Charmed Season 3

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2000's, Alyssa Milano, Brian Krause, Charmed, Charmed Season 3, Dorian Gregory, Holly Marie Combs, Julian McMahon, Shannen Doherty

With Season 3, Charmed becomes darker and more personal. And with that, it emerges as probably my favourite season of the entire show’s run. Season 1 and Season 2 were amazing and carefully balanced humour, sisterly relationships and the elements of supernatural, but with this season, we get a welcome dash of seriousness and poignant emotion. This gives Season 3 a necessary drama as we see the Halliwell’s face demons, discover some eventful family history and experience eventual tragedy. Be warned readers, major spoilers will follow in this review.

Prue( Shannen Doherty), Piper(Holly Marie Combs) and Phoebe(Alyssa Milano) Halliwell continue to battle demons, taking down the supernatural foes that come their way in the hope of stopping the spread of evil and protecting the greater good. The burden of this often weighs heavy upon the girls, but as it is their destiny to be protectors of good, they don’t really have a choice. In fact, Prue takes centre stage this season and announces herself as supremely powerful and capable. She may have wanted a normal life at the start of the show, but now with their Wiccan destiny there, Prue has taken it by the horns and has become a very quick study in all things supernatural. She can now channel her power for great potential and is clearly someone you shouldn’t trifle with. Piper has taken her relationship with Leo(Brian Krause) to the next step and becomes engaged, despite the trepidation of The Elders. Through Piper’s deep love, the veil that has protected the union between witches and Whitelighters marrying is lifted and Piper finally marries her beloved. Plus, Piper gains a new power to blow things up with a wave of her hands which she at first struggles to control but comes in very handy when battling evil. And last but not least is Phoebe( who acquires the new power of levitation), meeting someone who will have a deep impact on her life. That person is Cole Turner(Julian McMahon), a charming district attorney who takes a romantic interest in Phoebe which of course she reciprocates. Secretly though, Cole is half demon( his vicious demonic state is known as Belthazor) and has been sent to kill the Charmed Ones by The Triad, a group of exceptionally evil demons who want to assume power. What Cole hasn’t bargained for is genuinely falling for Phoebe and thus putting his mission to kill her in jeopardy. All of this leads Phoebe to a crisis when she does find out the true nature of Cole as she has deeply fallen for him. And though the sisters must vanquish him, Phoebe lies to protect Cole from harm as she can’t let go of him. Yet when her sisters find out it is a hard task explaining this to them, especially to Prue who suspected Cole all along. Add to this The Source getting stronger and gearing up for an attack on the sisters, and we have one hell of a season that comes to a highly charged and devastating finale.

What really gives Season 3 that something special is the sense of consistency in it and the emotions that are drawn out. While Charmed is a heavily serialized show, there is a greater sense of overriding events here. The stories that populate the season are darker and more mature than before and while not every episode is perfect, the majority of them this season are outstanding, well-written and acted with excellence( as many people may have gathered by my mostly high episode ratings at the bottom of this review). The themes of deep love come to the forefront as Piper finally marries Leo and Phoebe falls for the devilish Cole and must consider the consequences. A poignant sense of emotion pervades Season 3 as threats become more personal to the girls and their magic is constantly tested by every force of evil imaginable. There is still the humour there for enjoyment, but a greater sense of maturity added to the mix. We finally glimpse The Source, although he is hooded and enshrouded with mystery. But just from hearing his deep voice and his deceptive ways lets us know that he will be one hellish evil that will challenge the sisters. And with this season thankfully, things we’ve been wondering about are explained. We get to see The Elders and their heavenly domain and the girl’s father manages to patch things up after being absent for so long because he wanted to steer clear of the world of witches and demons. I liked how this season brought these to attention and finally addressed them properly.

The most emotional and sad moment of this season is the death of Prue in the finale. Prue has always been the most assured and powerful sister who has to take responsibility. So to have her die at the hands of The Source’s henchman while trying to save an innocent is such a tragedy and definitely makes for wrenching viewing. As we’ve watched her grow along with her sisters, we’ve developed a bond with her. I have noticed that leading up to the tragedy there are subtle references to death among the sisters that manifests itself in different forms. The finale is one powerhouse of an episode of danger, demons and tragedy that ranks as my favourite episode in the show’s entire run because it takes risks and delivers emotional viewing. And with that, we are left wondering how the show can continue with the Power of Three severed.

