Reviewing TV's Charmed

On October 7, 1998 Aaron Spelling again made magic when he produced a show based around three sisters residing in San Francisco, California whom battle evil forces to the extremity...the most powerful good witches the world has ever known they were, The Charmed Ones. Prudence, Piper and Phoebe Halliwell were welcomed into our homes with an astonishing 7.70 million viewers watching the WB's series premiere of Charmed (episode: "Something Wicca this way comes") starring Shannen Doherty, Holly Marie Combs and Alyssa Milano.

Six months after their grandmother's passing Prue and Piper decide to move back to the manor, the home where they resided all of their lives. Phoebe had since moved to New York and we find the two oldest girls adjusting to life without the matriarch of the family. Patty, the girl's mother had died while the girls were still quite young and their father had suddenly left leaving Prue to sacrifice her own childhood in contributing to her sisters upbringing. Typical life for two twenty-something ladies until Piper announces
they will soon have their baby sister back living with them. Prue is beyond coy to this matter expressing that Phoebe returning should have been discussed beforehand, too late, Phoebe's home.

Being the youngest Halliwell sister and always searching for herself Phoebe discovers a family secret while in the attic, in their grandmother's chest lies a book, The Book Of Shadows. Whence Phoebe begins to read aloud an incantation the prophecy destined three hundred years ago by their ancestor, Melinda Warren is now set forth in motion. Each sister shall possess a magical gift to enhance the world of positive and pure existance all while attempting to end the forces of evil and dark nature's whom reside in San Francisco, California.

Prudence has the power of telekinesis, she moves objects with her eyes when upset. Piper when nervous freezes things, though never a witch whom desires only positive thoughts and Phoebe has premonitions of the future events she and her sisters are destined to prevail. As long as the girl's were "in the dark" about their powers they were safe, the moment Phoebe read the incantation aloud the terror began! Prue quite reluctant regarding her sister assuming she would gratefully welcome being a witch is soon reminded that she was born a witch, they all were.

The Halliwell line originally referred to as Warren but when the girls ancestor, Melinda Warren was accused and burnt at the stake for practicing witchcraft she contained her gift as to spare her daughter, Prudence the same ill and undeserved judgment. Prudence was taken in by a family whom eventually became known as Halliwell. We watched weekly as three sisters battled evil all while trying to live normal lives as they did beforehand.

Season three brought an end to one sister's life, ultimately, when Prue was killed by a demon know as Shax. Viewers were unaware of where this would leave the show minus one for The Power Of Three. Season four brought tears of sorrow and an unexpected surprise with the revelation of a fourth sister. Rose McGowan joined the
series as Paige Matthews the Halliwells long lost baby sister. Patty (the girl's mom) had a secret affair with her whitelighter, Sam and after discovering they were having a baby they knew best to conceal this from The Elders whom did not approve of a witch and whitelighter falling in love. Left with no other choice Patty and Sam left Paige at a local church where one of the nun's assisted in placing Paige with a set of remarkable adoptive parents unfortunately they were killed when Paige was still a teenager, this event would mark the path of Paige's power and her destiny.

Paige possessed the power to orb, move from one place to another and call for an object, she would say what she wanted and it would appear in her hands all due to the whitelighter in her genes. Not too ecstatic to reconstitute The Charmed Ones Piper was in an almost altered state mourning her big sister Prue, her hero
when here her mother and grandmother stand (in a sense, they're both ghosts) telling her and Phoebe that there is in fact another sister this being the reason The Elders were completely unaware whom Paige was and thankfully The Source as well.

Charmed went on to air for another four years marking a landmark in January 2006 with the episode "Payback's a witch" carrying Charmed as the longest running show with an all female leading cast. With the assistance of Aaron Spelling proving that this is a woman's world as much as a man's he also gave Wicca an immense pedistal allowing the world to see once and for all white magic is a blessing and in such the rewards are spectacular.

We bid a fond farewell to this timeless show on May 21, 2006 with the series finale episode titled: "Forever Charmed" watching Piper fight for her husband Leo's return to his family just as The Angel Of Destiny had proclaimed she would. We saw Phoebe find her soulmate in Coop, a cupid and Paige join Henry in a life together as husband and wife. Familiar faces reunited to assist their mother and aunt's when future Wyatt and Chris (Piper and Leo's sons) traveled back to finally prevent evil from obtaining another Halliwell. The series finale bid ado with 4.49 million viewers listening for one last time to Love Spit Love's cover of the theme song "How soon is now".

The series now on DVD box sets and shown daily on TNT leave you wondering still, what if someone created a show based around the children of the Halliwell sisters, perhaps Charmed, The Second Generation though it would fail in comparison to this legacy it would seem as if it would besiege the fans and proud Wiccans alike whom admire the strength, determination and love the Charmed sisters showed us that resides within us all.