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Tag: Agatha All Along

  • Among Slew of Delays and Cancellations, Two Marvel Television Projects Under Consideration for Second Seasons

    Among Slew of Delays and Cancellations, Two Marvel Television Projects Under Consideration for Second Seasons

    In May 2024, Marvel’s head of streaming, television and animation, Brad Winderbaum, explained that things had changed behind the scenes in the way Marvel Studios developed and released its streaming series. “We were already, as of two years ago, adapting our process from being, you know, fill the service as fast as possible no matter what, to a more considered approach,” Winderbaum said in an interview with Variety. Less than a year later, the results of that “considered approach” are ruffling fans’ feathers.

    Over the past week, it was revealed that a pair of LONG-gestating streaming series, Nova and the Danai Gurira-led Okoye spinoff, were among multiple projects that the studio had either delayed indefinitely or scrapped entirely as Marvel Television pursues a more traditional approach to cheating its series. Now, Winderbaum has given some insight into what considerations are being given to the projects Marvel will move forward with in the future.

    “I think it’s ‘linear series potential,’” said Winderbaum, referencing a shift to a far more traditional approach to producing television. “As we develop things for the future, I think they’re going to be designed to be multiple seasons, have more of a pattern, and be able to be released annually.”

    Winderbaum‘s comments come as cameras prepare to roll a second season of Daredevil: Born Again just as the first season launches on D+. His comments also may well explain the delays to projects such as Nova and Strange Academy, which insiders believe the studio will eventually greenlight for production: until the creative teams can outline multiple seasons of the series, the studio may be content to hold off.

    That plan, however, could eventually mean a shortage in content which wouldn’t be ideal even as Disney seeks to reduce the output of content from its major studios. There is good news on that front, though, as Winderbaum reveals that a pair of previously well-received streaming series could be revisited for second seasons. Though nothing is set in stone, both Agatha All Along and Hawkeye are under consideration for future seasons.

    I really like the idea of two shows a year, especially because we are developing more than we make. We used to treat the shows like the features where we’re gonna make a show and that’s it, we’re going to hit a release date, hell or high water. Well, it’s hard to do for a two hour feature, it’s even harder to do for, six, seven, eight, nine hours. So now we have a more traditional approach.

    -Marvel Television boss Brad Winderbaum

    “A show like Agatha, to me, is concept based. Yes, a second season for sure is something that we would want to do, but let’s not rush it. Let’s get the right idea and then make it,” said Winderbaum of another batch of episodes of Agatha All Along.

    Winderbaum’s comments on a potential second season of Agatha All Along are certainly surprising given co-star Patti LuPone‘s comments to the contrary. Even series star Kathryn Hahn, who made it clear she’s not down with playing the character, wasn’t able to confirm whether or not a follow-up season was in store, saying “we’d have to let the powers that be make those decisions.”

    Talk of a potential sophomore season of Hawkeye is a bit less surprising, at least to those who keep tight tabs on such things. Rumblings of a The Raid-inspired Season 2 that would introduce Clint Barton’s brother, Barney, first appeared online in May 2024. Six months later, Marvel insider Daniel Richtman reported that the studio was indeed moving forward with the new season, targeting a Fall 2025 start of production with an eye on another Christmastime release in either 2026 or 2027. While Winderbaum didn’t confirm it, his comments echo Richtman’s report.

    “Hawkeye is another one that feels like you can make a second season of that show because it’s Christmas, because it’s Clint and Kate,” said Winderbaum. “You can kind of revisit it whenever, and we’re looking for opportunities to do that.” And with a shortage of projects known to be in the queue, the studio may be reaching into its quiver for Season 2 sooner rather than later.

    Source: EW

  • Kathryn Hahn Addresses the Future of Agatha Harkness

    Kathryn Hahn Addresses the Future of Agatha Harkness

    Kathryn Hahn‘s performance as the wicked witch of Westview, Agatha Harkness, has proven to be the gift that keeps on giving. After a show-stealing performance in 2021’s WandaVision, Hahn took the lead in the spinoff Agatha All Along and once again left audiences asking for more. Despite what appeared to be the end of the road for the character, the final scene of Agatha All Along saw the spectral sorceress embark on a new journey, showing there’s still some “life” in the old gal yet.

