Aaron Spelling had his pulse on television trends for decades, and when he began producing the WB hit series, Charmed, you can bet he knew exactly what he was doing. Three sisters reunited after a death in the family discover they were born to a unique family power: witchcraft. The Charmed Ones, as they became known to their abundance of enemies, were empowered with the gift of magic, enabling them to battle the forces of evil and hold the balance between dark and light in check.

Starring Shannon Doherty, Alyssa Milano and Holly Marie Combs, the series kicked off in October 1998, just in time for Halloween. Expanding on the ever-growing popularity of paranormal-themed television drama, each of the Halliwell sisters embodied a special supernatural gift, as well as the ability to perform magical spells.

Their greatest power, however, was the Power of Three–the combined essence of their sisterly bond. Incorporating loosely interpreted fundamentals from the Wiccan spirituality, the Charmed Ones managed to capture audience attention, skyrocketing the series into pop-culture overload.

During its first season, Charmed held the number one position as the most watched show on the WB network, but its success waned slightly in seasons two and three. After Shannon Doherty, who played Prue Halliwell, left the series at the end of season three, viewers wondered how on earth the show could go on without one of its star characters, but the writers managed to solve the problem by introducing a fourth sister, Paige. Paige, played by Rose McGowan, was the secret love child of the girls’ mother and her whitelighter. Though Paige never quite filled Prue’s shoes, the series managed to maintain a steady viewership right up until it’s eighth season.

The popularity of magic in entertainment has always been abundant, but on a slightly comical level. For example, Bewitched’s Samantha Stevens spent most of her witchery trying turn Derwood back into a human, but the Halliwell sisters took their magic more seriously. Perhaps the influence of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series set the bar for witchcraft higher. After all, in a world overrun by demonic forces and evil trolls, focusing their power on keeping the world safe helps give witches everywhere a better name.

Despite vehement viewer protest, and after an eight-year grip on entertainment, the Halliwell sisters bid The WB adieu in 2006. Though fans were deeply disappointed, many of us take comfort in the fact that you can catch Charmed reruns several times throughout the day.