‘Charmed’ enters the same fray as those feisty, cutesy, supernatural dramas like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. Currently airing on cable and terrestrial here in the UK and the WB Network in the US, ‘Charmed’ follows the conflicts of life and love amoug the three unique and clashing Halliwell sisters. Sounds simple. Well not quite. Petty sibling differences have to be overcome in order to fulfil an ancient witchcraft prophecy. Well don’t they always?
Starring Alyssa Milano, Rose McGowan and Holly Marie Combs, the series is one of the WB network’s top rated shows and with a loyal and itchy fanbase literally scratching for related merchandise, this should presumably satisfy whatever the quality, although there will always be those who say what happened to the such and such track that was playing when wotsherpants shacked up with dudeyman or when the rain came down on the play out and everyone started crying.
The reason for some folks’ misgivings about the release, may however, be reasonable. The “Charmed“ soundtrack is a collection of songs that will mainly appear in Season 6, which only a mere week into syndication. So it’s unlikely that any of you will actually recognise these tracks, much less match soundtrack to scene. But bearing in mind the target audience (15-18 year old girls and sad and lonely thirty-something males) it’s not going to disappoint. In fact the only thing that might freak some of its conservative audience is the inclusion of the vampish and erotic ‘Strict Machine’ from Goldfrapp. Too eclectic for US tastes? For US teens, certainly.
What will bring a smile to all your big, cheesy faces though is the cracking opening shot from Smash Mouth (‘Hot’) – a big fat Scooby snack of a song that could have effortlessly graced any cartoon flick from Shrek II to Rugrats on Mars.
Mostly though it’s primarily songs about longing, separation, reconciliation, and getting spooky – the kind of cutesy spirituality and ethics the Fox Network traditionally peddles so well. The Flaming Lips’ grizzly yet touching elegy to a terminal world, ‘Do You Realize’, the shimmering and paranormal riposte to all that is male and nasty – Vanessa Carlton’s ‘Rinse’ and the shockingly good driving song ‘Worn Me Down’ performed by upcoming starlet Rachel Yamagata (a bit like Tanita Tikaram – but with a higher degree of legitimacy). And if these weren’t enough, you’ve also got Ziggy Marley (featuring Flea and John Frusciante) the Stereophonics and Third Eye Blind popping up now and again.
Verdict? As enjoyable as it is inoffensive and pedestrian – if a little oddly compiled.