"Charmed: Something Wicca This Way Comes" is the first episode of the hit television series Charmed, which aired on October 7, 1998. The show follows the lives of three sisters, known as the Charmed Ones, who are witch sisters destined to protect the innocent and fight off supernatural demons. In this episode, we are introduced to the three sisters: Prue, Piper, and Phoebe Halliwell. Phoebe, the youngest sister, returns home after a long absence and stumbles upon the Book of Shadows, a powerful family heirloom that grants them their powers. Intrigued, Phoebe reads a spell from the book, unknowingly reawakening their dormant powers and activating the prophecy of the Charmed Ones. As the sisters embrace their newfound abilities, they soon find themselves facing their first challenge – a demon named Jeremy Burns.
As the sisters embrace their newfound abilities, they soon find themselves facing their first challenge – a demon named Jeremy Burns. Jeremy presents himself in the form of a charming, handsome man, but his true intentions are sinister. He seeks to kill the three sisters in order to steal their powers and become invincible.
Charmed 1x01 (Something Wicca This Way Comes) Recap
[Unfortunately, I will be insanely busy on Monday so I may not be able to watch the first episode with the rest of you. I still wanted to honour the anniversary though so I wrote up this recap/review for the first episode. Please know that while I will try and write this like I’m seeing it for the first time, there will be spoilers for future episodes.]
The thing about Charmed is that it doesn’t matter how cheesy, ridiculous or downright absurd some of the episodes, villains or special effects were. It doesn’t matter that some of the longer arcs just didn’t work (Christy, I’m looking at you). It doesn’t matter that the sisters themselves could sometimes irritate the heck out of you (because while boyfriends are important, perhaps discussing them after vanquishing the demon currently trying to slaughter you would be better). Because you still cared. Somehow, those four witches became your family too. Not your sisters, or mothers, but still important loved ones who you will cherish forever. Watching an episode can feel like that moment when you walk through your front door after a hard day’s work. Watching an episode can also be devastating because you know how things are going to turn out. To this day, when Prue talks about being a mom it feels like my heart is being crushed. But that’s okay too, because you get to walk through that journey with them. You watch them break down too and then get right back up in the next episode because they are strong and they fight to the end. And in a way you fight with them. And that’s what’s brilliant about the show. You become a part of something.
And it all began with a murder. As the best shows do. A woman sits at what appears to be an alter and lights her candles with her fingers. Not with matches that her fingers are holding mind you, I mean literally her fingers.
A person who’s obviously some creepy stalker/killer is climbing down the fire escape. You know it’s a creepy stalker/killer because he’s wearing all black with a hoodie covering his face and he’s climbing down the fire escape. Normal people knock. He sneaks into her apartment and the woman clearly knows who he is because she simply asks why he was there instead of, you know, how the hell he got in. He stabs her, she screams, she dies, it’s all very standard. Please let this be a lesson to all of you to lock your windows.
We then see another woman walking briskly through the rain towards a big house. She’s dressed in 90’s clothes which I’m sure were very in at the time and perhaps she’s the next victim? She’s brunette, though, so I’m assuming this increases her chances of survival. She apologises for being late to someone called Prue whose reply is “what else is new?” and complains about not having time to change to “Piper.” My first impression is that I don’t like this Prue because Piper apologised as soon as she walked in the door, there’s no need to get snarky. They must be sisters because only family can get away with such snarkiness. We find out that Piper is auditioning to be chef and she has a boyfriend named Jeremy. I am wary of this Jeremy because if there’s a boyfriend involved before the show begins they’re usually evil. We’re supposed to meet them as a potential love interest, grow to love them ourselves, and then watch them enter into a relationship with a main character. Piper sees that Prue has found their old Ouija board and wonders what “the power of three will set you free” inscribed on the back means. You know what it means? It means a third pretty sister is on her way, that’s what. Prue says they should send the board to Phoebe (whom I’m assuming is this third sister) because she has no vision or sense of the future and Piper’s all “I really think Phoebe’s coming around.” Oh, crap. She must mean literally. I already know Prue’s going to be pissed. This seems to be Prue’s main go to emotion. They walk away and the pointer on the board moves on its own. This is why you don’t mess with Ouija boards. They’re crazy and kill people.
