As the holidays near and the year comes to an end, now is the perfect time to start binge-watching a TV show, especially one that’s been around for a while and has a bunch of seasons. When the weather is cold, and there’s time off for the holidays, it’s fun to stay inside and either start a new show, or rewatch a beloved classic. For those who are looking for something new to watch, there are plenty of excellent shows on a number of different streaming platforms to choose from.
Fantasy shows make for the perfect mental vacation, because they have exciting worldbuilding, suspenseful storylines full of scary villains, and heroes who are easy to root for. One show currently finding streaming success on Paramount+ is The WB’s Charmed, a cozy, eight-season fantasy series that will be perfect for fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Supernatural – that is, if they haven’t watched it already.
‘Charmed’ Follows Three Sisters Who are Powerful Witches
Charmed follows the three Halliwell sisters: Prue (Shannen Doherty), Piper (Holly Marie Combs), and Phoebe (Alyssa Milano). As of the start of the series, Piper is still close with both of her sisters, but Prue isn’t speaking to Phoebe at the moment due to a misunderstanding. Since the recent death of their grandmother, who raised the sisters with Prue’s help, Prue and Piper have been living together in her house. Struggling on her own in New York, Phoebe suddenly moves back home to live with her sisters, much to Prue’s chagrin. Phoebe soon notices supernatural occurrences in the house that lead her to the family spellbook, the Book of Shadows, which reveals that the Halliwell family is made up of generations of witches. The book also suggests that, when working together as a trio, the Halliwell sisters will be a true force to be reckoned with.
An incantation soon activates all three of the sisters’ powers. Prue has the power of telekinesis, Piper can freeze time, and Phoebe gets visions of the future. While Phoebe is excited to be a witch alongside her sisters, Prue and Piper are more concerned, particularly because getting in touch with their powers puts them at risk of dangerous creatures like warlocks and demons. The sisters find it hard to keep living their lives under the radar now, because their powers can be triggered at any moment. Additionally, the local police department has been investigating a series of crimes recently, and although they haven’t yet realized it, each of the crimes has a supernatural component that continues to put the Halliwell sisters in even more danger. Despite these sudden changes, though, the Halliwell sisters use the Book of Shadows to fight evil together, and this brings them closer to one another than they’ve ever been.
‘Charmed’ Makes for a Suspenseful Yet Cozy Comfort Watch
Like any great Monster of the Week show, each episode of Charmed sees its main characters struggling to maintain their normal lives, including their love lives, while dealing with regular supernatural threats. Prue quits her job after her boss and ex-fiancé (Matthew Ashford) treats her unfairly, and she finds herself inadvertently using her powers to spill on his shirt and choke him with his tie. Piper can acknowledge when her ability to freeze time is useful, but she’s afraid of what being a witch means for the life she used to live, and concerned about what will change. Phoebe is the most enthusiastic about being a witch, but even she can’t escape the frustration of getting to know someone new and then learning that they’re a creature who’s out to get them. Even with their lives often in danger, though, the sisters continue to protect those who need their help from the creatures chasing after them.
Charmed certainly has very real stakes, especially in the later seasons (where stars like Rose McGowan, Kaley Cuoco, and Julia McMahon join the cast), but it’s still a cozy show that makes for an excellent comfort watch. No matter how scary or powerful the weekly monsters are, the Halliwell sisters almost always manage to save the day, even when the odds are stacked against them. Through it all, they have each other’s backs, and they use their connection as sisters to strengthen their magic. For anyone looking to be entertained by powerful witches fighting off villains, or to enjoy an emotional, family-centered dramedy series, Charmed is the perfect next binge-watch for this winter.
Charmed is available to stream on Paramount+.
