Something Wicca This Way Comes

Something Wicca This Way Comes is the series premiere episode of Charmed.

Plot


A stormy night and a full moon finds a woman, Serena Fredrick, alone in her apartment with her cat. She has arranged a number of candles on an altar; she lights each candle by merely by pointing at it. She chants an incantation as a man skulks outside. The man sneaks in and stabs the woman.

Piper Halliwell rushes in from the rain after a job interview while her older sister, Prue, is trying to fix the chandelier. Piper's boyfriend, Jeremy Burns, sent her a bottle of port; Piper thinks it's just what she needs to win a chef's job at a restaurant. Piper spots their old Spirit Board sitting on the table; Prue found it earlier. It has a cryptic message on the back from their mother, saying that "the Power of Three" will set them free. Prue suggests that they send it to their younger sister, Phoebe, thinking it'll help get her out of what she sees as her current aimless path. Piper thinks Prue is being too hard on Phoebe, and thinks she's coming around. The pointer on the Spirit Board moves, unseen by Prue and Piper.

Inspectors Darryl Morris and Andy Trudeau investigate the woman's murder. Andy tells Darryl about witches, but Darryl isn't willing to listen. Jeremy, a reporter for the Chronicle, appears and asks them about the murder.

Prue mentions that she's thinking of renting out a room in return for help with the chores. Just then, Piper tells Prue that Phoebe is moving back in from New York. Prue is angry with Phoebe because she thinks she tried to steal her ex-fiance Roger, but Phoebe has nowhere else to go. Prue asks when Phoebe is arriving, and at that moment Phoebe comes through the door. Piper and Phoebe embrace, but Prue thinks Phoebe is trying to get them to sell their house. Piper offers to make a reunion dinner, but Prue and Phoebe both pass.

Phoebe settles into her old room when Piper brings her a snack. The TV carries a report on the murder, and Jeremy turns out to be Piper's boyfriend. Phoebe wonders why Piper didn't let Prue know sooner that she was coming home, but Piper was afraid Prue would change the locks. Phoebe would have asked, but she and Prue didn't get along that well even before the blowup over Roger. Prue comes in and drops off some extra blankets, claiming that Phoebe's room is the coldest one of the house.

Andy and Darryl find a triquetra tattoo on the murdered woman's neck. Darryl is skeptical about witches, but notes the "freak fest" that the woman was engaged in.



Piper and Phoebe play with the spirit board. The pointer, held by Phoebe, moves on its own, first to "A," then to "T." Prue and Piper think Phoebe moved it; she had a habit of moving the pointer when they were younger. Just as Prue and Piper walk away, the pointer moves again, back to "T." Prue still thinks Phoebe moved it. Before Piper can turn around, the pointer moves again--first to "I," then to "C." Phoebe realizes the letters spell out "attic." Just then, all the lights in the manor go out.

Piper is frightened out of her wits and wants to go to Jeremy's place to wait out the storm. She's convinced the pointer moved, but Prue thinks Phoebe was playing a joke on them. While Prue and Piper go to check out the circuit box, Phoebe goes to the attic. She can't get the door open, but as she walks away the door opens on its own. Inside the attic, Phoebe sees a beam of light illuminating a trunk. She opens the trunk and finds a large book within. She opens the book and finds its title: the Book of Shadows. She reads an incantation from the first page. Light appears within the attic, the chandelier starts shimmering, and a photo changes, bringing the images of the sisters closer together. Piper and Prue come into the attic and Phoebe tells them about the Book. However, the sisters don't think anything really happened.



Come morning, Phoebe tells Piper she spent most of the night reading in the Book. They are descendants of Melinda Warren, a powerful good witch who was burned at the stake during the Salem Witch Trials. Melinda could freeze time, move things with her mind and see the future. While at the stake, Melinda prophesied that every succeeding generation of Warren witches would grow more powerful, culminating in the arrival of three sisters who would be the most powerful witches in history--the Charmed Ones. Phoebe believes that she, Prue and Piper are those sisters. Piper is skeptical.

Prue's boss at the Museum of Natural History, Roger (who is also her ex-fiance), has taken her off an exhibit even though Prue secured most of the pieces. Prue realizes that Roger has appointed himself as the new curator. Prue curses at him and walks away. A pen in Roger's shirt pocket explodes and leaks; he pulls the pen out and it sprays him in the face.



