Ms_Hellfire asked this question on 3/10/2000:

I would like to ask what everyone thinks about some of the new TV shows and movies that feature "witches" and such. I like the show "Charmed" because it doesn't glorify the craft, and because it sticks pretty closely to the truth...for the most part. Please give me your feedback. Blessed Be

hagatha gave this response on 3/15/2000:

Media plays a huge role in our society. These days, TV and Movies more so than any other. I get tons of questions each week from young women (12-15) who want to know "how to" about Wicca and magick and a good number of them are things they saw on TV or in a movie. Example:

1.) Can I change my eye color? (The Craft) 2.) Can I freeze time? (Charmed) 3.) Can I float a pencil? (Buffy the VS)

Often I will have folks ask me if they can substitute one thing for another in a ritual they saw in a movie or TV. Rituals which they assume are real and that all witches must know about.

I see Charmed and other shows like it as a double edged sword. Some parts are true/realistic, and others are hollywood flash. Most newbies really dont know the difference and some are only looking for the flash anyway. However, for every three who want "a quickie love spell and hold the lecture on ethics", there is one who is genuinely interested in learning more. These shows can create an unrealistic sense of what witchcraft is, but its also motivates people to get out there and find out more. In the end, it doesnt matter if it was the coolness of the glamour spell in the Craft or a need to find spiritual fullfillment that began you asking questions, its what you do with the knowledge you receive.

BTW: I liked the Craft. There were elements in some scenes that were familiar(like the dedication ritual) and even parts of the invocation of Manon (who was not a real godd/ess according to Pat Devin, the witchcraft consultant for that movie) were things we probably all recognized from our own rituals. But this wasnt supposed to be a documentary AND the "rituals" were kept general so that unschooled newbies werent out there getting into trouble. The special effects and over dramatization of the "results" of their magick was purely for entertainment. What made it a decent movie in my eyes wasnt what was "incorrect" or "fake" but what the film had to say, which was basically "magick comes with responsibilities, it can and does effect lives, and whatever you do comes back to you 3fold."

All in all, I think the new TV shows and movies arent as bad as many think. Wicca is becoming a well known religion, so much so that it is creeping in to American TV and is being portrayed in a positive way. In addition to shows about witches and Wiccans, other shows have had episodes where they have positively touched on Wicca and issues surrounding it. Shows like:

Picket Fences Judging Amy X-Files First Wave

Plus countless documentaries. The more the public at large hears about us, and sees us portrayed as normal people with jobs and kids and lives, the more likely we are to be accepted as such in reality.

Those are my thoughts anyway :-)

Hagatha please take the time to rate this answer, thanx

The average rating for this answer is 5.

Ms_Hellfire rated this answer a 5.