Ending a beloved TV series can’t be easy.
It’s just as difficult deciding whether or not the conclusion was satisfactory once a series finale has aired.
While the cancellation was shocking given the popularity and numbers, Good Witch Season 7 Episode 10 follows seeds planted throughout the season to a seemingly logical conclusion.
That still doesn’t mean we have to like it.
For the first time, Good Witch Season 7 really leaned into the reality that the Merriwicks were witches.
Their abilities weren’t brushed under the rug as intuition, even if intuition was a significant part of those abilities.
It also offered a broader spectrum of relationship drama. While Good Witch Season 6 studied Abigail and Donovan’s relationship in some detail and offered Stephanie and Adam their struggles, this season found Martha and Tom, Joy and Zoey, and Cassie and Sam also redefining their loves.
It was a good season, one of their best. Stepping away from the Grey House guest of the week was an important change, and it’s not until reflecting on the season that the reality of that change becomes apparent.
If there was a question of whether Good Witch could thrive without that component, this season proved that it most definitely could.
There have always been more characters than time to tell their stories. When the children graduated high school and moved out, the winds of change were upon Middleton.
After that transitional season, leaping into another layer of storytelling made sense. If there is nothing else good to say about this cancellation, I’m thankful for spending time this final season with the characters we love instead of random strangers.
As it turned out, there was plenty of drama within the Good Witch circle of friends and family to weave compelling tales.
Whether that could have gone on forever must have been foremost on their minds. What kind of a show would it have been if there was another season added to the mix?
The way Good Witch signed off suggests there is still plenty left to say, so it’s sad that this is the end of the series and the movie franchise.
First and foremost, the Merriwick legacy had to be upheld. The first half of the finale was dedicated to stopping the effects of the red-haloed moon.
We learned more about Patience and Fortune and the amulet, which ultimately saved our beloved trio from losing that which they hold most dear — their identity as Merriwick witches.
We never doubted that they would pull through, but seeing them standing in front of Grey House, clasping hands as the moon reflected off of the pendant, was the stuff of dreams if you’re a fan of the supernatural.
This wasn’t Cassie suggesting a special soap to turn a mood around, but a genuine moment showing how powerful they really were and hinting at all that we didn’t know.
Once, the supernatural was all across the entertainment spectrum, but it slowly faded as superheroes took the lead. Good Witch is one of the final vestiges of one of my favorite times in TV history.
And while I should be happy for what was, it’s stories that were never tapped that bring me sadness to see this series depart.
Relationships were either cemented or destroyed in the finale, but in every case, it felt true to the characters and especially the seeds planted during the season.
Tom had his heart surgery, and it only bound him and Martha into a stronger couple, as if that were even possible.
The early storyline, including their daughter-in-law and granddaughter Tommi, held a lot of promise, but they were dropped quickly. There was plenty ahead for this couple in Middleton.
Stephanie and Adam, torn apart during the previous season finale, found their way together again and got married rather than trying to weather time apart again.
If you thought the wedding of “The Wedding” was going to be them, good on you. It never crossed my mind. But I’m happy for them and imagine a life filled with adventures in travels and cuisine.
Joy had a close call with a former girlfriend, making her realize how much she loves Zoey. Nothing like an old flame popping up to show your heart’s true north.
And nothing like a wedding, where you get dressed up and can dance in each other’s arms to get the heart racing.
Joy’s was beating so hard and fast in her chest when Zoey walked in wearing that gown that it was palpable.
Donovan pulled the plug on things with Abigail. It felt fast, but we all know that they spent more time trying to stay together than getting to know each other.
And what they did know didn’t mesh. Their independence was more important than their love, such that it was. They might have been more in love with the idea of love than with each other.
Nobody should have to put their dreams aside for another, and hitching herself to Donovan with his dreams to be Governor would have stifled Abigail, who we know as a free spirit.
I only wish we could follow her to Tuscany to see what’s next for the vivacious Merriwick.
Cassie and Sam were struggling to find time for each other. Their marriage, still in its infancy, got sidetracked with their everyday existence. They forgot to bask in each other’s love and took it for granted.
Sam’s health scare and the possibility that Cassie could lose her magic shook them both out of the haze they found themselves in, and they’ve decided to make the most of every minute.
If the last year has taught us anything, it’s that everything can change in an instant, and if you don’t act now, you might not get the chance.
Cassie and Sam will visit Grace in Milan, see Abigail to Tuscany, and then begin an adventure of a lifetime.
It’s not wrong that I want to hear all about it. Everyone in Middleton (and outside of it) is happy, but I’ll still miss them.
The last page of the book that said “shake the family tree” not only addressed the importance of that tree falling so that they could take care of the red-haloed moon, but it shook some sense into the Merriwicks, reminding them that their dreams deserve attention.
It’s well shaken now, and who knows when the Merriwicks will ever come close to the Power of Three (couldn’t help it) again?
So now, the only way to see our beloved Merriwicks is to watch Good Witch online.
That kind of stings, and I really hope that they’ll reconsider a Halloween movie in the future. That’s what started this ball rolling, and revisiting that structure would be a ratings windfall.
Tell me, Goodies, what will you miss the most? Did the finale meet your high standards?
Thanks so much for reading with me these past years. It’s been a pleasure, and I’ll miss each and every one of you.
I’ll be sticking around for Chesapeake Shores, which premieres on August 15. Hopefully, we’ll meet again to discuss more Hallmark goodness.
Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She’s a member of the Critic’s Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on Twitter and email her here at TV Fanatic.