Charmed Re-Watch: The Witch is Back (Season 1 Episode 9)

Charmed Season 1 Episode 9, “The Witch is Back,” deftly delivers a creepy tone that works perfectly to counter-balance the over-the-top camp of the Salem Witch Trial time-travelers.

Even though it’s not quite as scary as Charmed Season 1 Episode 5, “Dream Sorcerer,” the episode builds the feeling that there are real threats out there, and The Charmed Ones are not immortal.

Their powers are growing stronger, in step with their enemies. I, for one, am pumped to see the stakes raised.

Charmed

I am loving the more ominous tone Andy Trudeau brings to the episode. Somehow the sinister, scary vibe is working!

I am charmed that Andy immediately recognizes the very window of Prue’s office. Another actor or just a slight over-write of the scenes could really give Andy’s character a more controlling or disturbing vibe.

But, Charmed makes sure to always have Andy respect Prue’s choices and autonomy. That respect makes his frustrations charming, not frightening.

I am also charmed by how Andy and Prue aren’t just getting back together and breaking up all the time. They came to an impasse, and they are honoring that choice until context changes. It is mature, but not at all boring.

Someone send a note to Aaron Sorkin; it can be done!

Andy and Prue’s relationship, unlike those Shannen Doherty encountered on her other hit show 90210, is based on the understanding that love is not a game. The end goal is not the adrenaline surge or a “win” but the long-term relationship.

That is adulting while shipping, and I am all about it.

I am also all about Phoebe’s expanding powers. She can now see the past, which is actually a much more useful and intriguing power.

I love that Phoebe’s insecurity is her lame power of future-seeing. It is difficult to see how it’s all that powerful, although she has used it to save lives.

Even the strange, fuzzy black and white camera work that accompanies her visions tells us that her power is just, meh. Phoebe wants to be involved and useful, not just peripherally or colorlessly helpful.

She also wants to not feel foolish for embracing her power when her sister Prue seems almost too good for hers. That conflict reflects a rich understanding of the layers involved in sibling rivalry.

Phoebe desires to be an upstander in a time when minding your own business is far more en vogue. Now, that’s a great power!

I am also completely charmed by the sisters’ investigation into the Book of Shadows.

I LOVE when the sisters study their craft. Give me ALL the attic page-flipping montages!

It works in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and here in Charmed. The cozy fun of getting some demon exposition while hunkered around a huge dusty text is eternal. I’ll never not like it!

I hope we get a bunch of sisters studying in the Charmed reboot.

It is a gorgeous bonus that the spell they cast involves a blood offering, and we learn the sisters made a promise when they were kids to be friends, not just sisters. We also learn that Piper’s finger got infected, and she couldn’t swim that summer.

The whole thing is just SO STINKING CUTE. It is perfectly placed right in the middle of the more eery and serious story.

Finally, although it is very out of place, the head of hair on the Salem Witch Trial villain is just breathtaking. It’s out of a Pantene Pro-V commercial.

I can’t help but be charmed as he magically floats down the 10 story building because of those shiny locks. Yes, please!

Chagrined

In the ’90s, Puritan culture includes a front-laced corset.

Obviously, historical accuracy is not what Charmed is going for, but this costuming choice seems egregious. This is the era when Halloween costumes turned into the “sexy” version of everything, so I suppose it makes sense that the show would give us the “sexy” version of a 17th-century witch.

I can’t help but shake my head and feel grateful that television has become less sexist in its approach to historical costuming.

Timeless also showcases a trip to Salem during the Salem Witch Trials, and those costumes were stunning without needing to sexualize the wearer. Progress!

The costumes aren’t the only part of the episode that feels like it came right from a Halloween store. Those accents are also cheap and plastic!

Pantene Floating Guy, Melinda Warren, and Rex all speak in some over-the-top accents of ambiguous origins.

It’s all in good fun though. The grounded performances by the Halliwell sisters, Andy, and Leo help to bring the story back to a more sincere tone.

I am chagrined by Piper’s attempts to woo Leo. The doting is pretty gross. She’s always bringing him coffee or asking what he needs.

It’s nice to see that he doesn’t lean into it, but it breaks my heart a little that Piper believes making herself attractive or worthy to a man is through acting as his servant.

It’s a small thing, but it is weird that Leo is in the Halliwell house all the time and knows enough about Prue’s work to recognize it on a news segment about the Pantene Floating Guy. I guess we’re to believe that Leo hangs out and chats at some point, even though up to now we’ve really only seen him being ogled by the sisters and accepting snacks?

I’m chagrined by this confusing plot point. Is Leo a creep?

A final chagrin is the casting of the OG Halliwell witch. She is blonde, very fair featured, and tall.

The casting of a person who looks so dissimilar to the Halliwell women, especially with the “she looks like mom” thrown in there, is a dud. It would have been better to find someone who is dark featured like all three sisters.

Changed

During my re-watch of “The Witch is Back” I realized that a big thing that has changed since my first watch is the meaning of Trudeau.

Andy is no longer the only Trudeau! We now have Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to bring to mind when we hear the surname. Let me tell you, it makes Andy Trudeau a much sexier character.

I wonder if they are related?

What do you think about Charmed Season 1 Episode 9, “The Witch is Back?” Join our charming discussion in the comments!

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