Opening credits. And, yes, the third sister is pretty. And brunette. And Alyssa Milano. Yay. Prue smiles at the end of the credits and it’s good to know that she will do so in the show at some point.
A man gets out of a car at what appears to be the murdered woman’s crime scene and you can tell he’s going to be attractive and possibly a love interest and important to the plot by the way they’re not showing his face. He’s a cop. This means he will inevitably find out about witches. Here’s hoping he’s a love interest and not a crazy detective trying to expose them. His name is Trudeau and, yes, he’s attractive. As is the other cop. They’re doing the banter thing to show they know each other well. Trudeau says that he was at an occult shop because someone’s after witches. The other cop thinks he’s an idiot. That’s okay though because obviously he doesn’t realise he’s on a tv show about witches. He’ll learn. A journalist approaches Inspector Trudeau and his name is Jeremy. Jeremy is a common name but this is tv so he must be Piper’s Jeremy. He’s attractive too but he’s the boyfriend and a journalist. He’s totally evil. Calling it.
Back to Piper. She’s walking with such determination I can only assume she’s about to tell Prue that Phoebe’s moving in again. She does and Prue’s pissed. Apparently, she has a reason for being mad at Phoebe that goes beyond her lacking vision so maybe it’s reasonable that she’s pissed? I’m sure the reason will be proven false though so they can become closer. Piper says that Phoebe lost her job and is in debt and Prue’s response is “and this is news?” Oh, burn. Phoebe walks in. Well, that’s some interesting timing. Prue is “speechless.” Except she’s not, because she starts ranting that they’re not selling the house because the house has been in their family for generations. Phoebe says she never touched Roger. Oh dear. I see. This Roger is an Armani wearing, chardonnay slugging trust-funder who apparently told Prue that Phoebe came onto him. Piper suggests a reunion dinner, Prue and Phoebe walk away. Which is silly because I would never say no to food no matter how tense the situation.
Piper brings food to Phoebe’s bedroom. Jeremy is on the tv and Piper confirms that it’s her Jeremy. Apparently, Piper didn’t tell Prue that Phoebe was coming because a) Phoebe should have and b) she didn’t want to risk Prue changing the locks. At this point I don’t think that’s a joke. Phoebe says Prue’s always been more like a mother and Piper says it’s not her fault. She had to be. I’m assuming this means they’re orphans or something. Prue comes in with blankets. Suddenly I like her. Here’s a woman who thinks her little sister slept with her boyfriend/fiancé/husband and she’s still bringing her blankets because that’s what good big sisters do. And she has this look on her face like maybe she believes Phoebe and she’s trying to make this okay.
Back at the crime scene. Trudeau is trying to make the point that just because most people don’t believe in witches doesn’t mean other people don’t believe they’re witches. Which is a good point. The other cop is not impressed. The cat is though because Trudeau is the only guy it won’t scratch. The cat has a Triquetra symbol on its collar.
Phoebe and Piper are talking about how Piper met Jeremy. He gave her a napkin with his phone number on it while she was at the hospital bawling over their Grams’ admittance. That’s not weird. Look, an attractive woman crying over a dying loved one. Let me give her my number on a napkin without talking to her first or anything because it’s totally the appropriate and sexy thing to do right now. While Piper walks away for a bit the pointer on the Ouija board moves on its own and I have come to the conclusion that I will never, ever use one of those things. Phoebe panics and yells for Piper. Prue and Piper walk in and don’t believe Phoebe. Piper then sees it moving too. It spells out ‘attic.’ Lightning strikes, lights go out. Piper wants to go to Jeremy’s. Prue’s the only one who didn’t see the pointer move so she thinks Phoebe’s lying. Piper’s not convinced. Apparently, they’ve lived in the house for months and have never been able to get the attic door open. Phoebe goes up to the attic because she isn’t waiting around for some handyman. Prue goes to the basement to try and get the lights back on. These women either have spines made of lead or make really bad decisions.