    While whatever the future holds for the wraithlike witch may not have been divined, it certainly seems as though the next chapter in her story will be closely tired to the next chapter in the story of Joe Locke‘s Billy Maximoff. And while we all wait for official word about what that shape that might take, Hahn has shared her thoughts about returning to the role.

    “Am I personally done with playing this witch? No,” said Hahn when asked by TV Line about her future as Agatha. However, the star stopped short of confirming the recent reports and rumors that Marvel Television was close to moving forward with Season 2 of Agatha All Along. “We’d have to let the powers that be make those decisions,” said Hahn when asked if Marvel had given the go-ahead for another batch of episodes.

    Of course, even if Marvel and Hahn are attempting to keep a sophomore season of Agatha All Along a secret, some omens do seem to augur well for an extra season of the witch. Series creator Jac Schaeffer‘s abrupt exit from the Paul Bettany-led Vision series led many to assume she had moved onto another project. And while speculation seemed to center on the rumored Scarlet Witch solo project, a greenlight given to a second season of Agatha All Along would certainly provide a reasonable explanation for her choice to bail on Vision, especially since Schaeffer indicated that she had plenty of unused Season 1 ideas which could be repurposed for Season 2.

    There was more [of Agatha and Rio’s backstory] in the writer’s room. There was never any more on the page. It was our story instinct, I would say, that getting too far into their backstory would sort of be too much of a counterweight to the Nicky material. And so, we really included what we felt was vital to this chapter.

    -Jac Schaeffer on ideas cut from Season 1 of Agatha All Along that could be explored in a potential Season 2

    Beyond that, there’s the interesting decision by Marvel Studios to submit Agatha All Along as a comedy series rather than a miniseries in an effort to snag awards for the project. It’s a strong indication that they plan to make more episodes, something Hahn herself acknowledged. “It does suggest that,” said Hahn, though she held tight to her claim that she had no idea of future plans for her character. “I am as in-the-dark as you are. There’s going to be a Vision show, so that could be of a trilogy [with WandaVision and Agatha All Along]. But who knows?”.

    Despite Hahn‘s hesitance, reluctance or inability to confirm Marvel Television’s plans to move ahead with a Season 2 of Agatha All Along, it’s starting to feel like there’s a growing chance of more purple in the near future.

    Source: TV Line

  • ‘Agatha All Along’ Episode 6 Reveals the Real Reason Billy Is Walking Down, Down, Down the Road

    ‘Agatha All Along’ Episode 6 Reveals the Real Reason Billy Is Walking Down, Down, Down the Road

    As it moves through its nine-episode season, it’s become increasingly clear that Agatha All Along was never intended to be about Agatha all along. Initially the unassuming familiar of Agatha Harkness’ coven of chaos, Joe Locke‘s Teen has emerged as the true protagonist of the second half of the series. Following the Episode 5 reveal that Teen is Billy Maximoff, the son of Wanda Maximoff believed to have been erased from existence in the WandaVision finale, the true nature of the character immediately changed the focus of the series. With Episode 6 detailing how Billy came to be entangled with William Kaplan, the final three episodes look set to proceed with a new storytelling purpose that was made clear before Episode 5 wrapped.

    While the “Billy reveal” wasn’t truly a surprise to a large percentage of the MCU’s fan base, the revelation of why Billy wanted to walk the Witches’ Road may have been a surprise to those unfamiliar with the very detailed leaks about the plot of Agatha All Along. Despite Teen expressing a desire to obtain power at the end of the Road, much of the online discussion about his real motives (most of which were  based on the assumption he was truly Billy Maximoff) leaned into the idea that he would use the Road to find his mother. Episode 6 made it clear that the Wanda problem remains one to be solved another day.

    Thanks to some detective-esque interrogation from Agatha, Billy’s true motivation for walking the Witches’ Road came bursting forth in a show of strong emotion. What Billy is truly missing and hopes to find at the end of the road is his twin brother, Tommy. Like Billy, Tommy was believed to be erased from existence as Wanda undid the hex. However, as is the case with Billy, Tommy’s soul remains on Earth-616. Moreover, Billy can feel his twin’s presence but is unable to locate him.

