Charmed

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Charmed
Genre	Supernatural Drama
Created by	Constance M. Burge
Starring	Shannen Doherty Holly Marie Combs Alyssa Milano Rose McGowan Brian Krause Julian McMahon Drew Fuller Dorian Gregory Kaley Cuoco
Opening theme	"How Soon Is Now?" by Love Spit Love
Country of origin	United States
Language(s)	English
No. of seasons	8
No. of episodes	178 (List of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Brad Kern Constance M. Burge Aaron Spelling E. Duke Vincent
Running time	40-45 min.
Broadcast
Original channel	Warner Brothers Network
Original run	October 7, 1998 – May 21, 2006

Charmed is an American television series that originally aired from October 7, 1998 until May 21, 2006, when its network, Warner Brothers, ceased operation.^[1] The series was created in 1998 by writer Constance M. Burge and was produced by Aaron Spelling and his Spelling Television company, with the show runner being writer-director Brad Kern. The series narrative follows the four Halliwell sisters, Prue, Piper, Phoebe and, later, Paige, the culmination of the long Warren line of powerful, good witches. The sisters, despite being perceived as normal by the non-supernatural community, are known as The Charmed Ones, whose prophesised destiny is to battle against evil beings, such as demons and warlocks, in order to protect innocent lives from being endangered. Each sister possesses unique magical powers that grow and evolve, while they attempt to hold normal working lives in San Francisco. Keeping their paranormal identities separate and secret from their ordinary lives forms part of the series' tension and challenges, with the exposure of magic having far-reaching consequences on relationships and has resulted in a number of police and FBI investigations throughout the series.

The first episode, "Something Wicca This Way Comes", had 7.70 million viewers, breaking the record for the highest rated debut for the Warner Brothers Network.^[2] In January 2006, producer Brad Kern declared that Charmed was the longest running hour-long series featuring all female leads (Murder She Wrote having only a singular lead, and The Facts of Life being a 30 minute sitcom).^[3] The series finale, "Forever Charmed", ended with a season high of 4.49 million viewers.

During its run, the show won ASCAP, Young Artist and Family Television awards, and was nominated for Image, International Horror Guild, Saturn and TP de Oro awards^{[citation needed]}. The series also led to tie-in products including novels, magazines, board games and a video game.

[edit] Production

[edit] Development

In 1998, the Warner Brothers Television Network began searching for a drama series, and looked to Spelling Television, which had produced the network's most successful series 7th Heaven, to create it. Expanding on the popularity of supernatural themed dramas, the production company explored forms of mythology to find mythological characters they could realize with contemporary storytelling.^[4]

In order to create the series, Burge was hired as the creator as she was under contract with Spelling Television after conceiving the drama Savannah.^[4] When the theme of witchcraft was first pitched to her, she was aware of stereotypes of witches (flying brooms, black cats, and warts). After Wicca research, she changed her perspective.^[5] and instead, she aimed at telling a story of witches who were both good, and looked and acted like ordinary people. With this, her initial concept was a series set in Boston, Massachusetts^[5] about three friends and roommates who were all witches.^[4] However, executive producer E. Duke Vincent lacked confidence, asking "Why would anybody want to watch a show about three witches?" He proposed that the series focus on family values and developed the series-long mantra of it being about "three sisters who happen to be witches, not three witches who happen to be sisters." Spelling warmed to Burge's ideas and, after the concept was revised to a series about three sisters (now living in San Francisco) descended from a line of witches,^[5] it was pitched to the Warner Brothers' Susanne Daniels, who liked it, allowing the series to begin development.^[4]

Shannen Doherty, having worked with Spelling on Beverly Hills 90210, auditioned for the role of Piper Halliwell and won the role of Prue Halliwell.

Doherty's best friend, Holly Marie Combs, known as Kimberly Brock, from the series Picket Fences, got interested in the script and won the role of the middle sister Piper Halliwell; although auditioning for the role of Prue Halliwell ,while Doherty had come in wanting to play Piper Halliwell. Combs had not wanted to come back to television, wanting a break after five years of playing Kimberly Brock, but because of Doherty's involvement, she came back, and she loved it.

The series was titled Charmed, after Spelling's suggestion of House of Sisters was dropped, and the three lead roles were cast to Doherty, Combs and Lori Rom. Burge wrote the pilot's script. They filmed a 28 minute version (the "unaired pilot," never aired on network television) with which the series was picked up by the WB. The majority of the pilot had to be refilmed after Rom quit and Alyssa Milano took her role.

A week before the updated pilot, Something Wicca This Way Comes was to air, Warner Brothers considered pulling it. Spelling Television forced it to go ahead.^{[citation needed]} Upon its debut, Charmed received the largest audience for a series premiere in the network’s history. The first season of twenty two episodes was picked up by Warner Brothers after two shows aired.

