WTF is up with All Hell Breaks Loose?

[Assassin Witch]

So, I'm watching AHBL right now and I've got to the credits and all I can think about.. WTF.

Yes, this is pretty much the universal FAVORITE EPISODE OF THE SEASON episode. The acting, especially between Shannen and Holly, is PURE OMG AMAZING! No doubt. The directing was brilliant (Shannen!).

But as I'm watching the first five minutes, all I'm going is...either I need to majorly rewatch the first three seasons because I'm missing something, or WTF this makes no sense.

Yes, I think we can all agree that Prue's Pride pretty much is what got her killed, but still....

The episode starts off with the girls and Dr. Griffiths coming to the Manor. All WE know is that Phoebe had a premonition. My question is, OF WHAT?! And WHY is THE SOURCE'S ASSASSIN after the doctor? There is NEVER an explanation for this. This is so RANDOM. I truly don't recall this happening before. Don't we always know the story? Please, remind me if I'm wrong. It's been a while since I've actually watched the episodes.

And Phoebe says the spell, Shax is wounded. And Prue is ready to go out and find him. I mean, I don't necessarily think that part is super OOC, but still, it was very OFF for me. And why would the two of them go off alone? Just so Phoebe could babysit?

I don't know. Maybe I'm over thinking things, but I'm just curious..anyone else feel anything like I am? Or am I just totally forgetting things.

And I truly have a hard time believing Brad Kern set this up. I know I have no faith in the guy, but I really just think this was one of those...OMG CLIFFHANGERS that shows do, esepcially supernatural shows.

Thoughts anyone?

[ljones]

"AHBL" is not my favorite Season 3 episode. I can think of a handful that I like better. It's a good episode, but I believe that you did a good job in pointing out some of the script's problems.

[Assassin Witch]

I was watching Exit Strategy and Look Who's Barking before then, and then I get to AHBL and the only consistent thing is Phoebe's obsession with Cole. And then I just remember...wait, what? And I watched Dead Man Dating and The Truth is Out There and The Witch is Back and seriously NOTHING resembles the way AHBL starts off. We like always KNOW what is going on. We know WHY a baddie is after an innocent. Nada. Never figure that out....

[Chrisaholic]

It's been a while since I watched it but I agree with the confusion at the beginning at this episode. It seems to be "taken from out of air" and from the knowledge of later seasons brings up the question: Where were the Cleaners on this day? On holidays?

[dylan345]

And why would Prue and Piper leave the house to look for Shax? Most demons don't leave and turn up at a neighbor's house or anything like that. It was like they were expecting to run into him walking down the sidewalk. He's a very obvious demon: he'd either be attacking the sisters, or in the Underworld, I'd think.

And then he attacks in public, right outside the hospital! Even evil didn't want their magic exposed, and the Source's personal assassin doesn't have enough sense to not attack in front of a crowd.

[Assassin Witch]

Which makes me think that The Source knew what was going on. He does have the Oracle. Maybe she saw the end of the Charmed Ones with this and set it up? That's like the only conclusion I can come up with.

I definitely don't see why the girls can't just wait for Shax to return. Go after him? Go after him WHERE? The doctor was in their home. HELLO!

[Chrisaholic]

Indeed, good questions, Assassin Witch!

[Esmeralda]

Aug 29, 2011 8:38:42 GMT -5 Chrisaholic said:

It's been a while since I watched it but I agree with the confusion at the beginning at this episode. It seems to be "taken from out of air" and from the knowledge of later seasons brings up the question: Where were the Cleaners on this day? On holidays?

The Cleaners didn't clean it up because it was meant to happen and had they cleaned it up, Prue wouldn't have died. The same way that they truly should've cleaned up Wyatt because Piper was such a crappy mother.

[Chrisaholic]

Indeed.

[Astral Alex]

If I'm honest, I've always believed they should have done AHBL in two parts. If we can have a two part episode about some random mermaid we don't care about, we should have had a two-part finale for Prue's death. I think the extra hour would have set the scene perfectly, and added so much more suspense, instead of us trying to figure out the plot whilst trying to feel for the sisters.

