Investigating Charmed: The Magic Power of TV

Investigating Cult TV

by Stan Beeler, Karin Beeler

In 1998, the series "Charmed", the story created by Constance M. Burge of three sisters who discover that they are powerful witches, first aired on the WB network. The series ran for eight series and into top-rating DVDs, and has established a continuing presence as cult TV. The world of "Charmed" is distinctively one of female solidarity, with sisters Piper, Prudence, Phoebe and, with the death of Pru, half-sister Paige making up the 'power of three'. In their crusade against the demonic population of their home city of San Francisco, the Halliwell sisters have also inherited their powers and "The Book of Shadows" through the female line. The expert contributors to "Investigating 'Charmed'", all of them fans of the show, explore its nature as ground breaking TV. They debate the status of "Charmed" as third wave feminist narrative, as well as its upturning of notions of sexuality, and its creation of alternative forms of family life. The San Francisco setting is explored as is "Charmed's" brand of witchcraft and fantasy, its mythological antecedents and female heroes.
Looking also at the fans' relationship to the show, as well as its novelizations, fan fiction and blogs, the book on this fantastic magical show concludes with a complete Episode Guide.

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Dr. Stan Beeler is an associate professor of English at University of Northern British Columbia.

Reviews

[katrina Stirling · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not was expecting at all

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book uses a lot of feminist discourse that I'm unfamiliar with because I don't study the academic side of feminism. So it kind of makes for dry reading. The essays are well written, it's just not gripping stuff.