If there's one thing we've learned about alternate Charmed universes, it's that the inhabitants have always had a penchant for leather. Once you get past the brass knuckles, hammy acting and ridiculous costumes (Leo in particular has never looked more stupid), the first part of this finale is pretty interesting. The arcs that have driven season six, elaborate in theory but weirdly stagnant in execution, have dragged on for so long now that it's welcome to see everything finally coming to a head.I enjoyed the concept of both realities being one and the same as well as vastly different. It's most evident in the sister-on-sister fight sequence, where both sets of Halliwells discuss the same tactics and kick the exact same amount of ass. It's circumstances like these that can only be resolved by working together, since fighting is entirely futile. I liked that whole approach. Similarly, the idea of a mirror universe is pretty inventive, especially all the little details like Barbas as the Demon of Hope, and the stripper paradise that is alterna-P3.
Of course, the story is awash with plotholes, and I kept flashing back to the Seinfeld episode where Jerry and Elaine discuss the Bizarro world in Superman, Elaine asking obvious questions like "is [Bizarro Superman] black?" and "does he live underwater?" Heh. But that's all a minor thing and nothing too distracting here.
One moment of interest is Darryl's beat-down at the hands of Bizarro Chris and Leo. Here's a guy that's just been horribly assaulted in an alleyway, and Paige and Phoebe remain only concerned for themselves. It's another indication of how alienating they've become, since neither is sitting down and allowing Darryl to open up about his own issues, instead worrying about how losing Darryl as an ally will affect them. Ugh.
Regardless, this is mostly a fun episode. The season has ran for way too long and with that came a ton of padding, but here we're at that point where Charmed has clearly gotten back that surge of energy, the writers knowing exactly where they're going. Great cliffhanger, too, besides Rose McGowan's weak proclamations of 'someone help me!' made even more glaring by the fact Shannen Doherty did such a better job with a similar scene back in All Hell Breaks Loose. Damn woman. B
Credits
Guest stars Billy Drago (Barbas); Sandra Prosper (Sheila Morris); Jenya Lano (Inspector Sheridan); Betsy Randle (Mrs. Winterbourne); Gildart Jackson (Gideon)
Writer Jeannine Renshaw Director Jon Paré
1. Loved the evil sisters. That faceoff was epic and I just loved it especially the two Phoebes which was edited surprisingly excellently you can barely spot the stunt double unlike practically every Buffy fight scene ever made. Who would have thought Charmed could pull it off? (And better than Buffy no less)
ReplyDelete2. So many small touches I love and remember such as the strip bar P3. Genius! They really created an excellent little world and feel in this one.
3. Thank God you caught it too. Rose and that scream for help! SERIOUSLY? Not only Shannen being epic in her finale, but just the fact that an entire crew including Alyssa sat there while Rose thought those screams for help were passable? Blindingly bad. I literally cringe when I watch it as it ruins an otherwise excellent moment when Phoebe just gets shot out of nowhere by a mailman was it? Ugh.
I agree with you and Nadim on that cry for help, the exact same thing occurred to me!
ReplyDeleteI do love this finale, and part 1 is pretty great with the set-up, and I loved the alterna-world stuff too.
I questioned it myself, like if it's all opposite, then shouldn't it NOT exist? I guess its all about morally opposite. Ouch, headache forming...
The funny part about this and the following episode to me is I didn't find the "bad" sisters and "bad" guys particularly bad - they just had bad hair and dressed in leather. But I found that very telling. The sisters were becoming more beautiful on the outside while becoming horribly immoral on the inside. So of course, their opposies were becoming unevil on the inside while ugly on the outside.
ReplyDeleteBarbas as the hilarious Demon of Hope had to be the best part of this episode.
Had this season been better, I may have enjoyed the finale more. As is, bleh.
I generally liked this 2-part season finale, but the one problem I had with it is that all of a sudden we find out an alternate world exists where the Charmed Ones are evil. To me it would have made more sense to establish that existence in a prior season, and maybe even devote a full episode to it. Instead it felt a little like something the writers pulled out of a hat. Overall though it was cool to see the fights between good and evil Phoebe and Paige. And seeing Barbas as the Demon of Hope was too funny!
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