At the restaurant, Piper is working on a recipe when Chef Moore enters. Just as he is lecturing her about the quality of her work, Piper raises her hands. Without warning, Chef Moore freezes; Piper applies the port sauce to a sample that Chef Moore is tasting. Chef Moore unfreezes just as he's tasting the meal, and is suitably impressed. Piper tries to call Phoebe during her break to tell her what happened, but can't reach her. As she gets out of the booth, Jeremy surprises her and asks her out on a date.

Prue goes to Roger and announces she's quitting. He taunts her as she walks away and she gestures; Roger's tie chokes him and he frantically grabs a pair of scissors to cut it.

Phoebe is riding her bike when she has a vision of two young men on roller skates being hit by a car. She then sees the car and the two young men and swerves, diverting the two young men out of harm's way but taking a spill on her bike and hurting her arm. Prue comes to the hospital to fetch Phoebe and bumps into Andy; he turns out to be an old boyfriend.



Prue meets with Phoebe at a restaurant. Prue still doesn't believe she has powers, until she wonders where the cream is for her coffee--and it slides over to her and fills her cup. Phoebe thinks that if she can see the future and Prue can move things with her mind, Piper can freeze time. Prue is slightly annoyed at Phoebe, thinking she turned her into a witch. Phoebe explains that they were born as witches. On the way to the pharmacy, Phoebe mentions that witches can be either good or evil, and that warlocks are evil witches who kill good witches to obtain their powers.

Piper and Jeremy just ate Chinese and are on their way to Jeremy's place. Suddenly, Jeremy asks the taxi driver to take them to an old building with a great view of the Bay Bridge.

At the pharmacy, Prue complains of a headache. She still isn't happy about finding out she's a witch. Phoebe suggests that Prue move her headache out of her mind--and a bottle of aspirin flies into Prue's hand. Phoebe realizes that Prue moves things when she's angry. Prue doesn't believe it at first, but Phoebe provokes her by mentioning Roger--and two more bottles fly off the shelf. Phoebe then mentions their father--and the shelves collapse, sending Prue and Phoebe into laughter.



Piper and Jeremy enter a warehouse and board a freight elevator, promising her a "surprise." On the way up, he mentions that he knew Phoebe was back in town. Just as Piper wonders how Jeremy could have possibly known this, he pulls out his surprise--an athame. Jeremy is the warlock who killed the witch at the start, and three other witches in the past few weeks. He has known all along that Prue, Piper and Phoebe were magical, and had been waiting for them to discover their powers. Piper screams and raises her hands; Jeremy freezes. Piper tries to flee, but Jeremy unfreezes and grabs her by the leg. Piper cracks Jeremy over the head with a piece of wood and escapes.

Piper arrives at the manor and warns her sisters about Jeremy. Phoebe consults the Book of Shadows and the sisters cast a spell to make Jeremy go away. All it does, however, is sprout thorns from his skin. Phoebe touches a pot used in the spell and realizes, from a premonition, that Jeremy is still after them.



Jeremy appears at the manor just as the sisters are heading out the door. Piper and Phoebe flee to the attic; Prue tries to slow Jeremy down by flinging him against the wall and joins her sisters upstairs. The sisters bar themselves in the attic, but Jeremy uses psychokinesis to unbar the door, and then uses the pyrokinesis he stole from Serena to blow open the door. Prue remembers the inscription on the spirit board. As Jeremy starts a circle of fire to destroy the sisters, they start chanting, "The Power of Three will set us free." Jeremy taunts the sisters as they chant, warning them that he's the first of many evil beings they'll encounter. He eventually explodes.

The cat has now taken up residence at the manor.

Andy shows up at the manor the next day and asks Prue out. Prue demurs, saying her life has gotten "complicated." Piper and Phoebe listen in. Prue tells them she doesn't know if witches can date. Piper says that witches usually get the best guys. Andy notices Phoebe is holding the cat, and casts a skeptical glance before heading out. Prue reminds them that everything will be different from now on, and that they have to stick together. As the sisters head back into the manor, Prue winks at the door, and it swings closed behind them.

Jeremy Burns
A low level warlock who posed as a San Francisco Chronicle reporter and romanced female witches in order to get their powers and kill them. Although never truly explained where he gained all his powers Jeremy was capable of changing the shape of his face (though we are only able to see him change into a demonic looking face), ignite flames from his fingers (stolen from Serena Fredrick), telekinesis/psychokinesis, disintegrate objects, and project energy bolts from an athame. He is also capable of adjusting. Jermemy was fully aware that with the death of the Charmed Ones's grandmother, Penny Halliwell, the girls' powers would be released. Jeremy started dating Piper Halliwell so he could keep an eye on the sisters. Once Grams died and Phoebe returned, he made his move and was soon vanquished by the Halliwell Sisters.