    With three episodes left to go, there’s still some exploration of other witch’s stories to go, a trial or two and at least one incredibly interesting twist; however, with Billy’s true intention for manipulating Agatha to leading the way down the Witches’ Road having been revealed, the show has changed course and one has to wonder what adventures will be in store for Billy and Tommy, if and when they reunite.

  • ‘Agatha All Along’: Teen’s Big Episode 6 Origin Reveal Explained

    ‘Agatha All Along’: Teen’s Big Episode 6 Origin Reveal Explained

    Through its first six episodes, Marvel Studios’ first WandaVision spinoff, Agatha All Along, has been nothing short of spellbinding. In Episode 5, “Darkest Hour/Wake They Power”, creator Jac Schaeffer revealed that Joe Locke‘s unassuming Teen was actually Wanda Maximoff’s son, Billy. Though it was certainly not a surprise to hardcore fans of either the MCU or Marvel Comics, general audiences who don’t read comics or scour the internet for every leak, rumor and scoop may have found themselves not only surprised but a little confused about how Earth-616 Billy, who disappeared when Wanda undid The Hex, could be alive and rather well. More multiversal shenanigans? More magic? Fortunately, the wait to find out was not a long one as Episode 6, “Familiar By Thy Side”, set out to explain the previous episode’s twist.

    Though the big Billy reveal was indeed part of multiple and widespread leaks about Agatha All Along, the “how” of it all was not necessarily front-page news. And as is Marvel Studios’ way, Schaeffer chose not to follow along step-by-step with the way Marvel Comics handled Billy Maximoff’s “rebirth”, opting to create a more connected in-universe option. For those who haven’t seen it yet or find themselves a little confused, let’s look at how it all went down.

    Teen (Joe Locke) in Marvel Television’s AGATHA ALL ALONG, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Chuck Zlotnick. © 2024

    Even if the mechanics of it all aren’t quite clear right away, the bare bones explanation for what’s going on is that just as Billy Maximoff and his brother, Tommy, disappeared as their mother ended the hex that created them, a teenager named William Kaplan (Locke) was killed in a single car accident. As Kaplan’s soul left his body, Billy’s soul moved into the “empty vessel” and as the body reanimated, it was Billy behind the wheel.

    As he explains in the episode, Billy has none of William Kaplan’s memories and has been essentially posing as the teen for three years, a stranger within the body of another person. Interestingly enough, Billy retained the psionic powers he displayed in WandaVision while also, obviously, learning spellcraft along the way.

    Moving forward, it should be clear that Locke’s Teen is truly Billy Maximoff wearing the skinsuit of William Kaplan. How the studio will choose to proceed with identifying the character is already a topic of conversation among Marvel Comics fans with the very simple solution of calling him Billy Kaplan deemed as a solid compromise. Whatever the case, it’s now clear that Locke’s character has a future beyond Agatha All Along, though with the studio taking its time producing new streaming series, it could be years until we see the next chapter.

  • ‘Agatha All Along’ Crowns Wanda Jr.

    ‘Agatha All Along’ Crowns Wanda Jr.

    For the first four episodes of Agatha All Along, creator Jac Schaeffer let fans dabble in their theories about who Joe Locke‘s Teen may or may not be. Thankfully, following Agatha Harkness’ heartbreaking trial, there’s no longer any doubt about who Locke is playing or who is in charge on the Witches’ Road.

    Those who have enjoyed the mystery of Teen’s true identity shouldn’t despair now that the show revealed him as Wanda Maximoff’s son, Billy. Indeed the mystery was spoiled long ago and more mysteries are yet to be solved. While fans may find themselves a little too focused on the “revelation”, perhaps a little more attention should be paid to the enormous power Billy displayed in the episode’s final moments where he not only took control over two other witches but, possibly, the Road itself.

