How Agatha All Along cleverly avoids the Bury Your Gays trap

2024 saw a grand return for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, silencing critics who thought superhero fatigue was affecting its record-breaking box office numbers. It appears that a dash of whimsy was all it took to revitalize things. While Jac Schaeffer’s acclaimed series WandaVision paved the way, the decision to center an entire spinoff around Kathryn Hahn’s Agatha Harkness seemed risky. The inclusion of a varied cast featuring LGBTQ+ actors and Aubrey Plaza’s (Aubrey Plaza) teases about it being a “gay spectacle” meant fans had to endure the customary outcry that the MCU was becoming too progressive, or ‘woke.’