The latest details about the Charmed reboot have spiked outrage amongst original fans, so we’re here to tell you about five ideas we’d actually want to see.
When news first broke of a Charmed reboot being in the works at The CW back in January 2017, we were told it would be set in the 1970s before the Charmed Ones even existed.
To be honest, I was initially hesitant and then kind of excited about the prospect, and then cautiously optimistic. I’ve loved Charmed since it was on air, and even though I don’t think a reboot is necessary, I wouldn’t mind experiencing what it was like to watch a show like this for the first time again.
Fast forward to a year later, when The CW finally picked up the pilot for the Charmed reboot. Holly Marie Combs was, rightfully so, annoyed that this new show would be capitalizing on their hard work. Again, I felt cautiously optimistic about the prospect of seeing a new version of Charmed on my television screen.
Then we learned this Charmed reboot isn’t really a reboot at all. They took the name and the general idea of the show (three sisters, with similar personalities and powers), and changed everything else. Can you really call that Charmed?
Like I said in my article, it’s hard to please the original fans of a show when you’re about to do a reboot. They’ll want it to be the same and completely different all at once. The only true solution is to not reboot it at all. But, clearly, that’s not an option.
A compromise would be to make a Charmed spinoff rather than a reboot. We don’t want someone new to come in and try to improve upon what we fell in love with in the first place. The show is not perfect, I can admit that, but if it doesn’t feature Prue, Piper, Phoebe, or Paige, then it’s not truly a Charmed reboot, is it?
Instead, here are five Charmed “reboots” we’d like to see instead. All of these would take place in the already established Charmed universe.
1. ‘Outside of Time’
The title of this one comes from Melinda Warren’s famous spell, “Outside of time / outside of gain / know only sorrow / know only pain.” I’d love to see a show based on one of the Halliwells’ famous ancestors, regardless of whether or not it’s Melinda. There’s such a rich backstory here that it’d be a shame not to explore it further. Plus, a period piece set in this universe would be awesome.
It would be particularly amazing if they could somehow incorporate time travel into the premise — you know, keeping with that outside of time theme. It would allow the main character(s) to explore the entire ancestry of the Warren line, including the Charmed Ones and beyond. It would even let any original cast members return, if they wanted, without forcing them into recurring roles. Charmed has dealt with time travel (and its effects) in the past, and it’s always been an interesting topic. It’d be Outlander, but with more magic and (hopefully) less drama.
2. ‘That ’70s Witch’
This plays directly into the original article we reported back in January 2017. The idea would be to follow Patty and Penny Halliwell in a time before the Charmed Ones were even alive. I don’t know if I’d want to see anyone in these roles other than the original actors, but if they age the characters down enough, I think I could get behind someone new stepping into the roles.
What would make this show so interesting is the relationship between Patty and Penny, kind of like Gilmore Girls with a Wiccan twist. The mother-daughter duo butted heads more times than anyone can remember, but there was always a deep love there and a promise to always do the right thing. The series could end with Patty meeting Victor, and we’d all know what came next.
3. ‘Whitelighter’
The Whitelighter world got plenty of attention through all eight seasons of Charmed, but I always felt like there was more to explore. Honestly, this might be the best idea on the list because it would very clearly take place in the same universe without running much risk of rewriting history. It could be the perfect solution for fans who don’t-really-but-kind-of-do want a reboot.
The Charmed Ones could even exist in the present day, but instead of focusing on them, the story could follow a fledgling Whitelighter who’s trying to do her (because of course it’s a her) best to not screw anything up. Imagine seeing her and a young witch both coming into their powers, butting heads but eventually becoming best friends, and taking on evil one demon at a time — all while being inspired by rumors they hear about the Charmed Ones and their trusty Whitelighter Leo.
4. ‘Trudeau Detective’
Yes, yes, I know Andy died. I also recognize this is a terrible name for a real show, but the pun master in me loved it too much. The name might be a joke, but the premise isn’t. I always found both Trudeau and Morris interesting characters, especially with how they had to balance knowledge of the sisters’ powers and their actual jobs as police detectives.
So how cool would it be if we got to see Charmed from an outside perspective? Instead of following the witches, make the cops the main characters. Season 1 could be the truth about discovering magic (the witches would have to be related to the Halliwells, of course), and the seasons after that could be about solving crimes and keeping the secret. It’d sort of be like Psych meets Lucifer, but with a lot more badass women.
5. ‘Charmed Again’
Some people will probably hate this title, but I’m fairly fond of it. I think it would be a great way to capitalize on the original brand while also ensuring everyone knows this is not replacing it. In fact, this could be a great way for The CW to keep their idea of having a younger, college-aged witch show without alienating original fans. Even if they set it slightly in the future and a generation or two apart, the network wouldn’t have to worry about needing to replace any original cast members.
I know a lot of fans want to see Chris and Wyatt have their own television show, but logistics aside, I’d much rather any spinoff or reboot focus on female characters anyway. Maybe we can get three cousins together who may not be the Charmed Ones, but are descended from them, each taking on one of their ancestors’ powers. If the series played its cards right, it would be a nice homage to the original without pretending the first show never existed.
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