Charmed Reboot - episode one
By Jayse Smith
The new reboot of the fan favourite series Charmed has been released upon the world and people have some things to say. Rumours were running riot prior to the episodes release, what would fans think? Would it live up to the towering expectations of the hordes of loyal Charmed followers? Would it stand up to its predecessor?
After watching the first episode of the reboot, this writer took to Instagram and asked for opinions of the episode and was met with mixed responses.
Nicky (@gickles5 on Instagram) said of the episode “I’m ten minutes in and I still haven’t worked out the names of the characters yet. They also look so alike that I am having trouble telling them apart,” and “The show is desperately trying to do too much in such a short period of time. It’s trying so hard to be relevant to pop culture.”
The original series has such a cult following and has a lot to live up to. After watching the episode this writer is conflicted, there’s that want to love it like an old friend, and then…there’s all the things that unfortunately fell flat in the episode.
In the beginning, we meet sisters Mel and Maggie whose mother Marisol dies mysteriously after being flung from the iconic round attic window…let’s face it, that window never survives an episode, in a flash it’s three months later. Then in even more mysterious circumstances, say hello to your long-lost sister – who looks to be around the same age (weird). Yes, a young woman named Macy arrives on the sisters’ doorstep claiming to be related by flashing a photograph. No more discussion about her mysterious appearance. No questioning if she is actually the daughter of Marisol…what’s weirder still by the end of the episode, without discussion Macy is moving into the manor?
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What is HAPPENING? Sorry, if someone turns up on your doorstep, claiming to be your sister, does that not warrant a HUGE discussion? So in the midst of all that going on, there is the appearance of Harry, the white-lighter which needs to be discussed. Harry pops in to tell the sisters that yes they are in fact the magical charmed ones. The most powerful witches of all time, the only ones who can stop the impending apocalypse the first sign of which was Donald Trump being elected as president and their mothers murder being the second sign. The third and final sign will be the rise of the source of all evil which has yet to occur. Harry comes across as a complete untrustworthy, sneaky, and a slightly creepy character. A white-lighter is supposed to be the guardian angel of the charmed ones, someone who is compassionate, who is caring, not a wise ass, emotionless prat who interrupts the sisters and demands they listen to him.
The CGI effects in the original seemed to be more believable and ‘real’ than in this new generation some effects like the black crows at the beginning looking totally unrealistic, the demon looks like a rip off of a white walker from Game of Thrones. Tamika (@paperbackandflickchick on Instagram) says of the effects “why do I feel like they are worse in the new one? And how is that possible? Also, why is the demon a crappy version of a white walker?”
Can we also please talk about the baking soda? Really? Using baking soda to vanquish a demon? Umm, right, that’s not a thing. In the original there were amazing rhymes and verses and calling on the power of three to vanquish a demon…not baking soda, that should not be a thing.
The constant references to sororities and having to continuously hear about ‘rushing’ gets old quickly as do the forced #metoo references, the Trump jokes as well as the constant forced feminism. The original was feminist without throwing it in your face and trying so hard.
There were some positives for the episode, there was a cute dog…oh no wait, the dog was a demon too.
The episode left on a cliff-hanger which is probably the only reason this writer will watch the next episode – oh and to see if there were any survivors from the train wreck that was episode one.