#charmed remake

Macy was absolutely my fave character from beginning to end, so I was sad to see her leave. The last ep. was so devastating yet beautiful, I’m glad we were able to see her be happy one last time; but idk how they’re gonna successfully continue this show without her character…

I understand why Madeleine Mantock left the show, if she felt like it was no longer working for her. I feel like they gave Macy no resolutions to her problems and kinda brushed over all of her issues. Everyone on that show experienced traumatic childhoods and events on the show, but for some reason, it felt like they focused so many social issues onto Macy. For example the ep. where she was sexually harassed in a bar, like I get that they were trying to show what it’s like being a woman and bring awareness, but that moment was never addressed properly so it felt like it was performative activism. Macy didn’t tell her dad, or mom, Harry, not even her sisters. Harassment is such a traumatic experience for people and I hate how it was just included casually with no intent to talk about her emotions or find a way to cope with them. They just gave no attention or comfort to the character.

Another example is the ep. where Macy experienced racism during the photoshoot for the Malaria campaign. I can’t speak on the reality of experiencing racism or how it feels because I’m not black, but it also seemed like it was added just to promote “awareness” but never be addressed again. The person who was being racist never even got a lesson about how her actions were wrong and there was no confrontation or attempt to right that wrong. Maybe that’s just the harsh reality of racism but it was hard to see that woman’s terrible actions receive no consequence or repercussion.

And lastly, her relationship with Harry just felt tragic. They never got to be truly happy together so it just made me feel like their storyline was incomplete. I would’ve liked for them to have better closure or explain how they were gonna be together after death or in another life. I know that they don’t really need anything to validate their feelings for each other but yeah, she was just gone too soon 😢

GENERAL THOUGHTS

Well Damn! This episode was far from perfect, but as far as excitement and moving the plot forward it sure enough stepped up from the last two episodes. Solid 9/10 for me.

Some things to note though are as thus follows:

We might now know who made the Tomb of Chaos and why, but we still don't know how the heck the monsters started getting out in the first place. They could just go the route of the whole fiasco last season (magic dying) caused it but that would mean there is not big bad for this storyline and we'd have to fall back on Abby's storyline for one. Unless the Perfecti are gonna become a problem which they definitely have the potential for.

The writers still can write a solid explanation for how magic works in this world. Josefina obviously is a witch or some magical being (even if she doesn't have a "main" power like telekinesis) proven by the fact she can create spells and apparently is affected by the charmed ones magical allergy. But arguably last season mortals/non magical beings were able to harness magic through combined magical elements and science so maybe anyone can use magic???

The lore is still messy as heck and the effects and vibe still feel more alien/sci-fi than magical. The tallness and the look of the perfecti are giving me star trek realness.

Anyways onto my dislikes ⏭

DISLIKES

1) Effects for Macy's Powers

Last time I mentioned that they changed the special effects for Macy's telekinesis, some of y'all suggested that it was only the force field or magical slow down/motion freeze that had a blue effect. This episode disproved that as Macy threw the dagger and used her powers to push the dagger forward with more force. The effect was blue and again I hate it.

Season 2 motion stop was a whole different color and looked different than this sort of blue force effect. I stand by what I said previously it feels more sci-fi than fantasy and I am vehement against that shift in vibe

2) The writers don't think well clock them for the board?

So the witch board has been programed to find rifts now and we didn't get to see that? I mean Harry said he figured out the calculations to predict where they'd be but not that the board could be programed to figure it out. I mean that would have been a nice feature the episode after he figured it out....I mean come one I know six days have passed but a quick line at least bringing attention to the new feature would be nice.

3) this lore is messy AF

Ya'll i think maybe I need to give up hope that the writers will ever make any of this make sense, but like okay so far we have a source of all magic that apparently isn't affected by a magical tree that -when tainted- can cause magic to die. And now we have advance ancient magic and magical tribes which predate charmed ones. So why are there different lines of charmed ones and when did they come about and why were they needed? Also magical tribes organizing enough to giving up magic to create basically magic AIs to lock up big bads, but apparently in enough chaos to have the problem???? That suggests maybe a time before the chaos of thier were organize tribes. Maybe chaos is subjective here?

Also as far as canon goes, apparently the source of all magic can give people powers (macy got all the powers when she took on the source) and we don't know what the heck happened with that since they used it to fix the tree. Like I'm sure it didn't just go away since it is the source of all fricken magic. Maybe they should look into that or Let Josefina try spending quality time with the tree and some black amber since they cured it.....just saying.

Also I guess the whole consequences for using magic for personal gain is 100% gone because I think self-medicating with your powers would fall under that category.

LIKES

1) Hacy moments that both cure depression and remind me that there are still issues afoot.

I love me those hacy scenes where they support and care for each other as a couple. I awwed, but it looks like Harry got a taste of that mortal life and won't be letting go of it as a possibility, while Macy looked a bit off put by the idea of what mortality for Harry might mean. So there is the promise of some drama in the future.

I love whitelighter Harry. I think that since the show is really shifting vibes Harry's whitelighter status and abilities (which still are vague tbh) still tether it to the OG or at least the idea of it being in the vein of the OG Charmed. If there are no more whitelighters at all then I feel like they might as well have renamed it and or just as easily have it be a different show completely. I hold onto the idea that that fantasy feeling and demons/whitelighters were the core of What made charmed (the og) charmed. So I am glad Harry hasn't permanently lost his powers and hope he never will. I mean the book of shadows had a spell that took away immortality without taking away powers-as seen in season 1- I mean macy used it along with a voodoo spell. The writers mean to tell me that Macy can't remember and rewrite a spell she used but Mel can recreate the book of shadows and possible spells we've never seen them use?!?!?

2) Pacing and energy

I dont know about yall, but the last few episodes weren't very exciting and some felt like they dragged on without moving the plot along. This epsiode was actually quick paced and I felt there were actual stakes here.

3) the messages

Love anytime a show advocates for people getting help with thier mental/emotional health. Love that the show hasn't said that Josefina isn't a witch without powers, love that they are pushing the message of not needing to prove what she is to anyone.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

So the Board detects rifts now...

Maggie forgetting the Marble

Mel being the new Harry as far as overprotective of Josefina and her "readiness"

Dagger dripping green ooze

Perfecti coming through the portal

"I am never gonna stop fighting for you..."

Perfecti coming in to solve all the problems