (February 23, 2023). "10 Minutes with Debra Jo Rupp". Berkshire Magazine. Archived from the original on October 6, 2024. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
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