I'm so grateful Simon Templeman was able to reprise this role. And for being away from that role for so long and stepping back into it like time had never passed for this character is just [Chef's Kiss]. He's up there with Billy Drago as some of my favorite guest stars on the series.
4:35 - It's interesting that you point out how much of an impression the Angel of Death makes despite only being in three episodes. I used to watch "Charmed" a lot when I was a kid. But it has been many, many years since I've watched even a single episode let alone an entire season or the entire series (probably over a decade). The Angel of Death is one of those characters that I remember so very clearly. Very iconic portrayal. Very memorable. Simon Templeton gives the angel of death a great deal of gravitas. Exactly what he should have.
Honestly I had forgotten about this moment and I definitely teared up when Paige is confessing while stalling for time. It's heartbreaking and they pushed it just far enough to make you wonder "is another charmed one really going to die"? You know she's not but it's the question.
I have to say as one of the people who "complained about" the sisterly moments. That's what made Rose great. She forged her way into becoming a sister. But in the end the OG knew everything about each other. They were sisters who learned to be witches. But after Shannon left they became witches who had to learn how to be sisters. Rose was great at learning to be a sister. Which was hard for hef having grown up as an only child. The issue for me is when Shannon was on you got the good, bad and ugly of being siblings. Phoebe and Prue fought because they were so much alike and had opposite roles. Both were reckless, both impulsive and both led with their hearts and both eternally jealous of each other. Phoebe because Prue was respected and Phoebe was unburdened. With Paige it was about making her part of the family. The problem I had was siblings are about going through life's milestones with your best friend and witness. It was only one episode in which the obvious was stated, Paige could never be as close to Phoebe and Piper as they were to each other. But that didn't mean she couldn't become a real sister. The show did the best it could but it was handicapped by this reality.
I always wanted Paige to be accepted into the family and a lot times felt like she wasn't. I fully respect her independence as I'm the same way, but there are small things she does that makes her a part of them. Like when they all have the same color hair. Or I still wish Paige changed her last name to Halliwell. They were always holding hands or linking arms with Prue but not as much with Paige. But I'm glad Victor took Paige into the fold. Hell, she's got three fathers if you think about it.
The Angel of Death & Drake are two of my most favorite minor characters in the show. Simon's portrayl of Death absolutely left an impact on me as a kid who grew up watching this show. So much so that, when I saw him in that one episode of the Angel tv series, I immediately recognized him.
Thank You. For breaking down my favorite show regularly to assist me into understanding why I trauma bonded with it my entire life. Please dont stop doing these episode reviews ❤❤❤
I actually enjoyed season 6 more in some ways than season 7. I hated the Zankou storyline but there were stellar episodes in that season for sure. I adored Charisma Carpenter on the show and can't wait for when the podcast brings her on to talk about her time on the show. I'd love for you to discuss the following episodes Sight Unseen, Long Live the Queen, Oh my goddesses, Charmed Noir, The Courtship of Wyatts Father, Little Box of Horrors, and of course Forever Charmed.
Season 6 and 7 are some of my favorite seasons out the whole series - I feel as if fans are incredibly too harsh towards it/bandwagon hate it. Please if you can do more videos on those two seasons 😭 they soooo need way more appreciation, and recognition from the fandom that it’s okay to love these seasons
Even though 6 is my least favourite season (tied with 2), there's a lot to love about it, and I have a few favourite episodes there too :) Forget Me Not is one that I've been enjoying more as the years go by.
@@BetterWithBob Really? That was the introduction of the Cleaners. There were many funny scenes but that glaring continuity error makes the entire episode absolutely terrible. But I am here to see you make your case sir in another anatomy of an episode 😁
If anything these episode analysis proved, it’s that the OGs really are great actors that made even the silliest storylines look good. Despite some of the plot holes and inconsistencies and all the drama behind the scenes, one thing that remained true to OG Charmed is that the acting was believable. On the other hand, I hope you can also do one of those male-centric episodes like Vaya Con Leos, Saving Private Leo or The Seven Year Witch. Anyway, great analysis as always!❤️
I hope this niche focus grows for you, always loved the show, I'm enjoying the revisit and story analysis Charmed is special for me as the only show I ever followed week by week, just the final two seasons, while catching the rerun blocks on TNT in the AM and PM Piper was always my #1, dry, sharp, and fierce after beginning as a marshmallow bambi. She was my example of classy sexy and beauty in aging as a young teen
@Better With Bob? Well my first impression was flipping to TNT and Piper as Gaia was pissed off 😆 than I caught up in staggered binges, I got a companion guide that covered the first 6 seasons, no idea where that ended up though
I only checked the show out because I was a Kaley Cuoco fan from 8 Simple Rules and wanted to see what else she'd been in, so I was occasionally checking with for random episode clips until they showed the last episode, and then I started from where they restarted the series (Charmed Again because they didn't show the first three seasons during the week but they had Season 1 on weekends too)
I really really appreciate your content. You made me realise that there's much to appreciate, specially Phoebe's redeeming atitude earning her premotion back. Thank you and please continue making these!