    While Marvel Studios has yet to officially acknowledge Teen as Billy Maximoff, aka Billy Kaplan, aka Wiccan, Episode 5 of Agatha All Along crowned the Demiurge-to-Come and, in doing so, subtly referenced one of the character’s more popular arcs, The Children’s Crusade. Following Agatha mocking Teen for being like his mother, the character proved her right by displaying not only the magnitude of his power but also his apparent lack of control of it when he unleashes it.

    Of course, the real question here is if Billy has been capable of these great feats of power all along, why has he been so meekly playing along on the coven’s trip down the Witches’ Road? Or has he been meekly playing along at all? At his strongest in the comics, Billy was a reality warper capable of creation, transmutation and essentially accomplishing any and every thing he wished. Sure, he’s out of control at the end of Episode 5 but what might we have missed along the way?

  • Marvel Studios Reportedly Developing ‘Agatha All Along’ Spinoff

    Marvel Studios Reportedly Developing ‘Agatha All Along’ Spinoff

    Three and a half years after Marvel Studios’ first Disney + streaming series, WandaVision, took audiences by storm and led to a weekly deluge of theories and speculation, the studio’s latest series has followed a similar pattern. Through its first four episodes, Agatha All Along has been highly entertaining and despite being plagued by plot leaks, has managed to keep general audiences in its trance and keep them guessing. While the series’ biggest mysteries are yet to be revealed, Agatha All Along has further carved out space in its own corner of the MCU that’s being curated by series creator and WandaVision writer Jac Schaeffer. And it seems as though the studio is more than willing to let Schaeffer continue to work her own brand of magic.

    While Agatha All Along is the first project delivered by Schaeffer after signing a three-year overall deal with Marvel Studios and 20th Television it certainly won’t be the last. Already rumored to be developing a Scarlet Witch solo film, Schaeffer is quickly becoming one of the studio’s most valued creators which means she may find herself incredibly busy over the next few years.

    Jac is unbelievable. Any chance I get to walk around that woman’s imagination is like a gift. She’s an absolute genius storyteller. 

    -Brad Winderbaum, head of streaming, television and animation for Marvel Studios.

    Though the Scarlet Witch solo project is something Schaeffer is keen to make happen, it’s only a rumor at this point; however, it is worth noting that after developing a Vision-centric WandaVision follow-up series for some time, Schaeffer departed that project, handing it over to Star Trek: Picard Season 3 showrunner, Terry Matalas. It’s worth asking why Schaeffer would leave a project she had begun to develop and the simplest answer is because she needed more time to develop another project. And while the Scarlet Witch film may be that project, a new report by a Marvel Studios insider may provide another option.

    According to Daniel RPK, Marvel Studios is developing an Agatha All Along spinoff series that will feature the search for Tommy Maximoff.

    While it’s long been believed (and may still be true) that Tommy would have a role in the studio’s VisionQuest series, RPK’s report seems to indicate that this series is quite separate from the upcoming Paul Bettany-led spinoff. To be clear, the insider’s report does not indicate that Schaeffer is working on the project but given how Agatha All Along concludes, it’s very reasonable to assume that is the case.

    Source: Variety

  • Speak of the Devil: ‘Agatha All Along’ Episode 3 Lays Bare Its Bad Witch’s Shocking Secret

    Speak of the Devil: ‘Agatha All Along’ Episode 3 Lays Bare Its Bad Witch’s Shocking Secret

    Despite being the lead character of a Disney Plus series, Agatha Harkness is no hero. Kathryn Hahn‘s wicked witch with over 300 years of dirty deeds to her credit. Flashbacks in WandaVision revealed that in the 1690s, Agatha broke the rules of her coven by practicing dark magic. Accused and put on trial by the coven’s leader, her mother, Evanora, Agatha revealed the extent of her abilities by absorbing the powers of all the other witches and killing them all, including her mother. She done a bad, bad thing…but unfortunately, as revealed in the third episode of Agatha All Along, “Through Many Miles of Tricks and Trials”, she was just getting started.

