Charmed (TV Series) That '70s Episode (1999) User Reviews

Good Episode, But Weird Plot

[arturo_smallcharm · 10/10 · 14 September 2006]

Since Patty died, the girls learned how to leave without her. So, one day a demon comes to the house saying that he is an old friend of Grams and Patty. This guy made a deal in the past with Patty to steal the Charmed Ones' powers, they had to cast a spell, but this take them to the past, where Mom and Grams were alive. Phoebe met his mother, finally.

But the question is about episode 8.22 Forever Charmed, where Piper travels on time and went to Patty, but she no longer recognize her, but why? I mean they went to the past in this episode at the same era, and then in the final episode, she didn't remember the all grown up Charmed Ones.

Good episode, though.

Inconsistent and Flawed Traveling in Time

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 25 January 2007]

Prue, Pipes and Phoebe are attacked by the evil warlock Nicholas that wants to kill them and steal their powers. The Halliwell sisters are unable to protect themselves since Nicholas is immune to the power of three. He tells that he made a pact with Patty Halliwell in the past and he is invulnerable to their powers. The sisters cast a spell and travel in time to 1975, trying to avoid their mother's deal with Nicholas. However, neither of them has power and they have difficulties to convince their grandmother and mother who they are.

"That '70s Episode" has a good idea and a totally flawed execution. Stories with travel in time are very difficult to be consistent, and the writer of this episode shows a total lack of care with the absurd and illogical situations. The viewer must not have any logical thoughts and enjoy only the sentimental side of the story, with the gathering of three generations of the Halliwell family. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Nos Anos 70" ("In the 70's")

The One In The 1970s...

[taylorkingston · 10/10 · 23 July 2015]

I love this episode. It is one of my all-time favorite episodes. Not only from Season 1, but from the entire series.

In this episode, a warlock named Nicholas attacks the sisters, and to stop him they cast a spell that sends them back to the 1970s. They have to get their Mother, Patty, to help them stop the warlock. Because she apparently traded the sisters powers to the warlock, but we find out that she did it to save them. Anyway, the sisters find out that little Prue and little Piper have their powers, and try to get them to help, but Grams forces them out of the manor. Eventually the sisters convince Patty of their connection to her, and she and Grams helps them. They break the pact, and when the sisters go back to the present, Nicholas has no immunity to their powers, and they find a spell in the Book Of Shadows that will destroy him.

Fun Fact: When the sisters go back to March, 1975, you see that Jaws was at the movie theater, however, Jaws was not released until June, 1975.

First appearance of: Patty Halliwell.

Best part of the episode: Pretty much the whole episode.

Worst part of the episode: Nicholas.

Overall, I give this episode a 10 out of 10, which in my ratings book is: Freaking Ridonkulous.

The Ghosts of 70s past

[Realrockerhalloween · 9 September 2016]

That 70s episode was a wonderful story flowing flawlessly across the screen as the sisters travel back in time to stop their mother from making a deal with a warlock to become immune to their powers in exchange for her life.

For a first time travel story it would very enjoyable with a loop set up to stop history from being rewritten to where the girls won't receive their powers until 98 and Grams giving them a vanquishing potion to stop the threat in the future awaiting their return. The only thing it doesn't answer is if Penny and Patty caste a forget spell or potion so they won't remember the events and future knowledge they gained to cheat death. My own my complaints which kinda cheapen it on rewatches is Victor only given a mention. Aunt Gail and Whitelighter Sam aren't seen or references even though they are said to have been apart of their lives and played big roles in their debut next season.

An inconsistency occurs when Phoebe puts a note in the book trying to warn their mother about a warlock who will drown her instead its a water demon yet it could be a simple mistake as they are still knew to the craft and it makes me wonder if the spell they caste to return to the present didn't work because of the attempts to change history or they didn't have enough magic to boost it?

But besides the short comings I'm glade the girls finally get to see their two beloved family members again and Phoebe having an actual memory of her since she dies when the girls were young. It warms my heart to see them get a chance to say how much they love each other, think about one another and bond as a family.

I couldn't ask for a better reunion show or to introduce two important recurring characters. It covers all bases and leaves you satisfied besides the short comings.

maybe a diff take on this episode

[jtsjtssmokey-703-366973 · 8/10 · 25 January 2014]

This epi has Piper trying to find a way to write a note to Grams "friend" who comes every yr and she doesn't want to see him, but cant find a way in time and with the other 2 joking about "breaking" his heart, they answer the door. (wonder if on some level Piper sensed something off about him). Oh ya its always the same time an date. Every time he "drops" flowers (mess), but Piper freezes him to save the clean up. He unfreezes to tell them 5 chimes (its noon), you have your powers finally and now I can get them. Your mom blessed this ring and you cant hurt me, they just get away. Somehow find a spell cast it an still "home" but hey weird phone ringing, they are in the past, alive.

