Katelyn Benschoter-

The Marvel Studios franchise is one of television’s biggest and most expansive. Yet, in recent years with the high frequency of projects coming out, some fans have felt that Marvel has lost their touch. Instead of doing a huge film such as Avengers: Endgame per year, they have had many smaller projects and television shows in short periods of time. These smaller projects such as MoonKnight and She-Hulk have not created the same draw as former Marvel projects. They have flopped, to put it simply. My personal favorite Marvel project is Wandavision. I love the mise-en-scene of the different decades and the focus on a female protagonist. Therefore I, like many fans, was hopeful with the release of Agatha All Along that the Marvel drought of unsuccessful projects was over. Let me just say that Marvel has found their magic again; the drought is indeed over. Agatha All Along is a smash hit that has gained a new audience for Marvel. Let’s take a trip way down the road to unpack why it has been so successful.

To begin, let’s recap the plot of Agatha All Along. As I mentioned, this show is a spinoff of the highly successful Marvel show Wandavision, released in 2021. The show is centered around Agatha Harkness, an infamous witch who served as the villain in Wandavision. She is known as a witch that many are not fond of; “a witch without a coven” because she cannot be trusted. The audience watches as she attempts to get her powers back by taking a trip down the witches’ road. “Teen”, a character whose true identity is later revealed, finds Agatha in a world where she is powerless, set years after the end of Wandavision. He convinces her to take a trip down the road to gain their powers back. The witches’ road tests those who take the trip with a set of trials. If you complete the road, you should in theory receive whatever led you to take a trip down the road. They rally up some other witches who have lost their powers and the journey begins. One reason this show was so successful was the ensemble cast. It is fun to see all the different characters interact which leads to many humorous encounters. It also felt very easy to follow. My personal complaint with several of the recent Marvel shows is how complicated they are to comprehend a basic plot. There are still many elements of the show that reference more niche aspects of Marvel, like stories from the comics. These nods are not critical to the understanding of the show, yet add on to it for those true fans that are watching.

Now that the plot has been covered, just how is this show that different? It still contains superhumans and incredible special effects. This show reaches such a different audience because of the very different types of protagonists the show introduces. To start off, the show follows a woman. This is not unheard of for Marvel, but Agatha is a very unique character. She is unlikeable, messy, and cruel. Yet she is made a protagonist of an entire series. We also see “Teen” who is a young teenager take a leading role in the series. This is new territory for Marvel, especially with the addition of him being a member of the LGBTQ+ community. The character Rio is also very interesting; she is ominous and keeps the audience guessing who she is for most of the show. Rio and Agatha share a bond and clearly have a lot of unfinished business. That being said, even alluding to a non-heterosexual relationship is something Marvel has never done. These all being the reason Agatha All Along has struck a chord with such a different audience. Agatha All Along sheds light on the people who are never typically perceived as superheroes. When people think of Marvel films, they think of characters like Captain America and Iron Man, who are very obvious, strong, likable heroes. Agatha Harkness is unlikeable and has an endless list of flaws, but she is given a place that tells her backstory and gives her a heart. How the show depicts unlikable and underrepresented characters is subtle, but representation in any way is always important.

Finally, Agatha All Along is simply a whole lot of fun. The set design and different costumes in every episode are very campy and play into a fun, eerie vibe. It made the show feel a bit less dramatic and more an enjoyable watch. The creators of the show did an excellent job of blending emotional storytelling with humor and lighthearted moments. I think that it is safe to say Agatha All Along will always be a bright spot in Marvel history. I am hopeful and excited for the future of Marvel films and series. Who knows what will be next for them? It seems with their set of new protagonists and plot lines Marvel is on the up, or should I say they are down the witches’ road?