[charmed22]

Sept 4, 2011 17:59:29 GMT -5 Astral Alex said:

If I'm honest, I've always believed they should have done AHBL in two parts. If we can have a two part episode about some random mermaid we don't care about, we should have had a two-part finale for Prue's death. I think the extra hour would have set the scene perfectly, and added so much more suspense, instead of us trying to figure out the plot whilst trying to feel for the sisters.

After 5 years almost, so my post is not really needed but i feel like everybody should know this. Shannen claimed the rights of the second part. I know because i read about it on the tabloids and mostly because i saw that part when i was like 9 years old and i remember it vividly because Prue chose to die over Piper. I even remember Death coming to reap her. Can't really forget about that even if i was an infant LOL

[erikamarie]

You'ld have seen some stories invented on youtube, it was often discussed, a second part of AHBL doesn't exist,
no one knows the plot which would open the fourth season if Doherty hadn't been fire and after 16 years I doubt we'ld know

AHBL is one of my favorite final, with Déjà Vu All Over Again and Something Wicca This Way Goes and I also like that some things have'nt been clarified or explained
It's an episode that stands out from the usual because of the different technique, it starts in the middle of the action and it's the action that drags the onlooking the whole duration of the episode
Why Dr. Griffith was target by the Source isn't important, maybe it was a trap, maybe the Oracle send a fake premonition, maybe the Source knew that Prue was near a meltdown, after the devastating experience with depression induced by the darklighter and empathy induced thanks to Belthazor
Maybe, but it was a amazing finale for a great season

[charmed22]

Apr 3, 2016 2:41:40 GMT -5 erikamarie said:

You'ld have seen some stories invented on youtube, it was often discussed, a second part of AHBL doesn't exist,
no one knows the plot which would open the fourth season if Doherty hadn't been fire and after 16 years I doubt we'ld know

AHBL is one of my favorite final, with Déjà Vu All Over Again and Something Wicca This Way Goes and I also like that some things have'nt been clarified or explained
It's an episode that stands out from the usual because of the different technique, it starts in the middle of the action and it's the action that drags the onlooking the whole duration of the episode
Why Dr. Griffith was target by the Source isn't important, maybe it was a trap, maybe the Oracle send a fake premonition, maybe the Source knew that Prue was near a meltdown, after the devastating experience with depression induced by the darklighter and empathy induced thanks to Belthazor
Maybe, but it was a amazing finale for a great season


Im telling you i saw it. Say whatever you want

[erikamarie]

" Say whatever you want" it's not a nice answer, even if it'ld not seem, the manners are appreciated

If you search you'll see that there is a thread that speaks specifically about this problem, in Death Takes A Halliwell there is a discussion between Prue and the Angel of Death, probably your memory is linked to that episode

[Deleted]

Aug 28, 2011 17:36:24 GMT -5 Assassin Witch said:

So, I'm watching AHBL right now and I've got to the credits and all I can think about.. WTF.

Yes, this is pretty much the universal FAVORITE EPISODE OF THE SEASON episode. The acting, especially between Shannen and Holly, is PURE OMG AMAZING! No doubt. The directing was brilliant (Shannen!).

But as I'm watching the first five minutes, all I'm going is...either I need to majorly rewatch the first three seasons because I'm missing something, or WTF this makes no sense.

Yes, I think we can all agree that Prue's Pride pretty much is what got her killed, but still....

The episode starts off with the girls and Dr. Griffiths coming to the Manor. All WE know is that Phoebe had a premonition. My question is, OF WHAT?! And WHY is THE SOURCE'S ASSASSIN after the doctor? There is NEVER an explanation for this. This is so RANDOM. I truly don't recall this happening before. Don't we always know the story? Please, remind me if I'm wrong. It's been a while since I've actually watched the episodes.

And Phoebe says the spell, Shax is wounded. And Prue is ready to go out and find him. I mean, I don't necessarily think that part is super OOC, but still, it was very OFF for me. And why would the two of them go off alone? Just so Phoebe could babysit?

I don't know. Maybe I'm over thinking things, but I'm just curious..anyone else feel anything like I am? Or am I just totally forgetting things.

And I truly have a hard time believing Brad Kern set this up. I know I have no faith in the guy, but I really just think this was one of those...OMG CLIFFHANGERS that shows do, esepcially supernatural shows.

