@@cbb276 for real and it's not like their interactions are not important to their characters either, im side eyeing everyone skipping their gay ass scenes
It's also a magical realm, a far away house looking like it's small and close doesn't seem all that unexpected. Particularly if it's a magically conjured house that always appears in front of you.
She also mentioned there was a Party. Its a fairly common expression of course but it was specifically what Sharon thought she was signing up for so it feels like she probably vented to her for a bit!
Love how Rio Vidal was just chill when the demonic curse wreaking havoc in the coven...as if she knew that demon won't ever try to fu#% with the mistress of 💀
I swear this episode was specifically designed to hit me in the feels. My mom was a practicing Wiccan and my whole childhood she told me about her favorite songs that If she was ever gone to listen to and know she was reaching out to me. Sooooo yeah this one hurt! Good hurt but hurt!
Sometimes I’m not convinced Aubrey was ever cast in anything I think she just shows up to sets and they’re like “here’s a character idea go wild.” shes incredible
I read that Sasheer really did play the bass a bit and Ali did play the piano in the scenes. Patti LuPone on the rhythm instruments was hilarious though.
I'm one of those guys that didn't see the gay until this episode. Now all the hints in the previous episodes make sense. I'm really enjoying this show.
Love this show. Very individual, distinct characters that have their own personalities and work as an ensemble. I am here for all ways their relationships develop and evolve. The practical effects are gorgeous and I am so glad they chose to do it that way. Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Bobby Lopez killed it with The Ballad of the Witches' Road. Darn them! after I got Let it Go out of my head they put this in it!
I’m a 50-year-old straight dude and I love this show. I’m far too impressed with the script, the acting and the directing to care about how gay it is. Give me more shows like this and I’ll happily march in the parade!
a real man 💪🏻 and not a boy with traumas with women or gays, the only ones who criticize this series are guys with fragile masculinity, who apparently don't like to see women in movies...hahaha, super machi wanting to see only muscular men, TRUE? 😏
That makes me so happy to hear. Marvel and as extension disney Are always too scared to commit to queer storylines even though they make the story that much more interesting. I hope you keep watching and enjoying :)
@@skyraven9079 To be fair, as a gay man, I'm sick of seeing token gay characters and camp stereotypes. But this is queerdom done right. I love all these women!
@@wanderingseth yeah i get that, im just happy to see representation in the MCU that isnt queerbaiting :’). Like loki is canonically bi but nothing really happened that affirmed that part of his character
It's beyond me how someone could see episode one and not detect extreme levels of queerness hahaha Ah, I knew/hoped I'd love this show since announced, and every episode it's confirming or even surpassing my expectations, soo good.
Catch 22 of having gay characters on screen is if its not blunt as a rainbow colored sledge hammer to the audiences head you'll have people adamantly denying its even there at all, yet if they do make it that blunt those same people will whine that its being shoved down their throats.
I watched episode one and clocked Agatha and Rio had history, but I didn't think one lesbian couple made a show gay. This episode with Alice and Jen's reaction to Rio, I was like okay so we've got a big ol' pile of roommates here. Oh yeah I just realized I forgot Teen's blink and you miss it boyfriend reveal.
@@charlesbaldwin3166 I mean it was already a show about witches, mostly middle aged women and a goth gay teen (who happens to be one of the leads from Heartstopper), with musical elements, lots of campy sass, and Patty Lupone...the weird thing would be it not being queer, and after those Agatha-Rio interactions it was undeniable. But yeah, it has grown progressively more evident each episode.
They didn’t use the volume for this the road is a set and all the houses are miniatures, so you’re probably seeing where the set ends and the miniatures begin
I am also super suprised by the people who didn't pick up on the gay. Especially some reactors. I feel like most people who don't pick up on the gayness in media think it's impossible for queer romance to exist in mainstream, so they just automatically disregard clear chemistry. That or they're just homophobic and always use the "I'm not homophobic, but..." angle to discredit how genuine the representation is.
I could watch Kathryn Hahn and Aubrey Plaza pretend to have serious conversations all goddam day. Regarding Agatha's first trip down the road, I think she was trying to say that one _other_ person made it to the end with her. My assumption is that person was Rio Vidal. I think that Rio becoming Death, Agatha getting the Darkhold and Nicholas' sacrifice are all the same event.
I'm still not fully convinced that Agatha has been on the road before. Sometimes she still seems to know as much as the other witches. Maybe I'm misreading it. Loving every moment of it though.
@@ImBigDave79 We have been told multiple times that the road changes for the coven, so if she has been down the road before it still wasn't this road because she is on it with a different coven so she does, technically, know just as much as the others while also having been there before.
