Main cast: Kathryn Hahn (Agatha Harkness), Joe Locke (William Kaplan), Sasheer Zamata (Jennifer Kale), Ali Ahn (Alice Wu-Gulliver), Evan Peters (Ralph Bohner), Maria Dizzia (Rebecca Kaplan), Paul Adelstein (Jeff Kaplan), Miles Gutierrez-Riley (Eddie), Debra Jo Rupp (Mrs Hart), and Patti LuPone (Lilia Calderu)
Director: Gandja Monteiro
Familiar by Thy Side is an unexpected spark in what has been a rather tepid cauldron of recent episodes. It is mostly a flashback episode to deliver some answers as to the nature of the character that was credited as “Teen” all this while.
Lo and behold, Joe Locke finally steps out from behind the broody curtain to deliver a performance that mixes awkward teen charm with just enough simmering intensity to remind you that, yes, he could absolutely pull off a “bad boy with magical angst” persona in another show—preferably one with a plot that knows where it’s going.
The flashback format is a refreshing break from Agatha’s usual routine of dragging around that chorus of underwhelming witches. They still couldn’t resist forcing Patti LuPone and Debra Jo Rupp to show up, but hey, when you’ve got Patti and Debra, you make them earn that Disney+ budget. At least their appearances add some much-needed spice to the stew.
Speaking of surprise appearances, Evan Peters pops up briefly, probably to remind you of WandaVision and everything you liked about him there before you swore off all things Ryan Murphy. Luckily, his stint is short enough to avoid triggering any Murphy-induced hives.
Mr Locke’s moment in the spotlight is the best part of this episode, as his character wrestles with the realization of his true identity. Or rather, the audience wrestles with why they’ve had to sit through several episodes of “I don’t know who I am!” when it turns out that, oh wait, both he and Agatha knew all along. If the “mystery” were a person, it’d be someone who shows up to a masquerade ball wearing only a cheap plastic mask from the dollar store.
Then there’s Lilia, who either knows exactly who the Teen is or is just really good at playing dumb—hard to tell, and harder to care when the plot is clearly just throwing darts at a wall covered in sticky notes that read “Maybe” and “Whoops, forgot to explain that!”. The writers are trying to channel the JJ Abrams Mystery Box formula, but instead of a box, we get a crumpled paper bag of story threads that Disney+ probably found in the back of the Marvel Studios storage closet.
Ultimately, Familiar by Thy Side is an entertaining episode simply because it isn’t one of the previous two. It serves as a temporary spell to distract from the larger problem: no one seems to have a clue where this show is actually headed.
But hey, at least Joe Locke now has a solid scene to add to his audition reel for future gigs. Here’s hoping that next time, he lands a role in a show where the plot twists don’t feel like they were conjured from a half-forgotten incantation.