It may be her last season on the show, but Shannen Doherty still gives one hell of an impact as Prue. Tough, wise, protective yet compassionate, Prue has truly grown since becoming a witch. Doherty brings out that inner strength and sensitive side and works wonders with it. It may be her last season, but Doherty makes sure her part will never be forgotten in the Charmed canon. And I do believe it is very fitting that Doherty herself directed her last episode which is truly a testament to her abilities. On a side note, Doherty also directs another very good episode during the season in which she is sent into a time portal of the Wild West that will keep repeating until justice is served. Holly Marie Combs continues to convey deep emotions and passion as Piper, who is taking control of her life for good. Combs just makes you feel every emotion that Piper is feeling through small and subtle things. Piper is the main heart of the show and her love for Leo is the loveliest relationship as we see their struggles, but ultimately their undying love for each other. It’s very nice to see Piper still in control but not afraid to let her hair down in one particular episode. OK, she may be possessed by a demon when she table dances in leather, but it definitely provides a different and sexy side to Piper and a very memorable moment of an excellently constructed season. Alyssa Milano excellently brings forth the sympathetic yet confused side of Phoebe out as she wrestles with her love for half-demon Cole. You can’t help but feel sorry for Phoebe in that the first guy she genuinely loves turns out to be mainly evil. Phoebe has always been the sister to wear her heart on her sleeve and see the good in people, but here it puts her in jeopardy yet also in the face of her true love. Just like Piper’s relationship with Leo, being in love with Cole proves hard for Phoebe as she is torn about whether he can remain good because he loves her or that he will revert back to being Belthazor. This is the season that really lets all the sisters get a moment to shine. For Prue there is her showing of strength, reconciliation with her estranged father and her tragic death. With Piper, there is her sexy table dance and magical wedding( attended by Grams and her mother in spirit form). And for Phoebe there is her defiance of her sisters and false vanquish of Cole.

Julian McMahon, being the newest person to cast is excellent as Cole. Caught between his desire for Phoebe and his evil nature, Cole is one interesting character added to the show. McMahon embodies the cunning, ruthless side to Cole with aplomb as well as the humane area that wants to be good for the sake of his love. I mean Cole even kills the Triad for the greater good, yet this in turn puts The Source higher up on the girl’s list of enemies and places him in extreme danger as the master of everything evil does not take kindly to people turning their backs on him. It also helps that McMahon has genuine chemistry with Alyssa Milano, which highlights the danger and passion of their union. Brian Krause provides understanding, brotherly care and a sense of determination to Leo as he watches over the girls and fulfills his beautiful relationship with Piper. As recurring aid Officer Darryl Morris, Dorian Gregory is likable, caring and sometimes bewildered by the various cases he investigates that tend to link back to the sisters who he considers family.

1. The Honeymoon’s Over – C
2. Magic Hour – C+
3. Once Upon a Time – D-
4. All Halliwell’s Eve – B
5. Sight Unseen – B+
6. Primrose Empath – A
7. Power Outage – A
8. Sleuthing with the Enemy – A
9. Coyote Piper – B+
10. We All Scream for Ice Cream – A
11. Blinded by the Whitelighter – B
12. Wrestling with Demons – D
13. Bride and Gloom – B+
14. The Good, the Bad and the Cursed – A
15. Just Harried – B
16. Death Takes a Halliwell – B+
17. Pre-Witched – A+
18. Sin Francisco – A
19. The Demon Who Came in from the Cold – C-
20. Exit Strategy – C+
21. Look Who’s Barking – B
22. All Hell Breaks Loose – A+

Darker, more deeply urgent and loaded with emotion, Charmed Season 3 is definitely my favourite season of the show.

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Charmed Season 2

Tags

1990's, 2000's, Alyssa Milano, Brian Krause, Charmed, Charmed Season 2, Dorian Gregory, Greg Vaughan, Holly Marie Combs, Karis Paige Bryant, Shannen Doherty

Following on from the emotional finale of Season 1, Charmed returns more assured and expansive for a great second season that delivers thrills, laughs and battles. If it’s magic you want, you can’t go wrong with Charmed. Be warned, spoilers will be following in this review.

