The year for Marvel has seen a mix of triumphs and tumbles as the company trims its slate and recalibrates its strategy. After some big hits on both television and theaters, the house began to pull back the pace, slimming the number of launches in its portfolio. One of the most anticipated projects, the Daredevil revival, faced a major setback when key creative leads were let go and production had to be restarted almost from scratch. The project would have marked a return to Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli’s influential run, one of the most celebrated chapters in Daredevil lore. Yet the chain of events produced a sharp delay and raised questions about the future release window.
Against that backdrop, the premiere Agatha, Who Else Is There? arrived as a respite, centering on a secondary Marvel character and giving a much needed boost during a difficult stretch. While it drifted away from the street-level world of Daredevil, Disney reminded audiences of the era when Marvel on television earned applause with WandaVision, and Agatha carried that continuity forward as a sequel in spirit.
Agatha Harkness does not boast the heft of Marvel heavyweights like Wolverine or Deadpool, yet the series owes much of its appeal to Kathryn Hahn, whose magnetic performance in WandaVision captured attention and continues to draw viewers. Her portrayal gives Agatha a warmth and mischief that helps the show stand apart from typical hero fare.
One notable strength is the deliberate move away from familiar Marvel formulas. If this concept had appeared on the big screen a few years earlier, a different actor might have seemed a closer fit to the character. Instead, the series leans into witchcraft and magical mischief, weaving ties to major moments in the comics while standing firmly within its own TV lane. The adaptation nods to the era of the Fantastic Four and Franklin Richards, underscoring the legacy of Marvel’s magical family without being bound by it. The narrative even touches on the darker turns of Agatha’s arc, hinting at the trauma that reshaped her path in the comics and on screen.
In the show, Agatha Harkness is portrayed with shades of moral ambiguity rather than a clear-cut villainy. The arc invites comparisons to antihero journeys seen in other streaming hits, and it even surfaces a collision course with Loki’s storylines as a redemption quest. The series hints at revisions of past looks and tones for the character, signaling a more flexible approach to adaptation. The balance between dark themes and wit helps keep the tone fresh and surprising.
The first installment picks up after Wandavision, landing in a pocket universe that riffs on beloved TV archetypes from past decades. While several programs pay homage to classic sitcoms, Agatha blends elements of Mare of Easttown and Nordic noir with occasional True Detective flourishes. Showrunner Jac Schaeffer pushes beyond the familiar formula, and in the second episode the show pivots away from a forested Western setting to assemble a coven on a journey along a winding path toward an Oz-like destination. The references to Marvel’s magical and mystical corners anchor the series as a possible answer to Netflix’s Sandman adaptation, reasserting Marvel’s ambition in a crowded streaming landscape.
Aubrey Plaza delivers a mysterious counterpoint to Agatha, a character tied to the series through a spoiler about identity and fate. Death appears as a figure in the unfolding mythology, while a long-standing rivalry with Thanos deepens the dramatic undertones. The dynamic between these two characters is charged with a tension that hints at an unusual romantic tension despite their centuries-long feud. Another notable supporting thread is a coming-out story explored by Joe Locke, a rising star known for romantic roles on screen. The LGBT+ elements are presented with care, adding a contemporary layer to the witch tale and inviting dialogue across online communities.
Because Agatha Harkness is a secondary figure, the show has avoided some of the harsher fan reactions faced by other Marvel projects. The showrunner enjoyed greater artistic freedom, a freedom that mirrors recent conversations around other high-profile series. The broader challenge remains: Disney weighs the next steps for Marvel TV, balancing risk with the desire to expand the universe. On one track, a second season of Agatha remains a plausible path; on another, a new title focusing on Wanda Maximoff’s android companion Vision is in development under a writer known for shaping acclaimed sci-fi arcs. Agatha, Who Else? has already proven itself a strong performer for Disney, and many expect the witch to keep shaping Marvel’s TV future.