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Editorโs note: This article contains spoilers for Episodes 1โ5 of Agatha All Along.
โDarkest hour, wake thy power, earthly and divine.โ Every Wednesday at 6 p.m. PT, this mystical chant heralds a new episode of Marvel Televisionโs Agatha All Along on Disney+. The series whisks viewers into the spellbinding world of Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn), a once-powerful witch determined to regain her former glory. Stripped of her powers, Agatha sets out to assemble a coven and navigate the treacherous Witchesโ Roadโa magical path offering to fulfill oneโs deepest desires, but at a perilous cost.

Agathaโs evolving coven now features Lilia Calderu (Patti LuPone), Jennifer Kale (Sasheer Zamata), and Rio Vidal (Aubrey Plaza), with former members including the protection witch Alice Wu-Gulliver and neighbor Sharon Davis (Debra Jo Rupp). Rachel Goldberg, director of three episodes of the series, teases the looming dangers of their journey: โIf youโre bold enough to challenge the Road, good luck. Itโs a force that makes you confront your deepest fears and traumas.โ This mystical entity, the Witchesโ Road, becomes a perfect narrative device for unearthing the charactersโ darkest secretsโgiving audiences a front-row seat to the raw, emotional depths of each witch.
The Witchesโ Road isnโt just a path; itโs a psychological labyrinth, revealing what each character is running from. The tension it creates heightens the connection between audience and story, as fans witness these witches grapple with their most personal demons. Balancing these individual journeys is no small feat, but Goldberg credits the finely tuned scripts and the talented ensemble for making it all work seamlessly.
Accompanying the coven is Teen, who was recently revealed to be none other than Billy Maximoff, Wandaโs son. Though not a witch himself, Billyโs reverence for Agatha draws him deeper into the witchesโ world. But will his true identity fracture the bond heโs built with her? โIn Episode 5, we see Billy realize that witches will always chase powerโpeople die, witches die, and these women arenโt who he thought they were,โ Goldberg hints, signaling even more intense dynamics ahead.
Agatha All Along uses magic as a lens to explore human natureโexamining our wants, our doubts, and our relationship with power. It digs far deeper than the stereotypical witches on broomsticks (as Lilia Calderu herself asserts). Curses, in particular, are a central theme, highlighting how unfinished business and unresolved pasts can block us from realizing our full potential. Goldberg, drawing from her own Persian heritage, notes, โThereโs a lot of superstition in my culture, and I was drawn to the idea of things being passed down from generation to generationโnot necessarily as curses, but as gifts. The idea of unfinished business resonates with everyone in the coven, not just Agatha.โ
And while the magic may be serious, the show also revels in Hahnโs signature wit. โThe tone is all Kathryn,โ says Goldberg. โShe can shift from sarcastic and menacing to hurt and vulnerable in an instant.โ Agatha embodies the showโs unique blend of dark humor and emotional intensity. Many of the showโs funniest moments come from improvisation, such as Rio Vidalโs hilarious Beetlejuice-inspired grunt (โThe Green Witchโ), or her deadpan question to Agatha: โSweetheart, are you okay?โ These moments underscore the seriesโ commitment to balancing peril with humorโa hallmark of Agatha All Along.
Another key element? The music. The very title, Agatha All Along, comes from the song by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez used to reveal Agathaโs true identity in WandaVision. For Agatha All Along, the duo returns to compose โThe Ballad of the Witchesโ Road,โ a haunting tune that evolves with each episode. From spell-casting rituals to nods to Fleetwood Mac, the song is central to the showโs identity. โItโs integral to me, to Jac [Schaeffer, creator, showrunner/head writer, director, and executive producer], and to the Lopezes,โ Goldberg shares. For fans of MCU Easter eggs, she adds: โPay close attention to the lyrics, the costumes, the production designโthere are clues everywhere.โ