The attic door is locked but when Phoebe turns around she hears it open by itself. And walks in. As you do. I would be running for the hills, but whatever. A light shines on a trunk and when she opens it she finds a big book called the “Book of Shadows.” She reads out a spell. Of course. She calls for power to three sisters and the chandelier shakes and emits a strong blue light. A photograph of the three sisters changes so that they are standing closer together. I’m assuming it’s symbolic. Prue and Piper walk into the attic and aren’t happy that Phoebe said the spell. Which is totally unfair, because in two minutes Phoebe managed to give them unbelievable power with a few lines. What did they achieve in that time? They couldn’t even get the lights back on.
Suddenly we see the creepy stalker/killer standing in front of their house. Subtle, bro, real subtle.
Prue blames all the freaky stuff on Phoebe. Piper asks if anything happened when Phoebe said the incantation and Phoebe gets really sarcastic about it which is awesome. Piper’s like “everything feels the same, so nothing’s changed right?” My brain flashes to all the things that happen in the next eight seasons and I can’t help but burst out laughing.
Creepy stalker/killer walks away while fixing his gloves. This does not instil comfort in me. He needs to work on this.
It’s morning. Piper makes a witch joke to Phoebe so I’m assuming she spent the night going into denial. I am correct. Phoebe explains that according to the Book, an ancestor of theirs was a witch named Melinda Warren. She had three powers – she could move things with her mind, see the future and stop time. Each generation of Warren witches will become stronger culminating in the arrival of three sisters who would be the most powerful witches ever known. Piper is still in denial. Phoebe firmly believes they’re the Charmed Ones. I have to agree or else this episode is pointless.
Prue’s at work. She’s talking to a guy who takes over the exhibition after she’d done all the hard work. What a jerk. Oh, this is Roger. Yeah, I don’t see Phoebe touching this guy. Prue walks away and ink from his pen starts spilling out in his pocket. I’m assuming it’s due to Prue’s new powers because it’s accompanied with this weird chiming zing sound. He takes the pen out of his pocket and ink sprays all over his face. I hope it gets in his eyes.
Next we’re at a restaurant, I’m assuming at Piper’s audition. She’s cooking something but doesn’t have time to put the port in. She panics and just before the ridiculous chef takes his first bite she brings up her hands to stop him and, you know, stops him. Literally, everything freezes. She waves her hands around in front of his face because this situation is not exactly normal. Then she puts some port on his bite of food right before he unfreezes and eats it. He’s impressed. I want this power. Imagine how chill you’d be at exams.
Back to Roger. Unfortunately, the ink did not blind him. What a pity. He’s changing his shirt and he’s on the phone taking credit for Prue’s work. Maybe the ink he swallowed will slowly poison him? That would be painful and fitting. Prue overhears and she quits. He tries to threaten her but she shuts that down quickly. Strong women for the win. He explains he had to take the exhibit away from her or some stranger would have. He’s doing her a favour. She should thank him. I want to strangle him. Prue beats me to it and strangles him with his own tie. With her powers and without realising it, of course, as it happens while she walks away again. Unfortunately, he cuts the tie off before it can do any damage. In the future she should really do it with her bare hands Piper/Billie style. More effective.
We cut back to Piper trying to call Phoebe on a pay phone and this is why cell phones were created. You never know when you need to make an emergency call to your sister because you’ve turned into a witch. Phoebe doesn’t pick up. Piper walks out of the booth and Jeremy’s there to congratulate her.
We see Phoebe riding her bike without a helmet or any protective gear. This means she’ll get injured obviously. She suddenly sees two boys getting hit by a car. And by ‘sees’ I mean in her mind. She’s having a premonition. Her premonition starts to come true and she literally rides in front of the two boys and throws herself to the floor to prevent them from being hit. It looks painful and this is why you wear elbow pads. The cat from the murdered woman’s house meows at the scene and obviously agrees with me.
Prue goes to see Phoebe in the hospital and Inspector Andy Trudeau is there. They know each other. Love interest it is. He seems more concerned about Phoebe then Prue which is amusing. They shake hands. Please, you two totally used to sleep together, surely a hug wouldn’t be unwarranted. He says “Phoebe’s busy, Dr Gordan’s busy. Can I buy you a bad cup of coffee while we wait?” Prue’s clearly finds this charming which is sweet. They flirt. Apparently he’s checked up on her over the years without telling her. It’s not as creepy as it should be because he’s not Jeremy. He’s been shown to be open minded which makes him likeable. That’s how a love interest works.