The bewitching trio of Halliwell sisters; Prue(Shannen Doherty), Piper( Holly Marie Combs) and Phoebe( Alyssa Milano) are back. In the beginning of the season, they are approaching their one year anniversary of receiving their powers. And while demon activity has been strangely quiet as of late, it soon begins to rear its head again and the girls must continue to honor their duties as good witches. Whilst having to vanquish all forms of evil to protect innocent people and their powers starting to grow, the sisters have other parts of their lives to deal with. Prue is still reeling from Andy’s death and considers giving up magic if it can’t help save loved ones. She then realises that she can’t deny magic as part of her existence and that she may have lost Andy, but it wasn’t her fault. She then begins to emerge as a dedicated witch( complete with her new power of astral projection), when before she feared its presence in her life. Piper has quit her job as a chef and attempts to open up a nightclub, not without a few issues first. When the spot opens, it is appropriately named P3. Piper is also dealing with the absence of Leo( Brian Krause), whose duties as a Whitelighter often scupper their time for romance. While she waits for Leo, Piper strikes up a relationship with handsome next door neighbour Dan Gordon( Greg Vaughan), who has moved in with his teenage niece Jenny( Karis Paige Bryant). Yet this proves hard for her, as Piper’s heart isn’t in the relationship as she loves Leo too much. Phoebe as the youngest, is still as rebellious and curious as ever. Yet she has matured slightly and now wants some responsibility in her life. Having always felt like the sister who is blamed a lot and the one who is the first to cause trouble, she sees that going back to college after she previously dropped out may be the way to get out of the rut and achieve something( while still battling evil on a weekly basis that is). There is also the matter of Darryl( Dorian Gregory), Andy’s former superior who looks out for the girls and eventually discovers their secret. Just as Andy had helped the girls with certain cases, Darryl assumes that position and becomes a vital ally to them when they need information.

The budget seems definitely well spent this time and the effects for the many forms of evil are pretty cool. The demons are stronger this time around and we learn of The Source, who rules the demon underworld and dispatches demons to take out the sisters ( he becomes a major threat in the future when he finally emerges from his confines). Following the groundwork of the great first season, the producers really step it up a gear to create many memorable moments in this excellent season. Some of the standout parts are Prue going undercover in demon circles as a sexy assassin clad in leopard fur and leather, the sisters being transported to a strange future to learn about their actions. Sure certain premises still have a goofy quality, they feel more controlled this time and flow better with the narrative. The writing is still a blast in the way it blends humour, pathos and action into a well made package. Plus nothing beats these girls vanquishing the evils of San Francisco in style. Season 2 also still has the deep emotional current throughout and addresses the importance of sisterhood and sticking by your family. The girls may still be learning about the craft but when things get tough, they always have each other, through thick and thin. There is a refreshing shift in personal growth in Season 2 as the sisters grow in terms of Wiccan power but also as young women. We get to see the healing of past wounds and how it makes the stronger by getting to grips with things.

There is also an extra dash of sexiness which is a definite plus, mainly coming from the revealing outfits and romantic interludes that the sisters have. And not all this sexy material is purely for the men in the audience, there’s plenty of it for the ladies. I mean there’s a spell that turns animals into hunky but dangerous men on Valentine’s Day, Prue having a heated dalliance with a convicted criminal on the run who isn’t all he seems and the girls reliving their past lives as flapper bad girls who lived in the Manor during the scandalous 1920’s.

The cast on Charmed definitely deliver the goods with aplomb. Shannen Doherty brings mature energy to the part of Prue, who begins to emerge as a confident witch in control of her powers and her life( seen when she quits her job at the auction house and deciding to make a job from her passion for photography). While Prue is often seen as the most serious sister out of The Charmed Ones, Shannen Doherty gives Prue a sense of fun this season that shows that Prue can have a laugh and let loose when she wants to but knows when to keep her emotions in check. Holly Marie Combs charts Piper’s emergence from meek middle sister to much stronger and sarcastic woman with great assurance. It is very pleasing to see Piper grow from being scared and vulnerable to gradually more assertive and feisty thanks to Combs stunning and convincing delivery. Her relationship with Leo is further explored beautifully as they fight against the odds to stay together. Alyssa Milano gives free-spirited energy, a dash of humour and a sense of growing up to Phoebe, who desperately wants to prove she can succeed in life. Milano makes Phoebe such a fun and relatable character who makes mistakes and learns from them. And since she started to practice martial arts last season, she has proven that she can physically fight the enemies that attack after feeling like the sister with the most passive power.

