This is a surprisingly flat season opener. It introduces a whole bunch of stories that'll grow in importance over the course of the year, but in general it's far too distracted by a ridiculously underwhelming 'Charmed meets Law & Order' A-story, in which the Charmed Ones get wrapped up in a conspiracy-leaden legal case. You can see why the writers assumed this would be interesting: it's an interesting moral decision of what to do when you are forced to give evidence in a trial, but can't exactly spill the beans about being a witch. But that particular element of the story is dropped mid-episode, things becoming increasingly 'blah'. There's a stunt-heavy fight sequence at the end which is all kinds of impressive, but the story still stinks.What's most successful about The Honeymoon's Over is the arrival of Cole Turner, Julian McMahon turning in the show's first truly charismatic male series regular performance. He's an intriguing character, good at his job, suave, charming. At first it looks like he's going to be another Andy Trudeau-type, with the sisters constantly having to avoid Cole discovering their secrets while Cole himself investigates the three of them, but the well-crafted twist that he's demon in origin was a lot of fun and a welcome surprise.
Also of note is Piper and Leo's engagement. Besides the huge logic gap of why the Elders have huge sticks up their butts about this particular relationship and why they're so obnoxious to the three women who save their asses every damn week, the story is fine. Piper and Leo have never been the most dynamic of screen couples, but whatever. It's there, I'm sure some of the fans enjoy watching them whine at each other.
The Honeymoon's Over contains just about every fun development a season premiere of this show would require (New power! New love interest! Engagement!), but remains pretty stagnant as an episode. Season three is eventually one of the greatest years the show ever did, but boy does it take a while to get going. C-
Credits
Guest stars Harry Danner (Judge William Hamilton); Barenaked Ladies (Themselves)
Writer Brad Kern Director James L. Conway
I thought Cole was great, but I wish they hadn't shown him being a demon right away. We should have found out when the sisters found out.
ReplyDeleteI think they shouldn't have revealed Cole as demon in the premiere and held the suspense until the very end of 3x03 when the sisters meet Belthazar. That would have been a good reveal. But not keeping Cole as a one dimensional season 2 version of Dan trying to keep in the sisters life just through a love interest; would have robbed Julian McMahon from some meaty stuff and made Cole first seem boring.
DeleteA boring season premiere for the earlier years but does set up the show nicely. I wish the show had more of a pay off for the Guardians and had the sisters vanquish the Judge.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting the the 3rd season opens with the law and and legal aspect of magic and closes with the people and society aspect of finding out of magic. Very neat bookends.