    Episode 3 pits Agatha and her coven of chaos against the first of their many trials as they walk the Witches’ Road and, according to series’ creator Jac Schaeffer‘s grand design, lays bare each witch’s worst nightmare. While the house by the sea is technically where Jennifer Kale’s trial as a potions witch is held, a little is revealed about each member of the coven after they drink the wine poisoned with Alewife’s Revenge and begin to hallucinate. Working to locate the ingredients for an antidote for the poison, everyone who drank the wine is forced to relive her worst nightmare and for Agatha it’s a shocking revelation that lays bare the depths of her depravity and lust for power…and one that likely explains not only why the rest of the witches don’t trust her but also why Rio is rip roaring angry with her and wants her dead.

    (L-R): Lilia Calderu (Patti LuPone), Alice Wu-Gulliver (Ali Ahn), Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn), Jennifer Kale (Sasheer Zamata) and Teen (Joe Locke) in Marvel Television’s AGATHA ALL ALONG, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Chuck Zlotnick. © 2024 MARVEL.

    Dating back to WandaVision, there have been plenty of teases–both subtle and not-so-subtle–about Agatha’s comic book son, Nicholas Scratch. From the bunny she called Senor Scratchy to the child having an empty room in the house her spellbound persona Detective Agnes O’Connor inhabits, Agatha’s son has made quite an impression by NOT being there. And now we know why. As shared with Teen by Jennifer Kale and confirmed by Agatha’s hallucination, Agatha traded her son to Mephisto in order to acquire the Darkhold. Kale’s story alludes to the possibility that Teen may well be Scratch but we all know that’s just more misdirection but it does help make clear why Agatha has been so protective of the character: even she’s not sure how her own son might look. At this point, Agatha seems pretty irredeemable and there’s really no longer any reason to wonder why Rio–obviously a former lover of Agatha’s–wants her dead. It would seem Scratch wasn’t Agatha’s son but the son of both Agatha and Rio.

    With these shows, so often there is something that is at once a joke and a wink and a nod, and actually has something legitimate underneath it. As we all know, Mephisto is a character who’s very wrapped into Agatha’s storyline. I mean, people have to watch, but we’re always playing with the audience in that way.

    -Jac Schaeffer on Mephisto’s role in Agatha All Along, EW, September 25, 2024

    While theorists who’ve been claiming for the past three years that Mephisto will show up in every MCU project can finally thump their chests at the name drop, the search for Scratch continues. In the comics, Scratch went on to father the members of the Salem’s Seven. That spooky group of shape-shifting freaks showed up in Episode 2 but don’t expect them to be Agatha’s grandkids in the MCU. Once Mephisto has his claws in someone, it’s typically for good but who knows exactly what becomes of a baby raised by a Class Two demon? Maybe we’ll find out at the end of the Witches’ Road.

    Source: EW

    AGATHA ALL ALONG. © 2024 MARVEL.
  • Scratch That, Reverse It! Joe Locke’s Teen May Not Be Who You Thought He Was

    Scratch That, Reverse It! Joe Locke’s Teen May Not Be Who You Thought He Was

    The two-episode premiere of Agatha All Along certainly didn’t disappoint the legions of fans who had been waiting to return to Westview. Star Kathryn Hahn stepped right back into the role of the spellbound Agnes O’Connor before quite literally stripping away the layers that created that persona until Agatha Harkness reemerged. And while fans are rightfully looking forward to Agatha and her coven of chaos making their way down the Witches’ Road, series’ creator Jac Schaeffer had a good old Easter egg hunt planned first.

    Before Agatha escapes the spell cast on her by Wanda Maximoff, she finds herself living out her days as a Westview PD detective. As she works a mysterious murder case, Detective O’Connor grows frustrated in her attempts to deduce any reasonable conclusions from the clues she’s collected which include a familiar-looking locket. Upon returning home for the evening, a distressed Agnes opens a door to a room in her house which, in turn, opens a great big can of worms related to one of the central mysteries of the series.

    Revealed to be the room of her son, the room is shown to be filled with drawings, trophies and otherwise everyday kid stuff…but there’s no kid. Oh, and the kid who isn’t there: it’s Nicholas Scratch. Son of a bitch!

    Who Is Nicholas Scratch?