Thoughts anyone?

Jackie pretty much summed up my thoughts about this episode.  It's a well-directed and well-acted episode, no doubt, but the script has a ton of problems, and the episode feels very disjointed with the rest of the season.  It feels like there's a missing "Part 1," because everything about Dr. Griffiths is so random and unexplained.  Why did the Source want him dead?  What did Phoebe see in her premonition?

And, the way the sisters acted felt very off and OOC.  I can't believe Prue and Piper would ever be stupid enough to chase down a demon in broad daylight.

It's possible that this episode was setting up a storyline that was cancelled after Shannen was fired, but we'll never know at this point.  I do feel, though, that this episode probably wouldn't quite be the "universal FAVORITE EPISODE OF THE SEASON episode" had it not been for Shannen getting fired.  Prue's death gave the cliffhanger ending a lot more meaning than it otherwise would've had.

[val1993]

Apr 3, 2016 10:44:05 GMT -5 @bettynewbie said:

Aug 28, 2011 17:36:24 GMT -5 Assassin Witch said:

So, I'm watching AHBL right now and I've got to the credits and all I can think about.. WTF.

Yes, this is pretty much the universal FAVORITE EPISODE OF THE SEASON episode. The acting, especially between Shannen and Holly, is PURE OMG AMAZING! No doubt. The directing was brilliant (Shannen!).

But as I'm watching the first five minutes, all I'm going is...either I need to majorly rewatch the first three seasons because I'm missing something, or WTF this makes no sense.

Yes, I think we can all agree that Prue's Pride pretty much is what got her killed, but still....

The episode starts off with the girls and Dr. Griffiths coming to the Manor. All WE know is that Phoebe had a premonition. My question is, OF WHAT?! And WHY is THE SOURCE'S ASSASSIN after the doctor? There is NEVER an explanation for this. This is so RANDOM. I truly don't recall this happening before. Don't we always know the story? Please, remind me if I'm wrong. It's been a while since I've actually watched the episodes.

And Phoebe says the spell, Shax is wounded. And Prue is ready to go out and find him. I mean, I don't necessarily think that part is super OOC, but still, it was very OFF for me. And why would the two of them go off alone? Just so Phoebe could babysit?

I don't know. Maybe I'm over thinking things, but I'm just curious..anyone else feel anything like I am? Or am I just totally forgetting things.

And I truly have a hard time believing Brad Kern set this up. I know I have no faith in the guy, but I really just think this was one of those...OMG CLIFFHANGERS that shows do, esepcially supernatural shows.

Thoughts anyone?

Jackie pretty much summed up my thoughts about this episode.  It's a well-directed and well-acted episode, no doubt, but the script has a ton of problems, and the episode feels very disjointed with the rest of the season.  It feels like there's a missing "Part 1," because everything about Dr. Griffiths is so random and unexplained.  Why did the Source want him dead?  What did Phoebe see in her premonition?

And, the way the sisters acted felt very off and OOC.  I can't believe Prue and Piper would ever be stupid enough to chase down a demon in broad daylight.

It's possible that this episode was setting up a storyline that was cancelled after Shannen was fired, but we'll never know at this point.  I do feel, though, that this episode probably wouldn't quite be the "universal FAVORITE EPISODE OF THE SEASON episode" had it not been for Shannen getting fired.  Prue's death gave the cliffhanger ending a lot more meaning than it otherwise would've had.

Couldn't agree more. I wish some fan could ask Shannen about that potential storyline on one of this numerous conventions. What did Phoebe see? Well, as she stated: I saw the attack, we kicked butt", but it doesn't make any sense, why would she receive that premonition then?

[Deleted]

I know because i read about it on the tabloids

You mean the same rubbish papers that keep saying that Elvis is alive?  I don't have to say that the tabloids are hardly an accurate source of information.

and mostly because i saw that part when i was like 9 years old and i remember it vividly because Prue chose to die over Piper. I even remember Death coming to reap her.

I don't know what you were watching, but that was definitely NOT what happened at the end of All Hell Breaks Loose.  Prue did not choose to die and Death did not show up.

I think you're thinking of Death Takes A Halliwell (in which Prue meets Death), not All Hell Breaks Loose.

