The Season 3 Finale

[luvpiper]

 Its one of my favorite season finales . The first time seeing it I felt the acting was really good between Piper and Pru in the Emergency Room. The most shocking thing about the episode was Pru throwing people around so she could leave the driveway. What did others think of the season finale? ? What did you like most and what did you like least?

[Melinda Halliwell]

I loved the acting between the actresses especially Shannen and Holly in the hospital room when Piper dies and the villain Shax plus the drama of them being exposed to.

What I didn't like was the way the episode was written i mean why would Prue and Piper quite experienced witches now go out into the street and seemingly vanquish Shax knowing full well someone could be watching them when they both should've stayed in the Manor and checked up on him more in the book of shadows and waited for him to attack them again​ being more prepared.

Then you have Dr Griffiths a seemingly ordinary person as Shax's victim whom you don't know why the demon's after him barring the fact he either saves or will save someone the Source doesn't want him to which i fought quite strange because i thought the Source would've gone after someone more prominent like a government official or San Francisco's mayor perhaps.

Next were the Cleaners and why they weren't there cleaning up the mess prior to season 6 or why in season 6 nothing was mentioned about them not been there like the fact they weren't created say until after that because magic had never been exposed before like that then.

Time should not have been reversed but manipulated​ secretly​ if the Source wanted to keep Phoebe down in the Underworld then otherwise she should've been upstairs originally when Shax attacked.

Tempus should have been a far greater opponent then and not simply vanished if his power is controlled by time then because time is infinite​ so as long as that exists so should he meaning every time he uses his power it weakens him so he goes into hibernation depending on the type of event/events he's reversed and how big they are obviously then comes back years/year later fully regenerated.

And Phoebe finally should never have put Cole first over her sisters in terms of vanquishing a great evil and protecting an innocent if Prue and Piper needed to go into the street and finish him of still while he was weakened which certainly contributed them been exposed not being there to get him obviously.

So this season finale was so, so for me really where a lot of things could've been improved upon and a much better one season 1 namely that proceeded before it which captured me more i think.

[craig]

So this season finale was so, so for me really where a lot of things could've been improved upon and a much better one season 1 namely that proceeded before it which captured me more i think.

Yeah I liked season 1's final more than this one. I think the only standouts are the acting and directing. Especially because the hospital room scene where Piper dies was one of my favorite scenes. 

[Esmeralda]

Jul 3, 2017 21:03:16 GMT -5 craig said:

So this season finale was so, so for me really where a lot of things could've been improved upon and a much better one season 1 namely that proceeded before it which captured me more i think.

Yeah I liked season 1's final more than this one. I think the only standouts are the acting and directing. Especially because the hospital room scene where Piper dies was one of my favorite scenes. 

Agreed. Although there's some fantastic directing and acting, the story left a LOT to be desired. I think a lot of fans just like it because it was Shannen's last episode. It doesn't even make my Top 50 episodes. Much, *much* prefer 'Deja vu All Over Again', the only season finale that I love.

[erikamarie]

Deja vu All Over Again is my favorite, I love the circle time idea

But I am also a fan of AHBL and not because of Doherty, I am not a fan of actors and actresses, if I don't like a plot, you'ld be Julia Roberts or Ben Affleck, I don't care
It was for the wealth of the episode, full of emotions and drama, intense, quick
We know nothing of the innocent, even the sisters know nothing of what is happening and get wrong, when they seem to have gained great security as witches, they make a mistake that leads to a disaster
As often happens in Charmed, follow your own feelings and not the reason is dangerous
The sisters believe it was right that Phoebe tries to save the man she loves, a cold calculation would make it clear that it might no be worth the risk
For the last time, the Source is full of mystery and power, and no one'ld bet about Phoebe and Leo's safeness
For the last time, Piper'll follow without looking at someone else's ideas, she'll never do the same mistake, she'll learn to trust her judgment and feelings
Prue'll pay for her daredevilry personally but also in the reality of Morality Bites this attitude had led her to be rich and alone

It's as the all chickens came home to roost: the joyful baby sister who needed love, risks her sisters life because of love, the middle sister too insecure risks her sisters life because of her inability to claim her reasons, the resolved big sister risks her sisters life because of her stubbornness
Great episode

[ljones]

And Phoebe finally should never have put Cole first over her sisters in terms of vanquishing a great evil and protecting an innocent if Prue and Piper needed to go into the street and finish him of still while he was weakened which certainly contributed them been exposed not being there to get him obviously.