[edit] Executive producers

The two executive producers from Spelling Television were its creator Spelling and Vincent, who maintained their roles until the series ended. Burge became an executive producer when she was hired to create the series and write the pilot. After the short "unaired pilot" was shown to the WB, and the series was picked up by the network, [Kern was recruited as the fourth executive producer and as the show runner in order to decipher how the series would develop over the course of its run. While Kern remained with the show until its end, between the second and third seasons, Burge stopped being the executive producer. She remained as executive consultant until the end of season four when she left Charmed.^[6]

[edit] Writing and format

Scripting was done by a large number of writers. Kern did the most writing with a total of 26 episodes, as well as directing one of them. The writers with the most writing credits other than Kern include: ^[7] Daniel Cerone, Curtis Kheel, Zack Estrin, Chris Levinson, Krista Vernoff, Sheryl J. Anderson, Monica Breen, Alison Schapker, Cameron Litvack, and Jeannine Renshaw. Burge wrote seven episodes for the first and second seasons before leaving her position as executive producer.

Scripting was carried out after group brainstorms took place, discussing the events of the episodes, the emotions of the characters, and the mythology involved. Robert Masello, an executive story editor for the series, credits himself as the only demonologist hired for a series, in order to add his experience to the storyline.^[8]

However, as Combs revealed in The Women of Charmed documentary, the series aimed at following a mythology created by fantasy, and not adhering to Wiccan rules too closely, for fear of coming under criticism for either not being "technically correct enough", or missing the truth completely.^[8]

Between the second and the third season, Burge left, leaving her former position to executive producer Kern. Burge remained as creative consultant until season four.^[6] Burge's departure resulted in changes in the story structure of the show, from a "demon of the week" system to using third- or half- season-long story arcs. In addition, more importance is given to the protagonists' personal lives.

The serial connection of episodes culminated in the second half of season four. Despite the ratings increasing during season four's final story arc from 4.19 to 4.21, Warner Brothers asked Kern to abandon the serial system. This led to the largely episodic structure of season five, and resulted in the two systems being balanced from the sixth season onwards.

[edit] Logo and symbols

The first logo used by The WB Network to promote the series. It was replaced during the third season.

During the show's run, the Warner Brothers Television Network used two official logos to represent the series. The first was used during the first and second seasons and featured the name Charmed underlined and with a triple-aspect symbol above it. The second logo was introduced at the start of the third season and remained until the series ended. It was written in a different font and is still underlined and sometimes featured a triquetra above the name. This logo was designed by Margo Chase. Although the second logo replaced the first in all promotional material by the Warner Brothers, such as posters and television adverts, the first remained to be used on official merchandise after the third season, including on the covers of the novel series, the DVDs and the official Charmed magazine.

[edit] Music

The Charmed theme song How Soon Is Now? is performed by Love Spit Love. The song was released by The Smiths and is written by the band's guitarist Johnny Marr and singer Morrissey. It appeared on the soundtrack album TV Themes: Popular Favorites, released by the St. Clair record label on September 6, 2005,^[9] as well as its follow-up TV Themes: Sex and the City and Other Favorites, on August 30, 2005.^[10] It also appeared on Your Favorite Television Themes, released by Artemis Strategic on June 7, 2005.^[11] The song always appeared in its full-length version of 4 minutes and 20 seconds.

[edit] Plot synopsis

[edit] Overall

Charmed is the story of the three Halliwell sisters, Prue, Piper and Phoebe, discovering that they are the world's most powerful good witches, The Charmed Ones; each gifted with innate magical powers they must collectively use to defend the "innocents" of San Francisco from demons, warlocks and other evil beings. During their fight against the forces of evil, eldest sister Prue is killed, breaking the united Power of Three. However, the Charmed triple-destiny is restored with the introduction of a long-lost fourth half-sister, Paige Matthews, who is half-witch and half-whitelighter. During Seasons One to Four, the sisters' combined destiny was to vanquish the Source of All Evil, the ruler of the Underworld, and his demonic minions. Upon fulfilling their primary destiny, the Charmed Ones engaged in the Ultimate Battle; and ushered in the next generation of good witches. The Charmed Ones were also the guardians of the Nexus and in order to vanquish the demon Zankou they had to destroy the Nexus where Zankou had taken refuge. On top of their supernatural lives, the four sisters must also contend with serious issues in the real world (such as relationships, careers, marriage, childbirth, illness and death), as well as preventing the exposure of magic, the subject of several police investigations throughout the series.

