What the critics say

Agatha for life begins streaming on Disney+ on Wednesday. The first reviews of the Marvel spinoff from critics are in, and they’ve been decidedly mixed.

The show, created by Jac Schaeffer, follows a bewitched Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) as she regains her freedom thanks to a mysterious person who calls himself Teen (Joe Locke). Intrigued by his plea, she embarks on the Witches' Road, “a magical series of tests that, if passed, rewards a witch with what she lacks. Together, Agatha and this mysterious Teen assemble a desperate coven and set out,” the synopsis reads.

The series sees Kathryn Hahn reprising her role as Agatha Harkness after previously appearing in WandaVisionas well as stars Locke, Aubrey Plaza, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, Patti LuPone, Okwui Okpokwasili and Paul Adelstein.

Read on for key excerpts from some of the most important early reviews (of the first four episodes, since that's all that was sent to critics) following the release of Agatha for life.

The Hollywood ReporterTV critic Angie Han wrote in her review: “Disney+'s Agatha for life (or at least the four 40-minute episodes it sent to critics) could be a decently promising new adventure, with a lovely cast and a cheeky sensibility, but also plenty of room to grow. But the jerky pacing and incessant carpet-pulling at the end make it more persuasive as a brand-extension exercise than as a charming adventure in its own right.”

David Fear with Rolling Stone wrote, “Creator Jac Schaeffer's sequel to the superhero tragedy pokes fun at self-serious procedural series long enough to make you regret the mistake once it's over… Soon, that spell will be broken, Agatha for life will settle into a nice pace as a quest adventure and, according to the four episodes sent to the press, will take full advantage of the supernatural sisterhood assembled for the task at hand. The Witch is Back!”

Ben Travers, with Indiewirewrote in his review, “The half-hour(-ish) episodes show some signs of growth. For example, there's no boring subplot in which government agents run a secret mission to smuggle MCU worldbuilding into Westview. The main narrative also seems well-designed for episodic TV, unlike so many other elongated MCU adventures,” however, “Agatha for lifePleases WandaVisionis too secretive for its own good. Sure, teasing plot twists can yield exciting payoffs, but sidelining character histories by treating personal motivations as world-changing secrets does this frivolous fantasy no favors.”

The New York TimesMike Hale wrote: “They can't turn basic storytelling into gold, though, and Agatha for life plods along its chosen path, with the coven bickering and bonding through a series of frenetic but unexciting trials. The virtues of the female empowerment theme are outweighed by the tired, generic narrative lines. There is a discernible undercurrent of dry humor in the dialogue, but it isn't strong enough to shed any light.”

“You might wonder how, in the three years between the two shows, Agate has undergone a complete personality change, from cheerful neighborhood kook to hardened cop,” Hale added. “You should be more concerned, though, about why the cop-show pastiche is so disappointing, so dull and aimless that talented comedians like Kathryn Hahn (who plays Agatha) and Aubrey Plaza seem lost.”

Taylor Gates wrote for Collider“While the show includes the best parts of Schaeffer's signature style [referencing WandaVision] — sharp comedy, intriguing mystery and a set design full of clever details and Easter eggs — Agatha for life It's definitely its own thing, and all the better for it.”

However, Gates praised Hahn’s performance, adding, “Theatrics and spectacle are a must for a show of this scale and for a character like Agatha, and Hahn has it in spades: she’s not afraid to overdo it, to be loud and to take up space. But there’s always something deeper beneath the surface, something Agatha is desperately trying to hide. Hahn grounds this larger-than-life character with nuance, conveying vulnerability with the flick of a single microexpression. Her charisma is magnetic, but it’s the subtle, breathtaking moments of raw emotion that make us care and sympathize with her, proving she’s always been more than comic relief. Hahn’s performance is her own kind of magic.”

Television critic Robert Lloyd wrote in his review for the The Los Angeles Times“It's all cleverly done and very funny, but also suspenseful and a little scary, with a winning combination of the supernatural and the banal (the witches arguing about who was out of tune and who was flat when they sang a magic song). Agatha may not be a good witch, but she's not evil and has her reasons. Hahn is hilarious, which makes her a lot of fun to be around, whatever her antics or cutting remarks.”

Agatha for life may not have gotten off to the best start for a Marvel series, but considering there are still seven episodes to go, there's more than enough chance that the show will really surprise audiences and offer some excitement, engaging storytelling, and even a few scares. It's a shame that the show isn't really off to a great start, but for those willing to take the road with Agatha for life“There are likely to be some trials worth overcoming,” wrote Colin Leggett in his review of the first two episodes (titled “Seekest Thou the Road” and “Circle Sewn with Fate Unlock Thy Hidden Gate”) for Vent on the game.

Play placePhil Owen wrote in his review: “Through these first four episodes, Agatha for life It feels different. It has a lot of setup and payoffs and teases for further developments in the future. For example, episodes 2 and 3 are full of little details about Alice and her mother, and then in episode 4 those details become the focus of their trial. A typical MCU TV series would save those details for the episode where they're most relevant, but Agatha for life creator Jac Schaeffer and her writing staff have done just that well during the first half of this season.”

“But after the chaos of the last few years of the MCU, and with the franchise's core story still being completely reworked, it's not easy to have faith that Agatha for life “It's going to stick,” Owen continued. “A lot of these MCU TV shows are fun for a little while and then they completely fall apart at the end. But the foundation that these first four episodes have laid is impressive, and while I haven't wedding ring that it will end well, at least I have a reason to Hope that could.”

TV critic Kelly Lawler wrote for USA TodayAgate is trying to do too many things at once. Buried deep somebody is a good horror series about Agatha's journey with real scares and maybe a comprehensible mythology. But in true Marvel style, more and more things continues to be piled up in the basic story. A famous actor here. A new song from Frozen writers over there. A complete first season that remakes WandaVision just to start making everything as confusing as possible.”

Charles Pulliam-Moore wrote in his review for The limit, Agatha for life is still a late-stage Marvel show, which means there are times when your appreciation of what it's doing will depend on how familiar you are with the most recent events in the larger cinematic universe. But for viewers who've been following along and hoping the studio would return to releasing genuinely weird and playful riffs on the comics rather than hyping up the next big thing, Agatha for life should be a pleasure to watch, especially when it starts revealing its big secrets later this fall.”

For IGNJoshua Yehl wrote in his review, “Agatha for life is a seriously sinister bit of fun that brings back the MCU's wicked witch of Westview, Agatha Harkness. The show is a worthy successor to WandaVisionnot only because it gives us more TV spoofs and catchy songs, but also for its sharp writing, intriguing mysteries and colorful characters. With Agatha now the lead character, Kathryn Hahn really manages to immerse herself in the role and show us what her dark and devious witch is up to. Although the story feels a little rushed at times, the two-part premiere does a superb job of framing the dire circumstances that lead Agatha and her new coven down Witches' Highway.”

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