Greg Vaughan as Dan does a credible job as the nice guy who falls for Piper, but his character feels somewhat bland at times. It’s obvious that Piper’s heart belongs with Leo, so why did the writer’s feel the need to introduce Dan? The couple have been through enough obstacles to get to where they are, so why bring in another romantic link? Saying this, you do feel sorry a little for Dan as he is a harmless guy, who realises that the girl he is with love’s someone else. The writer’s flirted with the idea of Piper being with someone else in the form of Dan, but they decided that Leo was the one for her and to be honest it’s a good thing they did because of the emotional connection between Leo and Piper that I always feel so prominently. Dan leaves at the end of the season for a job in another part of the country. The bringing in of Dan’s niece Jenny is a misstep and though Karis Paige Bryant tries her best to make the character a little bit interesting, she has nothing to work with. The writers wisely wrote the character of Jenny out of Charmed as she really didn’t have much of a purpose within the spectrum of the show. Brian Krause continues to flesh Leo out as a character, showing us what he feels like when he has his wings clipped temporarily and he is rendered mortal ( don’t worry he gets his Whitelighter powers back). His relationship with Piper continues to blossom despite all the trouble that is thrown at them and really becomes a moving courtship that will eventually transcend the laws of Witches and Whitelighters not being allowed to love another. Dorian Gregory fills the role of the girl’s inspector friend Darryl with dry humour and eye-rolling disbelief at the situations he finds himself in because of magic. Yet Darryl is also incredibly loyal to the girls and has sworn to keep their secret, hence he often feels protective over them as both a friend and an ally.

And now for my rundown ratings or each individual episode that populates this season:

1. Witch Trial – A
2. Morality Bites – A+
3. The Painted World – B-
4. The Devil’s Music – C
5. She’s a Man, baby, a Man! – B-
6. That Old Black Magic – B
7. They’re Everywhere – B-
8. P3 H2O – A
9. Ms. Hellfire – A+
10. Heartbreak City – B-
11. Reckless Abandon – B-
12. Awakened – A
13. Animal Pragmatism – C
14. Pardon My Past – B+
15. Give Me a Sign – B
16. Murphy’s Luck – B
17. How to Make a Quilt Out of Americans – D
18. Chick Flick – A
19. Ex Libris – C-
20. Astral Monkey – B+
21. Apocalypse, Not – B
22. Be Careful What You Witch For – B

With Season 2, magic is all around as Charmed once again delivers the goods and casts a strong and bewitching spell.

Charmed Season 1

Tags

1990's, Alyssa Milano, Brian Krause, Charmed, Charmed Season 1, Dorian Gregory, Holly Marie Combs, Shannen Doherty, T. W. King

I decided it was about time I got back to my TV reviews. This time for all you lovely followers its Charmed, otherwise known as one of my favourite TV shows ever. Yet again this is a supernatural show, I don’t know what it is I’m just drawn to it so much because of the fantasy elements and the presence of magic, plus three strong female characters which is always a plus in my book. Running for a successful eight seasons, here is my review of the debut season which bristles with promising charm, thrills and magic. Be warned people, spoilers will follow in my overview of this debut season.

The three Halliwell sisters; strong-willed Prue(Shannen Doherty), sensitive Piper(Holly Marie Combs) and rebellious Phoebe(Alyssa Milano) have all inherited their Grandmother’s Manor in San Francisco. Prue and Piper first move in, later followed by Phoebe who isn’t on the best terms with Prue. Upon moving into the old Manor in which they grew up, a set of mysterious and unusual events leads Phoebe to the attic of the Manor. In it she finds a Book of Shadows, a bound volume for witchcraft. Curious she reads the first incantation in the book, that speaks of the Power of Three. Prue and Piper are skeptical about Phoebe’s claims that the sisters are in fact powerful witches, known as The Charmed Ones and that they descend from a long powerful line of witches. That is until they discover that they each have inherited a power from the spell Phoebe cast; Prue can move objects with her mind, Piper can freeze time and Phoebe receives premonitions of the future and the past. The book says that they must face a world of demons and evil beings in order to protect innocent people and stop the spread of demonic power on Earth. While trying to adjust to life as witches with incredible power, the sisters must also deal with not getting their powers exposed to the outside world( such as Prue’s inspector boyfriend Andy Trudeau( T. W. King) and his superior Darryl Morris(Dorian Gregory) while taking down the evils that they must rid the world of in order to protect many innocent people. As the season goes on, their powers continue to grow and we watch how the sisters must learn to control them and use them for the greater good, and not for their own personal gain. Throughout Season 1 we follow the Halliwell sisters as they navigate their way through battling demons as The Power of Three, personal lives and a whole load of other things, whilst being bound together as the most powerful witches in the world.