[edit] The Power of Three

The story of Charmed begins with the three Halliwell sisters coming together six months after the death of their grandmother, Penny Halliwell, because the disrespected and picked upon youngest, Phoebe, is moving back (unannounced) into the family Manor in San Francisco. When the lights suddenly go out during an afternoon storm, the two elder sisters head for the fuse box, but the youngest sister, stimulated by the family spirit board, goes to the attic instead and discovers an ancient book bathed in an ethereal light — the Book of Shadows. Reading an incantation from it to herself out loud in the dim light, she unwittingly sets in motion events that fulfill an ancient prophecy. Strange and harrowing occurrences begin which eventually lead the sisters to realize that they are witches.

[edit] The Charmed Ones

The Charmed Ones in the Homeland Security building during season eight's "Rewitched". From left to right, Phoebe and Piper Halliwell and Paige Matthews.

They discover that they not only possess supernatural powers, but also come from a long line of powerful witches. The first in the line, Melinda Warren, possessed the power to freeze time, move objects with her mind and see the future. Melinda was burned at the stake in the Salem Witch Trials. (In reality, no one was burned at the stake in Salem). However, before she died, Melinda prophesied that each coming generation of Warren (later Halliwell) witches would grow stronger and stronger, culminating in the arrival of three sisters the strongest good witches the world had ever seen; the three sisters would form The Power of Three, the most powerful magical force ever.

A central theme throughout the show's run is the sisters' struggle to balance their normal lives with their supernatural responsibilities. The burden of keeping their destinies a secret from the outside world repeatedly creates tensions in their friendships, workplaces, and romantic relationships. Only a few know their secret and help them on a regular basis. The most important is Leo Wyatt, a Whitelighter assigned by the Elders to guide and protect the sisters. Leo means a great deal to the sisters both professionally and personally: he heals their wounds, advises them collectively and individually, and mediates between them and the enigmatic Elders. He also becomes the love of Piper's life, her husband and the father of her children. Others who keep the Charmed Ones' secret over the years include police inspectors Andy Trudeau and Darryl Morris, tormented half-demon Cole Turner, the mysterious time-traveler Chris Perry, sisters Christy and Billie Jenkins, Paige's husband Henry Mitchell, and the many other creatures in the magical community.

[edit] Mythology

In the first three seasons, the magical world of Charmed introduces original concepts such as the spiritual nexus and the workings of the show's witchcraft, and involves creatures such as Whitelighters and Darklighters, and also a number of mythological creatures not frequently adapted to television, such as the "Woogyman", the "Wendigo", the "Titans" or the "Banshee". This is probably attributable to Burge, as well as story editor Robert Masello, introduced as the show's mythology expert (as seen in the 1999 documentary Women of Charmed).

Gradually from the fourth season, besides keeping the dominance of creatures with attributes explicitly created to conform to the storylines, Charmed started to rely more heavily on using creatures from classical (i.e., Greek and Roman) mythology as well as from miscellaneous folklore from contemporary culture, such as leprechauns and dwarves.

[edit] Characters

[edit] Main protagonists

• Prue Halliwell – (Shannen Doherty) (Seasons 1–3) 67 episodes

Born October 28, 1970, Prue is the eldest sister. Born with telekinesis, she later manifests the astral projection ability. Prue handled her power of telekinesis so well that she was often referred to as a super-witch. Strong-willed, feisty and intelligent, she would often take charge of situations and has always been overprotective of her two sisters, Piper and Phoebe. Having spent her childhood taking care of her two younger sisters after the death of their mother, she became responsible, with a fierce determination at whatever she did, including fighting demons. This sense of responsibility occasionally leads to clashes with the more free-willed Phoebe, but the two grow closer as the series progresses. Though at times Halliwell lets pride dictate her way of handling things, she never lets her personal life interfere with her work life. On May 17, 2001, three years new to the craft she is killed by Shax, a demonic assassin sent by the Source of All Evil. While in the episode "Death Takes a Halliwell" the Angel of Death foreshadowed Prue's death, "All Hell Breaks Loose" remained as a cliffhanger. Prue's death is only established in the premiere episode of the Fourth Season, "Charmed Again". Doherty never appeared as Prue again, except in the fifth season episode "Cat House", during the "flashbacks" that the girls visit, though only her back is shown. Even in the after life Prue still helps her sisters, it has been suggested that she sometimes turns the pages of the Book of Shadows, and in the season seven finale Prue lends her astral projection power to the sisters.^[12] This is indicated by Piper saying "Thank you, Prue," after the spell's effect is over. Also in the later seasons her telekinetic 'jingle' can be heard when the front door of the manor closes by itself, like how Prue would close the door before her demise.

