Charmed recap: Was it Marisol on the other end of the spirit board or a trickster?

Charmed Season 1, Episode 2 picked up right where the pilot left off. In a better-paced episode, we learned more about the sisters, Harry, and evil in the world.

Let’s be honest, pilots aren’t great. Those comparing the Charmed reboot pilot to the Classic Charmed (note, I’m going to start using “Classic Charmed” and “Charmed” now in a way I say “Classic Who” and “Doctor Who” to distinguish) pilot will be upset but there are a couple of reasons for some major differences in terms of pacing and title. I’ll get onto that, but let me just say the second episode was much better.

Pilots 20 years ago weren’t done in the same way. Sure, they were still mostly for the network (it’s the second episode that’s written for us as viewers) but a lot of times there was an unaired pilot first. That was the case with Classic Charmed, so “Something Wicca This Way Comes” needed a title and had better pacing because the bugs were ironed out from the unaired pilot. New premieres aren’t usually made for viewers now due to cost.

Now the technicalities are out of the way, let’s get onto the Charmed recap. Did we find out who was at the other end of the spirit board (as a friend pointed out to me, it’s a spirit board not a Ouija board) and did we find out if we could trust Harry?

Summoning Harry

Picking up right where the Charmed pilot left us, it turns out Harry was only in the attic because he was summoned. That was my thinking since he turned out when Maggie called out his name. Harry makes it clear that the Underworld knows about them getting their powers and they need to look out for anything suspicious.

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Oh, and he says spirit boards shouldn’t be trusted. Like I thought, anything could be on the other side and they’re notorious for trickster demons and spirits. Of course, he could just be saying that if he knows someone has told the sisters not to trust him, but I’m on his side right now and that’s not because I adore Rupert Evans.

With Harry gone, the sisters have to question who to trust. Of course, all this leads to tension rising between Mel and Macy. That honeymoon period in the pilot is gone and they’re now stepping into their roles of the family. Mel is the older sibling personality wise (despite being the middle) and Macy is an only child personality wise. There’s going to be tension.

When they’re discussing their options, the Book of Shadows magically (love that this one does it, too) opens to a truth serum. Macy wants to give Harry the truth serum to figure out if Harry is telling the truth or not. You just know that this isn’t going to work out as planned.

The show does date itself in this episode. Because they can’t call Harry “Harry” because they’ll summon him, Maggie decides he should be called Meghan Markle. There would have been better names to use, but never mind. Glossing over that point.

Maggie attempts to control her powers

While standing vigil over Angela Wu, a.k.a Coma Girl,” Maggie tries to control her powers. Gloves don’t stop her reading thoughts, but she does find a use for her powers. When she touches Angela, she hears her thoughts and hears screams from the inside. However, Maggie is frustrated when she can read Brian’s thoughts. This is starting to remind me of Phoebe Halliwell trying to control her empathy.

Meanwhile, Macy makes up with Galvin after the beer incident and then learns about a custodian who says a black ball of goo attacked her. Macy immediately jumps to the idea of demon and gets the goo to give to Harry. When she goes to the hospital to see the custodian, Harry is already there apparently wiping her memory of magic. Not long after, the custodian dies.

I’ve just got this question too:

When the spirit board moves on its own, Mel and Maggie start using it. Maggie is sure they’re talking to their mom, but Macy still isn’t sure. When the spirit board attacks them, Macy telekinetically throws the board against a wall and breaks it.

If you guessed this would lead to another argument, well done. It’s understandable that Macy takes a step back from this. She didn’t grow up with Marisol and there are some underlying feelings of jealousy and anger towards her mother. Mel and Maggie are desperate to connect with their mom.

When Niko arrives, Macy walks out and accidentally picks up Niko’s thermos instead of her truth serum tea. That’s a typical storyline and a little bit lazy writing, but okay. It gets the job done. It’s not surprising that Niko suddenly starts sharing the truth–and the whole truth!–about everyone.

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Is it Marisol?

While Mel deals with Niko, Maggie fixes the spirit board. After that, the board tells her there’s a way to release the spirit from the board. Yeah, that doesn’t sound suspicious at all.

Desperate to believe this is their mom, Maggie and Mel release their spirit and it certainly looks like Marisol. This comes with another warning that Harry can’t be trusted and he wants to steal the Charmed Ones’ powers. So, normal episode of Classic Charmed, right? Didn’t everyone want to steal their powers?

When Harry ends up back at the house (needless to say, Niko’s tea didn’t make him tell the truth to Macy), he comes face-to-face with Marisol. Mel knocks him out with the Book of Shadows and Macy is completely sure that they were talking to their mom after all.

Marisol shares that they can trap Harry in a Prism of Souls, but Maggie catches on that something isn’t right. She can’t hear Marisol’s thoughts. Macy and Mel don’t believe her, grab the prism to collect the soul, and head off back to face Harry. By this point, Harry is mid-fight with Marisol.

Of course, this whole scene brings the “who’s telling the truth?” storyline. Marisol wants the sisters to believe Harry is the demon, while Harry wants the sisters to believe that the spirit is an “imposter demon” looking to steal their powers. Maggie trusts Harry in the end, so Marisol turns to Mel. Telling Mel that Mel was always her favorite is a bad move.

Knowing now they’re not dealing with Marisol, the sisters search for a way to stop the demon. Harry tells them that if it sees its own form, it will be destroyed. Mirron, then? Oh, no! We have to go tech! Maggie pulls out her cell phone and puts it on selfie mode. Yes, really!

Bonding time and a twist

With the sisters now trusting Harry, Macy is able to give him the black goo and he immediately goes off in search for answers. To the Elders, then?

Meanwhile, the sisters bond. The “majority rules” system they’ve been working with is terrible and Maggie has the chance to dole out advice to her older sisters. They makeup with each other and then with their respective others. Macy apologizes to Galvin again, Mel and Niko make up, and Maggie splits up with Brian for good–okay, two out of three makeup with their respective others.

Harry returns with news about the black good. It’s a Harbinger of Hell’s primordial form and marks the third phase (everything happens in threes) of the prophecy, which were explained in the first episode by the worst men rising to power and powerful witches, including Marisol, being murdered. Only the Charmed Ones can stop this.

The harbinger needs to find its human vessel. Of course, just as that happens, the harbinger takes over Angela Wu’s now awake form.

What did you think of Charmed Season 1, Episode 2? Is this still a show you’re giving a chance? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Charmed airs Sundays at 9/8c on The CW.