I actually like Season 7. The reintroduction of the Avatars was mysterious and thrilling, and the arrival of Zankou was also tied in very nicely. Btw, the Angel of Death appears four times but he takes a different appearance in Season 6.
I don't know if you take suggestions but I would like to put out there the episode "The Eyes Have It" S5E6 for consideration. It has a great story, character growth, sisterly moments, culture exploration, cinematography and Jigsaw! As far as "Styx", I've only seen it ounce and missed all the nuance you highlighted here. Great job! Now I'll have to to back and watch it again. I do remember thinking Holly was really funny this episode!
That's a great suggestion! I also really appreciate Brain Drain because it really builds up to a point where I would question reality by the way the fake doctor justified each circumstance. I also really really like Pre-Witched because it gives a nostalgic feeling for an era that we never knew, where Phoebe was a trouble maker, Prue was more stiff and Piper changed from tense to more happy (I'm misses fun now). I enjoyed how it explained a bit about kit, about their powers being binded, showed an outdoor scene and felt like the old days where it wasn't all about Cole.
@@esquecido2398 Brain Drain feels like it's all a setup for the Source to appear at the end as a fake still living Prue. Piper breaking at that point and agreeing to recite the spell makes such incredibly perfect sense if she'd just been tricked into a conversation with Shannen Doherty's image. As does her line 'that guy was really freaking me out'. If there's a perfect place for Shannen Doherty to have appeared in Season 4, that was it. Just like how a certain Buffy actor refused to appear as an evil fake version of their character in episode 7 of the season after they were killed off.
You always learn new things when rewatching an old show and whenever I rewatch Charmed I usually stop in episodes that piss me off (like the Cole arcs) but even in terrible Seasons (6) you find some enjoyable episodes and in Season 7 this episodes was one of them (well any episodes that have Charisma Carpenter in it after being unfairly fired form Angel). I love this episode because it had Phoebe finally (albeit temporarily) being Season 1 Phoebe where she wants to save innocents and I wished they did more with her Character and Power of Premonition.
Ugh again I LOVE IT!!! I don't know what it is about these sorts of videos that draw me in. I think it's because it reminds me of that True Hollywood Stories series on the E! Network back in the day. Keep it up!
After the messy season 6, I think a lot of viewers wanted a rest. They overlooked the rare quality episodes like this. Then season 8 was watched as it was the final one. It became famous for throwing the 3 main characters under the bus for the 2 controversial new witches.
Yeah sometimes a bad season can make the mud stick onto the next one, even if it's an improvement. Like OUAT Season 5's first half was so terrible to me that even if the second half was legitimately good, it had this stink hanging over it from the previous half.
1. I'm in love with ALL of your Charmed coverage. I came into the series very late, so Prue was a surprise for me. But this episode, Paige gets me every time! 😢 My friends and i called each other the Charmed ones and i fell into the Paige role as the youngest so it coild also be that too, but Rose DELIVERS here. I'm currently wiping tears from my face watching the video as i recite the lines. 😅 On to the next video! 🎉❤
I really enjoyed season 7, it felt like the show went back to normal demons, the effects were great and it had so many story arcs. To me season 1-4 we’re epic. Season 5 was alright, 6 was messy and 7 was was great and of course the final 4 of season 8 was were the best
Thank you very much for making these videos, the perspective you have to analyze each episode and its context is incredible! I've been a big fan of Charmed for years, I hope to one day see the anatomy of the episode "Charmed Again" a very important episode in the structure of the show, greetings from Mexico!
The only thing about this episode that never sat right with me, is how Piper was willing to risk it all to NOT take Phoebe but she showed virtually no feeling towards having to take Paige.
It was before she had the character growth mentioned in this video. She would be willing to take Phoebe but it just happened to be Paige the one dying.
That's kinda consistent with Piper if you think about it. In the series finale when the manor blows up she goes around trying to find Phoebe and when she finds her body she only goes after finding Paige cause she hears Billy and think it's her. I think she loves both her sisters and wouldn't conciously choose one over the other but she knew Phoebe all her life and that gives them a different type of connection that shows in different ways.