• Piper Halliwell – (Holly Marie Combs) (Seasons 1-8) 178 episodes

Born on August 7,1973 and is the middle child. Upon Prue's death, she assumes the role as the oldest. Her powers include the ability to freeze ,blow up objects at will, and projected objects. (Molecular Acceleration/Deceleration). She is most concerned with having a normal life, and always has reservations about her life as a Charmed One. When she becomes a Charmed One, she is quiet and reserved, often having to mediate between Prue and Phoebe. As the show progresses, she gains a stronger persona and takes more authority after Prue dies. She eventually becomes the mother of two sons Wyatt and Chris, with her husband Leo Wyatt, and goes to great lengths to protect her children. In the series finale, the final montage shows her with a granddaughter.^[13] Her love of food steers her to a career in the culinary, which leads her to open her own club, and as revealed in the last episode, her own restaurant.

• Phoebe Halliwell – (Alyssa Milano) (Seasons 1-8) 178 episodes

Phoebe, born November 2, 1975 is the baby of the family and is a spontaneous, free-spirited young woman. She was born as a witch with the power of premonition, which enabled her to see into the past as well as the future. This later allows her to project herself into the future and the past. She later gains the powers of levitation, which she often combines with her martial arts skills, and the power of empathy but later loses the latter two due to misusing them for personal gain. She is a romantic, and later becomes a successful columnist and author. Early on, she often had a turbulent relationship with her older sister, Prue; later she mediates between Piper and Paige. Her longest relationships are with Cole Turner for over 2 years and had a son with him but The Seer steals him (to her own demise), and with Coop. In 2006, the Angel of Destiny marries Halliwell and Coop, as seen in the series finale, and they eventually have three daughters. She continues to work at the Bay Mirror and writes a book on finding love. When the property was green lighted to go to series, actress Rom was unavailable. Producer Aaron Spelling called Milano, fresh off her short-term guest appearance on Melrose Place to fill the role. Major portions of the first episode were re-shot, some scenes rewritten and new scenes added to create a full one-hour debut episode titled "Something Wicca This Way Comes". Halliwell has been called by some demons (like the Source) that she was the weakest Charmed One because of her powers, mostly passive, being the weakest out of the four.

• Paige Matthews – (Rose McGowan) (Seasons 4–8) 112 episodes

Born on August 2, 1977. After a secret love affair with her Whitelighter Samuel Wilder, the Charmed Ones' mother, Patty Halliwell, gave birth to a fourth daughter. In fear of their daughter's safety, Paige was orbed to a church and entrusted to the arms of a nun named Sister Agnes, who was told she'd be in great danger otherwise. Sister Agnes later in "Charmed Again (Part 2)" described Paige— to the troubled Paige further investigating her origin while being manipulated by the Source of All Evil— as having come from angels because she had witnessed the parents appear in an orb of lights. As a baby, she was adopted by the Matthews family, and grew up as an only child unaware of her magical roots. While in school, Paige often got into trouble. Her parents died in a car accident, Paige was in the car but she orbed, saving herself but not her parents, she found out that she orbed the Season 4 episode "A Paige from the Past"). Her personality is bold and vibrant, adding a new dynamic to the show from Season 4 onwards. Matthews's power as a witch and Charmed One is the power of telekinesis, just like her elder sister, Prue. However, Paige's telekinesis works differently to Prue's. Firstly, Matthews cannot simply wave her hand at an object and expect it to move; she must "call" for the object. Secondly, the object simply does not move alone. Whenever Paige "calls" for an object to move, it is surrounded by orbs and moves where she wants it. Matthews can also use this power to orb objects to other locations. She comes into the craft quickly, aiding in the vanquish of The Source of All Evil. In Season 8, she gains the ability to heal those she loves, starting with Henry. She is driven to become a "full-time witch", and has a hard time finding a career she is content with, eventually settling with her destiny as a Whitelighter, like her father. After the death of Gideon, Matthews begs the Elders to keep the Magic School open. They agree only if Matthews becomes the headmistress and runs the school to guarantee the students' safety. Eventually, she resigns; handing the role onto her brother-in-law Leo Wyatt. Matthews marries mortal parole officer Henry Mitchell and they have twin daughters and a son, Henry Jr. She also processes the power of orbing and glamoring (changing appearance).

[edit] Supporting

• Leo Wyatt – (Brian Krause) (Recurring Season 1, First Half Season 2 and Second Half Season 8 ; Seasons 1–8)

Leo Wyatt is the sisters' Whitelighter in the beginning, and soon becomes romantically involved with Piper. Leo's magical promotions provide the show's portrayal of a supernatural ladder of success and struggle between career and family. His relationship with Piper is the first of many conflicts between the Halliwells and the Elders.