@@ashleywalla4087 totally a fair point. however, lying about being down the road is literally something agatha would lie about just to get what she wants. i think it’d just be hilarious if she was lying all this time and is clueless asf
@@ImBigDave79 I feel like Agatha definitely _has_ been down the road but her experiences on the road have been wiped from her memory. She knows who went with her and she knows who returned with her (probably Rio), but that's it. I don't think she knows what happened to her son or any of the other witches she travelled the road with. If we assume Teen is her son (a big assumption, granted) and Agatha is who placed the sigil on him, perhaps she was required to give him up and making him unidentifiable was her method of protecting him (if the contract is for "Agatha's son" or "Nicholas Scratch" and nobody can find him, then he's safe).
@@StarkRGgreat theory, i hadnt considered a memory wipe. I wonder how long we have to wait to discover mire about the sigil, im guessing maybe final episode (maybe the penultimate) and tied into Teen's identity reveal. Unfortunately Teen and Rio's identities have been leaked due to Funko being messy/careless. So if you want to stay spoiler free id advise against looking in that direction
In addition to her character on Legion, her portrayal of Rio also reminds me of Fiona Dourif's portrayal of Bart the "holistic assassin" in BBC America's adaptation of Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency.
You actually couldn't see the volume because they didn't use it. The sets are all physical and they took inspiration from the wizard of Oz. So sometimes it's paintings in the back or miniatures of the houses. The forest itself is all practical. I also love how the curse was actually designed like something made in the 70s. Even when they used cgi for it but they made sure to have movements like it was a puppet
The end, where Rio chooses to tell Agatha the truth rather than let her keep convincing herself that Teen might be her lost son returned... Death has a heart alright!
Yeah the houses look a little funky because they were literally built in miniature so... The perspective is a little bit janky but also it looks good, IMO.
Been loving your reactions on AAA! Maybe the most insightful, intelligent reactions I’ve come across far. The clues you guys catch, the discussions post-ep… Fun fact: AAA is the first Marvel Disney series with a proper showrunner, Jac Schaeffer, who was head writer for Wandavision. Previously they tried running their TV shows like movies and were driven by producers and directors. Having a showrunner I think has definitely helped with setting a clear vision and arc for the show, not to mention managing the budget smartly (AAA is the least expensive Marvel TV show) which in turns means they can make a more audience targeted series. Schaeffer also prefers her shows to be very character-driven and character-serving e.g. Teen having the sigil isn’t a mystery for mystery sake but an opportunity to open up Agatha as a character
I read somewhere that Plaza genuinely scared Patti once with one of her acting choices, maybe this one in their first scene. Probably why they’re such great friends now! Check out their Hot Wings interview and Plaza’s Seth Meyers interview where they talks about how Patti almost killed her when they were roommates (it’s so funny).
The point about shows, that know what they are stick to their type, even if they are not for everyone, is, they are still getting a huge audience, even among those who are not really into the topic, simply because they are good. This campy halloweene witches stuff is normally not my thing, but I love this show because it has great writing, great directing and great actors. It is engaging and entertaining. Of cause it helps if MARVEL is slapped on the cover, to get people through the door, to engage with it in the first place 😄
I think while WandaVision was a message on death this show seems like a tale on trauma in general. Jen is traumatized from an event from her past that kinda crippled her in a way and she lost confidence in herself. Alice had generational trauma and was just running from it and her family her whole life rather than facing it, even as her mom was trying her best to protect her with all she had. Lilea keeps mentioning, both in last episode and this one, about the stereotypes of witches so I think her trauma is going to be the trauma of being labeled by society/race and unable to be her own person from fear of being a stereotype/statistic and I think she's suppressing parts of herself and that's why her powers are out of wack and unclear. Agatha of course is dealing with the trauma of either a past mistake she can't escape from or the trauma of a mother loosing her child and just closing off to everyone around her rather than facing it. Lady Death on the other hand might not have trauma herself, but might feel guilty over being the source of so much trauma for people when she's just being herself and doing her job. So I'm really curious to see where this all goes. And my head cannon right now is by the end of the series with them all able to heal from their traumas they will fully connect as a true friend group/coven. Agatha is going to be able to accept the loss of her son without blaming Rio cause death eventually comes for everyone regardless. And I think if she does get her powers back she might give them up to save Teen. I also think Teen is spiritually Wanda's son Billy Caplein ,aka Wican, and how in the comics Agatha was introduced as Franklin and Valeria Richards' caretaker/mentor instead she's gonna become Billy's. Also Scarlet Witch is gonna somehow show back up, but they'll bond over their shared trauma of loss AND their shared love and care for Billy.
They’ve been kinda hit or miss but Loki was good, What If was good, Moon Knight was good, Ms. Marvel was good (Abu is life goals). I liked Echo but at a serious risk of going deaf myself the subject matter meant more to me than some. The “Disney plus shows are all bad” people are just ragebait nonsense looking for clicks. Secret Invasion was bad, for sure, and Captain Falcon wasn’t a winner, but most have been better than that.
I love all the 70s whip zooms in this episode. Fits the period of the aesthetic and functions as a kind of call to horror films such as the Exorcist from the time.