@@MiguelDracul I like to imagine that when Paige does die she'll just become a full whitelighter and carrying on living and working on Earth the same as before.
Now I'm really interested on your views on Once Upon a Time. Regarding this episode/show, I personally prefer the Prue+season 4 years, but this video reminds me that there are hidden gems in the later seasons. I don't tend to despise season 8 like I've seen many do, but there are definitely time I struggled getting through the show when I initially watched it past season 4. I tend to have a soft spot for Phoebe, so I absolutely despise the direction they took her character in seasons 5 and 6. I know that objectively Paige was on the show for longer than Prue, but I tend to have a tough time with the change. I do think season 4 kind of did a pretty good job at incorporating Paige into the sisterhood. I can't wait until you talk about the Kyra episode. I think she may be my favorite secondary/extra character in the entire show. I really enjoyed her scenes with Phoebe in that episode, and I could definitely see them growing closer and potentially becoming true friends. They had great chemistry.
I totally agree. As a kid I couldn’t stand season 6 and 7. But now that I’m older season 7 is actually a good season that I didn’t appreciate. Honestly would’ve been a solid final season.
@@BetterWithBob I agree. I like seasons 7 and 8 more than 5 and 6, and I feel season 7 is very underrated. It actually feels like the 1st season at times (season 8 as well, but people get so angry about Billie and Christy they overlook that). Phoebe, being my second favorite sister, is actually back to being an interesting character in the last two seasons and shows, arguably, the best character development by the end of the show.
You know how many times ive seen this episode and it wasnt until recently that i realized phoebe knew Sirk's name without anyone telling her or them looking it up.
I am a sucker for good reaper storyline but the real MVP of this episode was Charisma Carpenter who was not only the sexiest oracle but also had exactly the kind of attitude this show needed a more of. I am watching your videos as I watch the show so I hope that big episode of hers gives us her and Piper having a sass competition because I would watch a whole show about those two.
I love this video so much on its own but as I’ve written an analysis piece on neutral beings in Charmed (incl. the Angel of Death) I appreciate your thoughts on this episode and the video as a whole even more. I wish I thought of them 🙂
Season 7 for me always had the same traits as Season 4. I saw similarities btw Cole and Leo's double identities. Brought very similar dynamics around trust and family into play and coincidentally it was Paige who, both times, did not trust the 2 lying men but her sisters did not believe her.
she didn't just accept it. you can see that in that epsiode. She had the conversation with the angel of death before about life and discomfort everything for your sister etc. and she was also an angel of death. Even if Paige had died, she would have tried everything to save her. All the time some folks try to underestimate the relationship between the two while Piper loves Paige and vice versa, the way it should be. and everyone who has really watched the series knows that and doesn't just pull everything out of context. Whether with or without Prue. The girls had a lot of lessons to learn. About themselves and magic
She wouldn't have fought it more if it were Phoebe. Between her refusing to accept it and the Paige moment, she had come to certain realisations, she had come to understand the necessity of death and to let go of her selfishness. She had also come to see a lot more deaths, she had taken more people into the afterlife, which made her understand and accept death more. She's also accepted that it's her job and it needs to be done. If anything, she'd rather be it her to walk Paige to the afterlife than someone who isn't close to her. That's, in a sense, her way to protect and help her baby sister as best as she can.
The one thing that always confused me about this episode is how did they kill the demon in magic school at the end? I thought no one could die at magic school🤔
They seemed to forget about that even back in S6 when Gideon killed Sigmund and then tried to kill Wyatt. Maybe Gideon controlled that enchantment since he ran the school and when he died it stopped?
@@BetterWithBob We all eventually accepted the existence of Magic School because it’s not just for witches, it’s for all good magical beings who want to learn about magic. In my head canon, the Elders didn’t hide in Magic School at the end of Season 5 because they didn’t want to risk and expose its existence to enemies, or jeopardise the safety of the children (aka the future of good magic) in it.
Hola felicidades a todos me gustaría ver la serie completa de hechicera en español desde primera temporada asta la última gracias mil bendiciones para todos 💯🙏♥️
I think my main issue with this episode is how the list seems to be constantly changing with names appearing and disappearing constantly and new names getting added or removed on what seems to be a whim, and yet somehow Death can't take any further souls until he gets that one specific mortal, and Phoebe can claim the name of a demon isn't on the list when she hasn't even looked at it in the first place.
