September 23, the first day of Autumn, is here. And what are we to do as we wait for the leaves to fall? Binge a little spooky television. In celebration of Mabon, the Wiccan holiday honoring the Autumnal Equinox, it’s only fitting that we spread a little love to our fictional witches.
The second season of the Charmed reboot is coming sooner than you think: it’s set to return on October 11 at 8pm ET/PT on the CW. If you’re a fan of the old series that ran from 1998-2006, you should be warned that this reboot shakes the “power of three” in a whole different way. We still follow three sister witches on their path to save the world from evil, but these sisters are not Halliwells, and their elders, white-lighters, and demons present themselves a little differently.
However, the first season left me pleasantly surprised and wanting more. There’s even LGBT+ representation! If you haven’t seen the first season yet, I’d take the plunge since it’s bingable on Netflix. Or perhaps, you’re feeling a little nostalgic, and want to see Piper, Paige, and Phoebe once more – that’s okay! It’s readily available on Netflix too.
Another TV show that surfaced last fall was the Netflix Original The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, which also happens to be a twisted reboot of the old Sabrina the Teenage Witch. It’s much more bloody than the original heartfelt comedy.
The show focuses more on adapting the comics than mimicking Melissa Joan Hart’s portrayal. Sadly, Salem doesn’t talk, but don’t be alarmed, he has some much more powerful attributes to offer Sabrina. There’s a religious aspect to the show that is quite interesting. Though it’s not an accurate view of modern Satanism, the witches praise and abide by the “Dark Lord.” Sabrina and her friends challenge their world, fighting not only monsters, but also societal norms, which rounds out the show. Season three just wrapped up filming and is expected to hit Netflix later this year or early in 2020.
Grab your pumpkin spice lattes, hot chocolate, and chai tea. I’ll run over a list of some other shows whose witches might appeal to your fancy.
“American Horror Story,” season three: Coven is about a pack of estranged teenage witches at a boarding school in New Orleans.
A Discovery of Witches is based on the book by Deborah Harkness. The main character, Diana Bishop, comes across an enchanted artifact in her library which leads her down a path of magic discovery. Season two is set to air in early 2020.
Salem, a fictional betrayal of the historical events of the Salem witch trials.
Bewitched, a romantic comedy show from the sixties about a man who marries a powerful New York witch.
Witches of East End is based on the book by Melissa De La Cruz. Another magical family of witches to swoon over.
Always a Witch (Siempre Bruja) is a Netflix Original that was filmed in Spanish. It follows Carmen on her journey through time to resurrect her soul mate.
With respect to those out there who practice witchcraft and or are a Wiccan, we must remember that none of these are accurate portrayals and are all fictional.
Have some cozy, spooky fun!