I think Rio was the 'agent of Mephisto' who took Agatha's son. It might be the unknown price Agatha had to pay for the Darkhold, which also could explain why she was so interested in Wanda being able to bring back the dead.
Aubrey and Kathryn generate such chemistry I don't care what the perspective is supposed to be. Put two actors like this in these emotionally charged scenes, I don't care what gender they are, I'll watch it..
I wish I could share screenshots here but after watching episode 1 I went absolutely feral for Rio and Agatha. People that didnt see this probably lost their eyes or something xD
I don't think Rio is Death, there are more signs to her being Blackheart, the child of Mephisto. Nicholas Scratch worked for Mephisto in the comics, and in the third episode Jen mentioned that people say Agatha's child could be an agent of Mephisto because of whatever Agatha did to obtain Darkhold. We already know that the rivalry between Rio and Agatha began when Agatha took Darkhold, and in this episode we found out that Agatha is mad at Rio for "doing her job" at that time. If her job was to take Agatha's son as punishment for stealing Darkhold, that would make sense. Also Rio said she was carried "up" to the road, while the others went down, which could indicate that she was in a space lower than the road, like Hell. Also they've literally called her Blackheart multiple times in the show
6:08 - well, this wasn’t filmed in a volume or with screens. The witches road was actually fully built and was over 100 yards long. The houses that were added, were all miniatures and lighting changes. Everything was real. So, not sure what you are talking about or referring to here.
What made the Netflix marvel shows successful and DCs arrowverse succeed was the fact that each show was accessible to any viewer while still being demographically focus.
Presumably, Rio is Lady Death, that's why she takes bodies and Agatha told her not to take the Teen (Wanda's boy Billy/Wiccan) who was almost dead. She presumably took Agatha's dead son Nicholas Scratch to wherever to exchange for the Dark Hold.
She picked the right t-shirt for this reaction 😂 So glad you two are enjoying the show, I am having a blast every week with its fun Halloween vibes, but it also goes deeper with the storytelling that I expected. Thanks for the great reactions!
It is a freaking crime that Kitty Foreman didn’t make it to the 70s episode!😤 Did anyone else see the face the house from the second trial created? The windows were a pair of eyes and there was an outcropping that made a smirk.
To your point about people not realizing how gay the show was, I've been watching it with my parents and about three seconds before Agatha leaned in to try to kiss Rio my mom asked, "Are they sisters? Ope, no, I hope not!"
Just randomly, the witches road and the houses are all practical sets and I believe the view of the house from the Road is a minature against a brighter screen. They don't really use the Volume at all. Like they could honestly deconstruct the Road and move it to a Disney theme park.
17:05 No, I still don't see it because it doesn't feel forced or gimmicky. It feels like exes who still have strong feelings for each other but had a lot of reasons for a messy breakup (who happen to share a gender). The magic power of decent writing.
Fun fact: they didn’t use the volume at all for this show. It’s all sets and minis, mostly on a giant soundstage, besides the shots in the town they use for Westview.
21:40 that, but also this being a trial for the protection witch, kinda saying that you can't always run away, and have to face the curse eventually, ugh, chef's kiss
Also, the Chinese traditional lore of family curses is an appropriate pagany aspect to include. It certainly, ehem, harkens back the legend of the Bruce Lee curse and what he allegedly thought he was doing to protect Brandon. Real-life tragedy (and my obsession with it) really added emotional weight to Alice’s tale. So far, I love this goddamn showed.
This a rare case where the volume adds to the look for me. It gives The Road a practical soundstage look like the Wizard of Oz sets and it feels perfect for the vibe of this show.
Lady Death is pretty likely, but I think there’s some equally compelling evidence for Morgan Le Fay. She also has long black hair, works primarily with nature and soul/death magic, and is called the green witch in canon. Her character is also supposed to be the first green witch which lends likelihood from MLFs astounding age. She also wears green as her primary color. She could also be a gender bend of the Emerald Warlock that met Wanda on the road in her solo series, but that seems unlikely because she’s supposed to be someone non-comic fans would know. That rules in MLF, Mephisto or Death but rules out black heart or emerald warlock. What really sticks out to me though is that they’ve been very explicitly clear that she is a witch, and neither lady death or Mephisto are witches. They’re cosmic metaphysical entities, witches are fundamentally still mortal.
5:59 no green screen or volume used. All sets, miniatures, and practical effects. So it’s giving a Wizard of Oz/BarbieLand soundstage feel which really works for the show.
I figure the "scars" were the physical manifestation of the curse so, once the curse was lifted, the scars should be gone, including from Alice. I wonder if it kicked Teen across the room because the sigil stopped the curse from being able to identify him and, therefore, wasn't able to latch on to him like it did the others. I also wonder if Rio was unaffected (and unconcerned) because *she* was the origin of the curse.
