Why a Wiccan Series Could Complete Marvel’s First-Ever TV Trilogy of Magic and Mystery

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Patti LuPone is straight-forward and honest to a fault, with no patience for falsehoods. So when she reveals that showrunner Jac Schaeffer informed her that there won’t be a second season of Agatha All Along, we can trust that she’s speaking the truth. Usually, such news would disappoint us, given our affection for the series; but this time, it’s different. The cancellation frees Schaeffer to create something distinctive on television. In a way, Agatha All Along was a continuation of her initial MCU series, WandaVision. Now, Schaeffer can launch the first-ever TV trilogy with a show centered around Wiccan. Given the intriguing potential of both his comic book and MCU tales, this Harkness Trilogy could conclude as a complete, fulfilling narrative.

Patti LuPone revealed that Jac Schaeffer informed her about not considering a second season for Agatha All Along. Additionally, Schaeffer shared that LuPone declined the opportunity to continue with another season of WandaVision, despite Marvel Studios’ interest. Schaeffer explained that she prefers “one-off” projects as there is too much writing involved. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that she will no longer be associated with her MCU witch characters, as she continued to appear in WandaVision.

After wrapping up her initial Disney+ MCU series, Schaeffer crafted a follow-up that functioned independently yet maintained significant links to its predecessor – WandaVision. Unlike its predecessor, Agatha All Along centered on a new protagonist, adopted a distinct tone, and pursued a separate objective. Essentially, the finale of Agatha All Along foreshadowed a sequel series, with Ghost Agatha teaming up with Billy Maximoff to locate his lost brother Tommy as the main focus. Future MCU events involving witches will revolve around Billy, not Agatha, much like the aftermath of the Hex’s fall was about Agatha and not Wanda.

The next show Schaeffer should create is a Wiccan series. This would not only connect to its previous works in significant ways but also offer something fresh and innovative. It could be considered the third installment of an MCU Harkness Trilogy, where each part stands on its own while contributing to a larger, cohesive narrative – much like a classic movie trilogy.

TV spinoffs differ significantly from movie sequels. While shows like “Cheers” and its spinoff “Frasier” share a common universe, they’re not considered sequels. Instead, “Frasier” is a spinoff. For instance, the recently cancelled “Frasier” reboot/sequel was even less connected to “Cheers”. Similarly, while shows like “The Walking Dead” may spawn multiple spinoffs within a larger universe, they don’t function cohesively like a trilogy of films does. For example, shows such as “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”, “Rhoda”, and “Lou Grant” are independent entities that aren’t bound together in the same way “A New Hope”, “The Empire Strikes Back”, and “Return of the Jedi” are. Even anthology series like “True Detective” with direct connections don’t work in the same manner as a film trilogy, such as “The Dark Knight”.

Television series, such as the Arrowverse, Star Trek, and The Defenders, can present interconnected cinematic universes, yet they don’t mirror or link in the same way that movie series do. For instance, it would be incorrect to liken these TV shows to film series like Back to the Future or The Matrix. This is largely because creating such a connection has traditionally been beyond the reach of television due to its episodic structure and typical sandbox-style storytelling. Even with fewer episodes and a tighter, season-long major arc, modern television isn’t designed for crafting the interwoven narratives that film series can effectively tell. Each season may focus on a different significant story, as shows like Mad Men or The Wire did, but they remain separate entities and should not be compared to a film trilogy.

Among all television creators, only Vince Gilligan has come close to emulating Schaeffer’s unique approach with shows like “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul.” These series were intricately linked yet told distinct narratives following dissimilar protagonists in entirely different ways. However, even Gilligan hasn’t ventured into a third show. The closest he came was the less-than-impressive “El Camino,” a follow-up film that suggests that the movie format may not be ideal for TV.

Schaeffer’s strength lies in the concise structure of Disney+ MCU series, as compared to longer ones like Breaking Bad. For instance, WandaVision and Agatha All Along consist of a total of 18 episodes, while Breaking Bad had 62. With fewer episodes to manage, Schaeffer can craft a more cinematic narrative for each of her shows. This approach was evident in both WandaVision and Agatha All Along. Now, she’s poised to apply this technique to her next main character, Billy Maximoff. The finale of Agatha All Along sets the stage for Billy’s story, with his quest to find his brother Tommy being the central focus. Similar to his comic counterpart, Billy will embark on this journey, aided by ghost Agatha. This journey was hinted at towards the end of both WandaVision and Agatha All Along.

In the stories we follow, Wiccan is portrayed as an incredibly potent witch. Despite not having a solo series yet (but sharing the spotlight with his partner Hulkling), he’s played a crucial role in significant Marvel Comics story arcs. One such arc revolves around him doing something remarkably similar to what his on-screen version is pursuing – searching for a missing relative. However, instead of his brother, the comics character Wiccan embarked on a quest to find his formidable mother, the Scarlet Witch. Interestingly, she’s currently absent in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

A Disney+ series centered around Wiccan, distinctly telling its own tale with its unique protagonist, much like Agatha All Along did, could potentially involve Billy (and potentially Tommy) in a quest to find their mother. This plot development would complete Schaeffer’s Harkness Trilogy, serving as a fitting conclusion for a multi-part series. The journey began with Wanda creating the Hex and Agatha discovering her. In this new narrative, rather than working against a Maximoff witch, Agatha could aid the Scarlet Witch’s children in their search for the woman who ties them all together and weaves their stories. This would also serve as an advantage by contributing to the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

Jac Schaeffer appears reluctant to create another season for “WandaVision” or “Agatha All Along.” However, she seems to have left some significant questions about her witches unresolved, hinting that she may not be finished with them just yet. Here’s hoping she continues spinning her enchanting tale in a way that could revolutionize television storytelling, offering something never seen before. Schaeffer has the potential to reverse the trend for a studio known for transforming exceptional TV serialization concepts into movies, by instead applying movie-style serialization to television. If Marvel were to do this, it could bring groundbreaking television serialization to our screens. And in the spirit of respecting the extraordinary Patti LuPone, this promise would surpass the excitement of any additional TV season.

Mikey Walsh, a staff member at TopMob, is ready to traverse the Witches’ Path. Keep tabs on his adventures via Bluesky at @burgermike. Moreover, he’s interested in rankings of the Targaryen monarchs, wherever they may be listed.

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2025-01-31 00:03