Charmed - 1.01: Pilot Episode
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charmed_hilltowne
After the tragic death of their mother, Mel and Maggie learn of a secret sibling, Macy, and discover they exhibit new abilities.
Original Air Date: October 14, 2018
Writer(s):
Teleplay by Jessica O'Toole & Amy Rardin
Story by Jessica O'Toole, Amy Rardin, Jennie Snyder Urman & Constance M. Burge
Director: Brad Silberling
My thoughts:Much has been said about the pilot episode of this series. I have heard a lot of people were turned off by it, but I liked it. The writers set up an interesting plot straight away, even if it could be a little heavy-handed at times. If people were expecting a carbon copy of OG Charmed, they would be disappointed, but if they were looking for something different and fresh, and came into the fandom with an open mind, I think they’d enjoy this series. While this “new” Charmed played some homage to its predecessor, I don’t think of it as a reboot at all, but more of a reimagining of the whole universe.
Anyway…
The episode is quick to introduce the first two sisters. We meet the youngest, Maggie, creeping down the hall trying not to be seen by middle sister Mel. Maggie is going to a military-themed sorority party and needs the right attire. You quickly witness the easy rapport and love between the two sisters as they tease and cajole each other. Sarah Jeffery (Maggie) and Melonie Diaz (Mel) have nice on-screen chemistry from the jump. Mel and Maggie hear their mom talking angrily to someone on the phone saying, “This is not a witch hunt. This is a reckoning!”, a sentiment that will be echoed several times during the episode. When the girls ask what’s going on, Mama Vera explains that Professor Thaine is protesting his suspension and she wants him out.
The sisters share a touching moment. She reminds them that “you’re better together. Your differences are your strengths. And nothing is stronger than sisterhood.”
And then the girls are off. Maggie is headed towards campus via the woods. She quickly surmises that she is being followed by her ex Brian. Or I assume they are exes, although it seems any relationship they shared, he was more into it than she was. He can’t let go and she just wants to be friends. Brian wants to give Maggie a ride to school but she begs off. He warns her to be careful with a kind of creepy edge in his voice.
Back at Vera Manor, Mama V is doing a spell when a dozen (give or take) crows crash through the window and a rolling fog seeps into the room. She texts the girls to come home right away. When she’s done, she screams out, “Hear this! I have three!”
Mel’s in bed with her girlfriend Niko when she gets the text message. She hauls ass over to Kappa Tau Kappa to get Maggie. Lucy, the sorority president, is chatting up Maggie. She mentions the “Angela Wu coma sitch”, a story thread that makes me very curious. I think there’s a lot more on that to come on that front. Maggie tries to get her sister to leave but Mel says she will just have to start talking to all these guys about rape culture if Maggie doesn’t come along. Maggie yanks her out of there after she shouts at a woman - who is busy making out with a guy - that she can change her mind at any time! Okay, I admit that was kind of cringe, but I don’t care because I already love Mel so much!
Mel and Maggie go home. They notice it’s super cold in the house. They run to the window and see their mom lying sprawled out on the ground floor below, clearly dead.
We fast forward several months. Macy shows up! Sweet, pretty, intelligent Macy. She is walking along with her friend Galvin when she spots the Vera's place and it gives her a noticeable pause. Later, at the university lab, she reads up on Mama Vera’s death. Professor Thaine rolls over in his wheelchair gloating about how he’s beaten the charges against him. I want to take this moment to say I’ve always found the actor Robert Pine to be utterly creepy. It’s not his fault but ever since I saw him portray an unrepentant pedophile in an after-school special, I can’t look at him the same way. Do you remember those after-school specials from the 80’s and 90’s? Yeah, I’m aging myself here. Please scroll on!
Mel is putting up posters about the rally to protest Thaine’s reinstatement. Our adorable Brit Harry Greenwood rushes up to her. She tries to hurry away from him but he follows. He tells her he knows she doesn’t like him because he’s taking her mother’s spot in the department. She says that’s only about the fifth reason. Her number one reason is that, as a cisgender male, he never should have been hired to run the women’s studies department. To be honest, as a woman, I can’t say I disagree with that POV. But I digress.
