The Series Finale: Disappointments

[wyatthalliwell]

You are so right! it should of been a 2-hr series finale, but as you said again it was 48 min, and rushed. I also think that the scene with little piper and grams was nice but really not nesssary. They could of gone back intime grabed her and gone back, and not have shown us that scene. It was a good ep, but it could of been better.

[spiritsas]

Personally I think it was the best episode in a long while. It garnered some 4.5Million viewers and was the WB top show, by a considerable margin, for the week. It beat our every show in the UPN lineup except for Next Model (no accounting for taste, as it's usually the wrestling). Anyway, it covered a lot of ground and was the conclusion to the Kill Billie Vol 2 episode. Yes, I wish it had been longer. After all, there's nothing on following the show except a Charmed rerun. I also wish it wasn't over too, but we'll all get over that too. The episode was done very well, ending in a very tasteful and positive way. It left the door open for a variety of spinoff type shows and and the lack of Prue, except her being mentioned, is just as much SD's fault as anyone else's. SD and HMC are still the closest of friends and she (SD) is not blind as to what was going on with Charmed this year or any other. She left, for whatever reason (still not known, except to those involved), and never looked back. She abandoned the show and they have not even been able to legally show an image of her (probably not without paying her a rediculous sum of money or get sued). If SD was asked to leave and the fact that she's never been seen on Charmed since, is the fault of the network or the producers, then shame on them. However, after five years you'd think some agreement could have been made, but it seemed no one had any interest in talking to her and vice versa. End of story. She had a call out role and that's it. They could have done a magical entry in the BOS (someone mentioned that in this thread and it was a great idea), but what's done is done. Or a picture of not SD but SD as a child on the wall. I'm actually a bit more upset that Dorian Gregory was left out. He was a semi regular for the first seven years and was cut entirely from the show. His psuedo substitute, Agent Murphy, was gone in a couple of episodes and never heard from again. Everyone else, Jason, Dex, etc were short lived guest characters. What it comes down to is that they had who they needed to have there and within those 48 minutes gave each character a surprising integral part. OK, they didn't kill off Billie, but they may have gotten Christie. However, see my posting above about that.

[godofwar666]

With all due respect to those who expressed a disappointment at Shannen/Prue's absence in the finale, permit me to ask "couldn't you seen it coming?" Though a talented and attractive actress, Shannen seems to get into conflict with other cast members, writers/producers/directors and/or all of the above, wherever she goes. Her "controversial" departure was an inevitability, that all real fans of the series should have expected.

Though I hated seeing the series end, I can't allow that to interfere with giving the staff involved in the writing, producing and acting of the finale kudows for doing a superlative job. The script and the performances rendered in the finale should be ranked as one of the top ten in television history. There was a sense of completion that was amplified by an insight into each main character's future, that left me feeling good about the time I had invested in "getting to know" the characters.

As a parting shot, I have to give a piece of my mind to the "powers that be" who tried to kill off the legendary Charmed series two seasons ago. You owe us all an apology for attempting to replace our beloved series with boring, irrelevant and virtually unwatchable programming just because it was new. Though the Charmed series survived relatively unfettered by the behind the scenes politics during season 7, the same cannot be said for season eight. In season eight, there was a fundamental departure from the tradition of the series in favor of developing characters that won't likely be remembered except as trivia items. Removing Brian/Leo from the series until the finale is inexcusable. Replacing Dorien/Darryl with a homeland security guy that himself disappeared an episode or two after the sisters regained their identities, just didn't do justice to the actors who'd given several years of support to the main characters, or to the fans who looked for their familiar faces when tuning in each week.

Despite your best efforts to prove that the series no longer had an audience, we continued to tune each week in support of our show. And for this finale, we tuned in with numbers that are scarcely seen on your network. Good luck on finding another show that will engender such a loyal following. Quick hint, it might well be a spin off of Charmed. But now that you've killed off the flagship series, how will your draw an embittered audience back to their sets to view your new programing?