She knows because she otherwise wouldn't have gotten the premonition to know that Sirk was going after Harriet in Magic School. Just like Paige wouldn't have been on the list because Kyra had a vision of what they were planning.
I didn't know who Simon Templeman was until he said "life only has meaning because it ends"...as soon as he said that all I could picture was kain from legacy of kain...I never knew what his voice actor looked like lol
Yes, in the sixth season the essence of the series was completely lost. I recently watch it again and to be honest it seemed even worse than I remembered it to be: dragons taken from the interior of a television set, talking dogs, dinosaurs in the Jurassic, magic schools, children of the future, magical boots. .. I finished watching it practically because of the love I had for the series and nothing else. I agree with you that in the seventh season the series tried to resume its essence by including more sisterhood, witchcraft and innocents to save
Season 6 improves radically once they decide to make Chris their son. The first 8 episodes have a ton of cringe, but Little Monsters is a serious rumination on the relative nature of evil and from there every episode has some degree of emotional depth consistent with what came before the season. Even Prince Charmed with its cringingly silly side plot. As it is 6 is my 4th favourite behind 4, 3 and 1. If the tone of those first 8 episodes had remained for the final 15, it would be in 7th place above only Season 5.
13:55 'gasp' oh no, is it Snow and Charming or Swan and Killian?? (it's the latter isn't it) I have to know! Honestly, most of my immense love for 'captain swan' comes from Killian. As Emma uhhhh. I really don't know what to say about Emma. She could be great, but could also OFTEN fall towards the really annoying/flat. He's easily the best character in the show whose character they fucked with the least, and actually grew amazingly and stayed consistent. Deadass the ONLY thing I kept watching for was Hook xD
I liked the series until Billy came along. The number one rule was only family could touch the book of shadows but hell with that rule with her around.
The show was darker with Prue and when she left it seemed like she passed the torch to Cole to keep the show kinda dark but after they killed him off too then the seasons afterwards were up and down and more about phoebe and her love life and piper and her children and marriage and also a lot sillier compared to previous seasons in my opinion
Paige brought her own darkness to Season 4 with how damaged she was by her parents' deaths, her former alcoholism, her social work passion and her loneliness. For me Cole is more sympathetic in Season 4 than in Season 3, because he's a possessed human instead of a conflicted part-demon. He goes from a Spike figure to an Anya figure only far less comedic.
@@BetterWithBob Interesting that you find S2 silly. I found it joyful where they were exploring and building their universe. Plus, it had a good character development for Prue and Phoebe. It's my favourite one, btw.
Well with Arthur, the only reason he didn't die right away was because Paige cast a protection spell - something she shouldn't have done because personal gain consequences led to death being stopped indefinitely, so she meddled with reality in a way that was unnatural. With Harriet, the Charmed Ones were able to save her because the Angel of Death had given Piper access to his list, which meant that they could save her in a way that didn't alter reality. The Phoebe/Paige switch happened because of a seer, whose powers are natural. And Sirk could only be killed because of Phoebe's premonitions unexpectedly coming back. Earlier in Season 3, Prue came off the list because she learned her lesson about trying to stop death. And that only happened because the Angel of Death intervened to teach her.
I think season 7 had high and low as well as weird moments. Firstly, we thought the Avatars were evil and then good and then evil again. This was weird and they destroyed the hype, the curiosity and the excitement about the Avatars and their agenda. Secondly, I didn't like what they did with Leo's character and this season had 2 of the worst episodes of the series (Charrrmed & Once in a Blue Moon). Fortunately, Zankou really saved the season being one of the worst and most powerful villains of the series, which lead to maybe the best episode finale of Charmed. However, Styx Feet Under was a really good episode for all the reasons that you mentioned. Also, I really enjoyed Charisma Carpenter and I wish she had stayed for longer.
