Marvel’s Latest TV Show Is Proof ‘Creative Retooling’ Works

Agatha All Along is the first big piece of proof that Marvel Studios’ “creative retooling” is absolutely working. Over the last 12 months, a lot has been written about “fixing” the MCU. A number of articles detailed a change in approach for the studio in 2024. Nailing down a new overarching narrative, less projects released, and smaller budgets across the board were things that got discussed. Agatha All Along is a part of the first and third bucket items listed there. It’s one of three TV shows to hit in 2024 and it’s the smallest budget Marvel Studios TV title. Both factors could be a huge reason why the show is crushing right now. Agatha Harkness’s return to the MCU is getting good numbers on streaming and fan investment on social media is palpable in ways that it hasn’t been for a live-action MCU show since Loki Season 2.

Marvel TV head Brad Winderbaum talked to Variety about these developments. He’s been very encouraged by Agatha All Along‘s performance so far. The producer claims that the new MCU series has the best continuation rate of any Marvel show. So, viewers come in, they like what they see, and they come back for more. Positioning Agatha All Along near Halloween is probably helping with that quite a bit. But, Kathryn Hahn and Aubrey Plaza are pulling their weight and more with these performances. Despite a focus on being very accessible for new viewers, Agatha All Along has its cake and eats it too with callbacks to WandaVision’s biggest mysteries. So, there’s a little something for everyone. Winderbaum says that the lower budget is allowing them to take big swings.

“I can tell you it’s our least expensive show, and I think that was by design. We are looking to make these shows for a responsible cost. Frankly, it gives us a little bit more freedom creatively when we can bring them in at a reasonable budget,” Winderbaum argued. “Like [“Agatha All Along”], for example, the show has minimal CG, way less than we’ve ever done before. It’s mostly practical effects, and I think you can feel it in the show.”

Agatha All Along Takes Fans Back To A Fan-Favorite

Agatha All Along comes along at an interesting time in the MCU. Some fans have openly wondered whether or not Kathryn Hahn’s Marvel show would have even been greenlit if WandaVision had come along at a later period of Phase 4. The initial results have proved that worry to be completely unfounded. In essence, WandaVision was for real. So, when it came time to follow-up the Scarlet Witch’s series, Brad Winderbaum explained why Agatha All Along was a slam dunk.

“Well, it really comes down to Jac [Schaefer, showrunner]. And Jac brought that world to life in WandaVision. And Kathryn Hahn embodying that role, I mean, she became an icon on screen,” Winderbaum told us. “Agatha was always a side character. She’s a villain in WandaVision. But like Wolverine showing up in an issue of Incredible Hulk, you never know what the audience is going to respond to. And Agatha was no different. So, as soon as Jac became inspired, we all just went down the road with her.”

While Agatha All Along absolutely follows MCU titles like Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness and WandaVision, there’s been a clear effort for this story to be accessible without watching that movie and the previous Disney+ series. A lot of the projects in the pipeline at Marvel Studios have begun to prioritize the experience of audiences who might not be up on every single little thing. Winderbaum thinks it’s a good goal to have. 

“I mean, I would say that if you know the MCU, it might justify a few things that happen in kind of a prologue way,” he said. “But if you’re coming to it straight from WandaVision or you’re coming to it, frankly, never having watched another Marvel show before, you get the information you need about the characters you need for the journey.”

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