So the first house had the Full Moon which teen told us is the Water phase and the water rose to drown them as they ran out of time, and it was a Potions test. The second house had the Waxing Moon which teen said is the Fire phase - and the house burns as they have to pass the Protection Magic test. I think it’s fair to guess the next house will have the Air phase (either New or Waning) and require a test of Divination before they’re suffocated while focusing on Lilia. And then we’ll have the Earth phase house with the Green Magic test as they’re buried alive. Rio is in that role but I expect a twist in that regard where either Agatha or Teen has to step up.
My guess why people don't see the gay in the show is because it's "normal" gay, not the flamboyant or on the nose versions that usually is portrayed in movies and shows. It's sprinkled in and not pushed in the face of the audience.
LOST's flash sideways actually take place in a bardo not purgatory. Important difference. And actually now that I think about it, the witches road could totally be a bardo
Jen playing bass reminded me of South Park's 'Faith plus One' joke, too. One of their best- Token beats Cartman's ass at the end for his racist crap! 🎉
I don’t think Teen carries the curse’s scar either… he wasn’t burned on the shoulders like the others, he was thrown through the recording booth glass and gravely injured. Which is odd. It makes me wonder whether it was Alice’s generational curse that did that to him, or something (someone?) else. 🤔
I think thanos was trying to get death's attention with the snap to try and his family back but when people disappeared, they had no souls or bodies for death to take.
Divination does not necessarily always mean seeing the future. It simply means obtaining knowledge by using supernatural means. In this case, when Lillia said "Alice don't" I believe she was channeling her dead mother without knowing. All of these things Lillia has been saying will likely come into play in her trial or later in the Witches' road.
I think “that boy isn’t yours” could also be Rio telling Agatha “That boy isn’t yours, he’s mine” because she is Lady Death and part of the “deal” Agatha made to get the Darkhold the first time was to give her son to death which Rio became at the end of the road. Could be wrong 🤷🏻♂️
Rio's last name, Vidal, is an anagram of Advil.
😲
NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
Alice asked for it after all
Its also close to River (Rio) of Life (Vida) in Spanish.
😂
They're just friends! They're roommates who share a bed for financial reasons.
🤣
Friends with a DLC
yeah
😂😂😂😂😂
and they were roommates
Aubrey Plaza defnitely had a lot of fun shooting this
Yeah, she’s given the least lines but all of her little quirks/ ad libs have added so much character and reinforce what a great actor she is
@@ourabourasI think the more the show goes on the more lines she’ll have. Especially the big reveal and backstory.
@@ourabouras"the bodies are really piling up"
this is the best reaction until now, you two are the only ones so far that didn't gloss over Rio and Agatha's relationship and i love you two for it
Yeah a lot of them really did just cut straight to the "that boy isn't yours" line lol
Very, very sus
@@cbb276 for real and it's not like their interactions are not important to their characters either, im side eyeing everyone skipping their gay ass scenes
right? Im glad people is noticing how.other reaction channels are straight up cutting those scenes like?¿?
@@AnnaKahlo for real, im giving the side eye too all of them too
"the screen is screeny" it's supposed to be! it's definitely an homage to the way they portrayed distance in the wizard of oz
It's also a magical realm, a far away house looking like it's small and close doesn't seem all that unexpected. Particularly if it's a magically conjured house that always appears in front of you.
I do think Rio is Lady Death. When she was summoned, she came out of Sharon's grave and said she "was in the neighborhood"
shes at least related to death but i do hope its lady death.
She also mentioned there was a Party. Its a fairly common expression of course but it was specifically what Sharon thought she was signing up for so it feels like she probably vented to her for a bit!
Her name is pretty much Spanish for River of Life, and we’ve heard her speak Spanish before too
Who is Sharon?
@@barbarjinx3802 Ughhh Agatha and one of her burner accounts :P
Love how Rio Vidal was just chill when the demonic curse wreaking havoc in the coven...as if she knew that demon won't ever try to fu#% with the mistress of 💀
I swear this episode was specifically designed to hit me in the feels. My mom was a practicing Wiccan and my whole childhood she told me about her favorite songs that If she was ever gone to listen to and know she was reaching out to me. Sooooo yeah this one hurt! Good hurt but hurt!
Sometimes I’m not convinced Aubrey was ever cast in anything I think she just shows up to sets and they’re like “here’s a character idea go wild.” shes incredible
I laughed at this, the best way to describe it lol
I read that Sasheer really did play the bass a bit and Ali did play the piano in the scenes. Patti LuPone on the rhythm instruments was hilarious though.
Right? Zils, triangle, maracas. Hilarious.
Lorna’s version of the ballad has been on repeat while working out.
I'm one of those guys that didn't see the gay until this episode. Now all the hints in the previous episodes make sense. I'm really enjoying this show.
Love this show. Very individual, distinct characters that have their own personalities and work as an ensemble. I am here for all ways their relationships develop and evolve. The practical effects are gorgeous and I am so glad they chose to do it that way. Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Bobby Lopez killed it with The Ballad of the Witches' Road. Darn them! after I got Let it Go out of my head they put this in it!
