Charmed (1998) Reruns

The boredom of the endless catalog of Netflix and Hulu’s binge-worthy content starts my nostalgic search for the entertainment of yesteryear. After a moment of searching my Roku stick, I came across the original Charmed (1998) starring Shannon Doherty, Holly Marie Combs, and Alyssa Milano. Initially, I had already seen the entire series run, which was a family viewing session in my household. Thursday evening the five of us would plop in the front of the television set to see the camera zoom in on Shannon Doherty’s eyes, and the chime of Prue Halliwell’s telekinetic powers would send a “demon” hurling away from the sisters’ three. In 2022, I’d kept up with the franchise now rebranded Charmed (2018) until hearing the news that the reboot was to be canceled at the ending of the fourth season (which was finally getting very interesting), I found myself reverting to the O.G. cast.

I find myself alternating between the first three seasons starring Doherty, and later her mood lightning replacement, Rose McGowan who played the sister’s long-lost sibling, Paige Mathews. Unsure of what moments of previous nostalgia that I was searching for to start off with, the moral-driven tales are enticing. I start off with the first season, the season finale. Prue (Shannon Doherty) held a love interest, Andy Trudeau played by T.W. King who promises to “stay away from the house” because they have a powerful demon to Vanquish. Trudeau breaks his promise and after several sci-fi-esque time loop dies a dramatic death after being hurled screaming into a China cabinet. Sad, but touching, and foreshadowing the death of Prue Halliwell (the eldest sister) who dies in a similar fashion at the end of the third season. Other than the usage of squared cell phones with a barely visible display, using a home phone, gathering your news from the newspaper, and driving halfway across town to use the internet in your office, some of the Charmed One’s battles were evocative of some of the battles we have today in a more mundane less magic-filled world.

For example, most of their (mostly male) demons are the villains of the world today. A “white-lighter” (a witch’s personal guardian angel) would be the friends, family, or even a stranger that looks out for a specific person along their journey, etc. Elders, be them, elders, with not much power, but with useful wisdom.

The character development is on point, each sister has a distinct personality. Piper Halliwell (Holly Marie Combs), hands down was the heart of their family. The glue that stopped her sisters from killing each other, was initially the middle sister. After the death of Prue, she became the oldest and most powerful with not only the power to stop time but to cause anything to combust into an explosion. Piper quickly became a model mother, wife, chef, club owner, and stoic that swallowed down many of her life’s woes to lead her family.

The hopeless romantic, with whom I identify the most Phoebe Halliwell (Alyssa Milano) held the most negligible power of Clairvoyance (the ability to have visions of past and future), so Milano’s acting prowess upstaged her co-stars 1/4th of the time. Naturally in her reality, Phoebe would go on from being an irresponsible youngest (who romanced a demon and lied to her sisters about Vanquishing him, only to end up marrying him and severing as Queen of the Underworld for a stint) to becoming a famous advice columnist, all while fighting demons with black belt certified mixed martial arts moves. Initially, the youngest sister became the middle after the death of Prue.

Paige Mathews (Rose McGowan), the baby sister was quite the wild card. A secret love child of the Charmed matriarch and her white lighter, Mathews held the most powers, not limited to Orbing (teleporting via light), telekinetic orbing (teleporting objects by light) to changing one’s appearance at will.

Finally, the most kick-ass sister was Prue (Shannon Doherty). The eldest. Prudence Halliwell had the power of telekinesis (to move objects with one’s mind) and could project her astral self out of her body being two spots at once. Prue had it all in the late 1990s, a cell phone, a convertible (later a first-generation BMW X5), and her very own corner office with a view of the San Francisco Bay all at the age of 27. Personally, my favorite, and my first television crush. Prue’s beauty was commented on by several villains throughout her 3-season run. “She was the best”, quote Piper. Prudence Halliwell was known for being one of the acting parents of the initial broken Halliwell family with a father who’d gone AWOL, and a mother who was killed prematurely. Prue, Piper, and Phoebe were raised by their grandmother, albeit Prue had to take on a fatherly role which in the first season was very distant and cold yet concerned. Prue’s coldness started to thaw at the beginning of the second season when she wept for Andy’s loss, and her inability to stop it. Prue’s martial arts abilities exceeded Phoebe’s by far, and ‘instincts’, and plans were consistently looming until the end of the series in the 8th season (that was later extended to ten seasons via comic).

In our society, today Charmed still is idiosyncratic where the Woman is the superhero (aside from some of the CW’s ‘to be canceled’ series’)and the men in their lives regularly need saving. See Cole, Leo, Chris, and Wyatt. The patriarchy doesn’t live here, and yes this is coming from a man.

It’s an interesting walk down memory lane, but most importantly it illustrates the unbreakable bond of (good) family. It’s sometimes an eye-watering tale of disparaging sacrifice and loss, but ultimately, it’s the story of perseverance to overcome your own demons. The legacy of Charmed continues to live on in the hearts of fans who can find strength and perspective in their own journeys through the inspiration of these four unique characters who embody the power of three. Is it worth a rewatch in 2022? Totally, however, I wouldn’t go in order unless you want to bawl your eyes out.