Yeah I avoid rewatching those two episodes lol. They're up there with Lucky Charmed, Dream Sorcerer, That Old Black Magic and Animal Pragmatism in terms of series low points
Not as insufferable and all over the place as season 6 but they do attempt to clean up the mess in season 7, mainly because it was the original final season before the WB transitioned into the CW and decided to keep some of their older shows running. Hint : last episode is a nod to the series first episode titled Something Wicca This Way Goes. They did wrap it up nicely but they COMPLETELY destroyed any good will they had with the season 8 hidden identity/ 'i will ignore any innocent' storyline. That season is basically unforgivable for what it is. They had the perfect layout for teaching the next generation of witches and they blew it. There are solid episodes in there, and a very welcome character development for Leo which i appreciate a lot . If we exclude the unnecessary back and forth of Phoebe's disastrous love life that by that point it was extremely overplayed as a character arc , i feel like this season is split in half, meaning there are two mini seasons combined in one. The Avatar storyline ends somewhere half way and then they move on to Zankou whom i still remember with computer generated pig ears in the season finale, lol. That is etched to my memory. Now as for Phoebe, who used to be my favorite, this episode almost had me fooled but as soon as she goes back to being discount Carrie Bradshaw she goes back to her old selfish ways, meaning that episode did absolutely nothing in the long run, which was a running theme for the show at that point. Count how many times Phoebe would get a love interest that would teach her about love only for her to be disappointed again and lose trust in love until the next guy taught her the exact same thing. It happens again with Coop in the following season; Right when she started focusing on fighting evil and doing good they would stop her progress in order to find "love". Infuriating. By season 8 she's going to sperm banks and actively tries to trick a guy into marrying her under a false identity. Damn, season 8 was wild! You gotta make a video analysis of it because there's so much nonsense to unpack in 22 episodes. Whew! Both Piper and Phoebe would have a wake up call in one episode and by two episodes later they would be back complaining about not having a normal life and avoiding their witch duties by going on dates or belittling Leo for not picking up the kids from grandpa. The only sister that actually changed from experiences was Paige and by the end she was the only one maintaining some integrity, not that she didn't have her fair share of flaws. She just cared more about innocents and the greater good than the other two. I also really liked her relationship with Henry in contrast to Phoebe's shallow rich boyfriends or Piper's growing mistreatment of Leo. I wonder if it has to do with the fact she didn't have producer credits on the show unlike HMC and Alyssa Milano. She also got the more meaningful storylines that were usually cut short in favor for more screentime of the other two.
Ah i just had to deactivate for a while for some mental health reasons (long story lol). I hit off something by accident last week and my phone logged me back in without me wanting to, so I had to wait seven days to deactivate it again.
TBH I stopped watching after season four ended. I only watched from 5 to 8 every now and then. I don't particularly care for campiness/camp in the supernatural type TV shows that I watch. Because of this I skipped season six all together. And the season that Billy was introduced. Like Sheldon Cooper anytime she was on screen I wanted to jettison her out of the nearest window. 🤷🏻♀
While I still maintain the second half of the show not as good as the first, season 7 was the best of the second half of the series post season 4. It felt like the season that tried to cover the more nuances present in earlier seasons, it still had problems that the later episodes had don't get me wrong (Like the Blue Moon episode, a weak first half, poorly done Avatar plot and many episodes of the first half showcases the protags in a bad light) and this episode presents a couple of them. But this is one of Piper's best episodes in a season where she was pretty bad. (She's at her worst in Season 8) And she shows a bit of that with her scene of death, but otherwise we get a nice execution between her and Paige and she plays the role of death perfectly. This is a good episode and this analysis was great!
Charmed has been my all time favourite series for 20 years already. I’ve watched it countless times except for the last three seasons which are not as good imo. Your episode breakdowns of Charmed are interesting and insightful. Really enjoy them. Greetings from Russia! 🇷🇺🪆
You know how many times ive seen this episode and it wasnt until recently that i realized phoebe knew Sirk's name without anyone telling her or them looking it up.
I'm so grateful Simon Templeman was able to reprise this role. And for being away from that role for so long and stepping back into it like time had never passed for this character is just [Chef's Kiss]. He's up there with Billy Drago as some of my favorite guest stars on the series.
ah yes, gotta give that guy credit for repeatedly making me forget that Barbas wasn't a real person lol
And he came back for season 8!
Mine too
@@BetterWithBobFrank Nitty is always gangsta!!
Easily one of my absolute FAVORITE acted characters in existence. I really haven't been able to see death as anyone else ever. Only Sandman came close
4:35 - It's interesting that you point out how much of an impression the Angel of Death makes despite only being in three episodes. I used to watch "Charmed" a lot when I was a kid. But it has been many, many years since I've watched even a single episode let alone an entire season or the entire series (probably over a decade). The Angel of Death is one of those characters that I remember so very clearly. Very iconic portrayal. Very memorable. Simon Templeton gives the angel of death a great deal of gravitas. Exactly what he should have.
Agreed!
"Stop yelling at death!" 😂 is up there with "there's a demon in the playpen!" Up there with my favorite lines 😂
Honestly I had forgotten about this moment and I definitely teared up when Paige is confessing while stalling for time. It's heartbreaking and they pushed it just far enough to make you wonder "is another charmed one really going to die"? You know she's not but it's the question.