I’m a 50-year-old straight dude and I love this show. I’m far too impressed with the script, the acting and the directing to care about how gay it is. Give me more shows like this and I’ll happily march in the parade!
a real man 💪🏻 and not a boy with traumas with women or gays, the only ones who criticize this series are guys with fragile masculinity, who apparently don't like to see women in movies...hahaha, super machi wanting to see only muscular men, TRUE? 😏
That makes me so happy to hear. Marvel and as extension disney Are always too scared to commit to queer storylines even though they make the story that much more interesting. I hope you keep watching and enjoying :)
@@skyraven9079 To be fair, as a gay man, I'm sick of seeing token gay characters and camp stereotypes. But this is queerdom done right. I love all these women!
I’m having a gay old time!
@@wanderingseth yeah i get that, im just happy to see representation in the MCU that isnt queerbaiting :’). Like loki is canonically bi but nothing really happened that affirmed that part of his character
It's beyond me how someone could see episode one and not detect extreme levels of queerness hahaha
Ah, I knew/hoped I'd love this show since announced, and every episode it's confirming or even surpassing my expectations, soo good.
Catch 22 of having gay characters on screen is if its not blunt as a rainbow colored sledge hammer to the audiences head you'll have people adamantly denying its even there at all, yet if they do make it that blunt those same people will whine that its being shoved down their throats.
I watched episode one and clocked Agatha and Rio had history, but I didn't think one lesbian couple made a show gay. This episode with Alice and Jen's reaction to Rio, I was like okay so we've got a big ol' pile of roommates here.
Oh yeah I just realized I forgot Teen's blink and you miss it boyfriend reveal.
@@charlesbaldwin3166 I mean it was already a show about witches, mostly middle aged women and a goth gay teen (who happens to be one of the leads from Heartstopper), with musical elements, lots of campy sass, and Patty Lupone...the weird thing would be it not being queer, and after those Agatha-Rio interactions it was undeniable. But yeah, it has grown progressively more evident each episode.
"that's not why i came over"
"my heart is black and it beats for you" *licks her wound
yeah... they're TOTALLY just friends guys 😂😂😂
They didn’t use the volume for this the road is a set and all the houses are miniatures, so you’re probably seeing where the set ends and the miniatures begin
Ooooo interesting! That is good to know
I am also super suprised by the people who didn't pick up on the gay. Especially some reactors.
I feel like most people who don't pick up on the gayness in media think it's impossible for queer romance to exist in mainstream, so they just automatically disregard clear chemistry. That or they're just homophobic and always use the "I'm not homophobic, but..." angle to discredit how genuine the representation is.
i also see some reactors saying things like "oh, two women can't be just friends now" like...
I could watch Kathryn Hahn and Aubrey Plaza pretend to have serious conversations all goddam day. Regarding Agatha's first trip down the road, I think she was trying to say that one _other_ person made it to the end with her. My assumption is that person was Rio Vidal. I think that Rio becoming Death, Agatha getting the Darkhold and Nicholas' sacrifice are all the same event.
I'm still not fully convinced that Agatha has been on the road before. Sometimes she still seems to know as much as the other witches. Maybe I'm misreading it. Loving every moment of it though.
@@ImBigDave79 We have been told multiple times that the road changes for the coven, so if she has been down the road before it still wasn't this road because she is on it with a different coven so she does, technically, know just as much as the others while also having been there before.
@@ashleywalla4087 totally a fair point. however, lying about being down the road is literally something agatha would lie about just to get what she wants. i think it’d just be hilarious if she was lying all this time and is clueless asf
@@ImBigDave79 I feel like Agatha definitely _has_ been down the road but her experiences on the road have been wiped from her memory. She knows who went with her and she knows who returned with her (probably Rio), but that's it. I don't think she knows what happened to her son or any of the other witches she travelled the road with.
If we assume Teen is her son (a big assumption, granted) and Agatha is who placed the sigil on him, perhaps she was required to give him up and making him unidentifiable was her method of protecting him (if the contract is for "Agatha's son" or "Nicholas Scratch" and nobody can find him, then he's safe).
@@StarkRGgreat theory, i hadnt considered a memory wipe. I wonder how long we have to wait to discover mire about the sigil, im guessing maybe final episode (maybe the penultimate) and tied into Teen's identity reveal.
Unfortunately Teen and Rio's identities have been leaked due to Funko being messy/careless. So if you want to stay spoiler free id advise against looking in that direction
Aubrey is really good as playing "crazy" the show, Legion, showed how good she is.
In addition to her character on Legion, her portrayal of Rio also reminds me of Fiona Dourif's portrayal of Bart the "holistic assassin" in BBC America's adaptation of Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency.
@@StarkRG I hate they cancelled that. That was my shit.
You actually couldn't see the volume because they didn't use it. The sets are all physical and they took inspiration from the wizard of Oz. So sometimes it's paintings in the back or miniatures of the houses. The forest itself is all practical.