One, all of the sisters thought they had completed their mission, which is why Phoebe became determined to save Cole. The problem is that none of them never confirmed whether Shax was no longer a problem or not. And Phoebe didn't go to the Source's Realm on her own. She couldn't. She needed Prue and Piper's help. And while Piper was reluctant to help Phoebe, Prue wasn't. Prue had assumed that Shax was no longer a problem. Worse, she and Piper had decided to go after Shax out in the open, instead of waiting for him to show up at the manor in order to kill that doctor.

If the sisters had taken the trouble to confirm whether Shax was still a problem or not . . . and if they had taken the trouble to quickly grab the doctor and set up a trap for Shax at the manor, this whole mess would not have happened.

I'm sorry, but Phoebe's love for Cole isn't solely to blame. Prue and Piper could have forced her to put her desire to rescue him on hold. But they didn't. The decisions of all three sisters and Leo are to blame.


It's interesting that so many want to blame Phoebe for allowing her feelings for Cole compromise her actions or desires . . . at least in this episode. And yet, all I think of are the many times the sisters and Leo have allowed their feelings to compromise their actions or create serious problems. Yet, they are rarely criticized for their actions.

[craig]

Jul 4, 2017 4:41:17 GMT -5 Esmeralda said:

Jul 3, 2017 21:03:16 GMT -5 craig said:

Yeah I liked season 1's final more than this one. I think the only standouts are the acting and directing. Especially because the hospital room scene where Piper dies was one of my favorite scenes. 

Agreed. Although there's some fantastic directing and acting, the story left a LOT to be desired. I think a lot of fans just like it because it was Shannen's last episode. It doesn't even make my Top 50 episodes. Much, *much* prefer 'Deja vu All Over Again', the only season finale that I love.

Yep, your right Es! If this wasn't the last episode for Shannen, it wouldn't be as popular as it was. Deja Vu, was much better and the only final I liked the best too. 

[CharmedFaith]

This is the best finale of the series, it hit every single emotion for me. It was intense, had me on the edge of my seat. The only downfall is that it was never really allowed to be properly wrapped up.




There has never been a more powerful scene since.

[Ruth Marie]

Jul 19, 2017 19:11:04 GMT -5 CharmedFaith said:

This is the best finale of the series, it hit every single emotion for me. It was intense, had me on the edge of my seat. The only downfall is that it was never really allowed to be properly wrapped up.




There has never been a more powerful scene since.

This was a very great scene, and the hospital scene was even better. Shannen was fantastic at directing Holly. 

[ljones]

I can't really decide between "Deja vu All Over Again" or this episode. Both are well made and both are rather depressing.

[imdb lives on]

I would like it better if the resolution was better. I didn't think much of the flaws, but watching it a few times it would be any other episode if Shannon had stayed. I like the action, acting and direction it took, but it wasn't the be all or end all of charmed

[afroeuvre]

Loved it when I first saw it up until I kinda gained some clarity and I now think it's one of the worst written episodes in the entire show. I liked that it acknowledged the fact that Season 3 had been a tumultous season wrought with perils, throes and dangerous adversaries to test the strength of the PO3 and the sisterhood, but as has already been stated, Prue and Piper acted incredbily foolishly and without regard for the lessons they had learnt up until that particular point in time. Especially Prue, who was supposed to have overcome her pride. The acting was phenomenal, but Brad Kern botched the character development IMO.

Was there a reason why they couldn't have just summoned Shax to the manor and vanquished him there?

[ljones]

What I didn't like was the way the episode was written i mean why would Prue and Piper quite experienced witches now go out into the street and seemingly vanquish Shax knowing full well someone could be watching them when they both should've stayed in the Manor and checked up on him more in the book of shadows and waited for him to attack them again​ being more prepared.

Because even experienced people make stupid mistakes. And Prue was driven by her ego and impatience to deal with Shax as soon as possible. Phoebe was distracted by Cole. And Piper was too much of a pushover to suggest that they deal with Shax . . . FROM THEIR HOUSE.

A lot of people are now declaring this as a bad episode because the sisters made a lot of mistakes. People don't like it when the protagonists make mistakes. They will either pretend that the mistakes didn't happen or they start making accusations of "bad writing".