Book Of Shadows

 * The Book of Shadows -1693- is the title page of the book.
 * The woodcut of the three witches is after the title page.
 * The Dominus Trinus spell is after the woodcut the phases of the moon.
 * Phoebe said that their ancestor was Melinda Warren and that she practiced powers. Three powers. She could move objects with her mind, see the future and stop time. Before Melinda was burned at the stake, she vowed that each generation of Warren witches would become stronger and stronger, culminating in the arrival of three sisters. These sisters would be the most powerful good witches the world has ever known. They are the protectors of the innocent known as The Charmed Ones.

Dominus Trinus

 * Hear now the words of the witches.
 * The secrets we hid in the night.
 * The oldest of Gods are invoked here.
 * The great work of magic is sought.
 * In this night and in this hour.
 * We call upon the Ancient Power.
 * Bring your powers to us sisters three!
 * We want the power.
 * Give us the power.

The Three Essentials of Magic

 * Timing,
 * Feeling,
 * and the Phases of the Moon.

To Lose a Love Forever

 * Oil of Tansy, Oil of Thyme,
 * Oil of Roses, Oil of Pennyroyal


 * Anoint Nine Candles with
 * oils and herbs.
 * Place in a cauldron to burn.
 * Holding poppet over flames.
 * Press Roses' Thorns in belly.


 * Chanting:
 * Your Love will wither
 * and depart from my life
 * and my heart.
 * Let me be (name)
 * And go Away Forever.


 * When the Flames die
 * the Spell is complete ...


 * Note: This spell did not vanquish Jeremy Burns, as intended, instead causing him to erupt in thorns. He was not properly vanquished until the Charmed Ones recited the Power of Three Spell.

Spells

 * 1) Serena Fredrick casts a Protection Spell in the first scene. (failed)
 * 2) Phoebe casts the Dominus Trinus spell when she discovers the Book of Shadows which results in releasing the powers of the Charmed Ones.
 * 3) Piper casts the To Lose a Love Forever spell once she discovers that Jeremy is after her. (failed)
 * 4) Prue, Piper, and Phoebe cast the Power of Three spell to vanquish Jeremy.

Protection Spell

 * Auger de gomay
 * Ancient one of the earth so deep,
 * master of moon and sun.
 * I shield you in my Wiccan way,
 * here in my circle round,
 * asking you protect this space,
 * and offer your sun force down.

Warlock Spell

 * (Also called the Power of Three Spell)


 * The power of three will set us free.


 * Repeat this spell until the evil being is destroyed.


 * The title of the episode could be a reference to the famous phrase from Shakespeare's Macbeth Something Wicked This Way Comes.
 * In the, 'The Women Of Charmed' interview E. Duke Vincent states that Charmed had the biggest premiere ever in the history of the WB television network.
 * The season 7 finale Something Wicca This Way Goes...? is also a reference from the above.
 * This is the series premiere of Charmed and the second pilot for the series. The original pilot never aired.
 * When Piper tells Prue she is too hard on Phoebe, Prue says Phoebe has no vision, no sense of the future; this is foreshadowing and ironic due to Phoebe receiving the gift of Premonition.
 * In the unaired pilot, after Piper says "Grams wasn't a witch, and as far as we know neither was mom", Phoebe says "I beg to differ about Grams" - this is a reference to how strict and forthright their Grams - the Grams seen in future episodes is - however this line is omitted from the actually premiere episode.
 * When Prue first used her telekinetic power, she did not squint her eye or wave her hand, she simply asked 'where is the cream?', which made the cream container move to her by itself, and 'transported' the cream into her coffee.
 * Eric Scott Woods was uncomfortable with saying "bitch" on the show. So, the sound crew dubbed the word in with a different actors voice. Jeremy says the word three times throughout the episode, if you notice, every time it sounds exactly the same.
 * The sequence featuring the girls using a poppet to curse Jeremy and the latter running back to the manor to avenge himself is reminiscent of the sequence used in the movie The Witches of Eastwick. In that movie, the girls cursed the character of Jack Nicholson, who came running back (in his car) injured by the witches' spell using a magical poppet. He then chases them around their mansion and traps them in their kitchen where they made their potions and spells. He uses telekinesis and strong winds (like Jeremy) to corner the witches, and then circles the girls with fire (like in the pilot episode). After that, Nicholson's character changes into a powerful demon who explodes at the end when the witches burn the poppet while slumped together.
 * Shannen Doherty was very sick while filming the first few episodes. That is why she looks so pale and drawn out.
 * Chicken Little is alluded to.
 * When Phoebe says "My head spun around and I vomited split pea soup" - it is a reference to Reagan - a possessed little girl - from the film The Excorsist.
 * Piper has a blue Jeep with the license plate 3B583Y8.
 * The car that hits the skaters in Phoebe's premonition has the license plate: 2551723.
 * Phoebe saves the first two innocents (skaters) in the series from being hit by car.
 * This is the highest rated episode of Charmed in the entire series.
 * Prue called Piper Switzerland when Piper tells her Phoebe is coming home. Switzerland is an important mediator, just like Piper is.
 * Originally, Shannen Doherty was to play Piper Halliwell, while Holly Marie Combs was to portray Prudence Halliwell.
 * In this episode, it is stated that Melinda Warren was burned at the stake during the Salem witch trials. This is actually a historical error as people believed to be witches in 1693 were hanged or drowned. The period in history where people persecuted as witches were burned are referred to as the Burning Times.
 * Serena Fredrick's apartment at The Talmadge would later appear in again in Thank You For Not Morphing as Victor's suite at the Beaumark Hotel.

