1x01 Something Wicca This Way Comes

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Episode: 01
Original Air Date: 7th October 1998
Written By: Constance M. Burge
Directed By: John T. Kretchmer
Rating: 7.7 million viewers
Title Origin: "By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes," from Shakespeare's Macbeth

Episode Summary
Prue Halliwell is not please when her sister Piper announces that Phoebe, the youngest Halliwell, is returning from New York to live with them in the Victorian house they inherited from their grandmother. Despite Phoebe's denials, Prue believes she had an affair with Roger, her ex-fiancé and co-worker at the museum. The awkward tension between them is set aside when the Spirit Board pointer moves to spell "attic". Intrigued when the locked attic door opens of its own accord, Phoebe finds a dusty, leather-bound tome called the Book of Shadows in an old trunk. She recited an incantation that indicates she and her sisters will receive magical powers, but nothing seems to change.
   Phoebe is convinced that the Book's story about their ancestor Melinda Warren being a witch is true, and that together Phoebe and her sisters will be the most powerful witches the world has ever known. Prue and Piper are not so easily persuaded. As their powers begin to manifest themselves, though, they start to accept Phoebe's theories. Piper discovers her magical power when she inadvertently freezes the chef during a cooking audition. Prue "thinks" cream into her coffee, which makes her aware of her ability to move things with her mind. Phoebe is thrilled when she prevents an accident she foresees in a vision.
   Dealing with powers in the real world will take some practise, but the girls are quickly put to the test when a series of crimes seem to have supernatural overtones. Andy Trudeau, a police inspector and Prue's high school flame, investigates the murders of three women who practised witchcraft and were all stabbed with a ceremonial knife. He has an interest in the occult, but has no idea how interesting his life is about to come.
  Beyond traditional crime fighting, the Halliwell sisters' new abilities put them against previously unknown challenges and reward them with newfound empowerment. Prue quits her museum job because Roger takes credit for her work. 
   Piper has no idea that the reporter she's dating is a warlock until Jeremy Burns tries to kill her and steal her power. She instinctively freezes him to escape. When he attacks the sisters at the manor, Prue slows his advances by mentally  flinging him back. A spell Phoebe finds in the Book of Shadows makes Jeremy break out in thorns, but the warlock isn't vanquished until they chant an inscription, left by their mother, on the Spirit Board: "The Power of Three Will Set Us Free". Together, the three Charmed Ones command more power than any witches ever. Charmed: The Book of Three vol.1

Starring

Shannen Doherty as Prudence Halliwell
Holly Marie Combs as Piper Halliwell
Alyssa Milano as Phoebe Halliwell
T.W King as Andy Trudeau
Dorian Gregory as Darryl Morris

Gust Starring
Leigh Allyn Baker as Hannah Webster
Neil Robertsas Rex Buckland
Christie Lynn Smith as Allison Michaels
Todd Cattell Elliot Spencer
Sarah Rose Peterson as Jade D'Mon/Hecate
Barbara Stock as Mrs Grace Spencer
Jeffrey Hutchinson as Father Trask
Deeny Dakota as Kristen
Bill Ferrell as Security Guard #1
Thomas Crawford as Security Guard #2
Roy Abramsohn as Doctor
Jennifer Badger as Bridesmaid #1
Eileen Weisinger as Bridesmaid #2
Leon Franco as Male Stripper
David Moreland as Butler
James Geralden as Justice of the Peace
Phoenix Nugent as Seamstress

Featured Music

none

Mistakes

• There is no way that the attic could be that big and in that shape/position.

• There are no attic windows from the front view, but the attic windows look out the front.

• The paper Prue is holding keeps changing sides while she is speaking to Andy.

• Piper is shown entering the house with a black umbrella with white rim, but when she hang it up, it has a floral design. This is because they use the outside scene from the unaired pilot, then re-shot the inside scene.

• When Piper freezes Jeremy, so does the elevator, but once Jeremy unfreezes, the elevator remains still.

• Piper closes the box after giving Jeremy his fortune cookie, but in the next shot, it's open.

• Phoebe's flashlight is seen lighting the attic when the door opens, but next its by her side facing down.

• When Roger is telling Prue about his promotion, his green pen changes to the black ink-squirting pen.

• The night the sisters receive their powers, the tree has no leaves, the next morning, its full with them.

• As a professional chef, Piper should know that her hair must be tied back, and she shouldn't be wearing nail polish. She could also have been wearing gloves.

• When Prue closes the door at the end of the episode, you can see a wall behind her, yet there isn't one in the hallway.

• When Phoebe casts the spell to receive their powers, it shows a clip of the living room from the pilot, if you compare it to the new sitting room, its completely different.

Notes

• Lonnie Partridge was the first person to appear and speak on Charmed.
• Piper (Holly) was the first sister to speak on Charmed.
• Piper accidentally freezes Chef Moore.
• Prue is the first to use her power, unknowingly, on Roger.
• Phoebe has a premonition of an accident, and falls of her bike.
• Prue uses her power twice before realising she has it.
• Prue "thinks" cream into her coffee.
• Phoebe apparently slept with Prue's fiancée Roger.
• Grams died 6 months ago (Supposedly, Friday 13th March, 1998)
• Andy is an inspector, and he spent time in Portland.
• Piper is normally late.
• Piper's car plate is "3B583Y8".
• Piper met Jeremy at the hospital when Grams died.
• Phoebe's room was always the coldest room in the house.
• The make-up artists covered Alyssa's (Phoebe) tattoo on her right shoulder blade.
• When Phoebe returns, all she owns is a bag and a bike.
• Piper has an interview at North Beach and her main ingredient is Port (wine).

Quotes

Prue: Phoebe, I do not have special powers, now where's the cream?
(The cream moves by itself and fills her cup of coffee with cream.)
Phoebe: Really? That looked pretty special to me
Prue: Oh my god. So, um, I can move things with my mind?
Phoebe: With how much you hold inside, you should be a lethal weapon by now.

Piper: Open your fortune cookie.
Jeremy: Okay. (Jeremy reads paper) Soon you will be on top
Piper: It doesn't say that!
Jeremy: Yes it does
Piper: Let me see that (takes paper)
Jeremy: Is it a bad thing?
Piper: Of the world. Soon you will be on top of the world.

Phoebe: Well, at least our lives won't be boring.
Prue: But they'll never be the same.
Phoebe: And this is a bad thing?
Prue: No. But it could be a big problem.

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