Charmed (TV Series) Unaired Pilot (1998) User Reviews

Lori Rom Doesn't Fit The Part for Phoebe

[mirosuionitsaki2 · 7/10 · 27 July 2007]

I think many will agree that Lori Rom doesn't fit the part for Phoebe for many reasons. Only one reason I will say. She's very bad playing the part for Phoebe. As in, she's bad acting Phoebe. She's looks too old and unattractive to play Phoebe. Although, Alyssa Milano and Lori Rom are almost the same age, their appearance differs.

I didn't care about who played Inspector Andy Trudeau though. I don't really care for Andy in the show. The plot of this episode is still similar to "Something Wicca This Way Comes" of the regular Charmed series, which was aired.

I do recommend this episode if you liked Charmed since it's interesting if you compare it to "Something Wicca This Way Comes".

Not magical

[Zorklis · 6/10 · 17 March 2024]

So I watched the aired pilot and (then the second episode) then the unaired pilot (this one).

This feels not as magical, I like how some scenes were shot in different ways. Like the framing of the introduction of Prue, the way Piper comes in and the camera shows both girls.. some other scenes, but none would have sticked out really if I wasn't comparing the two pilots. The pacing and the landing of every scene just isn't there, it feels obvious what's the set-up and it misses that. It misses the power of one in a way, Alyssa Milano really was the glue that made it work, without the second attempt it feels like a made for TV movie and not the weekly cinematic movie it became.

I'm glad they managed to bring in some magic that Charmed people, but this was not it.

I gave this a 6 it's probably closer to 5 than 7. I would give the aired pilot an 8, closer to 9 but not a 10.

A shorter version of the first episode with a different Phoebe and Andy

[Jonny-ironica · 9/10 · 9 October 2007]

This pilot was filmed before the trees began blooming for spring in early 1998. Shannen Doherty and Holly Marie Combs were cast as the older Halliwell sisters who are living in their family home after their grandmother passed away. Lori Rom plays the youngest sister, Phoebe, who moves in, strangely enough, after Prue mentions they need help around the house. Apparently Phoebe was an irresponsible little slut who hit on Prue's fiancé... although Prue broke off the engagement with her fiancé anyway??? Well, we can't always count on the most solid writing. Oh and Andy is also played by Chris Boyd or whomever.

Anyway, if you're reading this review, you should have seen the first episode, so let's assume you know the general plot and name the differences.

Because the writer/creator wanted this show to focus more on the sisters, Andy isn't given as much development with Prue as he is in the first episode. Also, many people say Lori Rom is a no-talent hack who couldn't play Phoebe right, but I think Rom delivers a DIFFERENT performance... one that's not.. oh... as slutty. Not really. I just think she plays a quirkier Phoebe, one who couldn't have possibly hit on Prue's fiancé and done 90% of the things Phoebe did when she was played by Alyssa Milano for the rest of the series. That being said, the only real problem with Rom is that she is about a foot taller than Doherty and Combs, which doesn't work when she's supposed to be the youngest.

All this said, the pilot is still one of the better ones I have seen and really feeds the addiction hardcore Charmed fans crave. That's why it gets a 9/10.

Oh and Chris Boyd also got sacked and ends up being played by T.W. King.. who gets killed off at the end of season 1 anyway.

Lori Rom and Phoebe Halliwell Don't Click

[justinenyman · 5/10 · 31 March 2018]

Lori Rom is no comparison to Alyssa Milano. Not saying that the unaired is terrible, but if they never replaced Lori with Alyssa, the show probably would have never took the triumph/success that it did. And not to mention the actor that plays Andy has nothing on T.W. King. Having Rom and the unaired actor of Andy would surely make you take a nap. Otherwise besides the casting for the unaired, the episode was the same as Something Wicca This Way Comes

An alternative look at what the show could be

[Realrockerhalloween · 7 September 2016]

The unaired pilot was actually quite bad in presenting the show to the network and I'm surprised it was picked up. Lori Romni plays Phoebe who doesn't quite have the acting chops to pull the emotions required for the role, taller then the other two actresses throwing off the dynamic and was more of a tom boy. She wasn't the only questionable casting choice as Chris Boyd took over as Andy instead of Ted King.

Chris was so wooden I couldn't get past his dry deliveries to even think of him as a fascinating alternative. Only being thirty minutes it doesn't resolve any story line set up making the second pilot vastly superior.

Still I found the attic set to be the better choice being it was more spacious, had creepy furniture and a cool pole which may come handy for a great explication type flashback or in a fight. The incantation Phoebe recites to receive their powers was worded differently giving it a slight edge and invoking ancient Gods explaining where their power source comes from.

While the pilot formed the basis for the show allowing one more episode featuring Prue, I was glade the necessary changes were made to create a magical replacement for the viewing audience. Still I can't help but wonder if Romi had stayed on could the show have survived and would Shannon have stayed instead of the big feud that occurred in season three? Anyway the pilot is good for viewing what could've been and that's it.