Why Charmed Fans Were So Disappointed By The Reboot's Ending

The final shot of the "Charmed" reboot series finale is an image any fan of the original will recognize. After four years of losing loved ones and battling demons, Maggie (Sarah Jeffery), Mel (Melonie Diaz), and Kaela (Lucy Barrett) go through a mysterious portal to find themselves in front of a San Francisco house. With its stained glass plating and grand exterior, it isn't hard to mistake the Halliwell Manor from the original series. The trio of witches enters the house with the door closing behind them, an homage to the previous series. Writers of the reboot aimed to connect the canon of their universe to the beloved and established world of the original.

"We wanted to eventually tie these universes together," showrunner Joey Falco told TV Line. Because of the potential cancellation of the series, they decided to do it in a short scene. But the plan was always to create a multiverse. He went on to say: "[W]e felt like we got to do what we've always wanted to do — make it a 'Charmed' multiverse — but also end in a way that's hopeful and satisfying and wraps up everyone's emotions." But despite their best intentions, fans of the original were less than impressed.

The iconic image of the Halliwell homestead is a blast from the past and perhaps should have inspired nostalgia. But that isn't what happened when original fans learned about the inclusion. There was no joy to be found in the fandom. Instead, Reddit fans felt this was an act of immense disrespect.

"[T]his sudden need to connect both shows came way too late, seeing as the reboot has always been hellbent on making the OG feel like it no longer existed alongside excluding the majority of the Charmed fanbase," noted Redditor u/TalviSyreni. A clear division between the reboot and the original series had been established from the beginning. Marketing called this version of the series feminist, implying that the original series did nothing to progress women in television at the time. This was something that original cast member Holly Marie Combs certainly took issue with when she took to Twitter. This backhanded remark about the original series made fans feel that the eventual inclusion of the Halliwell Manor was salt in the wound.

"I find it hilarious this reboot started with them trashing the original to it now ending with them trying to tie in both 'universes' most likely a last effort to gain viewers," u/zjmspears posted. Though the Charmed Writers claim to have nothing but love for the original, it is easy to see how fans developed their cynical view.

For eight years, the Halliwell clan made a name for themselves in the fight against the underworld. The original "Charmed" was full of memorable moments with fascinating lore, devastating love stories, and the resounding theme of sisterhood. This resonated with many fans, something that the reboot creators — perhaps foolheartedly — failed to consider. The podcast "Pop Literacy" discussed this with Jessica O'Toole and Amy Rardin, who developed the pilot script for the reboot.

"This will sound naive, but it didn't really occur to me that the original sisters would even want to be involved in a reboot. I always thought they had moved on. I know they had been working on other stuff." Naivety is perhaps the best word to use as the reboot's production was proved wrong. Holly Marie Combs and Rose McGowan, in particular, have left no mystery as to how the cast of the original feel about the "Charmed" reboot. Unfortunately, there is no time travel option like in the witchy series. Alyssa Milano confirmed to Us Weekly that there was never a hope of collaboration.

"I think that ship has sailed. I think that they ruined the possibility of that by the way in which the reboot came down," Milano stated. "Like, the fact that we weren't included from the very beginning. It just felt really disrespectful."