Agatha Always Already begins streaming on Disney+ on Wednesday. The first reviews from critics for the Marvel spinoff have come in, and they’re decidedly mixed.

Created by Jac Schaeffer, the show follows a bewitched Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) as she gains her freedom thanks to a mysterious figure named Teen (Joe Locke). Intrigued by his plea, she embarks on the Witches’ Road, “a magical obstacle course of trials that, if survived, rewards a witch with what they’ve lost. Together, Agatha and this mysterious Teen form a desperate coven and set out on a journey,” according to the logline.

In the series, Kathryn Hahn reprises her role as Agatha Harkness, after previously appearing in WandaVisionand stars like Locke, Aubrey Plaza, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, Patti LuPone, Okwui Okpokwasili and Paul Adelstein.

Read on for key excerpts from some of the most prominent early reviews (of the first four episodes, since that’s all that was sent to critics) following the release of Agatha Always Already.

The Hollywood ReporterTV critic Angie Han wrote in her review: ‘Disney+’s Agatha Always Already (or at least the four 40-minute episodes sent to critics) could be a pretty promising new adventure, with an amiable cast and a cheeky sensibility but also plenty of room to grow. But choppy pacing and relentless back-pulling ultimately make it more compelling as an exercise in brand extension than as a spellbinding adventure in its own right.”

David Fear with Rolling Stone wrote: “Creator Jac Schaeffer’s follow-up to his superhero tragedy pokes fun at self-indulgent procedurals just long enough to make you miss the nonsense once it’s over… Soon this spell will be broken, Agatha Always Already will settle into a nice groove as a quest adventure, and — according to the four episodes sent to press — will take full advantage of the supernatural sisterhood assembled for the task. The Witch is Back!”

Ben Travers, with Indiewirewrote in his review, “The half-hour (or so) episodes show some signs of growth. There’s no dull B-plot, for example, in which government agents carry out a secret mission to smuggle MCU world-building into Westview. The core story also seems well-designed for episodic TV, unlike so many other stretched-out MCU adventures,” but, “Agatha Always Alreadyto like WandaVisionis too restrained for its own good. Sure, teasing plot twists can lead to exciting payoffs, but laying out character histories by treating personal motivations as world-changing secrets does this frivolous fantasy no favors.”

The New York Times‘ Mike Hale wrote: ‘They can’t turn the basic story into gold, though, and Agatha Always Already plods along its chosen path, with the coven feuding and bonding through a series of frantic but dull trials. The virtues of its theme of female empowerment are outweighed by the hackneyed, generic storylines. There is a noticeable flow of sharp humor in the dialogue, but it’s not strong enough to light any lights.”

“You might be wondering how, in the three years that have passed between the two shows, Agatha has undergone a complete personality change, from happy-go-lucky neighborhood slut to hardened cop,” Hale added. “You should be more concerned, though, with why this pastiche of a cop show is so disappointing — so dull and aimless that talented comedians like Kathryn Hahn (who plays Agatha) and Aubrey Plaza can’t make sense of it.”

Taylor Gates wrote for Collider“While the show contains the best parts of Schaeffer’s signature style (with references to WandaVision) — sharp comedy, intriguing mystery and production design full of clever details and easter eggs — Agatha Always Already is a thing in itself, and that is only better.”

Gates, however, praised Hahn’s performance, adding: “Theatricality and spectacle are a must for a show of this magnitude and a character like Agatha, and Hahn has that in spades — she’s not afraid to go big, be loud and take up space. But there’s always something deeper going on beneath the surface — something Agatha is desperate to hide. Hahn grounds this larger-than-life character with nuance, conveying vulnerability with the flicker of a single micro-expression. Her charisma is magnetic, but it’s the subtle, breathtaking moments of raw emotion that make us care about her and sympathize with her, proving she’s always been more than comic relief. Hahn’s performance is a kind of magic in itself.”

TV critic Robert Lloyd wrote in his review for the Los Angeles Times“It’s all cleverly done and very funny, but also tense and a little scary, with a winning combination of the supernatural and the banal (the witches arguing over who’s sharp and who’s flat as they sing a magic song). Agatha may not be a good witch, but she’s not bad and she has her reasons. Hahn is hilarious, which makes her a good company, regardless of her antics or cutting remarks.”

“Agatha Always Already may not be the strongest start for a Marvel series, but with seven episodes left to go, there are plenty of opportunities for the show to really surprise the audience and deliver some excitement, engaging storytelling, and even a few jump scares. It’s just a shame that the show doesn’t really get off to a good start, but for those willing to take the road with Agatha Always Already“There will likely be some trials worth overcoming,” Colin Leggett wrote in his review of the first two episodes (titled “Seekest Thou the Road” and “Circle Sewn with Fate Unlock Thy Hidden Gate”) for Game tirade.

GameSpotPhil Owen wrote in his review: ‘During these first four episodes, Agatha Always Already feels different. It has a lot of set-ups and payoffs and portents for further developments in the future. For example, Episodes 2 and 3 are full of little tidbits about Alice and her mother, and then in Episode 4 those details become the focus of their proceedings. A typical MCU TV show would save those details for the episode where they’re most relevant, but Agatha Always Already Creator Jac Schaeffer and her writing team were able to do this in the first half of this season.”

“But after the chaos of the MCU’s past few years, and with the franchise’s main story still being completely reworked, it’s not easy to trust that Agatha Always Already will make its landing,” Owen continued. “So many of these MCU TV shows are fun for a while and then completely fall apart by the end. But the foundation that these first four episodes have laid is impressive, and while I don’t to trust that it will end well, at least I have reason to heap that it could happen.”

TV critic Kelly Lawler wrote for Today in the US“Agatha tries to do too many things at once. Buried Deep Somewhere is a good horror series about Agatha’s journey with real jump scares and maybe some mythology that makes sense. But in true Marvel style, more and more stuff keeps going with the basic story. A famous actor here. A new song from the Frozen writers there. Re-doing an entire season premiere WandaVision “To start by making everything as confusing as possible.”

Charles Pulliam-Moore wrote in his review for The Edge, Agatha Always Already is still a late-stage Marvel show, meaning there are times when your appreciation for what it’s doing will depend on how familiar you are with the latest happenings in the larger cinematic universe. But for viewers who’ve been following along hoping the studio would get back to genuinely weird and playful riffs on the comics instead of pushing the next big event, Agatha Always Already will be a joy to watch, especially when it begins to reveal its great secrets later this fall.”

For IGNJoshua Yehl wrote in his review: “Agatha Always Already is a seriously sinister good time that brings back the MCU’s very own evil witch of Westview, Agatha Harkness. The show is a worthy successor to WandaVision“Not only because it gives us more TV parodies and catchy songs, but also because it’s sharply written, has intriguing mysteries, and features colorful characters. With Agatha as the main character, Kathryn Hahn can really sink her teeth into the role and show us what her dark and devious witch is all about. Despite the story feeling a little rushed at times, the two-part premiere does a great job of setting up the horrific circumstances that lead Agatha and her new coven on the Witches’ Road.”