On the quad, Mel hangs more of her posters. An annoying student named Cameron tells her she’s committing vandalism by putting them up. They exchange harsh words. It ends with Mel knocking his teeth out. Well, she just punches him pretty hard but Niko and her partner show up at the house to see Mel, pointing out that assault is a bad, bad thing. The conversation gravitates quickly to Warner Thaine. Mel points out he’s a known sexual predator and he was trying to shut her mother up about Angela Wu (there’s that mysterious name again). He had to be the one who murdered her. Niko insists it was an accident but Mel does not agree.
Maggie confronts Mel about punching another student. Mel is upset when she finds out Maggie is still pledging the sorority. Just then there’s a knock at the door and who should it be but our dear Macy??!! The plot is about to thicken, folks, in a majorly exciting way!
Macy says she thinks she is the Veras’ sister. She found out after her father’s death. She has a picture of herself as a little tyke in Mama Vera’s arms standing in front of the Vera house. Mel retorts that they have no money so what does Macy really want? Macy is upset by that and when she recounts the story to Galvin later on, she ends up sending a bottle flying across the room. She leaves the bar in a fluster.
At the sorority house, Maggie starts hearing other people’s thoughts. It’s actually kind of hilarious because the sisters are thinking things like, “Ugh, I’m so bloated” and “I hate these girls”. But Lucy’s thoughts seem more sinister in nature. Lucy thinks, “We may have to get rid of her.”
Niko and Mel are having a coffee date of sorts. A fellow caffeinated patron starts to spill his beverage, and Mel instinctively throws out her hands to stop it. Well, she freezes him. And everyone else in the vicinity too. Shocked, and of course, freaked out, she runs out of there. She is pulled off the street.
The three sisters find themselves bound in the family attic with Harry hovering over them. Macy uses her newfound power to throw a globe at him and then refuses to believe telekinesis is a real thing. Harry explains he is a Whitelighter and they are all witches, the most powerful witches of all time, The Charmed Ones. Dun dun dun!! They are all in disbelief, except Mel who quickly adapts to the idea. Harry explains that an apocalypse is imminent, and they alone can stop it, but they have to do it together. They have 48 hours to decide if they want to be witches. Mel wants to do it, Macy doesn’t think it can be real, and Maggie is against it.
The girls go in their separate directions. Macy goes to do research and Maggie heads to the sorority while Mel and Niko get reacquainted. I have to be honest here. I am not feeling the Mel/Niko pairing just yet. Niko seems to be too understated and a little too bland for Mel. But who knows, maybe my opinion will change in time. But back to Maggie, who is heading to the sorority. She uses the path through the woods again and encounters a cute doggo. Except it doesn’t stay cute for long. It turns into a big snarling crusty-eyed beast. Naturally, she freaks.
Maggie goes running back to the house. She is screaming about the ‘demon dog’ (wouldn’t it traditionally be called a hellhound?) and Mel comes down the stairs telling her to shush. Maggie says, “Don’t shush me.” Niko appears and Mel blames it all on some sorority initiation ritual. Now that’s funny!
When Niko is gone, Maggie asks Mel if it was just ex-sex or if they are back together. Mel reminds her they have other priorities. Scientist Macy figures out baking soda can help them with the demon doggo. Harry orbs in. He heals the wound Maggie sustained in her altercation with the devil hound. He tells them where there’s a demon dog there’s a demon dog owner. Mel wants to take out Lucy. Maggie is like no way, uh-uh, sister. Mel says she killed our mother. Maggie says they don’t know for sure and she still plans to pledge the sorority when all of this is over because they don’t blame her for their mom’s death. She runs out of there and is nabbed off the porch.
Maggie is spirited to a big sorority party by Lucy. She texts her sisters frantically. They rush over there to help. Mel throws the baking soda on Lucy, and she’s horrified but doesn’t combust or anything. They assume she’s not a demon but I’m not so sure. Let’s revisit that idea in a few episodes. She seems too good to be true, just sayin’. By the way, I love the actress playing Lucy. Natalie Hall does a great bitchy blonde.
