As Harkness falls upon the land, all roads lead to one place: witches.

The time is nigh, as Agatha Harkness, the main antagonist from Disney’s “WandaVison” show, returns to our screens once more in the opening premiere of her new Disney+ mini series, “Agatha All Along.”

The title of the show comes from the name of Harkness’ villainous reveal song in Season 1 Episode 7 of “WandaVison.” 

As the lyrics of that song go “She’s insidious (ha-ha!) / So perfidious / That you haven’t even noticed… And I killed Sparky too.” These lines really set the tone for Agatha’s character, a snarky and humorous villain. 

It is with this blend of dark humor and vile unscrupulousness that we meet with Harkess once more in the two episode series premiere of “Agatha All Along,” which dropped on Sept. 18. 

In “WandaVison,” Harkness was revealed to be a villainous interloper bent on wreaking havoc and stealing Wanda’s power, an action that resulted in Harkness’ defeat and transforming Wanda into the Scarlet Witch – a mythical witch said to wield the powers of darkness and chaos.

The show picks up three years after the events of “WandaVision,” with Harkness having been trapped by Wanda’s spell into thinking she is Agnes the nosy neighbor, a sitcom character.  

“Agatha All Along” features an ensemble cast with numerous characters reprising their roles from “WandaVision.” 

Main cast members include Kathryn Hahn as Agatha Harkness, Joe Locke as “Teen,” Debra Jo Rupp as Sharon Davis/ Mrs. Hart, Aubrey Plaza as Rio Vidal, Sasheer Zamata as Jennifer Kale and Patti LuPone as Lilia Calderu. 

These characters are members of Harkness’ new coven as she embarks on a dangerous quest to regain her powers, after losing them to Wanda in the series finale of “WandaVision,” by traveling down the mythical “Witch’s Road” which is said to grant whomever reaches its end what they most desire. 

Each of the characters bring something unique and it was enjoyable to see their different dynamics and diverse backgrounds. Some standouts were LuPone, known for her extensive Broadway and musical theater work, as the divination witch Lilia Calderu. 

LuPone’s performance felt authentic and it was enjoyable seeing her play a down-and-out witch struggling with paying her rent and making a living in the modern world. 

Another good performance was Locke as “Teen,” a gay familiar who is an apparent fanboy of Harkness and frees her from Wanda’s spell. Interestingly, no name has been given to this character so far, he is simply referred to as “Teen.” 

Whenever he attempts to say his name or explain his backstory, runes appear over his mouth and silence his words, with Locke’s character seemingly unaware of the phenomenon and leaving Harkness and the audience confused.  

It was refreshing to see a gay character with a leading role in a Marvel project and to not have his sexuality be the main focus of his character but rather just an aspect of his life. Locke, who is openly gay, did a good job of making the character feel authentic.

Furthermore, his chemistry with Hahn was very engaging. Their interactions were snarky and amusing, such as when Hahn referred to him as her pet, a play on the fact he is her familiar, which, in some lore, is a witch’s animal companion. 

Locke’s bubbly personality shined through, especially in moments when Hahn was quite sarcastic. It felt like how someone would deal with a really enthusiastic fan. 

Other stand out aspects of the show include the visuals and musical score.  

The special effects were interesting such as one particular scene where Harkness broke out of Wanda’s spell by peeling off her clothes and cycling through the different television eras from “WandaVision.” 

The magical effects were also enjoyable such as when they break things down or twist reality.

In one scene, when Harkness is still trapped in Wanda’s spell, we see the false reality of the curse blend into the real world. 

This has Harkness seeing double as she’s tormented by the death of a mysterious woman, who is revealed to be Wanda herself, who died at the end of “The Multiverse of Madness.” 

Musically, the score was well done and helped set the mood with its witchy vibe. 

The main song, “The Ballad of the Witches’ Road,” is catchy and perfectly embodies the show. “The road is wild and wicked / Winding through the wood / Where all that’s wrong is right / And all that’s bad is good.” 

While the song is beautiful, it does paint a harrowing tale. The characters aren’t necessarily good but rather have come together in pursuit of power, well except for poor Sharon Davis who got tricked into coming along for the ride. 

A couple of minor shortcomings include the antagonists – the Salem 7 and Aubrey Plaza’s Rio Vidal – who feel kind of rushed. Hopefully, they’ll be more flushed out by the end of the season.  

In particular, Plaza’s character seems to have an as of yet undisclosed relationship with Harkness that has yet to be explored. 

“Agatha All Along” will consist of nine episodes releasing weekly at 11 p.m. CST on Wednesdays with the final two episodes dropping Oct. 30.