Whether you like it or not, the reboot of the beloved supernatural show “Charmed” will be casting a new spell when it returns to the small screen.
The new trio of magical sisters must learn to embrace their witchcraft heritage and powers while balancing life’s challenges and battling demons. There has been a substantial amount of backlash from longtime fans and original stars alike. Having said that, there are still plenty of interesting factors to win you over.
1. Book of Shadows
One of the key things that will remain is the Book of Shadows. It’ll be a handy tool for the sisters’ encyclopedia to witchcraft. There will also be Whitelighters, or guardians in human form (more on them later) a spirit board, an attic to practice magic, and evil forces to battle. But at the core, the Power of Three is still very much alive. Creator Jennie Snyder Urman said that at its core, “this is a love story between 3 sisters”.
2. The new sisters didn’t grow up together
If you remember in the original show, Phoebe Halliwell returned to her family home to be with her sisters Prue and Piper. In the reboot’s pilot episode, however, viewers will see that only younger sisters Mel and Maggie grew up together. Big sister Macy joins in later. Another interesting thing to note is that the girls all have different fathers.
3. The exploration of various cultural backgrounds
There is a reason why the sister witches all have different fathers. The “Charmed” reboot intends to explore “racial identities” and “interracial marriage”. Since Melonie Diaz (who portrays middle sister Mel) is Puerto Rican, the writers on the show have taken the initiative to delve into brujeria — or the Spanish practice of witchcraft.
P/s: One of the writers also happens to be a Latino witch.
4. Macy’s Powers
Just like big sis Prue, Macy also possess the ability of telekinesis. It’s hard for Macy to come to terms with her newfound powers since she’s a scientist and facts matter. It doesn’t help that she didn’t grew up with her other sisters and never got to know their mother either. Her last name is Vaughn while the other 2 have the last name Vera.
5. Mel’s Powers
One minute you’re the older sister and the next you’re not. Confusing much? Mel is perhaps not the most fun to be around with – due to her stubbornness and tough exterior. She also carries with her the guilt of being responsible for her mother’s death. Similar to Piper, this middle child can freeze time. She’s a lesbian that has a crush on local detective Nico but isn’t ready to admit her feelings just yet.
6. Maggie’s Powers
In the words of Pop Sugar, Maggie is “a bubbly sorority pledge who thinks the word ‘sisterhood’ means something very different than holding hands and vanquishing evil in the name of saving the world”. It’s refreshing to see that at least one of the sisters will get a new power – telepathy, the power to read thoughts.
7. Mama Marisol
The storyline will kick off with the death of the sister’s mother, Marisol, as she was looking to unbind her daughters’ powers after knowing that something dark was coming. This is a slight deviation from the original series where it was their grandmother who performed the unbinding spell to unlock the Halliwell’s Power of Three.
8. No more rhyming couplets
Instead of the classic “double, double, toil, and trouble”, the reboot will skip on the rhyming couplets that fans of the original show are familiar with. The reason being? It’s hard to keep up if they want to “get into different languages and different cultures”, explained the producers.
9. Who’s the new Whitelighter?
There is a new Whitelighter in town and his name is Harry Greenwood. Unlike Leo Wyatt, we don’t see this Whitelighter becoming one of the sister’s love interest. “I think he has a bit more about him, I hope. And I think the writers and the team and everyone’s been very been very encouraging about what we’re going to do with the Whitelighter and with Harry in the forthcoming season,” actor Rupert Evans was quoted as saying.
10. The sister’s love lives
Besides Mel’s love interest Nico, we will also get to see the relationship between Maggie and her high school hook up, Brian. As for the oldest sister, Macy gets flirty with fellow scientist Galvin (pictured above).
Will we get to see demon-witch romance (like Phoebe and Cole) again? “I mean, how can you not. So many delicious possibilities,” executive producer Jessica O’Toole teased.
11. A new orbing ability
The original Charmed ones used to be able to teleport thanks to orbing (magical balls of light) ability of Whitelighters. The new sisters can still teleport but “it doesn’t involve an actual orb”.
The “Charmed” reboot debuts on The CW on 14th October.