Bloopers

 * As Piper walks up to the front door in the rain, her umbrella is black with a single ring around it. But when she enters the house, it is covered in flowers. This is due the re-shooting of the scene's from the Unaired Pilot, which took place a few months later.
 * When Piper comes running into the manor after Jeremy attacks her, she locks the front door. But after the sisters used the poppet and said the spell, Prue came running down the stairs and opens the front door without unlocking it.
 * The newspaper Prue holds at the end of the episode is the same from the movie Mrs Doubtfire.

Quotes

 * Prue: Piper, the girl has no vision, no sense of the future.
 * Piper: I really think Phoebe's coming around.
 * Prue: Well, as long as she doesn't come around here I guess that's good news.

Andy: Let me ask you something, Morris. Do you believe in UFOs?
 * Darryl: Hell no.
 * Andy: Neither do I. But do you believe that there are people out there who do believe in UFOs?
 * Darryl: Yes, but I think they're crazy.

:(Piper and Phoebe play with their old Spirit Board)
 * Phoebe: I forgot your question.
 * Piper: I asked if Prue was going to have sex with someone other than herself this year.
 * Phoebe: That's disgusting. (under her breath) Please say "yes."


 * (There's a loud clap of thunder and the power goes out.)
 * (Cut to the foyer. Piper is walking towards the door. Prue is following her.)
 * Prue: Don't you think you're overreacting? We're perfectly safe here.
 * Piper: Don't say that. In horror movies, the person who says that is always the next to die.

:Phoebe: According to the Book of Shadows, one of our ancestors was a witch, named Melinda Warren.
 * Piper: And we have a cousin who's a drunk, an aunt who's manic, and a father who's invisible.

:Prue: I'm calling the cops.
 * Piper: And tell them what? That we're witches? That some freak with powers beyond comprehension is trying to kill us? Even if the cops did come, they'd be no match for Jeremy, and we'd be next.

:(at the pharmacy, Phoebe is trying to prove that Prue's power is tied to her emotions)
 * (Prue just telekinetically moved a bottle of aspirins in her hands.)
 * Phoebe: You move things when you're upset.
 * Prue: This is ridiculous! I thought you landed on your arm, not your head!
 * Phoebe: You don't believe me?
 * Prue: Of course I don't believe you!
 * Phoebe: (teasing) Roger.
 * (The rest of the bottles of aspirin fall off the shelves.)
 * Phoebe: Now let's talk about dad and see what happens.
 * Prue: He's dead, Phoebe.
 * Phoebe: No, he's moved from New York but he's very much alive.
 * Prue: He isn't to me. He died the day he left mom.
 * Phoebe: What are you talking about? He's always been a major button-pusher for you. You're mad he's alive, you're mad I tried to find him, and you're mad I came back.
 * (Prue gets very annoyed.)
 * Phoebe: (continuing) Dad, dad, dad, dad, dad, dad, dad!
 * (all the products along the aisle fly off the shelves)

(to Jeremy, who has pulled out an athame)
 * Piper: It's you, isn't it? You killed all those women.
 * Jeremy: Not women. Witches.
 * Piper: Why?
 * Jeremy: (holds up his hand, and his fingers are lit by flames because of the power he stole from Serena) It was the only way to get their powers.