[rebooted]

Its an episode at the time in its day that I loved.

But compared to the beginning of Season 3, it is actually one of my least favourite episodes.

I love the best acting by Shannen and Holly that we'll ever see and the individual storyline.

But it just doesn't feel like a Charmed episode.

Prue was a Dog and Phoebe was a Banshee in the previous episode. And the Finale should have been about the take-down of the Brotherhood - not taking on the Source.

I think the ultimatum should have been made to Phoebe to chose Evil/give up her powers to save a life of sisters and that Piper and Leo's romantic relationship with Piper getting in the way of their wiccan duties - perhaps Prue's life being in danger.

Both Phoebe and Piper should have learned the lesson of losing their loves as there were key reasons why witches and whitelighters and demons are destined not to be together. Cole should have been vanquished.

Prue's destiny to die was showcased throughout Season 3.

I would have been happier with Leo being more absent in Season 4, sort of like he was in S1 and 2.

[codebox]

I've always had such a positive outlook on the Season 3 finale and even upon rewatches I can still reaffirm why. To this day I think its the best finale they've ever done. None of the other finales come close to this one for many reasons. Only Season 7's manages to be second best (largely considering most of it copies from this finale similar with Season 6) I love this episode because it manage to avoid a lot of what Charmed finales usually suffered from.

For instance the moment it starts there's already some of amount of intensity settled. Some might say "it comes off like bits of the episode were cut off" true, but I like starting the moment with instant danger. Already there's tension in saving this doctor innocent with the most powerful demon up to that point. I also like how this all escalates to Piper and Prue getting exposed, because at last there's tension and stakes. It accruately shows consequences in revealing their powers to a public scale. It created this sense of helplessness as it gave Prue and Piper such a claustraphobic feeling, they feel trapped and powerless.

No Leo to heal them, no Elders to help them, one of their sisters is gone (though I hate how its executed) it's just those two overwhelmed in a situation beyond their control. And its NON magical. That scene where Prue breaks down screaming "LEO" in slow motion easily escapulates all these feelings, it's made better by the impact of Piper being shot and fatally dying, and doesn't come back by means of healing, but time reverse. I also loved Piper's "I love you" line to me showing one of the final aspects of sweet Piper. To this day I loved that scene where Prue breakdown, the sheer moment of helplessness makes the scene all the better and created a sense of danger.

It's so odd how Shannen can direct an episode and produce an episode, yet when Holly and Alyssa take over Piper and Phoebe became more insufferable.

On top of that I just love how Piper and Prue do all of this because saving an innocent was their most important job. People may criticize how reckless they were, but I admire it because in this situation nothing mattered than the task at hand. Even if it meant going out in broad daylight, Prue and Piper still have innocent as their number one priority. Their jobs were more important than their lives. I also like how Prue's ego was treated as a flaw..

The only issue I have with this episode was Phoebe. Phoebe's so quick to just ditch Prue and Piper on the assumption Shax is gone, despite Prue still believing he's not as quoted by Prue "Well something doesn't feel right, why was there a vanquishing spell in the book hasn't that always meant our individual powers weren't enough?" That quote doesn't sound like someone who truly believes "Shax has been vanquished" she only noted the possibility, right after gaining suspicion of him not being vanquished. Especially when its stated the Power of Three is needed to vanquish him!

Even when Piper saying "We won't be able to contact you if something happens" her only response is being with Cole makes her safe, what about if Prue or Piper NEED YOU?! That kind of arguement is one sided. As for Prue and Piper "letting Phoebe go" they didn't do so willingly, they only did it because Phoebe attempts to shut down any disagreements they may have had regarding her choices with Cole. In fact right as Prue and Piper warn her about seeing him all she does is shut them down so that their input and are forced to do so simply because Phoebe selfishly refused to listen to their warnings, it was pretty much a forced choice on their behalf, it doesn't takeaway from the fact Phoebe was being shortsighted and selfish, only seeing her side with Cole instead of thinking over Prue's suspicion. 

