by Mike Hilty, Contributing Writer

Welcome to Cross-Platform Partners! In honor of a new movie release, I have selected a TV show to watch to pair with the movie. Think of it as a way to get hyped for the new movie, a preview of things to come, a means to tide you over if the movie won’t be released where you live for a little while, or a change of pace if you’ve run out of related movies or sequels.

September is one of the worst months for movies historically. Thankfully, now that streaming services are in the fold, there are more options to choose from. This month for theatrical releases has not been that great. A lot of movies have been outperformed by older and re-released movies. So if we look at streaming movies, arguably the most highly anticipated is Hocus Pocus 2.I grew up with the original Hocus Pocus,and it’s one of those movies that has gained a cult following. So to pair with Hocus Pocus 2, I watched a show that also involved three sister witches.

Charmed, created by Constance M. Burge, tells the story of the Halliwell sisters. Prue (Shannen Doherty), Piper (Holly Marie Combs), and Phoebe (Alyssa Milano) discover that they are witches destined to protect the innocent and stop demons, warlocks, and other creatures from terrorizing San Francisco. They are later joined by sister Paige (Rose McGowan) as they learn to control their witch powers and balance their regular lives. Charmed was on for eight seasons, 179 total episodes, and aired originally on the CW.

Two disclosures before we get to the series. First, I’m not really going to address what happened with Doherty. There are various rumors of drama on set and talk of Doherty not getting along with people. At the end of the day, Doherty leaving the show when she did is her call. The second thing is I won’t really be talking about the reboot. This is the original show that aired in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Charmed has an outstanding pilot that lays down the foundation for rookie witches discovering their abilities and adjusting to life carrying a massive responsibility and a massive secret. All three actresses do a great job of figuring out their powers, and allowing them to show up organically, versus having some sort of training montage. Doherty clearly feels like the lead, but Combs and Milano definitely hold their own and get their fair share of storylines.

The first few seasons of Charmed follow a typical creature of the week format. Every week, there’s a new problem to solve, or a new monster or creature to vanquish. In addition to their lives as a witch, all three sisters deal with various issues involving their professional life or their love lives. It’s a great mix for both types of storyline because the audience wants to see these witches go all-in fighting supernatural forces. Sometimes, the it feels a little convenient that three young witches can go toe-to-toe with some of their enemies with relative ease. I like these seasons the best, the ones where the sisters are adjusting to life as witches and are still trying to figure out what exactly they’re doing.

Everything changes after season three, with two major changes in season four. The first is the introduction of a long lost sister, Paige. Paige is slightly different from the other witches because she has attributes for both a witch and a guardian angel. It makes her a more formidable protagonist who has more to offer. Season four is when Charmed starts to do more season-long storylines and less week-to-week new villains. I do tend to like season long storylines versus creature of the week, but sometimes there are weaker stories as the show progresses.

The gradual evolution of the sisters is a great sight to watch. Unsure and afraid initially of their power, they eventually grow into powerful and strong witches that can hold their own in a fight. Whether they’re in a physical fight that they need to punch their way out of, or if they need to use magic, all the sisters grow and evolve throughout the course of the show. Sometimes, it’s hard to figure out ways to stump the sisters. It’s a bit of an issue when you have a show with magic, as it can literally solve any problem as long as there’s a spell out there that could help them. It’s especially good to see Milano and Combs evolve since they were part of the series from the start, and we see their insecurities and uncertainties about being witches.

Since this show is a product of the 1990s, there are a few things that stood out to me upon watching the show. First, the women do feel a little exploited at times. At times, Charmed is a great show for female empowerment, as we see witches hold their own against a variety of different types of creatures. At other times, though, the female characters just feel a little exposed in ways that don’t look great. This show is definitely a product of the time, unfortunately. The music has great 1990s aesthetics, and many will recognize some great bops from the time period. The dialogue can be laughably bad sometimes, mainly because of the Aaron Spelling (executive producer) dynamic. Finally, the show’s effects are pretty rough, particularly for the first few seasons. I had to remember that back in the day, television didn’t get a chance to have great effects because they were dedicated more to movies. However, while I found the effects sometimes laughably bad, it adds to the charm (can’t believe it took me this long to have a joke like that in here somewhere) of the series.

Truth be told, season four is a crossroad season for Charmed. With the introduction of new characters and a newer story format, the show gradually devolves into a show about drama and how insane of a big bad the creators could come up with. Two characters are written out eventually, and the show just doesn’t feel the same. Admittedly, Charmed lasts way longer than I thought it was going to, but it was still a solid show for the CW.

Charmed is a great supernatural show that involves great performers who really feel like sisters. We see them grow up before our eyes, and to see how far they progress as witches, professionals, and sisters makes this a great show about a family sticking together through the odds. I was surprised at how much I liked it. It was a little strange watching a show that had 22 episodes in its season consistently, even at the end. The 22-episode season is now a relic of the past, so it was great to see such a high episode count. 

Like Hocus Pocus, Charmed is now a cult classic, and it has a rabid fanbase. Hocus Pocus 2 will have its legion of fans looking for funny moments with the Sanderson sisters and to see how it can be reintroduced to a new generation of fans. I’m curious to see how the sisters will adapt to modern America, with things like the internet and social media. This will probably have to wait a few years for me to watch with my five-year-old, but I’m still excited nonetheless for the long-awaited sequel.

You can follow Mike Hilty on Twitter and Letterboxd