OK time travel, they meet themselves, well Piper an Prue as Phoebe is still on the "inside", and grams and their mom (of course the convincing we are you daughters/granddaughters), and love the fact that Andy is there too as a child, the history fits.

Now, I think that Grams did erase at least most of the memories, she would do that to keep consistency, she has mentioned it before.

To answer the question poised by arturo, Phoebe would have just been conceived when they "arrived" (season 8 Piper an Leo), but this took place between 3 an 6 weeks later, as Victor had moved into a hotel in this epi, but was still living at the manor when Leo an Piper came, which tech would be before the girls travelled back.

So time line the season 8 epi 22 took place before the season 1 epi 17, and when on the season 8 epi 22 they went "home" the 2 diff pasts, were brought back just before seeing Leo and Piper so no memory of them or the future.

The girls couldn't change Patty being tricked (yes victor would have to have been staying there but was away otherwise would be dead, other wise the demon wouldn't have been there). They were able to be the ones to break in a get the ring that Patty had blessed, and Penny was able to know that if done right, they would get back as he was still coming after them and kill him without him knowing they could.

So the visit to the past really didn't change the time line, and as my thinking, Grams would do what was needed to keep the balanced by "loosing" the memories.

An incredible and emotional episode!

[heddyfernandes · 10/10 · 22 April 2024]

Proof that it's not all collective fan delirium.

I already knew Charmed, of course. It's one of the most famous series of the 90s. But, over the years, I'd never been interested in getting to know it better. In the mid-2000s, I remember reruns on broadcast and cable TV. What I keep from these reruns is the memory of a sub-produced program, with effects of dubious taste - this, in a way, influenced the image of Charmed in my head. I spent a long time believing that I would see something trashy and of poor quality if I gave the little witches a chance. What was my surprise when I started watching the series and realized that it was the exact opposite? A fun show, well acted, with good dialog and pace. This episode, in particular, left me wanting more. Magical in every way: for bringing back the atmosphere of the 70s, and for delving deep into the Halliwells' past and giving us the chance to savor the building of a memory of Phoebe with her mother.

Back to the 70's

[seneuser · 8/10 · 24 October 2023]

The first season just continues to pick up momentum as it heads toward its finale. Here we get the sisters' first trip into the past and both the iconic character of Grams and the mother of the Charmed Ones, Penny Halliwell, shine in their guest roles.

Apparently there is a warlock, Nicholas, who has been delivering flowers every year, waiting for the sisters to reveal their powers to him. What he does with the rest of his time is anyone's guess, but here his persistence will finally pay off. Why doesn't Nicholas already know that with Grams dead the sisters are likely to now have their powers as other warlocks have already stated? Don't know. Anyway, Nicholas has a magical ring that grants him immunity from the sisters' powers. Penny imbued the ring with that ability in exchange for her life after Nicholas had ambushed her. It was a bad deal, but since she was pregnant with Phoebe at the time, we can't blame her for doing what she had to.

In order to save themselves from the immune Nicholas, the sisters go back in time to possibly stop the bargain from happening in the first place. Back in the ripping 70's, we are introduced to a Grams very much in her full power, and Prue and Piper as young children. It turns out that only one set of sisters can have their powers at a time, so the children have them and not the adult sisters, which obviously complicates matters.

This is an especially big event for Phoebe since her mother died when she was young, and she never really got to know her. Phoebe even suggests staying in the 70's, despite the obvious disaster that could result from that.

In the end, the entire Halliwell coven is way too much for one warlock to overcome. I had initially given this episode a nine, placing it among the few best episodes of the season, but I pulled it back to an 8 due to all the logic inconsistencies in it.

Why couldn't Penny defend herself from Nicholas in the first place? Can't she freeze time? If it is possible for Penny to just uncurse the ring, then why didn't she do that years ago? If she can do that, then wouldn't Nicholas know that? Why not wait until after Phoebe is born to strike? Is it really a good idea for the young girls to have magical powers? Isn't that a huge risk and wouldn't they have been huge targets being vulnerable as children? Why can't Prue just use her telekinesis to pull the ring off Nicholas's finger? Or just jump him and physically take it off?

Gram is disappointed to learn she is dead in their future, but the sister's actions also make it very clear that Penny is also dead.

Anyway, any episode with Grams is a good one.

A fans favorite.

[m-47826 · 7/10 · 20 March 2021]

And one episode you must watch if you want to do the essentials of the series. However I think it should've been a two hours episode. So then everything would look less rushed and the ending, be more subsequent with what we got in the end. I just finished rewatching it, and I barely put together what happened for the sisters to defeat the demon, and go back to their timeline. It's a shame, because the episode is very good otherwise, and has lots of heart wrenching moments. After two great characters centric episodes, that were done with a more psychological approach. It was only natural the show introduced us to the girls background and other family members. Only I thought it wasn't done effectively.