    Like his mother, Agatha’s comic book son, Nicholas Scratch, has a bit of a sordid history. Scratch was referenced as somewhat of an Easter egg in WandaVision, with Harnkness’ pet bunny (who returns for Agatha All Along) sharing the name, but in the comics, he was a powerful warlock in his own right who had less than a loving relationship with his mother.

    Schaeffer smartly seeded Scratch into the tapestry of Agatha All Along out of the gate…and Episode 1 is hardly the last time he’ll be referenced.

    Scratch Where It Itches

    Teen (Joe Locke) in Marvel Television’s AGATHA ALL ALONG, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Chuck Zlotnick. © 2024 MARVEL.

    Scratch’s presence in Agatha All Along has been predicted and debated since the series was announced and speculation reached a fever pitch when Joe Locke was cast in a role that has yet to be fully disclosed. Despite some evidence to the contrary, dozens of dedicated fans of Nicholas Scratch and at least one once prominent “leaker” held fast to the belief that Locke was cast as the son of Agatha Harkness.

    Unsurprisingly, Schaeffer not only refuses to resolve the debate over the course of the first two episodes but rather encourages further discourse around it. The recovery of Agatha’s Neopaganistic Triple Goddess broach/locket complete with a lock(e) of curly dark hair shrewdly sustains the suspense over the true nature of Locke’s character, providing hope to the Nicholas Scratch fan club, now 36 strong.

    AGATHA ALL ALONG. © 2024 MARVEL.

    The first two episodes of Agatha All Along are streaming now on Disney Plus.

  • Review: A Divine Kathryn Hahn Walks a Familiar Road and Conjures Up a Potential Hit for Marvel Television in ‘Agatha All Along’

    Review: A Divine Kathryn Hahn Walks a Familiar Road and Conjures Up a Potential Hit for Marvel Television in ‘Agatha All Along’

    As it turns out, Marvel Studios did learn something from WandaVision. Debuting at a time when the world was starving for new content of any kind, WandaVision helped a fanbase find a way to forget about a still terrifying and uncertain reality. As Marvel Studios’ first streaming series, WandaVision blazed a trail and set a high bar for each series that followed. While it’s easy to look back with disdain at the wild weekly theories that never worked out, there’s no debating that no other Marvel Studios’ D+ series has impacted pop culture the way WandaVision did. And if we’re being honest, there’s not been a realistic contender for the crown. So, at a time when the studio seeks to return to its former glory, one must appreciate the coincidence of some measure of that return resting on the shoulders of a WandaVision spinoff that focuses on a once powerful witch seeking to return to her former glory.

    While it would be easy to believe that Agatha All Along exists solely to showcase the bewitching talents of its star, Kathryn Hahn, the series creator, Jac Schaeffer, made no bones about her true intention: “to recapture the fun of WandaVision.” To that end, the first four episodes of Agatha All Along indubitably lean heavily into the spirit of the predecessor, tossing all the right ingredients into the cauldron. Strong acting, smart writing and a devil-may-care affect to the negativity that has surrounded some of the studio’s more recent fare are likely to produce a witch’s brew that results in an entranced audience finding itself trapped in a spell similar to the one cast by WandaVision. For better or for worse, expect plenty of theories and arguments about who Joe Locke‘s “Teen” actually is, the true nature of Agatha’s past with Aubrey Plaza‘s wonderfully wicked Rio and, of course, what role Mephisto plays in it all!

    Whatever Schaeffer‘s intentions for Agatha All Along may have been, no reasonable human being would argue that the series could possibly have been given the green light had Hahn not so thoroughly slayed the role of the dark witch in WandaVision. There’s no need for protracted pretense here in an evaluation of Hahn‘s return to the role in Agatha All Along. From the moment her still spellbound Agnes hits the screen in Episode 1 until the unbound Agatha takes on the trials of the Witches’ Road throughout the screening package viewed by the media, Hahn cleverly recaptures the campy nature of the character’s MCU debut while adeptly transitioning to a far more sinister and unhinged version of Agatha which, as we learn, is the truest version of herself.