I forgot about it too and it really got me on the rewatch
I have to say as one of the people who "complained about" the sisterly moments. That's what made Rose great. She forged her way into becoming a sister. But in the end the OG knew everything about each other. They were sisters who learned to be witches. But after Shannon left they became witches who had to learn how to be sisters. Rose was great at learning to be a sister. Which was hard for hef having grown up as an only child.
The issue for me is when Shannon was on you got the good, bad and ugly of being siblings. Phoebe and Prue fought because they were so much alike and had opposite roles. Both were reckless, both impulsive and both led with their hearts and both eternally jealous of each other. Phoebe because Prue was respected and Phoebe was unburdened.
With Paige it was about making her part of the family. The problem I had was siblings are about going through life's milestones with your best friend and witness. It was only one episode in which the obvious was stated, Paige could never be as close to Phoebe and Piper as they were to each other. But that didn't mean she couldn't become a real sister. The show did the best it could but it was handicapped by this reality.
I always wanted Paige to be accepted into the family and a lot times felt like she wasn't. I fully respect her independence as I'm the same way, but there are small things she does that makes her a part of them. Like when they all have the same color hair. Or I still wish Paige changed her last name to Halliwell. They were always holding hands or linking arms with Prue but not as much with Paige. But I'm glad Victor took Paige into the fold. Hell, she's got three fathers if you think about it.
The Angel of Death & Drake are two of my most favorite minor characters in the show. Simon's portrayl of Death absolutely left an impact on me as a kid who grew up watching this show. So much so that, when I saw him in that one episode of the Angel tv series, I immediately recognized him.
I remember him in that Angel episode!
Thank You. For breaking down my favorite show regularly to assist me into understanding why I trauma bonded with it my entire life. Please dont stop doing these episode reviews ❤❤❤
I actually enjoyed season 6 more in some ways than season 7. I hated the Zankou storyline but there were stellar episodes in that season for sure. I adored Charisma Carpenter on the show and can't wait for when the podcast brings her on to talk about her time on the show. I'd love for you to discuss the following episodes Sight Unseen, Long Live the Queen, Oh my goddesses, Charmed Noir, The Courtship of Wyatts Father, Little Box of Horrors, and of course Forever Charmed.
All great choices ^_^ she and Holly were good friends I think so it's very likely she'll be brought on to talk about her time
Charisma is so charming
I love her
You could say she's very CHARISMATIC
@@ChrisWolff2013 very charismatic indeed
Season 6 and 7 are some of my favorite seasons out the whole series - I feel as if fans are incredibly too harsh towards it/bandwagon hate it. Please if you can do more videos on those two seasons 😭 they soooo need way more appreciation, and recognition from the fandom that it’s okay to love these seasons
Even though 6 is my least favourite season (tied with 2), there's a lot to love about it, and I have a few favourite episodes there too :) Forget Me Not is one that I've been enjoying more as the years go by.
@@BetterWithBob Really? That was the introduction of the Cleaners.
There were many funny scenes but that glaring continuity error makes the entire episode absolutely terrible.
But I am here to see you make your case sir in another anatomy of an episode 😁
If anything these episode analysis proved, it’s that the OGs really are great actors that made even the silliest storylines look good. Despite some of the plot holes and inconsistencies and all the drama behind the scenes, one thing that remained true to OG Charmed is that the acting was believable.
On the other hand, I hope you can also do one of those male-centric episodes like Vaya Con Leos, Saving Private Leo or The Seven Year Witch. Anyway, great analysis as always!❤️
Ah yeah I'll get round to it one day, and spot-on with your analysis too
I hope this niche focus grows for you, always loved the show, I'm enjoying the revisit and story analysis
Charmed is special for me as the only show I ever followed week by week, just the final two seasons, while catching the rerun blocks on TNT in the AM and PM
Piper was always my #1, dry, sharp, and fierce after beginning as a marshmallow bambi. She was my example of classy sexy and beauty in aging as a young teen
That sounds interesting, with the last two seasons being your first impression
@Better With Bob? Well my first impression was flipping to TNT and Piper as Gaia was pissed off 😆 than I caught up in staggered binges, I got a companion guide that covered the first 6 seasons, no idea where that ended up though
I only checked the show out because I was a Kaley Cuoco fan from 8 Simple Rules and wanted to see what else she'd been in, so I was occasionally checking with for random episode clips until they showed the last episode, and then I started from where they restarted the series (Charmed Again because they didn't show the first three seasons during the week but they had Season 1 on weekends too)
I really really appreciate your content. You made me realise that there's much to appreciate, specially Phoebe's redeeming atitude earning her premotion back. Thank you and please continue making these!
