Down the Witches' Road
Episode 4 of Agatha All Along Delivers a Pleasant Surprise in an Otherwise Lackluster Show. How? Music.
Agatha All Along, Marvel’s latest TV installment set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), started with more of a fizzle than a bang.
At first, I wasn’t particularly excited about the show. It’s a spinoff of a spinoff (WandaVision), centered on a character I found only mildly interesting. My expectations were also clouded by how Marvel mishandled Wanda Maximoff’s arc—one of the MCU’s most compelling characters. After a decade of complex development, Wanda’s sudden, villainous turn in Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness felt rushed and out of sync with her journey up until that point.
The initial episodes of Agatha All Along didn’t do much to change my lukewarm attitude. The stakes were unclear, and the show’s relevance within the larger MCU was ambiguous. The ensemble cast struggled to find chemistry, though Aubrey Plaza’s portrayal of an unpredictable, sinisterly playful witch was a standout.
That all changed with Episode 4. [SPOILER ALERT] In a surprising twist, the witches are forced to collaborate to lift a curse in an unexpected way: by performing the mystical Ballad of the Witches’ Road in a groovy ’70s musical number.
The 70's version's of the mystical song. See here for the original mystical version.
And just like that, the magic happened—both literally and figuratively. The song’s progression mirrored the developing chemistry between the characters, and the clever use of the musical episode trope breathed life into their relationships. The episode featured strong camera work, editing, and thoughtful storytelling, which elevated the character dynamics to new levels. It was an ingenious way to deepen their arcs.
For the first time, I’m excited about what’s to come. Might Agatha have found her spark? 🪄
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