It’s back witches! The official sneak peek of the Charmed reboot dropped today and it has me wondering if the “Power of Three” will make magic yet again.
The original Charmed premiered back in 1998 and ran for 8 solid seasons. Like many supernatural shows, the series grew a strong fan base and continues to have a cult following. As a chubby preteen I desperately followed the show hoping that some magic potion would help me get invited to the popular kids’ table at lunch…The show had three, strong, beautiful, leading ladies who used their magical powers to literally fight the evils of the (under)world, all while juggling the intricacies of sisterhood, careers, and love. TBH I mostly watched to fantasize about moving things with my mind…as a little porker, I often dreamt about never having to move from my couch ever again. Nevertheless, the show was a staple in tv watching for millions each week and has all of us enraptured by the sister witches played by Shannon Doherty, Hollie Marie Combs, Alyssa Milano and Rose McGowan.
The 2018 reimagining of the show is not quite a reboot like some have suggested. The reboot phenomenon that is happening now usually has the original actors reprise their roles as older versions of what they once played. With the Charmed reboot, none of the original actors will appear, the characters from the original do not exist, and the storyline has even been altered. The original told of three sisters who discovered they were witches after the death of their grandmother. After season 3, one sister died and the remaining two learned that they had a half sister who helped reconstitute the power of three. In the remake, two sisters discover they are witches when their mother dies. After the mother’s death, the two girls meet their estranged sister, whom they never knew existed. On top of that, the original three sisters had the gifts of telekinesis, time freezing and premonition respectively. Telekinesis and time freezing will still be a part of the new trio’s powers, but the third sister will have the ability to read minds instead of seeing the future. The first and last names of the characters have changed, as well as where the witches live. The biggest change perhaps, is the ethnicities of the witches, with the original being white and the reimagined being Latina.
The new version will star Madeleine MantockMel as Macy, Melonie Diaz as Mel, and Sarah Jeffery as Maggie Vera. And while I love the idea of three women of color taking on the leading roles, I do think I am going to miss the original witches I fell in love with way back when. Many fans feel the same way, so much so that there was the #StopCharmedReboot was created to try and petition against the remake. Original witches Combs and Doherty have spoken out against the new series claiming to be offended that the series has been rebranded as “feminist,” implying that the original was not. Combs also voiced her opinion that the new reboot should have a new title since it has nothing to do with the original show.
Here’s my dilemma: the trailer looks really good! The show looks well scripted and the special effects seem well produced. But Piper was my favorite, so I kind of agree with Combs (who played Piper), in that this new show isn’t really what I watched all those years ago. I guess only time will tell if this series will be another long running hit, or just a one season wham-bam-alakazam. Take a look at the trailer below and see what you think!
Charmed will air on the CW, Sunday’s this fall.
