Charmed 'Halloween 2000' - Original Episode Air Date October 26, 2000

Yes, it's that time of year again, time for TV to pull out the 'Halloween' episodes of all our favorite shows, and so far my favorite has been the Halloween episode of 'Charmed'

Yes, it is true that I am a 'Charmed' fan and have been for a while now, but even if I wasn't I think I would have really enjoyed this episode, because it actually did something I've been hoping the show would do since the series began - it showed real Witches.

The episode has our three Charmed heroines sucked back in time, to Virgina, circa 1670, where they must protect a woman about to give birth to Melinda Warren, their great, great, great.... Grandmother, and the start of the Halliwell Witch line. The catch? Because they didn't exist in 1670, neither did their powers. I refer, of course, to their 'Hollywood' powers - moving objects, freezing time, levitation and the rest. But when the three learn that they have no 'super powers', they discover that they have access to something more - real magick.

The three are summoned to the past by good Witches in Colonial Virginia, who called for 'the most powerful Witches of all time' to help them save a magickal baby. Once they arrive and discover their powers are gone, the Colonial Witches - the real Witches, in my opinion - teach the sisters' Halliwell how to tap into true Magick - through herbs, corn dollies, brooms, poppets, pumpkins and even apples. Sure, there was still some 'Hollywood' effects thrown in, like glowing brooms and talismans, but it was still much better than the 'Inherited super powers' concept the show usually relies on for it's 'Witchcraft'. The sisters have to study and learn different herbs and practices, and in the end actually create a sacred circle using practies not too foreign to today's Witches - sweeping sacred space, surrounding the circle in protective herbs, etc..

I will admit, there were some really silly parts in this episode too - Phoebe donning the conical black hat and flying on a broom made me want to hide under the couch - but for the most part this was a fantastic episode, and gives me hope for even better episodes in the future, because the girls have obviously learned to connect to the true nature of Magick, and hopefuly the knowledge will stay with them in seasons to come.