Prue and Phoebe are at a bar and Prue moves the cream and puts it in her coffee with her mind.
Which isn’t how her powers work but it’s the first episode and I’ll let it go. Prue proceeds to slug down Phoebe’s clearly alcoholic shot. Can’t say I blame her. Phoebe’s really calm though. Phoebe explains that witches can be good or evil. Good witches don’t harm others, evil witches harm good ones to obtain their powers. This is their one goal in life and clearly they have too much free time on their hands. The sisters are not safe anymore now that they know. The cat’s there again.
Piper’s in a cab with Jeremy. They have a cute couple moment to try and convince me he’s not crazy but I’m not buying it. He asks the driver to make a detour. He wants to show her this old building with a great view. Oh dear.
Prue and Phoebe are at a pharmacist and Prue desperately needs aspirin. She’s freaked out about the evil that will be coming after them which is also fair. Phoebe tells her to move her headache out of her mind. Prue suddenly moves the aspirin into her hand and Phoebe realises that her powers work when she’s angry. Of course. Phoebe brings up their dad who apparently abandoned them and a whole bunch of stuff falls off the shelves.
Prue actually laughs because it makes her feel better. It suits her.
And yes, the building Jeremy takes Piper to is old and derelict and a really great place to kill someone. He closes them in an old elevator and tells her that she’s going to love the view enough to tell Prue and Phoebe the moment she sees them. She realises she never told him about Phoebe coming home. He whips out a knife. Can we talk about this for a second? What does it say about a relationship that she’s known about Phoebe for two weeks, worried about it for ages, but never told him about it? Isn’t that what people in relationships do? Crazy man or no, it was totally doomed. Anyway, he is crazy and you can tell ‘cause he’s holding the knife with two fingers really delicately the way only a crazy man can.
Apparently, he’s been waiting for this moment for six whole months. She has a flash of brilliance and realises he’s the one killing women. He explains it was the only way to get their powers and he shows her the fire power he got from the murdered witch in the beginning of the episode. I wonder if the fire can shoot out of his fingers or something. If not, he put in a lot of effort for the power to light candles. His voice goes all demonic and his face…folds in itself?
It’s hard to describe and I admit I was freaked out the first time I saw it. Then I realised it must be a power of his and what poor soul did he steal that useless power from? On another note, doesn’t Wyatt have that voice changing power too? Anyway, Piper freezes Jeremy right before he tries to stab her and she spends a good twenty seconds trying to figure out what to do next instead of just climbing out the damn elevator. She eventually starts to climb out. He grabs her legs. She picks up a piece of wood and hits him over the head and runs.
Phoebe and Prue are at home wondering why Piper isn’t home and why there’s a cat inside. Yes, that cat. Apparently all secondary characters on this show have to do some stalking. Prue makes a joke that Piper’s either not home or turned into a cat and considering how Piper’s going to turn into a wendigo soon and Prue a dog in season 3 it’s really not out of the realm of possibility. They’ll learn. Piper rushes in all panicked and asks Phoebe how to kill a warlock. I love how she realises Phoebe knows way more about this stuff. This is why she’s going to be awesome at college. She studies.
Jeremy wakes up and declares “I’ll get you, you bitch,” which is kind of unnecessary since said bitch is not there to hear it. Also, he’s moving really weirdly like he’s trying to express his evilness with strange running. He’s also panting heavily and moving really slowly. Perhaps if he’d spent more time working out and less time stalking young women and killing them for useless powers he’d be better off.
Prue wants to call the cops. Piper points out that that is really stupid. Phoebe’s found the answer. I find it sweet how panicked they all are considering warlocks will be the easiest things to vanquish in the future.
They’re in the attic with 9 candles, a pot and what looks to be a miniature man made of dough. Piper says some words, sticks a rose thorn in the little dough man, puts it in the pot, there’s some smoke and that’s it. We all know that’s not going to work.
We cut to Jeremy and there’s thorns bursting out of his skin. Okay, that’s gross.
