AGATHA ALL ALONG
Starring: Kathryn Hahn, Joe Locke, Aubrey Plaza, Sasheer Zamata, Patti LuPone, Ali Ahn, and Debra Jo Rupp
Creator: Jac Schaeffer
AMARÚ
Agatha All Along started off defying expectations and finished absolutely crushing them. It’s a wholly unique experience for the MCU, and whether the spookily melodramatic tones are for you or not, there’s no denying the showrunners crafted an authentically well-executed show. Jac Schaefer, the writer and creator of Marvel Television’s widely acclaimed WandaVision, wrote a layered script that’s excellently delivered by an ensemble of engrossing actors who, riffing off Kathryn Hahn’s terrific lead, create memorable characters you care about by journey’s end. Yes, Agatha delves into soapy camp territory, but they commit to the vibes so well that I thoroughly enjoyed myself.
QUENTIN
While some will think this is a compliment, Agatha All Along feels nothing like Marvel, instead coming off as a super campy, Disney Channel Original Musical Halloween Special. Admittedly, a spinoff about a side character from a miniseries that aired almost four years ago wasn’t something I needed, but the same could have been said for Andor, which is fantastic, so I gave it a shot. I didn’t expect Hocus Pocus meets Halloweentown, a corny approach that makes it hard to critique anything else because, although almost everything is hammy, that’s what the tone requires. This is, ultimately, the worst thing the MCU has ever released.