It's clear that at this point Cole is her top priority and doesn't even care to consider Prue's instinct. That's why I cannot side with people who go "She went to the underworld to reverse time" NO She went to the underworld to be with Cole, her sole intention was to save Cole over the innocent and her sisters.. It only occurs to her to help them when Leo shows up. She has to be TOLD by Leo they need her, it's not a natural instinct, had Phoebe's intention be to go to Cole to ask for his help in helping them I would buy this, but NO Phoebe only wanted to be with Cole just to "save him" NOT her sisters. That's why I stand firmly in her contributing to Prue's death, alongside Prue's ego getting in the way of thinking, which had intentions behind it.

Of course her doing this leaves both of her sisters without a way to use the Power of Three because she deemed saving Cole the most important priority. With Phoebe saying the spell in the beginning Leo was able to heal them in time. www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEen_4LaKKw&list=PLP-IKZP4kCpIqQEyVcCuY3m_CgV8l-3w7&index=90

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilcLx_D3xTk&list=PLP-IKZP4kCpIqQEyVcCuY3m_CgV8l-3w7&index=92 In fact Prue's frustration proves my point with her line "I hope Phoebe is doing better down there than we are up here" it never occurs to Phoebe they are in danger until Leo informs her. Only then does she make it a point to help them. Kinda sad how one of the last things said by Prue was “phoebe where are you” before she died.

By rankings mine would go

All Hell Breaks Loose
Something Wicca this Way Goes
Deja Vu All Over Again
It's a Bad, Bad, Bad, Bad World
Witch Way Now
Be Careful What You Witch For
Oh My Goddess
Forever Charmeless

[codebox]

Jul 2, 2017 5:33:35 GMT -5 Melinda Halliwell said:

I loved the acting between the actresses especially Shannen and Holly in the hospital room when Piper dies and the villain Shax plus the drama of them being exposed to.

What I didn't like was the way the episode was written i mean why would Prue and Piper quite experienced witches now go out into the street and seemingly vanquish Shax knowing full well someone could be watching them when they both should've stayed in the Manor and checked up on him more in the book of shadows and waited for him to attack them again​ being more prepared.

Then you have Dr Griffiths a seemingly ordinary person as Shax's victim whom you don't know why the demon's after him barring the fact he either saves or will save someone the Source doesn't want him to which i fought quite strange because i thought the Source would've gone after someone more prominent like a government official or San Francisco's mayor perhaps.

Next were the Cleaners and why they weren't there cleaning up the mess prior to season 6 or why in season 6 nothing was mentioned about them not been there like the fact they weren't created say until after that because magic had never been exposed before like that then.

Time should not have been reversed but manipulated​ secretly​ if the Source wanted to keep Phoebe down in the Underworld then otherwise she should've been upstairs originally when Shax attacked.

Tempus should have been a far greater opponent then and not simply vanished if his power is controlled by time then because time is infinite​ so as long as that exists so should he meaning every time he uses his power it weakens him so he goes into hibernation depending on the type of event/events he's reversed and how big they are obviously then comes back years/year later fully regenerated.

And Phoebe finally should never have put Cole first over her sisters in terms of vanquishing a great evil and protecting an innocent if Prue and Piper needed to go into the street and finish him of still while he was weakened which certainly contributed them been exposed not being there to get him obviously.

So this season finale was so, so for me really where a lot of things could've been improved upon and a much better one season 1 namely that proceeded before it which captured me more i think.

Personally I respectfully disagree. I've always had such a positive outlook on the Season 3 finale and even upon rewatches I can still reaffirm why. To this day I think its the best finale they've ever done. None of the other finales come close to this one for many reasons. Only Season 7's manages to be second best (largely considering most of it copies from this finale similar with Season 6) I love this episode because it manage to avoid a lot of what Charmed finales usually suffered from.

For instance the moment it starts there's already some of amount of intensity settled. Some might say "it comes off like bits of the episode were cut off" true, but I like starting the moment with instant danger. Already there's tension in saving this doctor innocent with the most powerful demon up to that point. I also like how this all escalates to Piper and Prue getting exposed, because at last there's tension and stakes. It accruately shows consequences in revealing their powers to a public scale. It created this sense of helplessness as it gave Prue and Piper such a claustraphobic feeling, they feel trapped and powerless.
No other Charmed episode really captures this, in a way it really stuck out to me. They almost can't leave their house! 

