User Reviews

This excellent Charmed episode is the first to dig into the past of the Halliwell line, in fact, the far past back to the very beginning of the line. The line was started by Melinda Warren who amazingly had all three Halliwell powers. However, when her warlock lover turned her in as a witch, she suffered judgement rather than risk exposing her daughter, who would carry on the line of witches. However, as one last good deed, she trapped the warlock in a locket that only a Halliwell can open.

Fast forward to modern times, where Prue's warlock boss, intentionally got the locket to Prue, knowing she would be able to open it. The ancient warlock, named Matthew Tate, was released and serious trouble for anyone named Halliwell begins.

This is a good story that is made even better by the exceptional work of both guest stars. Melinda Warren exudes good witch while at the same time having electric chemistry with the seductive Matthew Tate, her nemesis. Tate is the first extremely powerful bad guy that we've seen. He introduces blinking into the series and has many powers thanks to being able to copy any power that is used on him.

He easily gets Prue's and Phoebe's power, and ultimately only needs Piper's, for what, I don't know. Seems he is plenty powerful already. The sisters summon their first spirit, Melinda, to help trap Matthew back to whence he came.

When you add to that the beginning of Piper and Leo's relationship and Andy being at the end of his wits with Prue, there is a lot of good stuff going on here.

Here the sisters need help, they haven't come across this kinda demon before, and to find out it was 1 who "started" the whole family of witches and she had already dealt with this demon before well why not get her?

Of course we see more of Prues "evil bosses", as they are the ones who tricked Prue into releasing this demon in the first place. Poor Andy though, knowing somethings up with Prue, even suspecting it, but still...

The only thing is, Melinda should be younger, poss a bit younger than Phoebe (about 23), to go with her age when she died, Prue is what 28, Melinda looks about the same maybe a bit older.

Time line, no change other than that demon is gone, poss for good as Melinda "took" him with her (locket) when she left.

I love this episode. It's one of my all-time favorite episodes, not just from this season, but from the entire series. I loved seeing Melinda Warren, and learning more about the Charmed Ones' history.

In this episode, Prue finds a locket at Buckland's and opens it. It releases a warlock. Phoebe later has a premonition of the past, where their ancestor, Melinda Warren, was trapping that same warlock in that same locket. Melinda was sadly burned at the stake after the warlock turned her in. It turns out that Rex actually put the locket in Prue's office because she, being a Halliwell, a descendant of Melinda, was one of the only people who could open it and release Matthew, the warlock. They realize that they need Melinda's help in order to send the warlock back into the locket, so they summon her from the past. Matthew has the power to copy a witch's power. Prue used her telekinesis on him, so he now has that same power, and he also can't be affected by it anymore. Matthew's plan is to get all of the sister's powers and then he will become unstoppable. Melinda helps the sisters make the potion that will re-trap Matthew, whilst she learns to cope with new technology like blenders and telephones. Matthew sadly gets Phoebe's power and then comes for Piper's. In the end, they stop him and he is banished back into that locket and no one finds out that Rex and Hannah were helping him.

Fun Fact: No witches were burned at the stake during the Salem Witch Trials.

Fun Fact: This is the first episode where Phoebe has a premonition of the past.

Fun Fact: Phoebe says that she thought she was going to be able to fly, regarding to her powers advancing. In Season Two, she is able to fly for an episode.

Fun Fact: This is the first time where we see a warlock "blink".

Fun Fact: Melinda Warren's daughter's name was Prudence.

Overall, I give this episode a 10 out of 10.