‘Charmed’ Producer Teases Major Original Series Easter Egg in Pilot

The panel for The CW’s Charmed reboot was held today at San Diego Comic-Con and during the Q&A session one of the topics of conversation was the show’s ties to the original Charmed series. One of those ties turns out to be a major Easter egg about the very origin of the Charmed Ones themselves.

During the panel attendees were treated to the premiere of the upcoming series’ pilot episode and, according to producer Jennie Snyder Urman one detail in that pilot is a major, deeply-rooted nod to the first Charmed.

“Did you see Melinda Warren in the Book of Shadows?” Urman replied when asked about Easter eggs in the pilot.

If you were a fan of the first Charmed series that aired for eight seasons between 1998 and 2006, the name Melinda Warren likely sets off some major bells. Melinda first appears on Charmed during “The Witch is Back,” the ninth episode of the series’ first season. Melinda is an ancestor of the Halliwell sisters, the first witch in the family line and the one who prophesied the arrival of the three Charmed Ones as well as was the creator of the Book of Shadows — the book of magic passed down to every generation of Warren Witches since its creation in the 17th century.

While the context of the Melinda Warren Easter egg in the pilot is one that fans who weren’t at SDCC will have to wait until October to full explore, it will hopefully be a welcome reference for fans of the original series who are apprehensive about the reboot. When the show was first announced, many fans — and even one of the stars of the original, Holly Marie Combs who played Piper — were outspoken about their disdain for the remake. Many fans were concerned that the new series would simply ignore the legacy of the original, something that The CW network president Mark Pedowitz explained during the network’s Upfront presentation in May wasn’t the case.

“Hopefully they would give this new cast a chance,” Pedowitz said. “It is not quite the same, yet there are many similarities. Hopefully they’ll give it a shot. We are happy with who we cast, we think it’s a nice mix. We’re thrilled that Jennie Snyder Urman has reimagined it somewhat and I can only say to fans: Before you make a decision, watch the series.”

With a major legacy Easter egg like Melinda Warren, fans will want to do just that but even if they come for the Easter eggs, producer Jessica O’Toole said during the SDCC panel that they should stay for the story, too.

“It’s gonna be juice and you’re going to really fall in love with the sisters,” O’Toole said.

“I really hope that you all have fun,” Urman added.

Charmed will premiere on Sunday, October 14th on The CW.