Marvel Studios' Agatha All Along

[Casper Gutman]

What do they all have in common? Pick the Top 5 most important things. Then ask yourself if this show shares those commonalities.

It's a good exercise to determine if a new tv show or movie feels like it belongs in it's larger universe. Try the same thing with The Mandalorian or Rogue One versus A New Hope and The Phantom Menace.

Huh, is Marvel known for characters with extraordinary powers going on imaginative adventures? Why yes, yes they are! Seems like Agatha fits in neatly.

Marvel itself has to function as something much broader than a genre, to encompass all genres. They need to produce Marvel horror, Marvel westerns, Marvel romance, Marvel spy stories, Marvel musicals, etc. They’re attempting to do this with some success, but it’s honestly one of the areas in which they need to improve. Agatha (and Werewolf) are moves in the right direction.

 

[DKampy]

What do they all have in common? Pick the Top 5 most important things. Then ask yourself if this show shares those commonalities.

It's a good exercise to determine if a new tv show or movie feels like it belongs in it's larger universe. Try the same thing with The Mandalorian or Rogue One versus A New Hope and The Phantom Menace.

See Casper’s post… he summarized my thoughts perfectly

 

[Ghost93]

That’s not very nice. Based on my familiarity with the various Story and 911 series and Monster, Murphy shows tend to be nasty, exploitative, unsubtle, and often quite sleazy, leveraging real-life tragedy in thoughtless ways. Agatha seems to be fun, brassy, clever, and imaginative.

It's not as graphic or adult as a Ryan Murphy show, but Agatha has a similar camp/horror vibe to several American Horror Story seasons (especially American Horror Story Coven). Will also appeal to the theatre kids who liked Glee (another Ryan Murphy show).

 

[MisterPenguin]

Listen to "The Ballad of the Witches' Road (Sacred Chant Version)" from Agatha All Along

Listen to 'The Ballad of the Witches' Road' song from Agatha All Along episode 2.

comicbook.com

 

[AdventureHasAName]

They’re attempting to do this with some success, but it’s honestly one of the areas in which they need to improve.

Are they having "some success"? I mean, I like most of the TV shows, but my understanding is that most of them were considered failures by the studio (at the very least, they aren't getting sequel seasons).

 

[Tha Realest]

That’s not very nice. Based on my familiarity with the various Story and 911 series and Monster, Murphy shows tend to be nasty, exploitative, unsubtle, and often quite sleazy, leveraging real-life tragedy in thoughtless ways. Agatha seems to be fun, brassy, clever, and imaginative.

Yeah his stuff is repulsive. That said, his OJ miniseries was uncharacteristically terrific, though I credit that moreso to him having an absolutely murderers row of unicorns in the cast.

 

[Ghost93]

Leading up to its debut, on Twitter, the haters couldn't get their negative hashtags to trend over the positive anticipatory hashtags, so, they recycled Acolyte hashtags to complain about Agatha.

Comments were about 90% homophobic.

I think part of the Acolyte's problem (from a business standpoint) was that it was too female/gay-centric for the anti-woke crowd, but not gay enough to lure in a LGBT fanbase. Agatha is much more overtly gay and campy than the Acolyte, and I'm already seeing my gay friends and gay Twitter/YouTube rallying behind the show. While Agatha is sure to have some haters, I think we will see way more people come to its defense than the Acolyte. It's a bit more niche than the average Marvel show, but I think the target audience (girls, gays, theatre kids and fans of Halloween/witches) are mostly sold on it.

I'm very excited for episode 3!

 

[Disstevefan1]

Tried to watch this but gave up.

The Penguin on MAX however grabbed me on its first episode. I will be watching The Penguin.

 

[Tha Realest]

I think part of the Acolyte's problem (from a business standpoint) was that it was too female/gay-centric for the anti-woke crowd, but not gay enough to lure in a LGBT fanbase. Agatha is much more overtly gay and campy than the Acolyte, and I'm already seeing my gay friends and gay Twitter/YouTube rallying behind the show. While Agatha is sure to have some haters, I think we will see way more people come to its defense than the Acolyte. It's a bit more niche than the average Marvel show, but I think the target audience (girls, gays, theatre kids and fans of Halloween/witches) are mostly sold on it.

I'm very excited for episode 3!

I think Agatha knows exactly what it is and leans into it. Most successful projects do just that.

When your star is the scene stealing (and chewing) Kathryn Hahn, and you go and get Patti Lupone and Aubrey Plaza? The scenery will look it was feasted upon by locusts.

 

[MisterPenguin]

I think Agatha knows exactly what it is and leans into it. Most successful projects do just that.

When your star is the scene stealing (and chewing) Kathryn Hahn, and you go and get Patti Lupone and Aubrey Plaza? The scenery will look it was feasted upon by locusts.

It's like going to Gallagher concert.

 

[doctornick]

I think part of the Acolyte's problem (from a business standpoint) was that it was too female/gay-centric for the anti-woke crowd, but not gay enough to lure in a LGBT fanbase. Agatha is much more overtly gay and campy than the Acolyte, and I'm already seeing my gay friends and gay Twitter/YouTube rallying behind the show. While Agatha is sure to have some haters, I think we will see way more people come to its defense than the Acolyte. It's a bit more niche than the average Marvel show, but I think the target audience (girls, gays, theatre kids and fans of Halloween/witches) are mostly sold on it.