Phoebe touches the pot and has a premonition of Jeremy on his way. They try to run out of the house but Jeremy’s at the door because suddenly he can run really fast. And here’s another moment of Prue’s that I like. She throws her arms around her sisters and pushes them behind her. She tells them to run (which they do) and tries to handle him on her own. She protects them at her own expense and I’m going to stop now or I’ll think about the season 3 finale and start crying. She runs up to the attic to her sisters and Jeremy busts through the door with his mind. Finally, a power of his that’s actually useful. Why didn’t he use it earlier? Prue starts chanting “the power of three will set us free,” and the other two join in. He shoots fire out of his athame. And wind. The spell works and he explodes but not before wisely yelling that they’ll be many more like him coming after them and they’ll never be free. It’s a little overdramatic but true.
The next morning Prue goes to collect the paper and Andy’s there to ask her out. She hesitates because her life has “gotten a bit complicated.” That’s certainly one way to describe it. Phoebe and Piper come out as he walks away and Prue asks if witches date. Piper says yes, and they usually get the best guys. Right. Well, she’s handling Jeremy’s death so well she appears to have forgotten his existence already. I guess it wasn’t true love. Andy realises that Phoebe’s holding The Cat. He looks suspicious. This means he will find out their secret one day. It also means bad things will happen to him but we won’t discuss this. Ever. Prue says that they have to be careful, wise, and stick together from now on. Piper thinks this will be interesting. Well, I should hope so considering there’s eight seasons of this.
Prue then closes the door with her mind and starts a tradition.
They all live happily ever after. Until the next episode where they almost die again.
And there you have it, folks. An unnecessarily long recap of Charmed’s pilot. I hope you enjoyed it.
And there you have it, folks. An unnecessarily long recap of Charmed’s pilot. I hope you enjoyed it.
Throughout the episode, the sisters must learn to control their newfound powers and work together to defeat Jeremy. Prue discovers that she has the power of telekinesis, allowing her to move objects with her mind. Piper discovers her power of molecular immobilization, giving her the ability to freeze time. Finally, Phoebe discovers her power of premonition, enabling her to see into the future. As the sisters confront Jeremy, they combine their powers and manage to defeat him. However, in the process, they also discover that their powers are tied to the strength of their sisterhood. They realize that they need to be united and trust each other in order to harness their full potential and fulfill their destiny as the Charmed Ones. "Charmed: Something Wicca This Way Comes" sets the stage for the thrilling and magical adventures that the Charmed Ones will face throughout the series. It introduces us to the unique bond between the sisters and the challenges they will encounter as they navigate the world of magic and the supernatural. With its blend of drama, action, and supernatural elements, the episode captivates viewers and establishes the foundation for the beloved television series..
Reviews for "The Spellbinding Soundtrack of 'Charmed: Something Wicca This Way Comes"
- Jessica - 2 stars
I was really excited to watch "Charmed: Something Wicca This Way Comes" as I am a big fan of the original series. However, I was left disappointed. The plot felt rushed and underdeveloped, with too many unnecessary side stories. The chemistry between the cast members also seemed off, and the acting was subpar. Overall, it felt like a forced attempt to revive the series without putting much thought into it. I hope future episodes improve upon these flaws.
- Mark - 1 star
I couldn't even finish watching "Charmed: Something Wicca This Way Comes." The dialogue was cringe-worthy, and the special effects were laughably bad. It felt like a low-budget knockoff of the original series, with none of the charm (no pun intended) and magic that made the original so great. The story was predictable, and the characters lacked depth. I was really disappointed with this attempt to reboot "Charmed" and would not recommend it to any fans of the original.
- Sarah - 2 stars
As a fan of the original "Charmed" series, I had high hopes for "Something Wicca This Way Comes." However, it failed to capture the essence and magic of the original. The writing felt uninspired and generic, and the characters lacked the depth and complexity that made the original so beloved. The pacing was also off, with too much time spent on trivial matters and not enough time dedicated to building a captivating storyline. Overall, I was left disappointed and hope that future episodes can improve upon these shortcomings.
- Daniel - 2 stars
I was excited to see a new take on "Charmed," but unfortunately, "Something Wicca This Way Comes" fell short for me. The plot felt disjointed, with unnecessary subplots that did not add much to the overall story. The character development was lacking, and the acting was mediocre at best. As a long-time fan of the original series, I was hoping for more depth and complexity in this reboot, but it failed to deliver. I hope future episodes can improve upon these aspects and reignite the charm of the original.