Let's pretend, for a moment, that the "Charmed" reboot isn't actually a reboot at all, but instead, a brand new show about three young witches living in a cool old San Francisco mansion. Just a pleasantly diverting YA fantasy drama minding its own business, nothing to see here.

And while the new "Charmed" isn't what you'd call amazing, it isn't horrible either — we especially love how it diversified the cast (even including a transgender witch, Joséfina, played by a transgender actor, Mareya Salazar).

Judging by these merits alone, the show would not go on anyone's "worst" list, despite some clunky dialogue (Macy's "I'm a scientist!" line comes to mind).




But, alas, it isn't a new show, but a reboot of late '90s/early aughts series "Charmed", and the reason this show made our list is because of the off-screen drama, meaning a ridiculous online war that turned ugly.

The issue we have with this fight is how the original "Charmed" cast, writers, and fans seem to be unclear about the definition of reboots. It's nothing personal, guys, it's a reboot. It's not trying to "erase" the memory of the old show, it's a reboot. It isn't even "borrowing ideas," it's just acting like what it is, which is… a reboot.




Sure, the new "Charmed" is heavy-handed at times, as the team battles magical foes along with more Earth-bound ones like prejudice and bias — but isn't that exactly what witches are supposed to do? Fight the demons and the patriarchy?!

And while it's hard to tell if the online vitriol had anything to do with the declining viewership, after four seasons The CW gave the reboot the boot.

https://ew.com/tv/tv-reboots-should-have-never-been-made/

Charmed Went With The Wrong Reboot Idea (https://screenrant.com/charmed-reboot-original-idea-prequel-new-70s-better/)

How The 1970s Charmed Revival Would've Connected To The Original Show

Though relatively little was known about the exact premise of the Charmed revival at the time, it's easy to presume the Charmed reimagining would have taken place in the same universe as the original Charmed (interestingly, the 2018 Charmed reboot ended with a glimpse of the Charmed multiverse, with the Vera sisters opening a door to the original Halliwell manor). This means that the new trio of witches, who were rumored to be named Tina, Paige, - perhaps a homage to Rose McGowan's character - and Annie, would have been bound to the same magical rules as the Halliwell sisters. They could have ended up fighting several of Charmed's infamous demons, such as the Source, the Triad, Barbas, also known as The Demon of Fear, or even Cole Turner's (Julian McMahon) demonic alter ego Belthazor.

Despite its 1970s setting, this version of the Charmed reboot could also have featured the return of notable members of the Halliwell family. Charmed often played fast and loose with the concept of time travel, meaning even the infamous Halliwell sisters could have paid a visit to New England in the 70s. More likely, however, would have been the inclusion of Penny Halliwell, the Charmed ones' maternal grandmother. One episode of Charmed even included a glimpse into Penny's life in the late 1960s, and as such, the show could have developed that narrative thread. It certainly would have been interesting to see Penny interact with other witches outside of her immediate family.

Charmed had an undeniably significant impact on popular culture as a successful female-led ensemble show. Unsurprisingly, there have been various efforts to recapture its success. Now that the 2018 Charmed reboot has ended, there's no telling where the franchise might be headed next.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPjmewD7qG0

kPjmewD7qG0

Some things are better left untouched! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for rebooted television shows that tanked horribly. Our countdown includes shows “Party of Five”, “Bionic Woman”, “Knight Rider” and more! Have you ever had your hopes and dreams about a new reboot crushed from a terrible retelling of a great story?

10. Kojak (https://web.archive.org/web/20140405134004/http://forums.televisionwithoutpity.com/topic/3122373-kojak-who-loves-you-baby/?view=getnewpost)

9. Bionic Woman (https://web.archive.org/web/20140401041859/http://forums.televisionwithoutpity.com/topic/3159429-bionic-woman/?view=getnewpost)

8. Ironside (https://web.archive.org/web/20140401074938/http://forums.televisionwithoutpity.com/topic/3219190-ironside-with-blair-underwood/?view=getnewpost)

7. Party of Five (https://forums.primetimer.com/topic/90786-party-of-five-2019/)

6. The Muppets (https://forums.primetimer.com/topic/90008-the-muppets-2015/)

5. Melrose Place (https://web.archive.org/web/20140330003352/http://forums.televisionwithoutpity.com/topic/3188807-melrose-place-2009/?view=getnewpost)

4. Heroes Reborn (https://forums.primetimer.com/topic/574-heroes-reborn/)

3. Knight Rider (https://web.archive.org/web/20140401041859/http://forums.televisionwithoutpity.com/topic/3177402-knight-rider-2008/?view=getnewpost)

2. Charlie's Angels (https://web.archive.org/web/20140407222136/http://forums.televisionwithoutpity.com/topic/3205237-charlies-angels-2011-hello-miami/?view=getnewpost)

1. Charmed (https://forums.primetimer.com/forum/3998-charmed-2018/)