[richardrcbx]

hi all i`m from the unted kingdom and like many of you on this board are disapointed that sD was not brought back even for the last series finale..it dose seem like brad kern d`nt listen to what the fans want, billie and christy just seemed a bit week as carractors and did`nt convince me as good or evil witches,apart from that i`ve enjoyed the 8 seasons and wish all TCO`S all the best for the future and hope to see them over here when they do exibitions

[darksexylovely]

i think that the series finale was great. I was yelling at everything that happened like chris and wyatt coming back from the future and us finding out that phoebe and coop will end up together. I thought that it would be great if Prue came back, but i cant be mad about it. Come on, she left on bad terms, and even though some think that she should of not cared about the grudge and did the show....think about what you would of done...i know i wouldnt, i dont think Shannon would of gave up her pride for her fans. But all in all the finale was great and i will never forget all of the plot turns and twist it had.... ;D

[HollysFan]

Come on, she left on bad terms, and even though some think that she should of not cared about the grudge and did the show....think about what you would of done...i know i wouldnt, i dont think Shannon would of gave up her pride for her fans.

To repeat for the millionth time what The Original P3 has said over and over, Shannon was never approached by Kern to come back for the finale. She gets a bad rep in the press, when in reality I wouldn't be suprised if she's one of the most down to earth people you could ever meet. And this is coming from someone who is not the biggest Shannon or Prue fan.

[theeldest]

Yeah if she was asked i think that out of the love for her fans she would have came back. Another disappointment i had was that it wasn't two hours. I mean if it were two hours then there could be more time to explain everything and give some viewers a great farewell to all the characters in their own way. Some sort of quirky thing they all do once and a while.

[vandergraafk]

Clearly, Dorian should have been brought back somehow. I mean it's really eerie how Kill Billie, Volume 2 ends. Dorian could have flown back to San Francisco to deal with destruction of the manor (boy, is that a thread left hanging.) Where was Homeland Security and Agent Murphy? Surely, it took Piper some time to undo the disaster. What was going on while all this was happening? Remember what Dorian told Leo in All Halliwell's Eve. Sometimes you're gonna need a cop! Hey, but that might have meant a three-part finale. Or a two-hour finale. Oh well!

Still, Dorian really did have the last word in Something Wicca This Way Goes. That really was his send off.

[vandergraafk]

But, I believe Shannen has a financial interest in Charmed, even in Season 8. At some point, wouldn't it be nice to know the whole unvarnished truth. Couldn't they at least have had a picture as Prue cum dog when she was tracking the Banshee? Hee, hee!

[spiritsas]

OK, this is just my opinion, but as I've said before, I for one did not miss her. Her name was mentioned four times during the finale. Yes, they could have had the original picture, but it's been quite obvious, for the past five years, that she hasn't allowed her image to be on any new episode; not in a picture, flashback, or ghostly image. At least not withour either her permission or payment or both. Perhaps the money could have been in the budget in the first couple of years after she left, but possibly not after then. Also, Kern has said that the show, for the past five years, has been about the current sisters. Yes, he could have asked her, or she could have made some discrete inquires, if she wanted to be part of things. Whatever had happened five years earlier could have been forgotten as people "move on", but either nobody made a move or nobody cared to do so. Since Brad had made up his mind, despite some fan desires, it was his show and he did what he though was best for the show and the current cast. Someone had a great thought of having an unseen Prue, make a magical entry in the BOS. That would have been neat too, but whatever we would have liked to see, I think what we did see was still wonderful and was a terrific ending for the series. I would have loved to have seen Dorian G. too, as he deserved to be there more than SD, but what's done is done. Let's see if there's a spinoff first, then maybe SD can make an appearance there as the spirit aunt.

[born2charm]

I'm new in here and this topic with these replies have surely gotten my attention

I agree that the finale should've been a 2Hrs show.

** Leo Deserved to be on the hwole FINAL season, regarding him being there in all the seasons, and cutting him off this way was NOT CORRECT

I sure thought, oh too bad Shannen wasn't in for the finale even if as a gost after accepting her death or so coz in SE04E01 Finola Hughes (Patty) mentions how SD or the sisters werent ready yet, and I guess after fe years READY is all they'll be, but again, I wouldn't accept her attendance in that epi as I don't feel she deserves it (My opinion)

COLE!!! that I dont have any idea WHY he wasn't in the finale since he Jullian guest-starred an epi when he wanted Phoebe to fall in love again, and He truely deserves an ending (even if by blessing Phoebe and telling her to go on or so) .. If I keep talking bout COLE I'll probably flod the forum

Darryl !! I felt it was absolutely UNFAIR not to have him as he's been there almost for the past 8 Yrs

Barbas The fear Demon (dunno why though) lol since he's been there before

********************
dissapointments from the epi:

** Paige was not one of Piper's concerns when looking through the wreckage of th manor ( Yes she menionedd her afterwords, but Piper assumed Paige dead not seen her)