I also love how the curse was actually designed like something made in the 70s. Even when they used cgi for it but they made sure to have movements like it was a puppet
Actually this whole show was filmed in a lot with practical effects. No green screens, no volume
This episode being the one where you are wearing the Gay Gasp shirt is hilarious.
The end, where Rio chooses to tell Agatha the truth rather than let her keep convincing herself that Teen might be her lost son returned... Death has a heart alright!
6:04 they're not using The Volume for this show. The sets and effects are practical.
Yeah the houses look a little funky because they were literally built in miniature so... The perspective is a little bit janky but also it looks good, IMO.
@@AnxietyRat the weirdness works for a magical road
@@colinfontenot7561 100%
Rio and Agatha are both Chers
Teen is Sonny
Jen is Donna Summer
Alice is Janice Joplin
And… dear lord… they dressed Patti LaPone as Liza Minnelli
Patti’s playing a different silly little instrument every time they cut to her
Been loving your reactions on AAA! Maybe the most insightful, intelligent reactions I’ve come across far. The clues you guys catch, the discussions post-ep…
Fun fact: AAA is the first Marvel Disney series with a proper showrunner, Jac Schaeffer, who was head writer for Wandavision. Previously they tried running their TV shows like movies and were driven by producers and directors. Having a showrunner I think has definitely helped with setting a clear vision and arc for the show, not to mention managing the budget smartly (AAA is the least expensive Marvel TV show) which in turns means they can make a more audience targeted series.
Schaeffer also prefers her shows to be very character-driven and character-serving e.g. Teen having the sigil isn’t a mystery for mystery sake but an opportunity to open up Agatha as a character
I read somewhere that Plaza genuinely scared Patti once with one of her acting choices, maybe this one in their first scene. Probably why they’re such great friends now! Check out their Hot Wings interview and Plaza’s Seth Meyers interview where they talks about how Patti almost killed her when they were roommates (it’s so funny).
when Jenn was playing bass, I immediately thought about the "South Park" episode whether it was intended as an Easter egg or not.
The point about shows, that know what they are stick to their type, even if they are not for everyone, is, they are still getting a huge audience, even among those who are not really into the topic, simply because they are good. This campy halloweene witches stuff is normally not my thing, but I love this show because it has great writing, great directing and great actors. It is engaging and entertaining. Of cause it helps if MARVEL is slapped on the cover, to get people through the door, to engage with it in the first place 😄
I think while WandaVision was a message on death this show seems like a tale on trauma in general.
Jen is traumatized from an event from her past that kinda crippled her in a way and she lost confidence in herself.
Alice had generational trauma and was just running from it and her family her whole life rather than facing it, even as her mom was trying her best to protect her with all she had.
Lilea keeps mentioning, both in last episode and this one, about the stereotypes of witches so I think her trauma is going to be the trauma of being labeled by society/race and unable to be her own person from fear of being a stereotype/statistic and I think she's suppressing parts of herself and that's why her powers are out of wack and unclear.
Agatha of course is dealing with the trauma of either a past mistake she can't escape from or the trauma of a mother loosing her child and just closing off to everyone around her rather than facing it.
Lady Death on the other hand might not have trauma herself, but might feel guilty over being the source of so much trauma for people when she's just being herself and doing her job.
So I'm really curious to see where this all goes. And my head cannon right now is by the end of the series with them all able to heal from their traumas they will fully connect as a true friend group/coven. Agatha is going to be able to accept the loss of her son without blaming Rio cause death eventually comes for everyone regardless. And I think if she does get her powers back she might give them up to save Teen. I also think Teen is spiritually Wanda's son Billy Caplein ,aka Wican, and how in the comics Agatha was introduced as Franklin and Valeria Richards' caretaker/mentor instead she's gonna become Billy's. Also Scarlet Witch is gonna somehow show back up, but they'll bond over their shared trauma of loss AND their shared love and care for Billy.
My theory is that the sigil will no longer be needed when Wiccan no longer sees her as Agatha Harkness but Auntie Agatha.
Agatha is already a hit for Marvel, given so many bad series, but toxic Marvel fans are not ready for this conversation. 💜🤣
They’ve been kinda hit or miss but Loki was good, What If was good, Moon Knight was good, Ms. Marvel was good (Abu is life goals).
I liked Echo but at a serious risk of going deaf myself the subject matter meant more to me than some.
The “Disney plus shows are all bad” people are just ragebait nonsense looking for clicks. Secret Invasion was bad, for sure, and Captain Falcon wasn’t a winner, but most have been better than that.
And we get more of Lilia's Divinatory Tourette's.
17:00 I love this couple 😂
I agree with you guys this show is great and I love that they used more practical effects, it's refreshing and fun!
Advil = Vidal
Okay that just blew my mind away.
There weren't any Volumes or Green Screens; all the houses are miniatures and matte paintings, like in Star Trek 1966 or the Wizard of Oz.
