Charmed (2018) Season 1 Episode 2 Review: Let This Mother Out
Justin Carreiro
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The bond of the Charmed Ones is one of the most powerful sibling connections in TV history. Thankfully, Charmed (2018) Season 1 Episode 2 took the time to reaffirm the importance of this sisterly connection.
Macy, Mel, and Maggie having magic is a big part of their story, but it's the connection they have as sisters that genuinely propels them forward. When they come together as a family, the sisters can achieve anything.
But, while this theme was discussed, it, unfortunately, got lost in all the different plot points. There was too much going on!
"Let This Mother Out" tackled so many storylines in its 40-minute structure that it didn't give any of its plots or characters the justice it deserved.
The original Charmed benefitted from allowing its viewers to go along the self-discovery and magical discovery journey with the Halliwells. When the sisters learned about demons, spells, and the forces of good, we learned it with them. And, it was a natural slow pace that spread over several episodes and seasons.
In the case of the Vera/Vaughan family, there was no time to adjust or breathe. Everything felt rushed to the point that characters reached their resolutions without any development that felt natural or long-lasting.
As viewers, we had to keep up with all the plots of dating disasters (Maggie/Brian, Mel/Niko), workplace issues (Macy/Galvin), sorority mishaps, emerging enemies/betrayals, sisterly dynamics, and the battle against evil.
The problem here is that we've only had the foundation of Charmed (2018) Season 1 Episode 1 to know the characters.
In only two episodes, a lot of information was provided to get us caught up. Charmed (2018) wanted us to get everything upfront to provide depth and conflict, but it failed to hit the emotional marks it wanted us to feel because it was too quick.
And it's a shame that was the reality because the sisters made some big developments.
One of the events from the series premiere that nagged me was Macy's quick move-in into the Vera house.
She just met her half-sisters, but yet her, Maggie, and Mel were all keen to start living together and be a family? That move didn't seem believable for any of the characters, even if we only knew them from the premiere.
Character development was severely lacking. And, I did fear that this relationship building, as well as the challenges of new family members living together, would be ignored. Thankfully, that focus got discussed due to Macy moving into their mother's room.
The sisters at their core might have similarities that connect them, but they're essentially different people with their views about their mother, their wants, and their witchy responsibilities.
Maggie: Oh, careful with the Mom Bong! She’s fragile and one of a kind.
Macy: The what?
Maggie: I found a bong in the back of Mom's closet in the third grade. I didn’t know what it was, but I broke it. I felt so bad, so I made her a new one in art class. Mom loved it. “My 8 year old made me a bong!”
Mel, being the oldest of the Vera sisters, would naturally find some hesitation toward her now-older sister Macy moving into her life. Her actions throughout "Let This Mother In" showcased the walls she had put up not to let anyone take away the memories she had of Marisol.
The fact that Macy was the one moving into that room and searching for her history only heightened that hesitation.
Overcoming that initial conflict and the sisters discussing their fears made their bond stronger. It isn't perfect nor should it be completely resolved; however, this victory gave them a believable starting point to grow their sibling relationship.
We need these types of plots to happen between the sisters so that they can strengthen their bond. Plus, it has to be a constant thread that spreads over countless episodes to showcase the significance of the Power of Three.
Fellow TV Fanatic writer Kat Pettibone noted, "Part of what made the early days of the original Charmed so special is that the focus on sisterhood was so strong. And not just the loving and supportive aspects, but the struggle it entailed. The struggles they faced while discovering how to see things eye-to-eye and work together."
I completely agree with her words!
In the original Charmed, Prue had issues with Phoebe moving back into the house after their conflicts pre-series. And, Piper initially had a frosty relationship with her newly discovered half-sister, Paige, when she wasn't done grieving for Prue. Plus, Paige didn't want to move in with the sisters she just met.
These conflicts were natural parts of their histories that made them feel like believable characters. The Vera/Vaughan sisters need to explore the path of their relationships too.
We should believe that they are sisters-who-are-witches, not witches-who-are-sisters.
Maggie: Stop!
Mrs. Vera: Maggie?
Maggie: If you’re really Mom, then you’ll know what I made you in third-grade art class.
Mrs. Vera: How could I forget my 8-year-old made me a bong?
Mel: She got it right, give it to her.
Harry: An imposter gets into your head, that’s how it works.
Macy: Are you really sure it isn’t her?
Maggie: Believe me, I want it to be. But it’s not. I can feel it.
The demon from the spirit board was a terrific villain to introduce the sisters to the extent of the Underworld.
The trickster wasn't a presence they were familiar with, but a demon that manipulated their heartache and made them doubt their intuition. Now that the sisters were unified, they would have to deal with a variety of demons that had different motivations and abilities. In this case, the demon wanted their powers.
If it had not been for Maggie touching her mother's hands, the sisters would've vanquished Harry thinking he was evil. With all things considered, the demon was successful in their manipulation for a long time.
Harry: You really trust me?
Mel: I trust you. I don’t like you, but I trust you.
