Agatha All Along season 1 episodes 1 and 2 recap and review

The witch is back! Marvel's latest Disney Plus show Agatha All Along has aired the first two episodes of season 1 on the same night, reintroducing audiences to Agatha and her current predicament.

Escaping Wanda's spell from Marvel's WandaVision is one thing. Trying to regain her powers and escape death by the Salem Seven is something else entirely.

But perhaps with the help of some fellow witches and a teenage boy, she can become the most fearful and powerful witch of all.

Seekest Thou the Road

Episode one begins with Agatha working as a detective for the Westview police department, sent to investigate the mysterious death of an unnamed woman. She has very little evidence to go on but what is established almost immediately is her dedication to the job (to the point she is basically Sandra Bullock's character in Miss Congeniality).

As she begins to investigate via a book and a ring, her (obvious from the get-go) ex-girlfriend arrives to aid in the case. As evening descends and Agatha is sent home to rest, the show hints at Agatha losing a child because the child's bedroom is left untouched. That same evening, her ex comes to visit with pizza and beer. Their conversation is interrupted when Agatha catches a teenage boy attempting to rob her.

Whilst trying to learn who he is and why he was there, Agatha has moments of insanity which include the photographs of the dead girl changing to photographs of flowers. Leaving, Agatha goes to the morgue to remind herself what is real and discovers that the dead body is of Wanda Maximoff.

Agatha's ex reappears and instructs her to free herself from the spell. Agatha sheds her clothes, revealing every version of herself, including the identities in WandaVision until finally she is freed and naked. Now freed, awake, and nude in the present she discovers she had been under Wanda's spell for three years. She also finds the teenager bound and gagged in her home.

He explains that he's essentially a super fan and responsible for helping free her from the spell. Before audiences can digest Agatha's anger, her ex returns and the two fight.

It was less of what should have been an action-packed battle and more of two toxic people who probably shouldn't have dated to begin with, but can't let go of each other, awkward moment. If Agatha's ex wanted her dead so badly, why didn't she just kill her when she had the chance?

The fight ends with her ex escaping with a warning that Agatha will be killed by the Salem Seven. It's a race against the clock for Agatha to get her powers back and it seems the only way is to take the road.

Circle Sewn With Fate / Unlock Thy Hidden Gate

In episode two Agatha and the unnamed teen seek witches to create a coven. With the combined powers of the coven, the road should appear. Although Agatha is rather sarcastic and less than pleasant around the teen, she accepts his help. The reason he remains unnamed is because Agatha is unable to hear him say his name nor his explanation as to where he came from.

But thanks to her means of persuasion, Agatha is able to enlist the help of three witches; Lilia a psychic, Jennifer who owns her own candle business, and Alice who works security at Hot Topic. All of whom follow the same cliche of not wanting to initially help, but then change their minds at the final hour. All three women arrive to Agatha's house that evening to begin the ritual when they realize they are one witch short. Three guesses as to who that is.

Instead of seeking an actual witch, Agatha drags along her neighbor the widow Mrs. Hart who believes this to be a fun party (how funny would it be if Mrs. Hart was a witch all along and never knew). While the women perform the ritual of singing a song in a circle in the basement, the teen notices the Salem Seven approaching (very, very, very slowly).

Initially, the chant does not work but after some cliched arguing, the doorway to the road manages to appear on the floor just as the Salem Seven attack the house. The teen, witches, Mrs. Hart and Agatha manage to escape down the tunnel to an enchanted forest they proceed barefooted.

Intriguing but still misses the mark

Agatha All Along had a promising beginning. In fact, it held my interest the most when it was Agatha as a detective trying to solve a murder. While I do not know where this show is going in the slightest, I am disappointed that plot point didn't last longer before she escapes the spell. That being said, when the actual plot does show up it's not as exciting at first.

Agatha's obvious ex-girlfriend drama was far from interesting and the minor details of how she was able to convince three witches who fear and dislike her into helping were far from convincing. The main issue thus far with the show is that Agatha is flat-out unlikable.

She has been since her true self was revealed way back in WandaVision. She's a villain, that's the point right? Yes, but it doesn't work when she is the main character and the whole show is about her. On a positive note the episodes were pretty well paced.

The acting is equally impressive, especially that of Kathryn Hahn. Time will tell if Agatha All Along proves to leave a memorable mark for Marvel and Disney Plus. What did you think of the season premiere? Agatha All Along season 1 episode 3 airs on September 25 on Disney Plus.