The ninth episode of Charmed, “The Witch Is Back,” is one of the strongest episodes of season one. It dives deeper into the Halliwell family history as the sisters summon their ancestor, Melinda Warren, to help them stop the warlock Matthew Tate—the very man she imprisoned centuries earlier. Between expanding the show’s mythology, introducing new magic, and giving the sisters a true mentor for the first time, this episode feels like a major turning point for the series.
The episode opens in the 17th century, where we meet Melinda Warren. After falling in love with the warlock Matthew Tate, she is betrayed when he steals her powers. Before she is burned at the stake, Melinda traps Matthew inside a magical locket that can only be opened by one of her descendants.
One thing I noticed is that this storyline becomes a recurring theme throughout Charmed. Good witches constantly seem to fall for evil men. We saw hints of it with Piper and Jeremy at the beginning of the series, we’ll see it later with Phoebe’s love life, and even Grams has a similar history. Maybe it’s just part of being a Warren witch—love and danger always seem to go hand in hand.
Back in the present, Rex conveniently gives Prue the mysterious locket. Naturally, she opens it, releasing Matthew into the modern world.
At this point, I was just thinking, Prue… maybe stop opening random magical objects! The sisters know they’re witches by now, yet curiosity always seems to land them in trouble.
Matthew’s ability to copy another witch’s powers immediately makes him one of the more dangerous warlocks we’ve seen so far. After stealing Prue’s telekinesis, he begins hunting down the sisters to claim the rest of their powers.
Meanwhile, Rex and Hannah finally confirm that Prue really is one of the Charmed Ones. They’re working under orders from a mysterious higher power to steal the sisters’ magic, but Matthew has plans of his own. Both sides are technically working together, yet both intend to betray the other once they’ve gotten what they want.
One of my favorite parts of this episode is seeing Phoebe’s powers evolve. After touching the locket, she experiences a vision of the past, witnessing Melinda imprison Matthew centuries earlier. Realizing only Melinda knows how to stop him, the sisters perform a spell to bring their ancestor into the present.
The summoning scene is hilarious because Piper refuses to prick her finger for the spell—a very classic Piper moment. I also loved Phoebe constantly wishing for an active power like flying or shooting energy. Looking back, it feels like subtle foreshadowing since she eventually develops another active power later in the series. It’s fun seeing those little hints planted so early.
Melinda is easily the highlight of this episode.
Watching her react to the modern world is hilarious. She’s fascinated by everything—from zippers to modern clothing—and Matthew has similar reactions while trying to navigate the future.
Beyond the comedy, though, Melinda finally gives the sisters something they’ve been missing: a mentor.
Since losing their mother and Grams, the Halliwells have largely been figuring out witchcraft on their own. Melinda teaches them spells, encourages them to continue adding to the Book of Shadows, and helps guide them through their magical journey.
The relationship she quickly develops with the sisters feels incredibly heartfelt. Even though she’s only around for one episode, she almost becomes the maternal figure they’ve been missing.
It’s also bittersweet knowing what awaits her. Melinda sacrificed herself so her daughter—and ultimately the Warren line—could survive. Seeing that her family continued because of her sacrifice makes her story even more emotional.
While all the magical chaos unfolds, Piper and Leo continue dancing around their obvious feelings for each other.
Phoebe finally tells Piper to stop overthinking everything and just ask Leo out already.
Thankfully, Piper finally does, giving us another sweet step forward in what becomes one of the show’s most beloved relationships.
I have to say it…
Andy is so frustrating in this episode.
After everything that happened with Prue, he’s completely blinded by heartbreak. Instead of focusing on the actual serial killer leaving bodies behind, he’s determined to prove Prue is somehow responsible for everything.
He wants warrants. He wants judges awakened in the middle of the night. He jumps to conclusions over the smallest pieces of evidence.
Even Daryl is basically telling him to calm down because he’s letting his personal feelings interfere with his job. This isn’t the Andy we’ve come to know. His heartbreak has completely taken over his judgment, and honestly, it’s hard to watch.
After stealing both Prue’s and Phoebe’s powers, Matthew only needs Piper’s ability to complete his revenge.
Rex and Hannah hand him a gun—which honestly made me laugh.
This man is from the 17th century… did anyone even explain how a gun works?
Thankfully, the sisters work together with Melinda one final time. Piper freezes Matthew long enough for Melinda to imprison him back inside the locket forever.
Before returning to her own time, Melinda decides to take the locket with her so no one can ever accidentally release Matthew again.
One question I’ve always wondered is whether Melinda remembers everything after returning to her own time. If she does, she still allows history to unfold because she now knows her descendants survive. If she doesn’t, then time simply continues as it always has. Either way, it’s an interesting little time-travel paradox.
This is easily one of my favorite episodes of Season 1 and comfortably sits in my top five.
Everything I love about Charmed is here.
We learn more about the Warren family history, Phoebe’s powers begin to evolve, the sisters perform larger and more advanced spells, we get meaningful Book of Shadows moments, and we finally see them learning from someone who truly understands their magical heritage.
More than anything, I love the emotional heart of this episode. For a brief moment, the Halliwell sisters get to spend time with someone from their own family who understands exactly what they’re going through. After losing both Patty and Grams, Melinda fills that role, even if only for a short while.
Episodes that expand the mythology and embrace the magical side of Charmed are almost always my favorites, and The Witch Is Back does exactly that. It’s heartfelt, funny, magical, and gives us one of the best looks at the Warren legacy—a legacy that will continue to shape the series for years to come.