• Andy Trudeau - (Ted King) (Season 1)

Trudeau is the sisters' childhood friend and Prue's love interest for years. In the episode "that 70s episode" a young Piper uses her powers to freeze a young Trudeau. He serves as the sisters' initial connection to the police force once he learns of the girls' activities, as well as the first conflict between the girls' secret and normal lives. The demon Rodriguez kills Trudeau while he is trying to protect the girls in the finale of season one. Two years later, in the finale of season 3, Prue is killed by the demon Shax, and is assumingly reunited with Andy. The character of Andy Trudeau was originally played by actor Chris Boyd.^[14]

• Darryl Morris – (Dorian Gregory) (Seasons 1–7)

Morris, who is Trudeau's partner, takes over the role as the Halliwells' police connection after Trudeau's tragic death. He continues to cover up for the sisters once he learns their secret, even after the events which lead to him almost being executed through a lethal injection, if reluctantly, until his wife later forces him to move to the east coast. After almost being executed, he expresses his desired uninvolvement with the sisters angrily and refuses to talk to them, answer calls or help them get police files. However, he finds out the Charmed Ones were willing to give up their powers to save him and realizing how much good the sisters do for the community, Morris forgives them and he still considers them family.

• Dan Gordon – (Greg Vaughan) (Season 2)

Dan moves into the house next door with his niece, Jenny, and instantly falls in love with Piper. They temporarily date, but Dan cannot take the place of Piper's first love, Leo. He later moves away, at the end of season two.

• Jenny Gordon – (Karis Paige Bryant) (Season 2)

Jenny is Dan's niece. Jenny disappeared at the episode 9, Ms. Hellfire, where Dan said that Jenny returned to her parents.

• Cole Turner – (Julian McMahon) (Seasons 3–5, cameo in 7)

Turner is Phoebe's first husband; he is a half-demon, creating situations over which the sisters clash. He is originally a powerful villain, later taking other forms and roles throughout his character's history. After his final vanquish at the hands of the sisters, he continues to watch over Phoebe, silently and unseen.

• Chris Perry Halliwell – (Drew Fuller) (Season 6, cameo in 5, 7 & 8)

Piper and Leo's unborn son, Chris Halliwell, commonly known as Chris Perry for the year and a half of his time with the sisters, came from the future to help defeat the Titans and save young Wyatt from turning evil. His adult form dies at the hands of Gideon just before he is born. He later reappears twice, once in Someone to Witch Over Me and again in the series finale. Phoebe finds out Chris is actually Leo and Piper's younger son in The Legend of Sleepy Halliwell.

• Billie Jenkins – (Kaley Cuoco) (Season 8)

Billie is Paige's charge. While at first over-confident in her abilities, she eventually becomes a student of the sisters, helping them to maintain their normal lives. After being swayed by her sister Christy to betray the Halliwells, Billie eventually sides with them in the series finale and is forced to kill her sister in self-defense.

[edit] Recurring

• Penelope "Penny" Halliwell – (Jennifer Rhodes) The sister's grandmother.
• Patricia "Patty" Halliwell – (Finola Hughes – Seasons 1–5, 7-8) The sister's mother.
• Samuel Wilder – (Scott Jaeck – Seasons 2, 5 & 8) Paige's father and Patty's whitelighter.
• Victor Bennett – (Tony Denison – Season 1) (James Read – Seasons 3-8^a) The sister's father (except for Paige).
• Utility Demon — The Source, Belthazor, Shax, Janor the Grimlock – (Michael Bailey Smith – Seasons 3–4)
• Bob Cowan – (David Reivers - Seasons 4–5)
• Elise Rothman – (Rebecca Balding – Seasons 1; 4–8)
• Sophie – (Amanda Sickler – Seasons 5–8)
• Sheila Morris – (Sandra Prosper – Seasons 5–7) Darryl's wife.
• Jason Dean – (Eric Dane – Seasons 5–6)
• Little Wyatt Halliwell – (Jason & Kristopher Simmons – Seasons 5–8^b) Piper's older son.
• Older Wyatt Halliwell – (Wes Ramsey – Seasons 6–8) Piper's older son.
• Little Chris Halliwell (Seasons 6, guest season 7 and 8) piper's youngest son
• Inspector Sheridan – (Jenya Lano – Seasons 6–7) Darryl's partner.
• Coop (Charmed) – (Victor Webster) (Season 8) Phoebe's cupid and future husband.
• Christy Jenkins – (Marnette Patterson) (Season 8) Billie's older sister.
• Henry Mitchell - (Ivan Sergei) (Season 8) Paige's husband.