No Leo to heal them, no Elders to help them, one of their sisters is gone (though I hate how its executed) it's just those two overwhelmed in a situation beyond their control. And its NON magical. That scene where Prue breaks down screaming "LEO" in slow motion easily escapulates all these feelings, it's made better by the impact of Piper being shot and fatally dying, and doesn't come back by means of healing, but time reverse. I also loved Piper's "I love you" line to me showing one of the final aspects of sweet Piper. To this day I loved that scene where Prue breakdown, the sheer moment of helplessness makes the scene all the better and created a sense of danger.

It's so odd how Shannen can direct an episode and produce an episode, yet when Holly and Alyssa take over Piper and Phoebe became more insufferable.

On top of that I just love how Piper and Prue do all of this because saving an innocent was their most important job. People may criticize how reckless they were, but I admire it because in this situation nothing mattered than the task at hand. Even if it meant going out in broad daylight, Prue and Piper still have innocent as their number one priority. Their jobs were more important than their lives. I also like how Prue's ego was treated as a flaw..

The only issue I have with this episode was Phoebe. Phoebe's so quick to just ditch Prue and Piper on the assumption Shax is gone, despite Prue still believing he's not as quoted by Prue "Well something doesn't feel right, why was there a vanquishing spell in the book hasn't that always meant our individual powers weren't enough?" That quote doesn't sound like someone who truly believes "Shax has been vanquished" she only noted the possibility, right after gaining suspicion of him not being vanquished. Especially when its stated the Power of Three is needed to vanquish him!

Even when Piper saying "We won't be able to contact you if something happens" her only response is being with Cole makes her safe, what about if Prue or Piper NEED YOU?! That kind of arguement is one sided. As for Prue and Piper "letting Phoebe go" they didn't do so willingly, they only did it because Phoebe attempts to shut down any disagreements they may have had regarding her choices with Cole. In fact right as Prue and Piper warn her about seeing him all she does is shut them down so that their input and are forced to do so simply because Phoebe selfishly refused to listen to their warnings, it was pretty much a forced choice on their behalf, it doesn't takeaway from the fact Phoebe was being shortsighted and selfish, only seeing her side with Cole instead of thinking over Prue's suspicion.

It's clear that at this point Cole is her top priority and doesn't even care to consider Prue's instinct. That's why I cannot side with people who go "She went to the underworld to reverse time" NO She went to the underworld to be with Cole, her sole intention was to save Cole over the innocent and her sisters.. It only occurs to her to help them when Leo shows up. She has to be TOLD by Leo they need her, it's not a natural instinct, had Phoebe's intention be to go to Cole to ask for his help in helping them I would buy this, but NO Phoebe only wanted to be with Cole just to "save him" NOT her sisters. That's why I stand firmly in her contributing to Prue's death, alongside Prue's ego getting in the way of thinking, which had intentions behind it.

Of course her doing this leaves both of her sisters without a way to use the Power of Three because she deemed saving Cole the most important priority. With Phoebe saying the spell in the beginning Leo was able to heal them in time. www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEen_4LaKKw&list=PLP-IKZP4kCpIqQEyVcCuY3m_CgV8l-3w7&index=90

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilcLx_D3xTk&list=PLP-IKZP4kCpIqQEyVcCuY3m_CgV8l-3w7&index=92 In fact Prue's frustration proves my point with her line "I hope Phoebe is doing better down there than we are up here" it never occurs to Phoebe they are in danger until Leo informs her. Only then does she make it a point to help them. Kinda sad how one of the last things said by Prue was “phoebe where are you” before she died.

By rankings mine would go

All Hell Breaks Loose

Something Wicca this Way Goes

Deja Vu All Over Again

It's a Bad, Bad, Bad, Bad World

Witch Way Now

Be Careful What You Witch For

Oh My Goddess

Forever Charmeless

[summerreading]

Saw this cool fanart online and had to share, as saw lots of posts for the 22nd Anniversary with fans posting stuff.

http://instagram.com/p/CE8maDTjJ-7

[Granny Charmed]

Oct 7, 2020 22:28:21 GMT -5 summerreading said:

Saw this cool fanart online and had to share, as saw lots of posts for the 22nd Anniversary with fans posting stuff.

http://instagr.am/p/CE8maDTjJ-7

That's very well done dear, and don't I wish they could use Shannen's likeness  or she left on better terms, that we'd get to see something like this fan art play out on-screen.

[Melinda Halliwell]

Very cool fan piece of artwork. Thanks for sharing Summer.

[imdb lives on]

That would be a perfect cover for a novel based on all hell breaks loose