I really really appreciate your kind words :) Thank you for watching :)
I actually like Season 7. The reintroduction of the Avatars was mysterious and thrilling, and the arrival of Zankou was also tied in very nicely.
Btw, the Angel of Death appears four times but he takes a different appearance in Season 6.
I don't know if you take suggestions but I would like to put out there the episode "The Eyes Have It" S5E6 for consideration. It has a great story, character growth, sisterly moments, culture exploration, cinematography and Jigsaw! As far as "Styx", I've only seen it ounce and missed all the nuance you highlighted here. Great job! Now I'll have to to back and watch it again. I do remember thinking Holly was really funny this episode!
I do indeed take suggestions and that's my favourite Season 5 episode 😊
That's a great suggestion! I also really appreciate Brain Drain because it really builds up to a point where I would question reality by the way the fake doctor justified each circumstance.
I also really really like Pre-Witched because it gives a nostalgic feeling for an era that we never knew, where Phoebe was a trouble maker, Prue was more stiff and Piper changed from tense to more happy (I'm misses fun now). I enjoyed how it explained a bit about kit, about their powers being binded, showed an outdoor scene and felt like the old days where it wasn't all about Cole.
@@esquecido2398 Brain Drain feels like it's all a setup for the Source to appear at the end as a fake still living Prue. Piper breaking at that point and agreeing to recite the spell makes such incredibly perfect sense if she'd just been tricked into a conversation with Shannen Doherty's image. As does her line 'that guy was really freaking me out'. If there's a perfect place for Shannen Doherty to have appeared in Season 4, that was it. Just like how a certain Buffy actor refused to appear as an evil fake version of their character in episode 7 of the season after they were killed off.
You always learn new things when rewatching an old show and whenever I rewatch Charmed I usually stop in episodes that piss me off (like the Cole arcs) but even in terrible Seasons (6) you find some enjoyable episodes and in Season 7 this episodes was one of them (well any episodes that have Charisma Carpenter in it after being unfairly fired form Angel). I love this episode because it had Phoebe finally (albeit temporarily) being Season 1 Phoebe where she wants to save innocents and I wished they did more with her Character and Power of Premonition.
Ugh again I LOVE IT!!! I don't know what it is about these sorts of videos that draw me in. I think it's because it reminds me of that True Hollywood Stories series on the E! Network back in the day. Keep it up!
Now that's a comparison I wasn't expecting lol
After the messy season 6, I think a lot of viewers wanted a rest. They overlooked the rare quality episodes like this. Then season 8 was watched as it was the final one. It became famous for throwing the 3 main characters under the bus for the 2 controversial new witches.
Yeah sometimes a bad season can make the mud stick onto the next one, even if it's an improvement. Like OUAT Season 5's first half was so terrible to me that even if the second half was legitimately good, it had this stink hanging over it from the previous half.
@@BetterWithBob Didn’t know you watched OUAT, do you think you could make videos about it?
1. I'm in love with ALL of your Charmed coverage. I came into the series very late, so Prue was a surprise for me. But this episode, Paige gets me every time! 😢 My friends and i called each other the Charmed ones and i fell into the Paige role as the youngest so it coild also be that too, but Rose DELIVERS here. I'm currently wiping tears from my face watching the video as i recite the lines. 😅
On to the next video! 🎉❤
Simon Templeton was absolutely amazing in the part of death
This was actually the first full episode I was able to watch, and I love it!
Oh wow what was that like?
I really enjoyed season 7, it felt like the show went back to normal demons, the effects were great and it had so many story arcs. To me season 1-4 we’re epic. Season 5 was alright, 6 was messy and 7 was was great and of course the final 4 of season 8 was were the best
7 definitely feels like they were trying to bookend the series with something resembling the tone of 1, just with a longer running arc
I'm gonna watch this episode today. Hahaha. I love your videos, thank you for, once again, giving your insight on one of my favorite shows. ❤️
Many thanks :)
Love the charmed content keep it up
Thank you very much for making these videos, the perspective you have to analyze each episode and its context is incredible! I've been a big fan of Charmed for years, I hope to one day see the anatomy of the episode "Charmed Again" a very important episode in the structure of the show, greetings from Mexico!
