1.01 Something Wicca This Way Comes

[The Matriarch]

1.01 Something Wicca This Way Comes



Original Airdate: 7 October 1998

Written by: Constance M. Burge
Directed by: John T. Kretchmer

Synopsis:

Phoebe Halliwell returns to San Francisco to live with her older sisters, Prue and Piper at their grandmother's house six months after her death. During their first night together in their grandmother's house, Phoebe finds the Book of Shadows, a book of witchcraft and recites an incantation that leaves the sisters three with powers they were destined to have.

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Promotional Media:

[Phoenixlighter]

Can I just say, thank God we got Alyssa M. instead of Lori Rom. This show wouldn't have worked otherwise. The youngest being the tallest may work in "Supernatural" but Lori was just awkward in my opinion.

It was a solid first episode, done in a very timely, and I felt, realistic manner. Phoebe was my favorite of the episode, I always tend to lean towards the magic-eager-beaver (later Paige, then Billie) and her willingness just made the episode flow so well. Prue and Piper had questions and thanks to Phoebe's late night study, she provided answers. Jeremy engineering his path towards their powers was awesome and it was simply cool seeing their united power come together for the first time. It was the start of a pretty strong, opening season, and series.

[Temporal Death]

Can I just say, thank God we got Alyssa M. instead of Lori Rom. This show wouldn't have worked otherwise. The youngest being the tallest may work in "Supernatural" but Lori was just awkward in my opinion.

I call unintential hypocrite! Paige always seemed taller than Piper and Phoebe.

As for this episode, I read the book before I watched it (as I had started watching Charmed from S4) and it was much, much more exciting than this episode. That's probably what made the scenes in the middle boring to me, as I wanted to see the scenes where Phoebe was in the Wicca shop onscreen, and was hoping something about Melinda Warren's life/death would be shown in narrative flashback as Phoebe read on.

Might I also add that it was so awkward getting used to Piper not having her blowing up power. But other than that it was a pretty good pilot. I really wish they'd have stuck with most of the mythos introduced in this episode, especially with the spellcasting and stuff. Although I suppose it would be lame for them to wait for a full moon to cast a spell at its full power. And Lori was horrible, I agree.

[Criminally Vulgar]

Jun 9, 2010 18:46:50 GMT 1 Phoenixlighter said:

Can I just say, thank God we got Alyssa M. instead of Lori Rom. This show wouldn't have worked otherwise. The youngest being the tallest may work in "Supernatural" but Lori was just awkward in my opinion.

Agreed! Plus, it's much easier to accept that three actresses are playing sisters when they all have the same hair color. Two brunettes and a redhead is, like you said, awkward. Still, I am grateful for Lori and all that she did for the show. Alyssa herself said that she watched the unaired pilot before filming her version, and if you compare the two, Alyssa's acting is almost identical to Lori's in some parts, and I'm pretty sure that that influenced the way "Phoebe" was portrayed for the rest of the series.

Phoebe was my favorite of the episode, I always tend to lean towards the magic-eager-beaver (later Paige, then Billie) and her willingness just made the episode flow so well.

It all makes sense now! D: lol

Anyway, there are a few lines in the unaired pilot that were cut out from the final version that I think would've been great. The main one I can think of right now is how Piper tried to convince Phoebe that no one in their family was a witch, then Phoebe walks into the house and mutters "I beg to differ about Grams" (or something like that). I LOVE that line, and I really wish they kept it in. But overall, the episode was pretty great, and aside from a few contradictions made later in the series, I really like this episode, and I believe it served its purpose perfectly.

[Brando]

I am very happy that we got Alyssa Milano as well because when I watched the original un-aired Pilot I was so annoyed with it. Lorri Rom would have been way too serious and Phoebe is supposed to be the wild and fun sister of the 3, and Alyssa Milano gave just that. I also like how Jeremy was in this episode better because in the original pilot they add a bunch of effects to the scene where they chant the Po3 spell.

It would have been cool if they used some scenes from the original one but the structure of the house was also very weird in that one.

Overall I think this was a much better pilot.

[Perry Peverell]

They were filming in the real house, except for the attic. I'm glad they made the sets look different though. I love them more then the inside of the real house.

I must agree with Alex, that line about Grams should have been kept as well as this one:

Jeremy: Cool parlor trick bitch. You were always the tough one, weren't you Prue. You didn't even cry at mommy's funeral.
Prue: And I won't be crying at yours!

I loved that one.

Anyway, on the Lori vs Alyssa thing. I liked both of them. I prefer Alyssa as well, but I don't dislike Lori or her way of interpreting Phoebe. I think that it just worked better with Alyssa because they all knew each other. Shannen, Holly and Alyssa were already friends. I don't think they were with Lori.

My favorite scene in the episode, which is also my most favorite scene out of the series, is the one were Phoebe discovers the Book of Shadows. On the DVD bonus, someone said that it was the most dramatical introduction for a prop. And they couldn't have done it any better. It screamed magic without having a load of special effects.