Entertainment Extra

2 ENTERTAINMENT EXTRA By Kyla Brewer TV Media T V is its own kind of magic. It can bring viewers not only to other times and places, but also to entirely different realities — even ones where real magic exists. With this in mind, a tale of three witches returns to prime time this January, much to the delight of fans who were robbed of a full season this past spring. Sisters Macy (Madeleine Mantock, "Into the Badlands"), Maggie (Sarah Jeffery, "Shades of Blue") and Mel (Melonie Diaz, "Fruitvale Station," 2013) contin- ue to battle dark forces as the Charmed Ones, a trio of powerful witches, in the new season of "Charmed," premiering Sunday, Jan. 24, on CW. Harry Greenwood (Rupert Evans, "The Man in the High Castle"), the witches' advisor, aka Whitelighter, returns as well, along with a few other familiar and not-so-familiar faces. The second season of "Charmed" was cut short when filming had to be suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Production in Vancouver, B.C., was shut down on March 12, leaving the season with just 19 episodes instead of 22, as with the first season. Producers were forced to come up with a make- shift season finale, which aired on Friday, May 1. In it, the Charmed Ones raced to stop vil- lains of the Faction from reaching the sacred tree. Mel also had a shocking rendezvous with Ruby (Bethany Brown, "The Flash"), and Maggie learned that her newfound powers have a down- side. Julian (Eric Balfour, "Six Feet Under") vowed that he would do "whatever it takes" to bring Macy to his Aunt Vivienne (Melinda McGraw, "The Dark Knight," 2008). It may not be exactly what producers had in mind for the end of Season 2, but it is quite a setup for Season 3, which prom- ises to be pretty epic, judging by the official trailer. "I'm afraid not even the Charmed Ones can survive the death of all magic," an unfamil- iar voice claims in the trailer. The disembodied voice also has an ominous warning: "To restore life to the magical world requires the greatest power and the greatest sacrifice." Viewers of the trailer can also hear Macy saying, "The destruc- tion of the sisterhood is inevita- ble." That sounds pretty dire no matter how you slice it, meaning there's likely plenty of action and adventure in store in Season 3. The truncated Season 2 means writers should have plenty to work with, as unproduced epi- sodes from Season 2 will air as part of the third season. Although the pandemic led to delays, in September "Charmed" picked up filming where Season 2 production left off in the spring. There were a few hiccups in the fall when production had to be halted due to COVID-19 issues, but they managed to restart relatively quickly. In the upcoming season, Macy goes back to her science roots, Maggie focuses on her career and Mel once again becomes a passionate activist. Fans can also look forward to getting to know a whole new character. In a for- ward-thinking first for the series, "Charmed" will feature a trans- gender character in Season 3. Deadline shared the news in November that transgender actor J.J. Hawkins ("The Red Line") had been cast as Kevin, a recur- ring transgender character who inspires one of the Charmed Ones to take on a dangerous opponent. Despite the success of the new "Charmed," fans of the original cult hit on which it was based may still be skeptical about the reboot. The original "Charmed" aired on The WB from 1998 to 2006. There had been plans to reboot the series back in 2013, but those plans fell through. Then in 2017, the idea of a "Charmed" reboot gained new ground with "Jane the Virgin's" Jennie Snyder Urman at the helm. It was origi- nally meant to be a prequel set in 1976, but that concept didn't fly, and it was retooled for the 2018-19 TV season. The desire to reboot the series came from a very genuine place, as explained by executive producer Urman at 2018's San Diego Comic-Con. "The original was so much about female empowerment and sisterhood and strong women taking over the world, and I feel like that's what we need right now," Urman said at the time. While the new CW series shares some similar plot points with the original, it does not con - tinue the storyline of its popular predecessor, which starred Shannen Doherty ("Beverly Hills, 90210"), Holly Marie Combs ("Pretty Little Liars"), Alyssa Milano ("Who's the Boss") and, later, Rose McGowan ("Scream," 1996), who joined the cast in Season 4 after Doherty's depar- ture. Both series feature sisters who discover they are powerful witches — each with a unique ability — learning that they are stronger together as they endeavor to keep humankind safe from demons and other dark forces. Despite the similarities, CW's "Charmed" has been making its own way, and it could be that the third season is, well, a charm. The first two seasons of the new "Charmed" have been praised for their feminist bent by viewers, according to the review aggrega- tor site RottenTomatoes.com. The show has also been nominated for a number of high-profile hon- ors, including a Leo Award, a Saturn Award and two Teen Choice Awards. YMCA 2 x 2" Pear Tree Gallery 3 x 2" On the Cover Rupert Evans as seen in "Charmed" 'Charmed' returns for Season 3 Chase Center 3 x 2" American Legion Post 60 2 x 3" Thrifty Muffler 2 x 2.5"

• Cover