Charmed: Chris-Crossed (6.10)

One of the things Charmed rarely invested in during its later years was a real sense of mythology, something that extends the dimensions of the series and creates more personal antagonists for the sisters to face off against. If there's one thing season six could be praised for, it's the decision to expand the show's universe a little, this week introducing an elaborate past/future mystery where both the morals of key Charmed characters and the fate of the earth are threatened. Of course, being this show, the story rests on the shoulders of an actor who gives new meaning to the word 'vacant', and is filled with flying cars, weirdly British evil siblings and doomed future-wives in dominatrix leather. But at least it's progress.

There's a lot wrong with this episode, but the future scenes help create a scope that has previously eluded the show, tying characters together in this headache-inducing soap opera saga full of duplicity and intrigue. It's not actually as interesting on screen as it sounds on paper, but the story is pretty absorbing and sets the groundwork for what could be a fascinating arc plot.

Back in the present day, it's business as usual. In that everything is pretty awful. One of the driving stories here is that both Paige and Phoebe want to move out of the Manor to be with their new BFs. What bugs me is that this major decision is treated so casually, at least compared to the season three masterpiece Prewitched that tread similar ground. I don't know, this just didn't work for me.

Similarly repulsive is Elise's little pep talk with Phoebe, where she warns her about pursuing her career instead of pursuing men -- since she's a lonely spinster who may appear to be successful and wealthy, but is in actual fact secretly crying out for the touch of a handsome stranger. It's casual misogyny of the worst kind, especially on a show that's supposed to be about strong women. Gah.

But, generally, Chris-Crossed is a step in the right direction. As tedious as Chris, Leo and Wyatt are, the story is generating a kind of energy that has been pretty much absent this season so far. If only everything wasn't so goofy, though... C+

Credits
Guest stars Balthazar Getty (Richard Montana); Marisol Nichols (Bianca); Rebecca McFarland (Lynn); Rebecca Balding (Elise Rothman); Lisa Kushell (Tour Guide); Wes Ramsey (Wyatt Halliwell)
Writer Cameron Litvack Director Joel J. Feigenbaum