AND THEY WERE ROOOMATES 😂😂
I love all the 70s whip zooms in this episode. Fits the period of the aesthetic and functions as a kind of call to horror films such as the Exorcist from the time.
You guys are my FAVOURITE reactors of this show, hands down. The reaction that I'm always the most excited for after I've seen the episode 💕
"death is a lesbian" "That´s why the Christians are so scared of it" LMAOOOO
I think Rio was the 'agent of Mephisto' who took Agatha's son. It might be the unknown price Agatha had to pay for the Darkhold, which also could explain why she was so interested in Wanda being able to bring back the dead.
Aubrey and Kathryn generate such chemistry I don't care what the perspective is supposed to be. Put two actors like this in these emotionally charged scenes, I don't care what gender they are, I'll watch it..
I wish I could share screenshots here but after watching episode 1 I went absolutely feral for Rio and Agatha. People that didnt see this probably lost their eyes or something xD
I don't think Rio is Death, there are more signs to her being Blackheart, the child of Mephisto. Nicholas Scratch worked for Mephisto in the comics, and in the third episode Jen mentioned that people say Agatha's child could be an agent of Mephisto because of whatever Agatha did to obtain Darkhold. We already know that the rivalry between Rio and Agatha began when Agatha took Darkhold, and in this episode we found out that Agatha is mad at Rio for "doing her job" at that time. If her job was to take Agatha's son as punishment for stealing Darkhold, that would make sense. Also Rio said she was carried "up" to the road, while the others went down, which could indicate that she was in a space lower than the road, like Hell. Also they've literally called her Blackheart multiple times in the show
6:08 - well, this wasn’t filmed in a volume or with screens. The witches road was actually fully built and was over 100 yards long. The houses that were added, were all miniatures and lighting changes. Everything was real.
So, not sure what you are talking about or referring to here.
What made the Netflix marvel shows successful and DCs arrowverse succeed was the fact that each show was accessible to any viewer while still being demographically focus.
Presumably, Rio is Lady Death, that's why she takes bodies and Agatha told her not to take the Teen (Wanda's boy Billy/Wiccan) who was almost dead. She presumably took Agatha's dead son Nicholas Scratch to wherever to exchange for the Dark Hold.
The characters of Lost were only in purgatory for the alternate history bits in the last season. Everything else happened while they were all alive.
She picked the right t-shirt for this reaction 😂 So glad you two are enjoying the show, I am having a blast every week with its fun Halloween vibes, but it also goes deeper with the storytelling that I expected. Thanks for the great reactions!
It is a freaking crime that Kitty Foreman didn’t make it to the 70s episode!😤
Did anyone else see the face the house from the second trial created? The windows were a pair of eyes and there was an outcropping that made a smirk.
"Alice don't-try to save Agatha"🤔
To your point about people not realizing how gay the show was, I've been watching it with my parents and about three seconds before Agatha leaned in to try to kiss Rio my mom asked, "Are they sisters? Ope, no, I hope not!"
I absolutely adore this show so far. One of my favorite marvel properties ever, and we’re only halfway through
Just randomly, the witches road and the houses are all practical sets and I believe the view of the house from the Road is a minature against a brighter screen. They don't really use the Volume at all. Like they could honestly deconstruct the Road and move it to a Disney theme park.
It makes sense if Rio's Lady Death since the Ballad says "Death's hand in mine"
The actress that plays Alice was on a Netflix show called Raising Dion.
What if its literally Agatha all Along?
Meaning she cursed Alice's family back in the day and also somehow responsible for Lilia and jen's problems?
17:05 No, I still don't see it because it doesn't feel forced or gimmicky. It feels like exes who still have strong feelings for each other but had a lot of reasons for a messy breakup (who happen to share a gender). The magic power of decent writing.
Fun fact: they didn’t use the volume at all for this show. It’s all sets and minis, mostly on a giant soundstage, besides the shots in the town they use for Westview.
21:40 that, but also this being a trial for the protection witch, kinda saying that you can't always run away, and have to face the curse eventually, ugh, chef's kiss
Also, the Chinese traditional lore of family curses is an appropriate pagany aspect to include. It certainly, ehem, harkens back the legend of the Bruce Lee curse and what he allegedly thought he was doing to protect Brandon.
Real-life tragedy (and my obsession with it) really added emotional weight to Alice’s tale. So far, I love this goddamn showed.
This a rare case where the volume adds to the look for me. It gives The Road a practical soundstage look like the Wizard of Oz sets and it feels perfect for the vibe of this show.
The power of Joe Locke (Teen) Heartstopper does this before Agatha started
Lady Death is pretty likely, but I think there’s some equally compelling evidence for Morgan Le Fay. She also has long black hair, works primarily with nature and soul/death magic, and is called the green witch in canon. Her character is also supposed to be the first green witch which lends likelihood from MLFs astounding age. She also wears green as her primary color. She could also be a gender bend of the Emerald Warlock that met Wanda on the road in her solo series, but that seems unlikely because she’s supposed to be someone non-comic fans would know. That rules in MLF, Mephisto or Death but rules out black heart or emerald warlock. What really sticks out to me though is that they’ve been very explicitly clear that she is a witch, and neither lady death or Mephisto are witches. They’re cosmic metaphysical entities, witches are fundamentally still mortal.
