The low point of season six, Prince Charmed is one of the laziest episodes in a long while, a tacky bottle show full of terrible sex gags, terrible characterization, terrible demon antagonists and, shockingly, a goddamn food fight. It goes without saying that the one bright spot is Phoebe getting a cake flung in her face, the rest of the episode taken up with the sisters drooling over some Latino beefcake played by an anti-choice neo-con tool. Ugh.There's also a terrible message at the heart of this episode. The whole Mr. Right saga opens up after Piper announces that she's no longer going to be pursuing new men in her life, instead deciding to concentrate on her young child. Phoebe and Paige read way too much into this, assuming that Piper is giving up on love and therefore abandoning sex. It's just an ugly storyline, with these two self-involved morons unable to see that Piper barely got out of a long relationship and doesn't at all need a whole bunch of hunky dates every week. There's a huge difference between becoming some old cat lady and setting your current priorities straight. It's insulting, and speaks volumes about the predominantly male writing team and their thoughts on adult women and sisterhood. Additionally, the whole idea is pretty gross, too. It'd be like me buying my brother a sex doll for his birthday and making him go upstairs to give it a test screw while I eat cake downstairs. Vomit-worthy, kids.
Elsewhere, we have the thinnest demon story in months, with a bunch of robed types trying to kidnap Wyatt and make him their new leader. Aren't we passed this already? There are some brief developments with Chris and what happens to Wyatt in the future, but it's nothing substantial. Prince Charmed is a horrible misfire that's just as offensive as it is unfunny. F
Crimes of Fashion Phoebe's suede boots with animal fringe. A cross between fashionable and hooker-y, they look like something J.Lo would have worn in 1998. Gah.
Credits
Guest stars Eduardo Verastegui (Mr. Right); Sandra Prosper (Sheila Morris); Bruce Payne (Order Demon)
Writer Henry Alonso Myers Director David Jackson
I'm with you on this almost 100%. Its was just offensive, and half assed. I liked the sibling rivalry but it was too juvenile to save the episode.
ReplyDeleteI actually rant about Phoebe and Paige's reasoning in my own review, too. Its really offensive and childish.
One thing that got me going about it was the blatant ripping off of Wiccan values. I actually talk about that a lot in my season 6 reviews, since its where continuity began to get a severe beating by the writers. More when I post my own when the time comes! Great reviews, as always.
Man, I really want to read your stuff! It's a little frustrating because I too like to stagger things out, so I have to be patient before posting season eight, you know? And I'm ridiculously proud of those, but I need to hold off for now.
ReplyDeleteOkay, now you *really* are getting me to want to read your Season Eight reviews!
ReplyDeleteAnd, Panda, where do I find yours? Because I've tended to agree with most of what you've said.
Premiering July 10, so hold tight!
ReplyDeleteAnd Panda's site is here. His reviews are consistently great, and far more insightful about the characters than mine usually are. I tend to just hate everybody. Heh.