Let’s get the complaining out of the way first: making the elders “senior witches” instead of…The Elders is a cool, interesting twist. We always wanted more witch interaction in the original show, but the Charmed One’s mother being an elder feels like a Netflix short-lived series type of twist than a show that wants to be a long-running episodic. Also, the character of Charity was a fun addition but, no offense to Virginia Williams, felt like it would’ve been perfectly played by Kristin Chenoweth. In defense of Williams’ casting though, I’d personally cast Kristin in anything, but I digress.

Charmed – The CW

Outside of the jarring deviations from the source material, CONTRARY TO OTHER CRITICS, I think the episode continued down the reboots path of successful improvement. A slow start highlights the witch’s harboring of the Harbinger still possessing their friend Angela. A chunk of time is wasted fleshing out Angela’s connection to Mel and their mother [they supported her when she accused that professor from the premiere of harassment], and after that they reestablished just how dangerous the demon was by having her death touch a mouse, that once Macy analyzed they realized it was creating a smallpox-like virus.

Charmed – The CW

Enter the elders! Or at least “elder” singular, known as Charity, that comes with a dagger for each sister and requests they kill the Harbinger, as well as Angela who they believe is beyond saving. The Charmed One’s are all opposed to the plan and the show explores the themes of utilitarianism that were frequently visited in the original show, with Macy joining their decision to defy the elders when Charity tells the story fo the spell to extract their mother’s pain over a difficult loss (losing Macy).

These emotional journeys make the most sense, whereas almost all of the romance related to the sisters is co mmm ing off as forced and unnecessary — poor Maggie, specifically (and Macy being hit and cold with Galving). The only one that makes sense is Mel and Niand and the show made that decidedly more complicated by making Niko a cop and her partner Trip an overly curious douche. After they question the Charmed Ones about Angela’s disappearance (she WAS last seen at their party) Trip begins following them which leads to his own demise when he is struck with a pipe that falls during the exorcism and dies.

Charmed – The CW

That’s right, they indirectly killed an innocent by episode 4. To make matters worse, Charity covers it up by staging a suicide and leaving evidence that he was involved in the Halloween murders. Mel learns this from a distraught Niko and Harryhbunforms them that while they did well in saving Angela, the elders will be displeased they didn’t ibey orders and there will be “consequences”. So those consequences and the aftermath of Trip’s death and Niko’s fallout will be the focus of episode 5, but needless to say, we aren’t big fans of these new elders and we don’t trust them — but Angela was saved so we can walk away with a slight feeling of a win?