Summary
It looks like the Marvel Cinematic Universe is officially shutting the Darkhold onAgatha All Alongseason 2, as Jac Schaeffer’s nine-episode Disney+ show could be living up to its ‘limited series’ billing. Although many were disappointed that they wouldn’t be gettingWandaVisionseason 2,Agatha All Alongfilled that gap as something of a spiritual successor. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem that Agatha will be forming a new coven anytime soon.
Agatha All Alongwas a largely self-contained story that showed Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) leading her coven down the mythical Witches’ Road. However, it soon became clear that the titular wicked witch wasn’t the only focus. Introducing major players, including Joe Locke’s Billy Maximoff/Wiccan,Agatha All Alongalso featured the (well-signposted) reveal thatAubrey Plaza was playing Lady Deathin the MCU. Even though things neatly tied off in episode 9, fans had high hopes thatAgatha All Alongseason 2 would take flight on its broomstick.
Agatha All Along Season 2 Gets a Disappointing Update
Agatha All Alongwas a breath of fresh air at a time when the MCU was caught in accusations of franchise fatigue. Fans had received disappointing outings inSecret InvasionandAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, while Nia DaCosta’sThe Marvelswas struck down as a box office bomb. Combining just the right sparkle of Schaeffer’sWandaVisionwith an ensemble cast of Hahn, Plaza, Patti LuPone, and more,Agatha All Alongbecame a campy classic. Sadly, LuPone has pretty much killed hopes of season 2.
Speaking to Andy Cohen on his Sirius XM podcast (viaThe Wrap), the Lilia Calderau actor claimed that although Disney was looking to Schaeffer for a second season, the show’s creator shot down the idea. In LuPone’s own words:
“[Schaffer] said, ‘I don’t do second seasons.’ She said, ‘They wanted me to do a second season of Wanda Vision and I didn’t.’ She said, ‘There’s too much to write,’ so she does one-offs and I’m really hoping and praying that someday I get to work with her again because she’s magic.”
It came as LuPone learned Lilia’s fate and also implored Schaeffer to return to this world. Marvel Studios Televisionentered Agatha All Along into the Best Comedy Series categoriesat the Golden Globe, Emmy, and SAG awards instead of the Limited Series or Anthology categories. This sparked speculation thatAgatha All Alongseason 2 was at least in the planning stages.
However, Schaeffer’s musings don’t come as much of a surprise.WandaVisionis considered one of the best things the MCU has ever produced, and it still didn’t get a second season. Director Matt Shakman was keen to hammer home the fact thatAgatha All Alongisn’tWandaVisionseason 2, instead seeing it as its own entity. Despite the return of Hahn’s and a couple of other characters fromWandaVision,Agatha All Alongmanaged to strike out on its own. Then again, Marvel Television Studios isn’t known for commissioning second seasons. Apart fromLokiand the upcomingDaredevil: Born Again, none of its live-action shows have ever been renewed.
We Don’t Need Agatha All Along Season 2
It’s easy to look at what could happen inAgatha All Alongseason 2, especially with a ghostly Harkness being pulled straight from the pages of 2015’sScarlet Witch#1. Although Kathryn Hahn’s Agatha wasn’t killed by a vengeful Wanda Maximoff like her comic book counterpart, there were hints at where things were going. While Ghost Agatha aided Wanda in the 2015 comic series, theAgathaseason 1 finalemixed things up a bit and set up her heading off with Billy to find his brother, Tommy.
There’s also the fact thatAgatha All Alongcompletely ignored the potential of the Darkhold.WandaVisionteased the potential that the Book of the Damned could bring to this magical side of the MCU. Despite it seemingly being destroyed duringDoctor Strange in the Multiverse,Agatha All Along’s mentions of the Darkhold had audiences thinking it could connect to a bigger story. Speaking of the wider world, a mythicalAgatha All Alongseason 2 could have includedSacha Baron Cohen’s rumored Mephistoafter he was finally name-dropped in the MCU, but missed out on a season 1 cameo.
Still, none of this needs to happen in an officialAgatha All Alongseason 2. BothWandaVisionandAgatha All Alonghad unique concepts that made them stand out from the pack. They felt like distant cousins with a familiarity, but are very much their own separate stories. Although unconventional, a new series from Schaeffer could spring from Sasheer Zamata’s standout performance as Jennifer Kale, possibly giving fans amuch darkerMidnight Sonsminiseries. Schaeffer could bring together forgotten characters like Gael García Bernal’s Werewolf by Knight, Oscar Isaac’s Moon Knight, and even a new Ghost Rider, again doing something different.
For now,Agatha All Alongcan rest easy and live on without being potentially tarnished by season 2. After there was a buzz thatSchaeffer could lead everyWandaVisionspin-off series, there’s still hope that she can. The showrunner hasn’t said she’s done with the MCU, but just reiterated that she doesn’t do second seasons. It’s also hard to ignore Schaeffer’s thoughts onDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, tellingRadioTimes.comshe hoped to see ‘more’ of Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff. That’s far from confirmation she’s working on something new with the character, but with rumors of an eventualScarlet Witchsolo movie, she’d be a popular choice to direct.
In the meantime, Schaeffer could remain on staff to consult on the Paul Bettany-ledVision Quest,which is being helmed by Terry Matalas. As theVision Questcast grows with the likes of James Spader, it’s possible that Locke and Hahn could appear and continue their search for Tommy. Others think thatWiccan will get his own miniseriesto continueAgatha’s dangling plot threads. Picture the scene where Agatha and the boys are reunited with Vision, and if the rumors that Olsen is appearing inAvengers: Secret Warsare true, it would all flow nicely into a potential Scarlet Witch movie. It’s all wild speculation, but after two certified hits in a row, Schaeffer is sure to continue being an in-demand talent for the MCU.