Notes

^a  Anthony Denison played the Halliwells' father in the first season episode "Thank You for Not Morphing". This episode establishes that the character's name is Victor Halliwell. This was later refuted by the end of the first season when, in "That 70's Episode", it is noted that Halliwell is in fact Patty's maiden name. Victor's name was changed to Victor Jones in the family tree in season two's "Pardon My Past", and then finally to Victor Bennett in season three.

^b  Only officially credited in one season seven episode, "Imaginary Fiends", and from the season eight episode "12 Angry Zen" onwards.

[edit] Guest artists

• Dishwalla
• The Cranberries
• Janice Robinson
• Goo Goo Dolls
• Paula Cole
• Barenaked Ladies
• Paul Van Dyk
• Snake River Conspiracy
• Marvelous 3
• Idol
• Fastball (band)
• Orgy (band)
• Dave Navarro
• Rebekah Ryan
• The Flaming Lips
• Michelle Branch
• Beth Orton
• Pat Benatar
• Rose McGowan as Paige Matthews performing Fever (1956 song)
• Smashmouth
• Loudermilk
• Steadman
• Ziggy Marley
• Andy Stochansky
• Billy Zane as Dèmon, Drake (performer: "Everything's Kind of Good")
• The Donnas
• Collective Soul
• Liz Phair

[edit] Episodes

The series began its first season on October 7, 1998 and aired for eight years until its finale on May 21, 2006. During its eight seasons, 178 episodes were aired, making Charmed the longest running hour-long television series with all female leads.^[15] The series ended when its American network was shut down to merge into a new network station. Each season consists of 22 episodes with the exclusion of the fifth and sixth seasons which contain 23 episodes including their double-episode premiers and double-episode finales.

Specific Charmed episodes are detailed in the following by-season articles:

[edit] Distribution

[edit] Initial broadcast

The series was originally shown on the WB television network in the United States and on CTV in Canada, with independent station SunTV (originally Toronto 1) picking up the show's 8th season after CTV decided against continuing its broadcast.

Currently, the show is licensed to a number of networks in North America, with the major carriers being TNT and for a while on Canada's Showcase Diva. TNT airs four different episodes each weekday at 8:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. and Saturdays at 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. EST.^[16] Charmed is also shown in Canada on Cosmopolitan TV, every day, different times each day.^[17]

[edit] Multimedia

Main articles: Charmed multimedia and List of Charmed books.

[edit] U.S. ratings

Charmed proved to be a success early on, the shows' premiere episode "Something Wicca This Way Comes" pulled in more than 7.7 million viewers; and the show was ranked the #1 rated show on The WB network (tied with Dawson's Creek and Buffy the Vampire Slayer) with an average of 5.5 million viewers per episode. The show also was extremely successful during its second season with an average of 4.8 million per episode and again tying with Buffy the Vampire Slayer for the #2 slot; during the shows 3rd season again placed 3rd with an average of 4.9 million per episode.

[edit] Timeslot changes

The show witnessed multiple changes in its timeslot. From its initial Wednesday night, Charmed moved to Thursday nights in Season Two, and starting with Season Five it moved again, this time to Sunday nights, to anchor "The WB's Big Sunday" event. The change in broadcast day played a central role in the show's change of ratings, as from the moment Charmed moved to Sunday, its episodes had to continually compete with other strong-rated shows such as Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and The Simpsons, as well as events such as the Golden Globes.

[edit] Online

TNT has released full episodes of Charmed for viewing with their "DramaVision" video player on the network website.^[26] As of February 14, 2009, the new TheWB.com website (Web streaming successor to Warner Brothers or "The WB") TheWB.com did not offer the shows.

[edit] International syndication

Outside of North America, Charmed is broadcast in a high number of other countries and television networks, each with their own schedule for the series, and sometimes with their own title for the series. In the United Kingdom, the entire series aired on the digital network Living TV and on the terrestrial channel Five from 2000 until 2006, when Channel 4 purchased the rights to air the final season on its T4 scheduling slot. Charmed was also broadcast for a short time in the UK on the Digital Network Trouble. It showed re-runs of all 8 seasons and then ended the show. ^[27]

Other countries where Charmed airs include the following:

