The Charmed Ones set off to save their first innocent in the emerging demon war.

Last week, Charmed entirely destroyed the universe it had created in its first season with an entirely new concept for the Charmed Ones to focus upon. With no Book of Shadows, and no powers, the sisters found themselves stranded in Seattle, relying upon a secret Elder base which detects danger towards witches. For seemingly the first time, the Charmed Ones seemed to be less powered than their adversaries, and having to rely upon more than just their magic to solve their problems. This week sees no change to this set-up, with even Harry finding himself powerless too.

While suffering disturbing dreams of a rather seductive and evil Harry, Macy discovers that the two witches who perished in the previous episode had a relative called Layla, who is also a witch. Layla has gone missing, so the Charmed Ones set off to find her. When Safe Space is not yet open for the morning, Macy and Harry set off on a road trip to Oregon, where Layla was last sighted, while Mel and Maggie remain behind due to their lack of active powers.

On the road trip, Macy and Harry have a heart to heart about the tension between them, leading Harry to reveal to Macy that the demon who attacked them looked like himself. They manage to trace Layla to a demon club, in which only those with demon blood are permitted access. Leaving Harry outside, Macy ventures forth alone.

Meanwhile, while scouring social media for the news of her own apparent demise, Maggie discovers that Santiago Vera (Mel’s biological father and Maggie’s assumed father until last season) has died. Maggie is adamant that she wants to go to the funeral, but Mel — remembering all of the times that he wasn’t there for them growing up — is against the idea, both arguing that he doesn’t deserve them there, as well as it being an unnecessary risk with an assassin after them.

Maggie, irritated at her sister treating her like a child, impetuously googles the location of her father’s funeral and uses the Elder technology to portal there. While watching her father’s grave side, Harry appears. Very quickly, Maggie surmises that this is not the Harry that she knows, but he grabs her. A cloaked Mel attacks Dark Harry with a spade, and the two portal back to the safe house. Now considerably shaken as to who it was with Harry’s face, the two set off to rescue Macy, especially now that the Elder scanner is revealing two witches in danger in Oregon.

Inside the demon club, Macy is surrounded by different demonic factions. It is revealed that a new demon is rising, referred to as the Overlord, to unite the demons against the witches, who demons view as the cause of all of demonic trouble. To that end, Layla is revealed upon the pyre and the demons start braying for her demise. Macy, fitted with a magical bracelet, is unable to use her powers to help.

Outside the club, a cloaked Maggie and Mel attack the real Harry, who is desperately trying to orb inside. He manages to persuade them that he is benevolent by reciting one of their mother’s recipes and Maggie and Mel race inside to help Macy.

Macy tries to stall by revealing herself to be the Overlord and Maggie and Mel attacking the demons while invisible lends credence to her claims. In the confusion, Macy frees Layla from the stake. Harry finally orbs in, and runs to Macy, who remembers him telling her not to trust her as he could be his evil counterpart. With just a look in his eyes, Macy is convinced that this is the true Harry and the four – plus Layla – flee the demon club. Unfortunately for them, they have been spotted on CCTV by the demons, who now know that the Charmed Ones are still alive.

Back in the safe house, Macy is compiling a list of the witches who they have lost so far, but Harry appears and appeals to her to also celebrate the victories. Harry starts worrying about creating a safe word with Macy so that she knows that he is himself if she is ever in doubt. Macy responds:

All I need is a look. Like this. Eye to eye. And I’ll know. I’ll just know.

So it looks like we have a Macy and Harry coupling on the cards, if we were ever in any doubt about that.

Mark’s Maundering Musings

I am really fond of the Macy and Harry dynamic. It is a little bit out of the blue from a written stand point, but the characters have had accidental chemistry for most of Season 1, so it’s understandable that the showrunners would want to tap into that.

Maggie and Mel’s storyline this week was sweet, with Maggie discovering that Mel was protecting her feelings. Maggie’s relationship with her father was an interesting insight into her psyche and perhaps why she was so keen to belong to Kappa last year, but it’s a shame that she can’t feel that same sense of belonging from Mel, her actual sister.

I was cringing massively during Maggie’s speech about being a woman. I mean, number 1, terrible writing. Number 2, awkward acting. Number 3, nobody who is actually an adult and secure in being an adult has a huge speech about being an adult. Just be an adult, dude, get over it.

I’m a grown ass woman, okay? I am formidable. And if I make a decision about how to live my life, people need to respect that I am mature enough to deal with the consequences.

It’s not even vaguely empowering Maggie, it’s just cringey.

It looks like Maggie and Jordan’s chemistry is also growing, as he too views her as “formidable”. Personally, I think she’s a bit of a pain but there you go.

Mysterious apothecary girl lets Mel take the herbs that she needs to make some potions, which is friendly.

It’s nice that this season is clearly so committed to the concept that they have set up for themselves. There are lots of plates spinning but you have the sense that they know what they’re aiming for from the beginning of the season instead of just randomly wandering into it like they did with many things last year.

So, we have discovered the reason for the war on witches from the demons, as well as this new demon Overlord. So is this demon the same as the assassin who looks like Harry, or different? Either way, the Charmed Ones end the episode in danger, as the demons have rediscovered that they are alive. Without their powers, how will they defend themselves from an attack?

Next week