TV Review: Charmed
What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that most of the series' witchcraft and occult-related material is obvious and over-the-top fantasy. But the Wiccan (earth-bound) variety of witchcraft is also shown and hits closer to reality -- Wicca is actually practiced by some in real life. Mature relationships, violence, and characters in peril are common throughout the series.
- Families can talk about witchcraft. Do you think it's depicted realistically in this show? Is there any realism at all to the program? Do teens prefer the drama of the sisters' personal lives or its fantasy aspects?
CHARMED is a cross between Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Like Buffy, the Halliwell sisters have been given powers and a mission to fight evil, but like Sabrina, they haven't completely mastered their magic, and spells often go awry in funny and problematic ways. The sisters, also called "the charmed ones," are Phoebe (Alyssa Milano), Paige (Rose McGowan), and Piper (Holly Marie Combs); in earlier seasons, Shannen Doherty played fourth sister Prue. Each sister has different gift -- the ability to blow things up, freeze things, move objects, and morph into different realms. They lived normal lives until learning in their twenties that they held the "power of three" and were predestined to fulfill a witchcraft prophecy, sowhen they aren't busy being witches, Piper runs a nightclub and Phoebe writes an advice column.
Charmed is a strange mix between deathly serious and kooky comedy. Over its long run, the show has constructed an elaborate good vs. evil fantasy world populated by elders, avatars, seers, and demons. But even with some heavily dramatic content involving the death of family members, Charmed remains fundamentally a silly show -- often with weak storylines and poor acting.
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