Joe Locke is a new actor to you? Have you guys not reacted to Heartstopper?
The episodes are consistently just so good
5:59 no green screen or volume used. All sets, miniatures, and practical effects. So it’s giving a Wizard of Oz/BarbieLand soundstage feel which really works for the show.
I loved your discussion surrounding generational trauma/curses and how getting out of them is a tough task and allowing grace for everyone involved
I figure the "scars" were the physical manifestation of the curse so, once the curse was lifted, the scars should be gone, including from Alice.
I wonder if it kicked Teen across the room because the sigil stopped the curse from being able to identify him and, therefore, wasn't able to latch on to him like it did the others. I also wonder if Rio was unaffected (and unconcerned) because *she* was the origin of the curse.
So the first house had the Full Moon which teen told us is the Water phase and the water rose to drown them as they ran out of time, and it was a Potions test.
The second house had the Waxing Moon which teen said is the Fire phase - and the house burns as they have to pass the Protection Magic test.
I think it’s fair to guess the next house will have the Air phase (either New or Waning) and require a test of Divination before they’re suffocated while focusing on Lilia.
And then we’ll have the Earth phase house with the Green Magic test as they’re buried alive. Rio is in that role but I expect a twist in that regard where either Agatha or Teen has to step up.
My guess why people don't see the gay in the show is because it's "normal" gay, not the flamboyant or on the nose versions that usually is portrayed in movies and shows. It's sprinkled in and not pushed in the face of the audience.
Unlike the on-the-nose heterosexuality of WandaVision.
Help that t-shirt choice couldn't have been more fitting💀
Even in the Midnight Suns video game, Agatha has a female partner.
I saw the notification n woke me from my slumber “Not today sleepiness” 1:30 am still is definitely an appropriate time to watch more videos in bed.
I never considered the idea of Rio being Death, that's such an interesting take!
Nerdy's portrayal of a tent revival evangelicist left me uncomfortably enriched.
LOST's flash sideways actually take place in a bardo not purgatory. Important difference. And actually now that I think about it, the witches road could totally be a bardo
Jen playing bass reminded me of South Park's 'Faith plus One' joke, too. One of their best- Token beats Cartman's ass at the end for his racist crap! 🎉
“Refreshing” such a good word for show
This *
the reaction video i've been the most excited for since the episode came out yesss
the will and grace of nerdom?
because the vibes are vibin'
And YES part of the spell to summon a Green Witch in Marvel Comics, you have to say, "It aint easy being Green" in Latin. It's canon.
teen didnt get cursed he got attacked which is why i think hes deffo wiccan being protected by wanda or mephisto related
I don’t think Teen carries the curse’s scar either… he wasn’t burned on the shoulders like the others, he was thrown through the recording booth glass and gravely injured. Which is odd. It makes me wonder whether it was Alice’s generational curse that did that to him, or something (someone?) else. 🤔
Its so great and I hope that its got great viewership. I have so many theories and love this show now
I think thanos was trying to get death's attention with the snap to try and his family back but when people disappeared, they had no souls or bodies for death to take.
Agatha is giving Grace Slick meets Stevie Nick!
BTW It's Joe Locke-tober!
"OH MY YAP YAP YAP COOL COOL COOL" -His famous words
Divination does not necessarily always mean seeing the future. It simply means obtaining knowledge by using supernatural means. In this case, when Lillia said "Alice don't" I believe she was channeling her dead mother without knowing. All of these things Lillia has been saying will likely come into play in her trial or later in the Witches' road.
Some people dont read queer code obvi
I think “that boy isn’t yours” could also be Rio telling Agatha “That boy isn’t yours, he’s mine” because she is Lady Death and part of the “deal” Agatha made to get the Darkhold the first time was to give her son to death which Rio became at the end of the road.
Could be wrong 🤷🏻♂️
I hope they use the witches in future stuff plus all the witches have ties to Wanda in the comics
As I was watching this show I was thinking The Osmonds, or Sonny and Cher. After you mentioned 70’s rock, I see a Meatloaf video.
The zeitgeist seems to have caught up with the Zeitgeist
Sasheer Zamata is also very fun on the ABC series “Home Economics” , sweet show people should check out 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾😎
Genuinely surprised how much I am enjoying this show. I thought the trailers were pretty bad but the show itself, good stuff so far.
Rio is 100% Lady Death, lol green witch my ass.
Death would fall under nature/green witch magic
The 70s horror tropes .. amahzing
Agatha done snatched thanos’s Bae. 😭❤️
I love your guys reaction! Got my sub! Much love to Canada 🇨🇦❤️
It's really nice to watch it with you❤