** Piper seemed Oddly CALM even after the death of her 2 sisters (would've looked more real if she paniked a bit, cried or whatever that shows the short-tempered, emotional Piper that we've always known)

** how come it was the first time ever a sollution comes up in such a short time ( I mean piper didn't have to think and rethink about it before knowing what to do)

** What about the world? having a house exploding with alarms sirening and all was that fine or the explosion was on Mute

** Piper should've had a daughter the mater that makes their trip to the future with Prue somewhat true (changed coz they chnged sometthing in their present)

** Billie!! what happened to her? ( I saw her) but she only got to baby sit Phoebe's daughters? (what heappened to HER Life) and MY GOD her crying over her sis SUCKED ALOT (she should've learned that from Holly)



YET The episode was one of the greatest and I LOVE it especially the Photos part, and the little Prue

[vandergraafk]

Although I share born2charm's wonderment about Piper's seeming lack of concern for Paige, I think it is important to keep in mind a couple of things. First, Piper has already discovered Phoebe dead. Isn't it likely that she would also assume the worst with respect to Paige? Second, as soon as she hears another stirring, she rushes over to help rescue someone whom she thinks is Paige. That it is Billie is another matter. Third, Leo has already concluded that there is no point in staying where they were. Did he fear for the police whose sirens indicate that they were on the way? Fourth, Piper has enough experience to know (Witch in Time) that realities can be undone. Why waste time combing through rubble with the police on the way when what was needed was an effort to find a way to undo what had just happened? Maybe that's too logical, but I don't fault Piper for this. (And, yes I am a Paige fan.) Besides, if Paige had survived, wouldn't she have been able to orb back to the condo?

I, too, am really bothered by the complete absence of a reality check here. The first battle blasts the staircase and the outside wall to pieces. (This is the potion battle, not the Hollow infection battle.) Uh, do any of the neighbors notice? I mean maybe we can assume that Paige cast another "Unseen" spell to undo this, but when?

The Jenkins's sisters certainly have no experience with this. Paige does and did so when cleaning up one of Cole's vanquishes. A spell must surely have been cast since the staircase has miraculously been restored for the Ultimate Battle Mark II in Forever Charmed.

But, the manor. Ummm, no Paige to restore that. It certainly wasn't on Piper's or Leo's minds. Where was Homeland Security? Couldn't Agent Murphy have made an appearance? Wouldn't the neighbors have noticed, especially when all the car alarms were going off?

I am not too bothered by these things. The final episode does move quickly, but surely a two-hour finale would have been better? The WB had the time, and it could have used the ratings. But, as per the Warlock Brotherhood's usual modus operandi, why would they have cared?

[xX Jen Xx]

Just thought I'd express my view on the final episode so here goes....

Firstly, I was very disappointed not to see more of Henry and I understand that he's not a very important character but for the final episode, he should have been in it a little bit more, like in the group hug and kisses etc at the end.

Secondly, I don't think I saw any of the sisters use their personal powers (correct me if I'm wrong) and it would have been nice to see Phoebe or Paige use them.

As well as this, there's the matter of the pictures at the end...I'm probably being picky but I saw no pictures of Prue or any future children (excluding Wyatt and Chris)

Generally, I loved the final episode and am probably being a very picky person, considering they can only fit so much into 1 hour, but it would have been nice to include a bit more.

[Astral Echo]

Okay firstly Vandergraafk this thing:
The first battle blasts the staircase and the outside wall to pieces. Uh, do any of the neighbors notice? I mean maybe we can assume that Paige cast another "Unseen" spell to undo this, but when?
The Jenkins's sisters certainly have no experience with this. Paige does and did so when cleaning up one of Cole's vanquishes. A spell must surely have been cast since the staircase has miraculously been restored for the Ultimate Battle Mark II in Forever Charmed.

This last sentence made me think have you actually seen the episode yet, they went back in time to stop the Hollow from destroying the Manor and killing the girls. Back in time, it hadn't happened yet, the Ultimate Battle was changed. Just to point it out.

Prue shouldn't of been in it, Kern was right to not have her make an appearence, in 8.18 or something maybe, two part finale maybe but one episode, no. There was too much to clear up, come on guys the return of Prue is not a one episode thing and with B&C to deal with too, way to much. Cole again not really needed, yes maybe it would of been good before Phoebe and Coop tied the knot Phoebe releasing Cole to the heavens, finally accepting that the Source consumed him, he was never truely evil in s4 etc... but still Julian is on to much bigger things now.

