'Agatha All Along' Season 1 Episode 4 Spoiler-Free Review
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The fourth episode of Agatha All Along, titled “If I Can’t Reach You / Let My Song Teach You,” aired on October 2, 2024, on Disney+. Directed by Rachel Goldberg (episodes 3-5) and written by Giovanna Sarquis, this episode delves deeper into the mysteries surrounding Agatha and her ragtag coven. The season’s overall story arc picks up in this episode, setting the stage for new revelations and suspicious secrets. There are now established commonalities for each trial on the Road, but every installment of the series is benefiting from its own nuances as well.
Kathryn Hahn continues to shine as Agatha in this episode, battling with her emotions, her broken sincerity, and the past she tries to forget (or is it that she’s trying to remember?). Hahn’s stunning depiction of Agatha is classically flawed and consistently inconsistent. Executive producer Mary Livanos praised how Hahn has brought the character to life, noting that Agatha is “often portrayed as a mentor. She’s also been portrayed as a villain. Agatha really lives on a knife’s edge that is only portrayable by Kathryn Hahn.”
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The main cast of Agatha All Along, including Ali Ahn (Alice), Joe Locke (Teen), Patti LuPone (Lilia), and Sasheer Zamata (Jennifer), deliver strong performances that enhance the overall narrative and strengthen the overall core of the coven. Throughout almost every episode, the characters bond through their shared fear, magic, loss, and need to come out of the Road alive. The witches are sassy as ever, even in their summoning: “May she be smart and not annoying--and also, not super political.”
More secrets come to light about the lives of the coven, each one illuminating a new aspect of their past, present, or future. Heartwarming moments in this episode also leave viewers questioning the exact nature of Agatha's history with the witches in her circle. Aubrey Plaza, who portrays Rio Vidal, has said that the coven “know that fate is bigger than them and destiny must happen no matter what they want.” Over time, various secrets about the group have been steadily uncovered, and this episode even negates some potential twists that viewers had anticipated after earlier “hints.”
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The creative elements are masterfully incorporated throughout Agatha All Along, thanks to John Collins’ meticulous production design. The episode “If I Can’t Reach You / Let My Song Teach You” pays homage to the 1970s with its classic rock theme, geometric motifs, and psychedelic color palette, heavily featuring autumnal reds, oranges, and yellows. Showrunner Jac Schaeffer has expressed that her “approach to the music in the show is as plot and…[as] part of the bones of the show,” creating an immersive experience with the visual elements of production.
One such detail, the leaves on the Road in this and other episodes, have been seen in a variety of colors to foreshadow each trial the coven is about to endure. Between visual cues, rich symbolism, and stunning illusions, Agatha All Along builds on both its witchy and MCU predecessors.
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One of the most impressive feats of the series is that there are almost zero special visual effects, relying instead on practical “magic.” Executive producer Brad Winderbaum revealed: “Witches flying on broomsticks, the magical environments, the road itself, the trials… all done with effects that you could achieve before 1989.” This creative decision reflects how Agatha’s loss of power affects not just her character but the aesthetic of the whole show, especially when compared to WandaVision. Livanos further commented, “Agatha lost her purple magic, so it only really seems fair that this series loses its CGI as well.”
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The episode's standout moments (without spoilers) include hippie fashion icons, fantastic references to both stage and screen and a slow burn. As the series approaches its midpoint, there’s an undeniably addictive quality, with the set design, witty one-liners, and character dynamics all drawing fans in for more time with the coven of misfits. Every episode has left viewers eagerly asking, “When do we get more?” -- which is no surprise, given the team behind WandaVision and other Marvel Cinematic Universe projects.
Rating: 10/10
Be sure to catch the fifth episode of Agatha All Along next Wednesday on Disney+ to watch as the coven’s fate unfolds.
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Sources: IMDb, Script, The Walt Disney Studios
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