Brian turns out to be the demon dog owner. It’s revealed when he tries to kiss Maggie and won’t take no for an answer. The girls powder him (that sounds weird) and the demon shakes its way violently out of him. Maggie kisses him for real. Walking home, Mel and Macy comment on it and the three sisters enjoy a few light moments together. Mel and Maggie share a video of Mama Vera with Macy and she cries for maybe the second time in her life. The other girls say they do a lot of crying so don’t feel bad.
The next day, Macy and Maggie make some important realizations and race to campus where Mel is protesting. Mel is distracted by the chill in the air though and goes inside. Everything is frozen, even the water in the drinking fountain. She goes to the lab where she encounters Thaine who is no longer in his wheelchair. He turns into some iceman creature and yanks her to him as Macy explains to Maggie that Thaine is an upper-level demon named Taydeus who feeds off the souls of strong women. Maggie and Macy reach Mel, breaking Taydeus’s hold on her. Cameron comes wandering in and asks Thaine if he’s wearing a costume. Taydeus responds by piercing him with a sharp icicle as the girls watch in horror.
Harry shows up. Taydeus is winning so far. The girls ask what they can do to stop him. Harry says they need the power of three to defeat him. They all have to agree to become the Charmed Ones, or their lives will go back to normal, and they never would have met. Macy says she doesn’t want to forget them. Mel says they already know she’s in. They look at Maggie hopefully and urge her on. She finally agrees to accept her destiny. With a spell (that’s written in Latin - how cool is that?!) and holding hands, they manage to bring down Taydeus. As he’s lying on the ground close to death, Mel says that’s for our mother. Taydeus laughs, basically saying she’s a fool for thinking he was the one who killed their mother. And he adds cryptically, “It’s begun”. Hmm, what does that mean? Consider me intrigued!
Cameron is healed by Harry. Harry plans to swipe his memory but the girls don’t want him to. They say, let him tell, who would believe another hysterical male? Now that is an awesome punishment! Clap, clap, ladies!
And then we wrap up. The sisters have all made peace. Mel and Macy have assured each other by now that they don’t blame the other. A Ouija board is unearthed, and the girls decide to contact their mom. The board tells them not to trust Harry… Just as Harry appears from the shadows! A nice cliffy for sure!
So, what did you think of the Pilot episode, folks? What were your favorite parts? How about your not-so-favorite parts? Do you have a favorite character yet? Share, share, share. I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comment section!
Demons Vanquished: 2
Series Total: 2
Episode Quote:
Maggie: I'm not a witch. I don't even like wearing witch costumes on Halloween. Like, not even the slutty ones.
First Time Watching!
Date: 2024-09-29 10:54 pm (UTC)Here are my thoughts as I'm watching:
The sisters have an interesting relationship. I'm excited to see how they develop over the course of the show. I like all of their powers, and I see the potential for tons of fun drama and sisterhood adventures.
I think the idea of them knowing their Whitelighter right off the bat is also interesting, even if right now I'm not a huge fan of him (sorry!). I do like that he seems comedic, but I would be so frustrated with him, like, TELL ME EVERYTHING!! I liked the effects for his teleportation! Not sure if it's still called orbing? It seems a bit darker. (And also now that I am watching the end I find that a little...suspicious)
I'm also curious about how Macy fits into the show. I love her whole scientist thing and how she's very rational. Right now, she's my favorite character, but I think for Maggie and Mel, she definitely changes what they think about their mom--I love morally grey moms, and investigating secrets after death is certainly a favorite plot for me.
I LOVE the effects and powers in the show. I'm very impressed both with the way they're used for plot and the way they look. The ice demon? Totally cool!
I'm excited to keep watching--see you next time!
Re: First Time Watching!
Date: 2024-09-30 06:57 am (UTC)Macy's great! I like Mel too. She's a strong determined sort of character. Maggie is my fave so far. Her power is different and unusual. Hearing people's thoughts though - I think that would get mighty annoying after a while lol
I am so glad you're giving this a chance. Hope to 'hear' more of your thoughts. I will put up a new post on Tuesday, or so.