Yes Henry should of been in it more, very sad about that!

But otherwise, great episode.

[shax82]

Hei guys what you think about the spinn off of Prue? I think that will be fantastic to see Prue again! I want to send an e-mail to the cw for ask the spinn off. I'm sorry for my english but i am italian and I hate Brad and Shannen because the finale of Charmed will be incomplete forever!!!

[vandergraafk]

Sorry, Vengeance but when time was reset the first battle, the one that blew the staircase to smithereens and kayoed the walls, had already happened. That event was not changed by Piper's time travels. Clearly, though, in Forever Charmed the staircase is intact when the Ultimate Battle is beginning and Patty, Piper and Penny show up to incant the Hollow back into the box. And, no, you are quite incorrect. I have seen the final episodes about 25 times. I have them taped with no commercial interruptions.

Am I bothered by this? No more than I am by the other bloopers in Charmedverse. For example, the different main doors to the house, i.e., is there a wall or not that is visible from the staircase. Or, the mysterious closing and unclosing of Piper's Chinese takeaway when she is in the cab with Jeremy. It's just. Did any of the film editors think about this at all? I mean seriously! Maybe a 2-hr finale would have allowed for greater care and an answer to some of the questions. Like what did the neighbors do or think? Where was Homeland Security? Where was Agent Murphy?

[vandergraafk]

Dear X Jen X,

Does Orbing count as a personal power? Then, Paige certainly used hers. Phoebe doesn't, but so what? Since the Ultimate Battle Mark I requires the use of the Hollow, there is no point in displaying the individual sisters' powers. These were insufficient! Ultimate Battle Mark II displays Christy's power (to mentally launch a huge fireball), Billie's power (to deflect an attack), Paige's power (to orb the Ring from Christy to Paige) and, of course, Billie's power of projection (backward through time) to help the Charmed Ones destroy the spirit Triad, future Dumain and then present Dumain, and finally, Piper's ability to freeze present Dumain from shimmering away so that she could blast him as well as future Dumain. Yeah, Phoebe got left out, but her active powers had already been taken away in Season 6.

[violetprue]

One point I'd like to throw into the discussion here, people seem to mention the fact that Kern didn't ask Shannen onto one pile with a remark that Shannen didn't ask to come back, she didn't take an initiative.
Are you surprised?
If Holly's account (from a 2000 interview) of things is correct:

Instead, according to several sources, it was Doherty who approached Paramount executives last December and asked to be released from her contract. "[She] was like, 'This is getting too problematic. Just let me go,' " says Combs. "She didn't want all the bad press again. She wanted to exit gracefully." But the studio wouldn't have it. Continues Combs: "They stamped their feet and said 'No, you cannot leave. We will sue you.' " (Both Paramount and Spelling declined to comment.)
Doherty's eventual dismissal, then, came as a surprise. And the form Combs says it took - a phone call to Doherty's lawyer after the embattled actress had flown to Winnipeg, Canada, to start shooting Another Day, USA's upcoming Francis Ford Coppola TV-movie - still clearly angers her. "How do you go from directing the season finale to being [given] a pink slip over the phone, when [you're] in another country, at eight at night?" Combs says. "It was really a tacky way to go about it."


Would you offer to return?
I wouldn't.
It's Kerns job to give fans what they want, and although many fans got what they want, would it have killed him to ask Shannen for picture use?
Would it have killed him to show us (Prue fans) 1 pic of Prue on the wall?
I can't imagine Piper erasing Prue out of her life like that, she grew up with Prue, she was her older sister.
So I would have to ask the people that said that Shannen would know Charmed was ending, and that sher could have made an inquiry about using her pic or guest starring, would you?
If you're treated like this by a company, would you (out of your own desire) want to deal with them again, fans or not?
If Kern had asked, she might have considered it, but I can totally understand she wouldn't offer any help what so ever.

[xX Jen Xx]

vandergraafk said:

Dear X Jen X,

Does Orbing count as a personal power? Then, Paige certainly used hers. Phoebe doesn't, but so what? Since the Ultimate Battle Mark I requires the use of the Hollow, there is no point in displaying the individual sisters' powers. These were insufficient! Ultimate Battle Mark II displays Christy's power (to mentally launch a huge fireball), Billie's power (to deflect an attack), Paige's power (to orb the Ring from Christy to Paige) and, of course, Billie's power of projection (backward through time) to help the Charmed Ones destroy the spirit Triad, future Dumain and then present Dumain, and finally, Piper's ability to freeze present Dumain from shimmering away so that she could blast him as well as future Dumain. Yeah, Phoebe got left out, but her active powers had already been taken away in Season 6.

