As the holidays approach and the year comes to a close, it’s a great time to start binge-watching a TV show, especially one that has been around for a while and has multiple seasons. When it’s cold and there’s free time for the holidays, it’s fun to stay inside and start a new show or rewatch a beloved classic. For those looking for something new to watch, there are plenty of great shows on a number of different streaming platforms.
Fantasy shows make for the perfect mental vacation because they feature exciting world-building, suspenseful plots full of scary villains, and relatable heroes. One show currently enjoying streaming success on Paramount+ is The WB’s Charma cozy eight-season fantasy series that will be perfect for fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer And Supernatural – that is, if they haven’t already watched it.
“Charmed” follows three sisters who are powerful witches
Charm follows the three Halliwell sisters: Prue (Shannen Doherty), Piper(Holly Marie Combs), and Phoebe (Alyssa Milan). Since the beginning of the series, Piper is still close to her two sisters, but Prue is not 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 alone in New York, Phoebe suddenly returns home to live with her sisters, much to Prue’s dismay. Phoebe soon notices supernatural events in the house that lead her to the family spell book, the Book of Shadowswhich 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 real force to be reckoned with.
An incantation soon activates the three powers of the sisters. Prue has the power of telekinesis, Piper can freeze time, and Phoebe has visions of the future. While Phoebe is thrilled to be a witch alongside her sisters, Prue and Piper are more worried, especially because Coming into contact with their powers puts them at risk from dangerous creatures like warlocks and demons. The sisters now struggle to continue living their lives under the radar, as their powers could be triggered at any time. Additionally, the local police have recently been investigating a series of crimes and, although they haven’t realized it yet, each of these crimes has a supernatural component that continues to put the Halliwell sisters in even more danger. Despite these sudden changes, the Halliwell sisters use the Book of Shadows fighting evil together, which brings them closer than ever.
“Charmed” is a comfortable watch, both suspenseful and comfortable
Like any great Monster of the Week show, each episode of Charm sees its main characters struggling to maintain their normal lives, including their love life, while regularly facing supernatural threats. Prue quits her job after her boss and her ex-fiance (Matthew Ashford) treats her unfairly, and she inadvertently finds herself using her powers to knock down his shirt and choke him with his tie. Piper can recognize that her ability to freeze time is useful, but she is afraid of what being a witch means for the life she led and worries about what will change. Phoebe is the most excited about being a witch, but even she can’t escape the frustration of meeting someone new and then learning that it’s a creature out to get her. Even though their lives are often in danger, the sisters continue to protect those who need their help from the creatures that pursue them.
Charm certainly has very real stakes, especially in the later seasons (where stars like Rose McGowan, Kaley CuocoAnd Julia McMahon join the cast), but it’s still a warm show that makes for a great 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 against them. Through it all, they support each other, and they use their connection as sisters to strengthen their magic. For anyone who wants to be entertained by powerful witches fighting bad guys, or enjoy an emotional, family-centered drama series, Charm is the next perfect binge watch for this winter.
Charm is available for streaming on Paramount+.
Charm
- Release date
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1998 – 00/00/2006