Country / Region	Name	Television Network	Dubbing / Subtitles
Albania	Shtrigat (English: "The Witches")	Digitalb	Albanian subtitles
Argentina	Charmed	Sony Entertainment Television[28]	Spanish subtitles
Austria	Charmed - Zauberhafte Hexen (English: "Charmed - Magical Witches")	ORF1,[29] ProSieben Austria[30]	German
Australia	Charmed	TV1,[31] Austar, Foxtel, Channel Ten[32]	None
Belgium	Charmed	Kanaal Twee[33]	Dutch subtitles
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Čini (English: "Spells")	Pink BH	Bosnian subtitles
Brazil	Charmed	Sony Entertainment Television[34]	Portuguese subtitles
Bulgaria	Чародейките"((Charodeikite); English: "Charmed")	Diema[35]	Bulgarian
Croatia	Čarobnice (English: "Sorceresses")	Nova TV	Croatian subitiles
Czech Republic	Čarodějky (English: "Charmed")	Prima TV, Nova TV	Czech dubbing
Denmark	Heksene fra Warren Manor (English: "The Witches from Warren Manor")	TV3[36]	Danish subtitles
Estonia	Võluvägi (English: "Witchcraft")	Kanal 11	Estonian subtitles
Finland	Siskoni on Noita (English: "My Sister Is A Witch")	Nelonen	Finnish subtitles
France	Charmed	Métropole 6[37], Téva, W9.	French
Germany	Charmed - Zauberhafte Hexen (English: "Charmed - Magical Witches")	ProSieben,[38] Kabel Eins	German dubbing
Greece	Οι Μάγισσες (English: "The Witches")	Star Channel[39]	Greek
Hungary	Bűbájos Boszorkák (English: "Charming Witches")	TV2	Hungarian
Iceland	Heillanornir (English: "Charming Witches")	SkjárEinn	Icelandic subtitles
Indonesia	Charmed	SCTV[40]	Indonesian subtitles
Ireland	Charmed	TV3	None
Italy	Streghe (English: "Witches")	Fox,[41] Rai Due	Italian dubbing
Latin America	Charmed	Sony Entertainment Television[42]	Spanish subtitles
Lithuania	San Francisko Raganos (English: "Witches of San Francisco")	LNK[43], TV1	Lithuanian dubbing
Macedonia	Волшебнички (English:"Charmed")	А1[44]	Macedonian subtitles
Malaysia	Charmed	Ntv7	Bahasa Malaysia subtitles
Mauritius	Charmed	Mcb 1	French
Malta	Charmed	Living TV[45]	None
Mexico	Hechiceras (English: "Witches")	XHGC 5	Spanish
Netherlands	Charmed	NET 5[46]	Dutch subtitles
New Zealand	Charmed	Terrestrial: TV3 (first run) Cable: Sky1 (re-runs)	None
Norway	Charmed (English:)	TV3[47]	Norwegian subtitles
Pakistan	Charmed	Star World	None
Philippines	Charmed	Studio 23[48]	N/A
Poland	Czarodziejki (English: "Witches")	Polsat[49][50]	Polish
Portugal	As Feiticeiras (English: "The Witches")	AXN[51]	Portuguese subtitles
Puerto Rico	Charmed or Hechiceras (English: "Sorcerers")	TNT (aired four times daily)	Spanish traductions
Russia	Зачарованные ([zətɕɪˈrovənnɨjə], "Charmed")	STS	Russian dubbing
Singapore	Charmed	MediaCorp TV Channel 5	Chinese subtitles
Serbia	Čari (English: "Charms")	RTV Pink	Serbian subtitles
Slovakia	Čarodejnice (English: "Witches")	Markíza[52]	Slovak dubbing
Slovenia	Čarovnice (English: "Witches")	Kanal A	Slovenian
South Africa	Charmed	M-Net Series, SABC 3	None
Spain	Embrujadas (English: "Bewitched")	Telecinco (first running), Cuatro (re-running), Cosmopolitan[53]	Spanish dubbing
Sweden	Förhäxad (English: "Bewitched")	TV3	Swedish subtitles
Switzerland	Charmed - Zauberhafte Hexen (English: "Charmed - Magical Witches")	ProSieben Schweiz, SF2[54]	German
Taiwan	聖女魔咒 (English: "Divine Girls & Magical Spells")	Azio TV, China Television	None, Traditional Chinese
Thailand	N/A	True Series[55]	Thai subtitles
Turkey	Charmed	DiziMax[56]	Turkish
United Arab Emirates	Charmed	MBC 4[57]	Arabic subtitles
Ukraine	Всі Жінки Відьми (Vsi Zhinki Vidmi, English: "All Women Are Witches")	1+1	Ukrainian dubbing
United Kingdom	Charmed	Terrestrial: Five (seasons 1-7), Channel 4 (season 8) Cable: Trouble, Living TV[45], E4	None
Vietnam	Phép Thuật (English: "Magic")	Terrestrial: VTV1, VTV3 Cable: VCTV7	Vietnamese dubbing

[edit] Spin-offs

[edit] Mermaid

Alyssa Milano, in character, as Phoebe Halliwell, transformed into a mermaid in "A Witch's Tail", the inspiration for the spin-off series Mermaid.