The main focus of this season is Prue’s tragic relationship with Andy, Piper adjusting to her powers and falling for Leo(Brian Krause) a seemingly normal handyman who is actually a magical being called a Whitelighter sent to watch over the sisters and Phoebe’s rebellious attitude to magic which often lands her in supernatural trouble. Humour is provided throughout Charmed in the many attempts that the sisters make to ensure that their Wiccan secret is not exposed to anyone. The romantic entanglements of the girls often brings about unexpected consequences, especially Piper falling in love with Leo, despite the powers that be forbidding such a union. Leo may leave for a while to contemplate the relationship and what his magical superiors will say, but the seed has already been sown for his return and what will become one of the romantic touchstones of the show as we later see in the future the love that they share for one another. Prue’s relationship with Andy also gives this season a certain emotional resonance, especially the outcome of the relationship and its effects. After finally revealing that she is a witch and Andy coming around to the idea, he is tragically killed by a demon, which devastates Prue. Prue gets even by vanquishing the demon in question, but the loss of Andy deeply affects her as he was her true love who she will never forget.

People may say that the show is predictable and goofy at times, but it’s extremely entertaining watching the sisters take down the powers of evil on a daily basis. And I mean just look at some of the demons these girls take down; psychopathic hell bitches, sight stealing Grimlocks and a mystical beast called a Wendigo that temporarily transforms Piper into a beast just like it after attacking her. To say it isn’t a blast seeing them kick evil’s ass is a blatant lie. It’s also great when the sisters delve into their past; literally at one point travelling back to when they were children and realizing why their powerful Grams bound their powers. Plus, there’s an excellent opening credits sequence of explosive action and magical paraphernalia of candles, spells and demons . The most prominent enemies in this first season are Rex and Hannah, two demons masquerading as Prue’s smarmy bosses at an auction house and Rodriguez, a vicious demon who will stop at nothing to kill the sisters and ends up providing Season 1 with a tragic ending as he is the one who kills Andy.

The series is given an emotional undercurrent as we witness that bond that the sisters share and how above it all, they are sisters who happen to be witches rather than the other way around. This is further helped by the chemistry between the three main actresses who really gel together to make this a believable trio. Shannen Doherty successfully exhibits tough strength, hard determination and an inner vulnerability as the eldest sister Prue, who aside from battling literal demons has other personal ones to deal with. The main things are the relationship with Andy and how she tries to hide her secret from him and the wounded memories of her father leaving her when she was younger, plus her sense of loneliness that arises from her mother’s mysterious death. Holly Marie Combs embodies the caring and sensitive personality of the middle sister Piper, who is often mediator between her two other sisters when they are engaged in a disagreement or skirmish. Out of the three, Piper is the one who we are shown to feel sympathy for as she does crave a normal life once again. Although this could have made the character become whiny, because of Holly Marie Combs performance it becomes sympathetic and very human. Rounding out the trio is Alyssa Milano, who provides humour, playfulness and charm as the youngest sister Phoebe. Many of the hi jinks that the sisters find themselves in this season somehow relate to Phoebe as she learns about not abusing magic. Being the youngest, Phoebe’s free-spirited attitude is often a cause for magical concern because of the way she attempts to use it trying to help others, but the result backfiring. Out of the sisters, Phoebe is the one who embraces their destiny the most, even if it puts her at odds with her other sisters.

T. W. King plays Andy very well and provides an outsiders suspicion of the sisters, especially Prue who he deeply cares about but is not sure what to make of her as she keeps popping up in many unexplained cases. I must say that his death really is tragic and is the first major one we see committed by a demon on someone the girls care for. Andy is character whose death really hits the viewer hard as he’s basically a nice guy trying to do his job, who happens to be at the wrong place at the wrong time trying to protect the woman he cares about. Dorian Gregory is wryly humorous and curious as Andy’s partner Darryl Morris, while Brian Krause gives warmth and tender strength to the role of Leo, the girl’s guardian angel for lack of a better word who falls deeply in love with Piper.

And now starting with this review for TV, I will feature a rating for each of the episodes in the season, from A to F.

1. Something Wicca This Way Comes – A+
2. I’ve Got You Under My Skin – B
3. Thank You For Not Morphing – C-
4. Dead Man Dating – B+
5. Dream Sorcerer – A
6. The Wedding from Hell – F
7. The Fourth Sister – C-
8. The Truth is Out There and It Hurts – B+
9. The Witch is Back – A-
10. Wicca Envy – A
11. Feats of Clay – D
12. The Wendigo – A
13. From Fear to Eternity – A
14. Secrets and Guys – B
15. Is There a Woogy in the House? – B+
16. Which Prue is It, Anyway? – B-
17. That ’70s Episode – A
18. When Bad Warlocks Turn Good – B
19. Out of Sight – A+
20. The Power of Two – C
21. Love Hurts – B+
22. Déjà Vu All Over Again – A+

Watching the first season of Charmed once again and it bringing so many great memories back to me, I really look forward to what Season 2 has to offer.