Charmed

It's that tongue-in-cheek, lighthearted mood that elevates "Charmed" from the dreary, self-important solemnity that hangs like a pall over so much so-called fantasy and science fiction. [6 Oct 1998, p.E-1]

Charmed doesn't knock our socks off as relentlessly as the WB's wisecracking Buffy did, but it's headed in the wry-te direction. It also shows more early promise than Spelling's more famous soaps did in Week 1. [7 Oct 1998, p.83]

By the time the episode wraps up with a good-vs.-evil clash, though, it's really rolling, with special effects that are both fun and scary. Doherty, Combs and Milano are appealing, and also believable as sisters, and T.W. King adds a down-to-earth touch as police detective Andy Trudeau, Prue's old boyfriend, who suspects that something is up. [7 Oct 1998, p.E6]

Shannen Doherty as a witch. Perfect. [6 Oct 1998, p.03]

It's fantasy, but it's fun. [6 Oct 1998, p.1]

If you've followed the TV careers of Charmed's stars -- Shannen Doherty (Beverly Hills 90210), Holly Marie Combs (Picket Fences) and Alyssa Milano (Who's the Boss) -- then just the idea of all three being in the same show makes it worth a look. The premise is at times campy, but it works. [7 Oct 1998, p.3D]

Still charming, a lively and frothy imagining of what might happen if Sabrina got mixed up with darker forces. [7 Oct 1998, p.6]

Charmed has an entertaining little way about it, with Spelling and company mostly striking a solid balance between escapist slap-schtick and mild horror. If the opening hour isn't terribly concerned with issues of believability, relatability and self-parody (pilot is notably short on humor), it's likely a saucy enough brew for the WB's target 12-24 demo to swallow. [7 Oct 1998, p.5]

Alternating—or rather, wavering—between frightening and funny, the show has yet to establish a clear identity beyond its-status as a post-teenage teammate of The WB's popular Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

As free-spirited Phoebe, Milano, who replaced Lori Rom in the cast after the original pilot had been shot, needs seasoning, and maybe some warm clothes. Combs' Piper, the "earthy and creative" one, simply seems uneasy as a witchy woman. [7 Oct 1998, p.C10]

Charmed is a bit thin in the plot department; the main things it has going for it are the sisters' pulchritude and the presence of Doherty, who is that rare item: a TV star who succeeds on the strength of her vitriol.