Charmed's executive producers Brad Kern, Aaron Spelling and E. Duke Vincent developed a one-hour pilot episode for The WB Television Network in early 2005, entitled Mermaid. It was written by Kern and filmed in Miami during Charmed's seventh season, at the same time as "Something Wicca This Way Goes?".^[58][59]

As work progressed on the fifth season's double-episode premier, "A Witch's Tail", the theme of mermaids was recognized to have potential for his own series,^[60] even though the episode was never meant to be a backdoor pilot for a television spin-off.

The series plot^[61][62] is centred on a mermaid, Nikki, who is rescued by a young man when she washes ashore in Miami. Her savior, Matt Johnson, is a lawyer living with a roommate and engaged to the daughter of his boss, and he is in utter disbelief of Nikki's true nature. She does prove to him that she is a mermaid, a race of creatures whose evolution took place in the water. The mermaids come from a sunken city and have supernatural abilities, including superhuman strength and agility, can see in the dark, read emotions and have a connection with other sea creatures, among other possible powers. However, there is another race of creatures who evolved underwater as well, but their evolutionary path has taken them onto dry land, and one of these creatures, Luger, is on the hunt for Nikki. Nikki, meanwhile, takes a job as a waitress at a nearby restaurant and stays with Matt and his roommate while trying to adjust to her life, and help Matt in his attempts to help people; as her would-be hunter Luger assesses, mermaids are drawn to protecting the innocent, it's "in their blood".

During the casting process, Kern "looked in London and New York and New Zealand, Hollywood, Florida, Melbourne and Sydney" and, after interviewing around 300 people, discovered "a fresh new face" in Australian Nathalie Kelley who played the lead role of Nikki. Geoff Stults was then cast as Matt, and Roger Daltrey as prinicpal antagonist Eric Luger.^[63] Brandon Quinn, who later went on to play Homeland Security Agent Murphy in Charmed's eighth season, played Matt's "goofy best friend" in Mermaid^[64]. He spoke of his roles in both series:

[In Mermaid] I was the party man...in the pilot, I had no job; I was a permanent bachelor. And when Brad [Kern] told me about [Agent Murphy], he was, like, 'He's a Homeland Security agent, he's 180 degrees opposite from what you played in my pilot this year, but I really think you could do it.' And I was, like, 'Wow, thanks for trusting me with Agent Murphy.'

Additionally cast in main roles were Ana Ortiz^[65] (who went on to star in Ugly Betty) and Beatrice Rosen^[66] who, along with Quinn, developed a recurring role in Charmed's eighth season as Maya Holmes, an innocent whose image Piper Halliwell inadvertadly uses as her false identity 'Jenny Bennett'.

The pilot was considered to have a good chance of being picked up, but when The WB and UPN merged into The CW, the resulting network passed on the show. Speaking on the failure of the series to be picked up, Kern also revealed that the studio Paramount/CBS "decided at the last second to cut the budget in half", which resulted in the number of shooting days to be reduced, thus decreasing the quality of the pilot in being able to "'sell' the concept".^[67]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Find more about Charmed on Wikipedia's sister projects: Definitions from Wiktionary

Quotations from Wikiquote

Images and media from Commons

• Charmed at the Internet Movie Database
• Charmed at TV.com
• Charmed Fanclub

v • d • e The Charmed universe Television series Episodes · Themes · Quotations · Cast · International syndication · Awards and nominations Episode guide Season 1 · Season 2 · Season 3 · Season 4 · Season 5 · Season 6 · Season 7 · Season 8 Spin-offs Novels · Mermaid (pilot) · Multimedia · Magazines · Video game · Board games · Collectible Card Game Music "How Soon Is Now?" · The Soundtrack · The Book of Shadows · The Final Chapter Cultural impact Academia · Guidebooks Characters Main Prudence Halliwell · Piper Halliwell · Phoebe Halliwell · Paige Matthews Supporting Andy Trudeau · Darryl Morris · Dan Gordon · Leo Wyatt · Cole Turner · Chris Halliwell · Billie Jenkins Recurring Penny Halliwell · Patty Halliwell · Victor Bennett · Wyatt Halliwell Villains Rex Buckland · Hannah Webster · Barbas · The Triad · Belthazor · The Source of All Evil · Shax · The Seer · The Crone · Gideon · Zankou · Christy Jenkins Beings The Avatars · Darklighters · The Hollow · Whitelighters Locations and artifacts Bay Area, San Francisco · The Halliwell Manor · Magic School · The Nexus · The Book of Shadows · Triquetra Related articles Spelling Television · The WB · Aaron Spelling · Constance M. Burge · Brad Kern Category