‘Agatha All Along:’ Chaos, References and Plot Twists, Oh My!

Small-town detective Agnes O’Connor is in search of a murderer. She gathers evidence and recruits her lover turned rival from the town over to help her catch a killer. 

Fake opening credits roll, but this isn’t just a detective show — is it?

In the two-episode launch of “Agatha All Along,” the series spends episode one, “Seekest Thou The Road,” reminding the viewer the show is a spin-off of “WandaVision” and the other, “Circle Sewn With Fate / Unlock Thy Hidden Gate,” establishing the plot. 

Traces of the morally gray Scarlet Witch haunt the narrative by including her name on corpses’ toe-tags and flaunting her red hair on murder victims. 

After a teen boy breaks into Agnes’ home, she attempts to interrogate him. Then the spell cast by the Scarlet Witch at the end of “WandaVision” begins to slip as the teen speaks a Latin unbinding spell. Agnes’ world changes, recognizing her true identity as one of Earth’s most powerful witches — Agatha Harkness.

The pilot’s homage to detective dramas is largely drawn-out and wastes time trying to mimic the TV-era hopscotch style from “WandaVision.” 

Fortunately, that’s where the mimicry ends. 

The home invader, whose name is forbidden by a magical sigil, is temporarily named “Teen” by Agatha (Kathryn Hahn). Played by Joe Locke, Teen tracks down Agatha, the witch known to have reached the legendary Witches’ Road. The two must establish a coven to traverse the path and complete its trials. 

The recruitment of various witches in the second episode, including potion witch Jennifer Kale (Sasheer Zamata), protection witch Alice Wu-Gulliver (Ali Ahn) and divination witch Lilia Calderu (Patti LuPone), make for a smoother watch. The four witches’ introductions seamlessly establish strong, well-developed characters into Marvel’s magical world. 

The following episodes, “Through Many Miles / Of Tricks and Trials,” “If I Can’t Reach You / Let My Song Teach You” and “Darkest House / Wake Thy Power” follow similar plot outlines — completing the trials of the Witches’ Road. Each episode allows an individual witch to take the lead.

Each actor maintains attention without overshadowing the rest of the cast. Zamata commands the screen with her intense focus on potion making. Ahn’s switch from the shy Hot Topic employee to vocal superstar was instantaneous and powerful. 

But, it was Hahn who completely paraded across the screen during her trial. She focused heavily on Agatha’s conniving personality, while letting glimpses of empathy shine through, preparing the viewer for the series finale. 

The end of episode five kicks off a domino effect of plot twists, with personal and magical revelations building upon each other until the series finale. 

Flashback episode “Familiar by Thy Side” reveals Teen’s true identity without distracting the viewer from the show’s central plot. Yet the gimmicky reveal of Locke’s character and his CGI fittings leave a cringe-inducing tinge on the show. 

The grim penultimate trial occurs during episode seven, “Death’s Hand In Mine.” Legendary actor LuPone takes center stage as her character Lilia must traverse timelines and accurately perform a tarot reading. 

“Follow Me My Friend / To Glory at the End” introduces the final trial, whose completion rewards witches the prize of their desire. Locke’s acting abilities enter their full form as he navigates the series shifting focus to him. Locke switches from empathetic to cold-hearted in the same sentences, making complex delivery an ease to witness.

Series finale “Maiden Mother Crone,” named after the Triple Goddess depicted on Agatha’s necklace, finally delves into the headlining character, revealing all three aspects of the episode’s title. From the young witch’s backstory unveiled in “WandaVision,” to focusing on Agatha’s motherhood, the episode ties the series together, leaving viewers anticipating what’s to come next. 

“Agatha All Along” morphs into its own show, freed from its predecessor as Hahn builds upon Agatha’s character. Quickly switching from malevolent to becoming a mentor to Teen, Hahn portrays the multi-sided Agatha with wit and cleverness, something akin to witchcraft. 

Follow the Witches’ Road through “Agatha All Along,” now streaming on Disney+.