    Detective Agnes O’Connor (Kathryn Hahn) in Marvel Television’s AGATHA ALL ALONG, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Chuck Zlotnick. © 2024 MARVEL.

    That change in demeanor happens when Hahn’s Agatha, who remains trapped as Agnes in the spell placed on her by Wanda in the WandaVision finale, meets two very interesting interlopers: Aubrey Plaza‘s Rio Vidal and Joe Locke‘s Teen. Following the death of the Scarlet Witch and the destruction of the Darkhold as seen in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Rio and Teen shake the foundation of Agatha’s dreamworld enough to allow her to come to her senses and be reborn, stark naked, in the town of Westview. By the end of Episode 2, Agatha is headed down, down, down the Witches’ Road to reclaim her power and since the road cannot be accessed alone, she must head down the path coven in tow. And so, despite Agatha All Along working first and foremost as a vehicle to let Hahn cook, a strong supporting cast is an absolute must and the impromptu coven is stellar.

    Locke’s Teen, whose true identity is kept hidden by a sigil that’s been placed on him, provides the impetus for the trip down the Witches’ Road and is one of the best additions to the MCU since Hahn joined in 2021. Plaza is as Plaza does, bringing her dark, sardonic sarcasm to Vidal, who clearly has far more tricks and treats up her sleeves. While very different from the chemistry between Agatha and Teen which seems to evolve into something bordering motherly, the enchanting interplay between Agatha and Rio holds the promise of something far greater than what is revealed in the screening package. It’s devilish and delicious and something that will certainly garner significant attention. It isn’t just the triple threat of Agatha, Billy Teen and Rio who travel the road, however, and Hahn’s catalytic charisma with the other members of the coven ensures there’s no real drop off when Teen and Rio are off-screen. Patti Lupone, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn and (kind of) Debra Jo Rupp round out the roster of Agatha’s coven and all have their own charms. Each witch represents a different skill set required to survive the trials of the Witches’ Road and comes with her backstory. However, if there’s one potential problem facing the series it is that it may lose some of the generous positive momentum gained by the end of Episode 2 if the pattern laid out in Episodes 3 and 4–each of which serves as a showcase for one of the witches–continues in Episodes 5, 6 and 7. Whether or not that comes to fruition is impossible to divine as long as Disney continues to dole out only partial seasons for review.

    (L-R): Teen (Joe Locke), Rio Vidal (Aubrey Plaza), Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) and Jennifer Kale (Sasheer Zamata) in Marvel Television’s AGATHA ALL ALONG, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Chuck Zlotnick. © 2024 MARVEL.

    Though Agatha All Along will lure audiences in with the promise of something familiar, the true strength of the series is in its alchemical quest to transform into something better. Come for the WandaVision but stay for the shift into true Spooky Season horror. Schaeffer has created something truly unique among Marvel Studios’ fare in Agatha All Along which at times seems to share more DNA with Werewolf By Night than WandaVision. From The Ring-esque group of weirdos known as the Salem’s Seven to the haunted house horror to the demon literally on the back of one of the coven members, Agatha All Along is downright scary at times and, before long, finds itself very far afield from the campy True Detective-inspired opening episode.

    Through four episodes, Agatha All Along looks to be on the road to becoming just what the doctor ordered for Marvel Television. The combination of some incredibly crafty creative work behind the scenes and a talent like Hahn at its center provide plenty of reasons to keep fans entranced while also keeping them guessing. Despite there being plenty of reason to believe you already know what’s going on, Agatha All Along has mysteries aplenty and with Schaeffer’s willingness to go back to throwing WandaVision-ish curveballs in the mix, this trip down the Witches’ Road is going to be a blast!

  • The ‘Agatha All Along’ Premiere Revealed a Major Clue Most Fans Missed

    The ‘Agatha All Along’ Premiere Revealed a Major Clue Most Fans Missed

    The two-episode premiere of Agatha All Along set the stage for plenty of mystery and mischief to unfold over the next six weeks. Though there truly wasn’t much mystery behind the identity of Episode 1’s murder victim, there are still plenty of questions left unanswered by the end of the series’ double-dip debut. There seems to be much to discover about Aubrey Plaza‘s Rio Vidal and her past with Agatha Harkness and, of course, the true identity of Joe Locke‘s Teen will haunt theorists and speculators for the duration of the show. However, creator Jac Schaeffer may have already given away more information about who Teen truly is than you might think.