Hmm, I suppose so, it just didn't feel like the Power of Three for the final episode without all their powers, but I guess that won't really happen without Phoebe powers coming back..oh well! In general, it was a great episode!

[vandergraafk]

After the 26th viewing of Forever Charmed, here is my top six list of disappointments. The first four are major disappointments. The last two are merely quibbles. (Please note: I still love this episode very much!) There are six because today is 06 June 06!

1) Gram's giddiness over the Charmed Ones

This is a major error. Grams already knows that she has given birth to the Charmed Ones (once removed, of course!) She learned of this in That 70s Episode. Chronologically, That 70s Episode predates Piper, Patty and Leo visiting Grams in Forever Charmed. I estimate that Piper is about 9 years old. This places the episode in the year 1981 approximately.
That 70s Episode occurs in February 1975 (when Patty is just pregnant with Phoebe). I also estimate that when Piper and Leo "coop" in on Patty and Victor it is at the time of Phoebe's conception. That explains why Patty is touching her belly whilst holding Victor's hands as Piper and Leo explain the situation. At this time, there is no way Patty could know in advance that she was to be the mother of the Charmed Ones.

Grams has no such excuse, however. She has known since February 1975 (in That 70s Episode) that Patty is the mother of the Charmed Ones. And, worse, she needs to retain this knowledge. For, at the conclusion of That 70s Episode, Grams knows that she must still bind the girls' powers upon the birth of Phoebe.

So, why did the writers mess this up? Worse, why make Grams faint when Patty appears. Surely, Grams is a seasoned witch enough to know that many things are possible. Better yet: when the sisters express amazement over Grams's claim in That 70s Episode that she will be able to write a spell to return them to 1999, Grams retort is revealing. "We're witches, dear. We can do anything!" Phoebe demurs silently, but only because she knows that Patty will not be able to stop the water demon in P3H2O. Surely, Grams knows that anything is possible. Fainting is certainly an inappropriate response.

2) Billie's inauthenticity over the vanquish of the sister

Is there anybody out there who believes this grief was
credible? I surely don't, and this bit is the single worst part of
Forever Charmed. I now cringe when seeing Billie breakdown and "cry?".

3) the absence of Homeland Security and Agent Murphy

Okay, I know ever since Katrina Homeland Security has got major problems, but seriously how do we explain the absolute lack of response to the explosion emanating from the Potion Battle portion of the Ultimate Battle Mark 1 and the sheer devastation of the manor in the Hollow Battle portion of the Ultimate Battle Mark 1. Did nobody notice anything?

4) the teasing lunch scene

We are shown Wyatt, Chris and younger girl receiving lunch
on their way to school. Since a sleepover of Phoebe's eldest daughter probably can be ruled out (sleepover with the boys?) this is probably Prudence Melinda, Piper's daughter. So why not show Prudence Melinda with Piper in the kitchen while she is describing her return to the restaurant business? I understand why the boys would prefer to make their potions alone.

5) the 43 minute finale

Since the WB (Warlock Brotherhood) had no pressing programming for the 9 pm hour (all they could come up with was a Classic Charmed repeat), why couldn't they have opened the purse strings a little (and thereby apologize for at least 6 years of demonic activity with respect to Charmed and especially for announcing the cancellation of a show on 7 March, whose writers had already committed their show to a series ending. What! Wasn't there enough bad blood between the Charmed Ones and the WB with more salt being needed to throw on the wound. Gosh, a two-hour finale would have been just grand. Maybe then we could have seen Agent Murphy again.

6) a picture of Prue

I would have settled with the picture of the girls from Something Wicca. I would have even settled for a picture of Prue as the Banshee tracking dog. But, come on, not even a picture - maybe even out of focus - of Prue. Major bummer!

Well, that's my list. Please feel free to comment.

P.S. The verb "to coop" is a neo-logism I have come up with to
explain the sort of time travel by cupid. Since we had only one instance of this before - when Phoebe revisits past loves - there really wasn't a name for this. It's clearly not orbing. It's not something Tempus could do. It's not the Avatar alternate reality thing that Cole did in Centennial Charmed. It's not Billie's projection power. For lack of a term, I called it "to coop". Hope you like it.