Charmed, Ep 2×01, “Safe Space” aired on October 11, 2019
It’s Witchness Protection for our favorite Vaughn/Vera sisters. It seems that there were some pretty significant consequences to the fact that all the Elders were dead and Macy briefly becoming the Source. There’s a war and witches are being killed off without the protection of their Whiteligthers. Where did Harry’s former peers disappear to? Well, it seems that they were tethered to the Elders? When the leading body of the Witch Community died off, the rest of the Whitelighters went as well. Turns out Harry getting ditched by the Elders was a very good thing since his connection to them was severed. The second season has new showrunners and is taking out Charmed ones into the unknown as they are stripped of their powers and their lives in Hilltowne. Read on for my top five favorite developments from the season 2 premiere, “Safe Space”.
1) A Change Of Place
It’s not so unusual that the girls find themselves under attack in their own home. The new detail that changes everything? The masked assassin chasing them appears to be immune to the power of three. The girls and Harry end up in the attic and before they can make good an escape, the Book of Shadows is destroyed right before their eyes. They’re also separated from Harry. Thanks to an emergency portal set up as a fail safe by the Elders, the girls find themselves in some strange bunker. It’s a command center, but they’re uncertain exactly for what initially. This season, the girls leave Hilltowne far behind and we’re introduced to several new locations in Seattle where they are currently in Witchness Protection.
Why is this a cool change? We’ve seen the girls battle it out with demons and other creatures in their small college town. It had a cool atmosphere, but the show is very much expanding the playing field for the sisters. Their home base and new lives will be in Seattle. We’ve already seen them interacting with some interesting personalities at Safe Space. Plus, the Witchboard is in the bunker and they can portal anywhere in the world to help a witch in need. Which a good thing since there’s a war on and only one Whitelighter left.
2) Power Loss
Confused as to exactly where they’d landed and why, Mel went to use her power to freeze time and instead she gets a high five. Turns out that upon escaping through that initial portal, the sisters were stripped of their auras and their identities so that they couldn’t be easily tracked. The Power of Three is no more for now. They still retain their basic skills as witches and can cast and brew potions, but no more telekinesis, freezing time, or empathy. Have the girls lost their powers forever? There is absolutely no way that the Power of Three is gone for good, right?
The girls will have to figure out how to read the Book of Elders to perhaps figure out a way to reclaim their power. It would be interesting to see the girls get a different set of powers. For now, I’m here for watching more growth from Maggie who is already stepping up and taking on more responsibility. Mel is becoming more flexible with change. She was even willing to leave magic behind for normal lives if that was what Macy and Maggie wanted.
In the meantime, Macy’s demon half is still in full effect as seen by that awesome rescue at that Vermont Bed & Breakfast. It will be interesting to see Mel and Maggie rely on other workarounds and learn more spellcasting since they no longer have access to their powers. Then there’s Harry who seems to be dealing with some ill-effects after healing Macy. He took in the green poison from the assassin’s dart and can’t seem to teleport any longer.
Why is this cool? The stakes are raised exponentially. For now, gone are the days of the sisters calling in an assist from Harry and him popping in at the nick of time or popping them out. Sure we have the portals now, but it’s an interesting change. Also, how were Harry’s abilities to heal effected by the poison?
3) Chemistry So Lit
Full disclosure…I’ve watched this episode about 7 times and this scene into the double digits. Harry and Macy’s chemistry was interesting last season and well after bingeing the season again over the summer and following the #Hacy tag I absolutely wanted the writers to go there with these two. I didn’t care if it was going to be a slow burn. Color me surprised when the premiere came out the gate with the blazing hot chemistry that is Harry and Macy.
Was Macy hallucinating? Is Dark Harry connected to Macy somehow and was in her head? I’m thinking that the moment was real and he was calling to her somehow. This dude with Harry’s face (we’ll get into that more in a second). Even sick out of her mind, Macy could tell there was something different about this Harry. A dangerous edge that we haven’t seen in our sweet, adorakable Harry. Dark Harry asks if Macy likes the change she senses and she speaks the for rest of us with that breathy “yes”. I have so many questions. Who is this Harry? Are we going to learn there are multiverses in the world of Charmed like other CW shows (at this rate our Charmed Ones could end up involved in the coming Arrowverse Crisis).
There seemed to be some connection between Macy and this other Harry. An air of familiarity that speaks of more than the bonds of friendship we’ve seen previously. There is a heat that demands explanation. I’ve seen theories about this Harry being from the future. Maybe this is a future where our Harry and Macy have gone dark together and something happened to her to send him back to the past. So many possibilities. That said. Even without Dark Harry…Harry and Macy need to happen. These tease was everything and we can’t settle for less.
Speaking of chemistry, Mel and Maggie also met up with some interesting new people at Safe Space. Maggie met Jordan who was super suspicious of her and her need for his first aid kit. If Harry’s power to heal is gone, we may see the girls meet up with the medic again. Actually, we totally will given the sparks going between Maggie and the kickboxing medic. Elsewhere, Mel connects with one of the Safe Space shopkeepers. It’s clear that Mel will cross paths with her again. Hopefully sooner than later.
4) There’s No Place Like Home
The girls may have lost their powers, lives back in Hilltowne, and friends, but the Manor followed them. I’m very curious about the Manor-sized hold back home in Hilltowne or maybe something else popped up in it’s place. I won’t ask too many questions. With all the changes that have occurred, I’m happy that Maggie and Mel were saved from losing their childhood home. Plus it’s an iconic set piece. I love that the house is tethered with them and will follow wherever they go.
5) Two Harrys?
That earlier Harry and Macy moment had an entirely different feel before watching the episode’s final seconds and realizing that the assassin trying to kill them all is…Harry? Or has Harry’s face. At the top of the episode, the Vera/Vaughn family is celebrating Maggie’s birthday. Harry, like Macy, is in full party mode until he has to leave to escort a witch back home to Wine Country. Color him dismayed when he returns home to find the girls under full attack. He manages to get them away to safety, but then he’s killed. Killed by someone wearing his face. Does Harry have an evil twin? What about that multiverse idea I mentioned earlier? Is Dark Harry a shapeshifter of some sort? A good mystery to kick the season off with.
I’m glad that the show made it clear that our Harry died, but returned from the grave. Had we not gotten those final moments and Harry remembering from his POV, I would have been strongly suspicious that our Harry was gone and replaced by his dark assassin. I have soooo many questions and can’t wait to see where the show takes this new mystery.
Of course, Harry doesn’t tell the Charmed Ones the identity of the assassin. Maybe he’s still reeling from everything else. Dying. Realizing that he’s the last living Whitelighter. Losing his own power. The responsibility of watching over a world full of witches. It’s a lot for sure, but nothing the Power of Four can’t handle, right? What did you think of the S2 premiere, “Safe Space”? What was your favorite change? Are you hoping they find a way to bring Lucy to Seattle, too? What other familiar faces do you hope pop up this season. Hit the comments below.
Charmed airs on Fridays at 8/7c and is available streaming on The CW app
Photo: The CW/Charmed
