BROKEN SPELL
Sibling witches fight supernatural forces in CW’s revamped ‘Charmed’
Of all the reboots in this long fall season, CW’s decision to launch its Sunday night of original programming with a revamped “Charmed” is the most perplexing.
The original ran from 1998 to 2006 and starred Shannen Doherty, Holly Marie Combs and Alyssa Milano (and later Rose McGowan after Doherty was fired) as witches who used their talents to fight supernatural menaces. Using the “power of three,” these sorceresses were unstoppable.
Given this show’s popularity, it would seem the smart way to honor it would be to reboot it with the original cast (and maybe give some justice to Doherty and her fans, for the lousy way she was killed on the show at the end of the third season).
That would have cost money, and judging from the pilot, CW is keeping its purse locked tighter than a Brink’s vault.
This new version has a twist of casting three Latinas in the lead roles — and one bloody annoying Brit as their mentor.
It’s also tied to today’s headlines in a way the original avoided: The Time’s Up movement and issues of consent and sexual harassment are all at the forefront. President Trump is identified as one of the signs of the impending apocalypse. It’s as subtle as someone smacking you in the face with the Book of Shadows.
The series gets on your bad side by skipping the iconic theme, Love Spit Love’s haunting cover of “How Soon is Now?” Here there’s only a title card. Yawn.
In a generic college town, Mel (Melonie Diaz, “The Breaks”) and Maggie (Sarah Jeffery, “Shades of Blue”) bicker like sisters do.
“You’re better together. Your differences are your strengths. And nothing is stronger than your sisterhood,” their mother, a women’s studies professor, tells them.
Mel is an outspoken lesbian and political activist. Maggie is more chill and rushing a campus sorority. Both are heartbroken when they find their mother dead. There’s actually a serious question of whether Mom killed herself, odd since most suicides will at least open a window before jumping, but what do I know? I’m watching a CW show.
Months later, Macy (Madeleine Mantock, “Into the Badlands”) pops up on their doorstop — she’s their longlost oldest sister. Mom gave her up for adoption, for reasons that are never satisfactorily answered here — and shouldn’t “Charmed” be saving this plot device in case it faces a cast crisis in the future?
All three women discover their unusual powers: Macy can manipulate objects telekinetically. Mel can stop time. Maggie can read minds.
Harry (Rupert Evans, “The Man in the High Castle”) — their “whitelighter” — gets their attention by kidnapping them and tying them to chairs. Giles was never this rude to Buffy.
“You are witches. Witches who are destined to save the world from impending doom,” he tells them.
The sisters don't have much time as they face down a demon dog — and then its owner.
The original show balanced horror with comedy and supernatural threats. The update feels like sociology homework.
We’re going to need an exorcist: This “Charmed” is cursed.