I'm very excited for episode 3!

I'm happy if this is the case, but honestly have zero idea what you mean by any of this. The show doesn't seem "gay centric" in any real way to me at this point. If this is effectively appealing to Gay Twitter crowd while being pretty mainstream and not really "woke" in any noticeable way then it is a great job of "threading the needle" and not upsetting any particular group.

I know there will be some complains about witchcraft and magic being a thing (Satanic, etc) but that's nothing new for the MCU which already has done Dr. Strange.

 

[Disney Irish]

I'm happy if this is the case, but honestly have zero idea what you mean by any of this. The show doesn't seem "gay centric" in any real way to me at this point. If this is effectively appealing to Gay Twitter crowd while being pretty mainstream and not really "woke" in any noticeable way then it is a great job of "threading the needle" and not upsetting any particular group.

Other than "Teen" I would agree with you, which I'm sure is what people with target if they want to point to something.

I know there will be some complains about witchcraft and magic being a thing (Satanic, etc) but that's nothing new for the MCU which already has done Dr. Strange.

Not to mention Wanda herself.

 

[Ghost93]

Other than "Teen" I would agree with you, which I'm sure is what people with target if they want to point to something.

If Teen is who most people think he is (Billy Kaplan/Wiccan aka Wanda's son), then him being gay is pretty necessary as Wiccan is probably Marvel's most notable gay hero.

Although it seems very obvious that Agatha and Aubrey Plaza's character are ex lesbian lovers.

I want to be clear, I wasn't trying to imply earlier that Agatha was only for gays or can't appeal to mainstream audience. My point is that it just has a lot of elements that tend to appeal to the gay community.

 

[Disney Irish]

If Teen is who most people think he is (Billy Kaplan/Wiccan aka Wanda's son), then him being gay is pretty necessary as Wiccan is probably Marvel's most notable gay hero.

Although it seems very obvious that Agatha and Aubrey Plaza's character are ex lesbian lovers.

I want to be clear, I wasn't trying to imply earlier that Agatha was only for gays or can't appeal to mainstream audience. My point is that it just has a lot of elements that tend to appeal to the gay community.

I think the idea though is to appeal to a more broad audience rather than be "gay centric", as that I think tends to turn off some in the main stream audience. So if you can have things that appeals to both main stream and the gay community equally without feeling like its pandering to one or the other it'll be successful. Its a thin line and narrow needle to thread, but I think so far Agatha appears to be doing it.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

I think the idea though is to appeal to a more broad audience rather than be "gay centric", as that I think tends to turn off some in the main stream audience. So if you can have things that appeals to both main stream and the gay community equally without feeling like its pandering to one or the other it'll be successful. Its a thin line and narrow needle to thread, but I think so far Agatha appears to be doing it.

I think Agatha being rated TV14 will help it avoid a lot of the pushback, it’ll also help if the rest of the episodes are as good as the first 2, the best way to silence criticism is to put out a great product, that way people can’t use “representation” as a scapegoat.

It won’t silence everyone but it should keep eyeballs on screens, which is what Disney really needs anyway.

 

[BrianLo]

Ya, this is quite excellent from the get go. I think Wanda vision watchers will be brought back on board with word of mouth and that was a very large audience.

Kathryn Hahn is just the greatest.

 

[Tha Realest]

I'm happy if this is the case, but honestly have zero idea what you mean by any of this. The show doesn't seem "gay centric" in any real way to me at this point.

I mean,

Aubrey Plaza Says ‘Agatha All Along’ ‘Better Be’ the ‘Gayest’ Marvel Show

Aubrey Plaza explained why 'Agatha All Along' is probably the 'gayest' Marvel show on Disney+.

www.indiewire.com

 

[DKampy]

I mean,

Aubrey Plaza Says ‘Agatha All Along’ ‘Better Be’ the ‘Gayest’ Marvel Show

Aubrey Plaza explained why 'Agatha All Along' is probably the 'gayest' Marvel show on Disney+.

www.indiewire.com

Did you watch the interview…. Or know Audrey Plaza’s personality…. She tends to always display this sarcastic sense of humor in public

 

[Ghost93]

Did you watch the interview…. Or know Audrey Plaza’s personality…. She tends to always display this sarcastic sense of humor in public

That interviewer also kind of set the cast up by asking if it would be gay. If they say "NO" they will come across as homophobic or fearful of representation and if they say "Yes!" they are destined to get the clicks and rage of the anti-woke crowd.

Many of the headlines revolving around Disney and gay representation stem from reporters stirring the pot. The reporters ask under the pretense of wanting better representation and aiding the gay community, but we all know that the reporters are actually hoping to get the rage clicks from the anti-gay audience.

 

[doctornick]

Other than "Teen" I would agree with you, which I'm sure is what people with target if they want to point to something.

Sure, I could see the interpretation though at this point he seems more "Goth" than gay necessarily to me though there is some stereotypical gay characteristics. I could certainly see him ending up being a gay character though.

Although it seems very obvious that Agatha and Aubrey Plaza's character are ex lesbian lovers.

Really? I didn't get that at all. I just assumed they were rival witches who had scuffled before. Maybe I am just clueless in not reading signs.