This experience will have a positive effect on The Charmed Ones.
Not only did it cause all three sisters to come face-to-face with their grief over their mother's death, but it opened their eyes to the demonic world. The spirit board trickster came close to winning by utilizing their mother's memories. The prism was almost in their hands!
Macy, Mel, and Maggie won't be so trusting to the supernatural events happening around them. They'll keep their wits sharp by assessing the dangers of their next enemy.
Harry being the villain was a cool red herring.
His eccentric behavior kept us on our toes, and he seemed like he was up to some shady business whenever the sisters discovered him. I had my doubts about him, and since this is a reboot, the possibility that he was evil was a potential outcome. (He's still pretty annoying as a character, though.)
On the other hand, even though the sisters can trust him now, there's something still fishy about him.
Harry knows more than he's letting on. He's been forthright about his goal to help them, but I can't shake the vibe that he's keeping secrets from them. It all might be a suspicion, and it's still too early to tell.
However, we should keep our eyes on him just in case.
I felt so bad for Macy. The moment she dreamt about having her entire life turned out to be a lie.
The demon took away the specialness of her first reunion with her mother. She shared all her hopes and longing, but it all meant nothing in the end. The demon ruined that tender moment for the future if she ever does meet her mother.
I understand why the twist was included, but it felt cruel to the character. Imagine waiting all your life to have a reunion and share your truth only for it to be untrue.
Also, why didn’t Macy seem devastated?
She brushed off the deception like it didn’t matter. However, this betrayal should’ve had a bigger impact on her character development. She waited all these years to meet her mother; that moment means something.
I don’t think this plot should’ve been included if it wasn’t going to be used as a bigger impact on Macy’s story.
Harry: Remember, the Underworld knows you’re the Charmed Ones and we need you to keep safe. You must call straight away if you see signs of increased demonic activity: abrupt fog, increase in temperature, rapid dog fornication, spontaneous human combustion, presidential tweets…
Mel's troubles with the truth serum exposed a lot about her relationship woes.
Did you guess Mel was the other woman in Niko's past relationship? That revelation seemed strange at first, especially since she was having on-again-off-again troubles with said romantic partner. Though Niko's truth exposed the emotional distance she received from Mel, so it all made sense.
Hopefully, Niko and Mel can make it work. They have some significant emotional hurdles to overcome to truly create a lasting relationship, but they seem like they're in love.
Related: The CW Orders Additional Scripts for Legacies, Charmed and All American
Furthermore, in the rules of exes, Mel had serious reasons to be upset with Niko sleeping with her ex Greta. (Sorry Maggie, I disagree!)
Sure, the two were not together at the time, but if you found out your girlfriend/boyfriend had slept (twice!) with their ex-fiance the previous week before getting back together with you, wouldn't you be upset too?
There's something shady about the whole deal. One of the two cheaters still has feelings, and either way, it is a messy situation.
Speaking of Maggie, I love the change in the character. She went from only being an aspiring sorority sister who cared about her social life to a person who valued her relationships with her real sisters.
Much of the focus was on her character development, the use of her powers, and how she fits into the dynamic between Mel and Macy.
Whereas in the original Charmed, Piper was the sister who balanced out Prue and Phoebe. Could Maggie be that sister in the reboot who will connect Macy and Mel?
Macy: About this majority rules thing…
Maggie: Yea, let’s not do it! I mean this is about the Power of Three! Listen to me, being all assertive.
It seemed so since Maggie found herself in the middle a few times between Macy's and Mel's decisions. For instance, what to do with Harry, and the decision regarding the prism. Their majority-rules stance was never going to work out, and luckily it ended before more harm came to be.
Related: Charmed: Sarah Jeffrey on Sisterhood, Cultural Icon Status & More!
I can't wait to see how Maggie continues to develop now that the sisters are focusing on themselves and their bonds.
She made great strides by giving them honest sisterly advice that they needed to hear. And, her decision to end her on-again/off-again relationship helps her to focus on the happiness she wants for the future.
Random Thoughts:
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Did the big apocalyptic revelation at the end feel like an afterthought? For potentially being the big focus of the season, the effect was subtle and lackluster.
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The special effects on Charmed need a serious update. The black liquid looked like Venom had attacked the caretaker.
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There's more to Galvin's story, right? I'm still waiting for a big reveal.
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Maggie's telepathy might be the funniest power yet. I loved the scenes with Brian and the sorority circle at the hospital; she was dreading every minute of it.
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I enjoyed the set design for the mirror room; it looked pretty trippy and pristine.
- The truth serum plot offered a lot of nostalgic feels linking back to the original show. I loved the truth spell episodes!
What did you think of "Let This Mother Out"?
Will Macy ever get her chance to talk with her deceased mother? Will this be the last we see of Brian? Did the Charmed Ones solve this mystery too quickly?
If you missed the latest episode of Charmed, you can watch Charmed (2018) online via TV Fanatic. Come back here and share your thoughts in the comments.
Justin Carreiro was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow him on X.