    Episode 1 of Agatha All Along, “Seekest Thou The Road”, makes an overt effort to drag viewers in one particular direction when it comes to the true identity of Teen. While still trapped within Wanda’s spell as Agnes, it’s revealed that Agatha once had a son named Nicholas Scratch. If that name isn’t too familiar to you, you’ll be forgiven, but it is a name that fans and leakers alike threw around as the “true” identity of Locke‘s characters dating back to when he was cast in the series. GIven the way Episode 1 plays out, it’s understandable that fans might conclude that Locke is Scratch; however, the devil (Mephisto!!) is in the details.

    Misdirection is well utilized by magicians and it seems as though Schaeffer has employed some “look over here” type shenanigans in Episodes 1 and 2. While fans are busy Googling Nicholas Scratch, growing his fan club to nearly 4 dozen, Detective Agnes O’Connor dropped a fairly important clue of her own in Episode 1 that likely went unnoticed. When she was visited at her home by Rio Vidal, Agnes mentioned a car crash that took place one hour before the time of death of the murder victim she found in the creek. When found in Eastview, the car’s front two airbags had been deployed and there was blood in the backseat. Though Agnes is sure there’s some connection to the dead body that was recently discovered, she’s unable to make all the pieces fit. However, her intuition is sound as the car accident is very likely related to the true identity of Locke’s character.

    Teen (Joe Locke) in Marvel Television’s AGATHA ALL ALONG, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Chuck Zlotnick. © 2024 MARVEL.

    Schaeffer has sprinkled clues to the identity of Locke’s character everywhere and more will pop up as the show goes on. Everything seen and heard in the first two episodes was seen and heard for a reason. Agnes’ conversation with Rio about the car would be completely unnecessary if it weren’t going to come back into play sometime down, down, down the road. And while the full reveal hasn’t come along just yet, Episode 2 holds further clues that tie to the car accident. While Teen and Agatha go witch shopping, they hop into Teen’s car…or at least a car he says is his.

    While Teen is clearly comfortable with the vehicle and familiar enough with its contents to know that there’s a pen in the dashboard compartment, there’s at least one compelling reason to believe that it doesn’t belong to him but rather to his mother. Remember that lovely string of pearls that Agatha “borrows” from the mirror and wears around her neck while collecting the coven? That might just be one of those clues you were supposed to notice but missed. And why might that matter?

    If he’s not Nicholas Scratch, Teen is probably Billy Kaplan, a character he’s looooong been rumored to be. And if he’s Billy Kaplan, he’s also Billy Maximoff, kind of…and it’s all pretty confusing how that works out; however, it’s very possible that the car crash has a lot to do with how Billy Maximoff’s disembodied soul might find its way into Billy Kaplan’s body. Unless you had the captions on, you probably missed the dialogue in Episode 2 that revealed that Teen was born and raised in Eastview…where the car crash happened. Delievered during a conversation with Agatha in which she realized she couldn’t hear him speak, it may have seemed like some throwaway lines that were just part of the sigil gimmick but pretend for a minute that it wasn’t. One possible explanation that does provide a somewhat reasonable explanation for what’s going on is that Billy Kaplan died in a car crash, his body was taken over by Billy Maximoff’s soul, he abandoned the car found his way to his house where he took his mom’s car and hatched his plan to get down the Witches’ Road. And why might it be his mom’s car? That string of pearls looks just like the one worn by Rebbecca Kaplan, Billy’s mom, in Avengers: The Children’s Crusade #1.

    It’s all conjecture at this point but as the show progresses and we all continue to wonder what Agatha is up to, what’s up with Rio and what surprises await down the Witches’ Road, keep in mind that the most innocent member of the group might just be the one dissembling the most and hiding his true intentions.

    The first two episodes of Agatha All Along are now streaming on Disney Plus.