AHBL was already filmed and completed when Shannen was fired.  There was no "death scene" for Prue because, at the time, the writers had every reason to believe that Shannen would be back for Season Four. 

[Deleted]

You guys are so right. Why WOULD Shax would be after a doctor, and on the Source's orders? Something had always bugged me about this set-up and I had never known what, but now I can see that Shax's purpose in the episode just doesn't make sense. It would've been fair enough if Shax alone had been after Dr Griffiths and had not been described as 'the Source's Assassin'. Even then, Shax - a monstrous elemental demon who air-based powers - doesn't seem like a good fit for a demon after a mere doctor. It doesn't make sense in the way the Grimlocks seeking out children for their eyesight , or the Furies punishing evil-doers or Banshees looking for heart-broken people.

I had always rationalised that Dr Griffiths was about to save a life that the Source deemed a threat, as Prue alluded to in the start of the episode. But who? What mortal, or even witch, would be enough of a problem to make the Source get involved? He's supposed to have the status of a king, such matters would surely be handled be those beneath him?

This is why I would've preferred Raynor to have been used in Shax's place. The Halliwells and Cole were already in conflict with the Brotherhood and so it would've made sense for Raynor to get involved. And THAT would've caused a big enough mess for the Source to get involved - because it would involve the Charmed Ones and his elite demonic order, the Brotherhood.

[Deleted]

I had always rationalised that Dr Griffiths was about to save a life that the Source deemed a threat, as Prue alluded to in the start of the episode. But who? What mortal, or even witch, would be enough of a problem to make the Source get involved? He's supposed to have the status of a king, such matters would surely be handled be those beneath him?

I think Betty is right here.  Dr. Griffiths must have been part of a storyline that got lost in the shuffle when Shannen was fired. 

[Deleted]

Apr 3, 2016 10:49:24 GMT -5 val1993 said:

Couldn't agree more. I wish some fan could ask Shannen about that potential storyline on one of this numerous conventions. What did Phoebe see? Well, as she stated: I saw the attack, we kicked butt", but it doesn't make any sense, why would she receive that premonition then?

I've always found it strange that the episode was so vague about Phoebe's premonition, not even describing it, let alone showing it. The show has NEVER done that with Phoebe's premonitions, not before AHBL, nor after AHBL. Why purposely keep Phoebe's premonition a mystery like that? The entire opening scene of AHBL made no sense, in general.

Apr 3, 2016 11:43:07 GMT -5 @deano said:

You guys are so right. Why WOULD Shax would be after a doctor, and on the Source's orders? Something had always bugged me about this set-up and I had never known what, but now I can see that Shax's purpose in the episode just doesn't make sense. It would've been fair enough if Shax alone had been after Dr Griffiths and had not been described as 'the Source's Assassin'. Even then, Shax - a monstrous elemental demon who air-based powers - doesn't seem like a good fit for a demon after a mere doctor. It doesn't make sense in the way the Grimlocks seeking out children for their eyesight , or the Furies punishing evil-doers or Banshees looking for heart-broken people.

I had always rationalised that Dr Griffiths was about to save a life that the Source deemed a threat, as Prue alluded to in the start of the episode. But who? What mortal, or even witch, would be enough of a problem to make the Source get involved? He's supposed to have the status of a king, such matters would surely be handled be those beneath him?

This is why I would've preferred Raynor to have been used in Shax's place. The Halliwells and Cole were already in conflict with the Brotherhood and so it would've made sense for Raynor to get involved. And THAT would've caused a big enough mess for the Source to get involved - because it would involve the Charmed Ones and his elite demonic order, the Brotherhood.

Yeah, this was probably one of the biggest plot holes of the episode. Why would the SOURCE OF ALL EVIL want a mere mortal doctor dead? It makes zero sense, and the episode never even bothered to explain it.

Again, it's possible that the Dr. Griffiths story was something they were planning to flesh out more in early Season 4 before Shannen got fired, and that's why it feels so incomplete. In fact, come to think of it, practically nothing from AHBL had any lasting impact on the show outside of Prue's offscreen death. The Dr. Griffiths plot was completely dropped and swept under the rug.