The creator of Agatha All Along, Jac Schaeffer, revealed that the series will have openly gay characters and fans would not be happy.
With the release of Agatha All Along being just around the corner, there is a lot that fans are expecting from the series. With the trailers, the initial looks, and the games with fans, it is safe to say that the show is nothing like anything we have before from the franchise. However, this may not always be a positive thing.
Kathryn Hahn, Joe Locke, Aubrey Plaza, and Sasheer Zamata in Agatha All Along (2024) | Credit: Disney+
During a recent interview, the creator of the show, Jac Schaeffer talked about a key element of the series that she is extremely proud of. She mentioned that the project has some very prominent themes of LGBTQ+ representation. While this may be another step from the MCU on a more progressive side, this may not be well-received by fans, who had a similar reaction around the release of The Acolyte.
Agatha All Along—A Step In the Right Direction?
Embodying the witch aesthetic in the best way possible, Agatha All Along seems to seriously be aiming for era accuracy. From the ways that suspected witches were treated in the earlier years, to the superstitions best associated with the supernatural forces, fans have a lot of expectations from the series.
During a recent interview with Zavvi, the creator of the series, Jac Schaeffer, talked about what the upcoming show is going to bring for its audience and it is safe to say that many would be surprised at her words. She explained that several characters in the project are openly queer, expressing their sexual identities in a way that the franchise has not done yet.
In fact, I think of Agatha as a drag queen; not only is she an icon, but she’s a performer above all else, and a code switcher depending on who she’s with. With all of this in mind, the writing team as a group were unapologetic about making these characters openly queer.
She explained that the way that suspected witches her persecuted in the past, was no different than how queer people were treated by history. With this in mind, she wanted to capture two sides of history; one based on fiction, and the other based in reality.
Aubrey Plaza as Rio Vidal in Agatha All Along | Credits: Marvel Studios
There is an enormous overlap between the history and persecution of witches and that of the LGBTQ community, just as there’s a lot of intersection between the queer community and the horror genre, so it was a very natural fit for there to be queer representation in the show.
She mentioned that considering the circumstances between the two elements, they perfectly blend together in the series and fit perfectly.
Does Disney Need to Learn From Their Past Mistakes?
Although there is no denying that the addition of LGBTQ+ themes in shows like Agatha All Along is not a bad thing, there are a few details that could end up affecting the way fans react to the series. For the past few years, fans have not been very open to the idea of representation in film, especially when it is at the forefront of a story.
A still from The Acolyte | Credits: Disney+
While some would assume that this sentiment would change over time as the industry becomes more progressive, it would seem that shows have begun to get punished for this kind of marketing. While audiences do not mind queer characters in central roles, they dislike the fact that it is often the only positive driving force for some projects.
The perfect example of this would be that of Disney’s The Acotyle. Before it was released for audiences to judge, the series was famously marketed as a ‘woke’ show that was in line with recent times. While this would have been just another added point of the story, many believe that it became the only relevant point for the story, neglecting other important points like characters, writing, and direction.
A still from The Acolyte | Credits: Disney+
Although audiences do not mind the queer representation in Kathryn Hahn’s show, considering the fact that it is era accurate, they do not wish for it to be dealt a fate similar to the Star Wars series. Since some reviews that have come out before the show’s release have not been promising when it comes to the writing, fans and their concerns are valid.
Agatha All Along will be released on 18th September on Disney+.