Many thanks for your comment and your kind words :)
The only thing about this episode that never sat right with me, is how Piper was willing to risk it all to NOT take Phoebe but she showed virtually no feeling towards having to take Paige.
It was before she had the character growth mentioned in this video. She would be willing to take Phoebe but it just happened to be Paige the one dying.
@@esquecido2398 Exactly 💯
That's kinda consistent with Piper if you think about it. In the series finale when the manor blows up she goes around trying to find Phoebe and when she finds her body she only goes after finding Paige cause she hears Billy and think it's her. I think she loves both her sisters and wouldn't conciously choose one over the other but she knew Phoebe all her life and that gives them a different type of connection that shows in different ways.
@@MiguelDracul I like to imagine that when Paige does die she'll just become a full whitelighter and carrying on living and working on Earth the same as before.
@@MiguelDracul that's a great way to put it.
To find out he was only in three episodes and yet I remember him so well!
Now I'm really interested on your views on Once Upon a Time. Regarding this episode/show, I personally prefer the Prue+season 4 years, but this video reminds me that there are hidden gems in the later seasons. I don't tend to despise season 8 like I've seen many do, but there are definitely time I struggled getting through the show when I initially watched it past season 4.
I tend to have a soft spot for Phoebe, so I absolutely despise the direction they took her character in seasons 5 and 6. I know that objectively Paige was on the show for longer than Prue, but I tend to have a tough time with the change. I do think season 4 kind of did a pretty good job at incorporating Paige into the sisterhood. I can't wait until you talk about the Kyra episode. I think she may be my favorite secondary/extra character in the entire show. I really enjoyed her scenes with Phoebe in that episode, and I could definitely see them growing closer and potentially becoming true friends. They had great chemistry.
I totally agree. As a kid I couldn’t stand season 6 and 7. But now that I’m older season 7 is actually a good season that I didn’t appreciate. Honestly would’ve been a solid final season.
I'm one of those who really enjoyed S8 so I was happy with that being the end lol. I see S7 as a building block towards the end
@@BetterWithBob I really actually prefer season 7 and 8 over season 4 which is an unpopular opinion lol
@@BetterWithBob I agree. I like seasons 7 and 8 more than 5 and 6, and I feel season 7 is very underrated. It actually feels like the 1st season at times (season 8 as well, but people get so angry about Billie and Christy they overlook that). Phoebe, being my second favorite sister, is actually back to being an interesting character in the last two seasons and shows, arguably, the best character development by the end of the show.
@@alexmoreira876 she literally reverted back to selfishness after this episode. Literally.
You know how many times ive seen this episode and it wasnt until recently that i realized phoebe knew Sirk's name without anyone telling her or them looking it up.
One of the best episodes of season 7
Yes totally agree
I hope you do a video about Witchness Protection. I really love Kyra.
I love Charisma Carpenter in Angel and here on charmed
I am a sucker for good reaper storyline but the real MVP of this episode was Charisma Carpenter who was not only the sexiest oracle but also had exactly the kind of attitude this show needed a more of. I am watching your videos as I watch the show so I hope that big episode of hers gives us her and Piper having a sass competition because I would watch a whole show about those two.
I love this video so much on its own but as I’ve written an analysis piece on neutral beings in Charmed (incl. the Angel of Death) I appreciate your thoughts on this episode and the video as a whole even more. I wish I thought of them 🙂
Ooh that sounds so interesting :D
@@BetterWithBob Thank you :) it turned out to be surprisingly lengthy and it’s not done, I’m releasing it in parts.
What a coincidence .....this episode was just recorded and is on my pvr for tonight....great synopsis!!
I hope you enjoyed your rewatch 🙂
Simon is so great and convincing. And has great hair
Love the vid !
Thank you!
All 4 actresses were part of the body of the whole show: Phoebe was the heart, Prue was the brain, Paige was the soul, and Piper was the backbone.
I really hope you touch on hyde school reunion!
Season 7 for me always had the same traits as Season 4. I saw similarities btw Cole and Leo's double identities.
Brought very similar dynamics around trust and family into play and coincidentally it was Paige who, both times, did not trust the 2 lying men but her sisters did not believe her.
Oh I never caught that.
@@BetterWithBob I've come to accept that she's not only the most powerful Charmed One. She also has the superior interlect
My memory could be wrong but season 6 would have happened during the major writers' strike so they were a bit all over the place
It always hurted me how easily Piper accepted Paige's death. I couldn't shake the feeling that if it was Phoebe, she would never let it go so quickly.
she didn't just accept it. you can see that in that epsiode. She had the conversation with the angel of death before about life and discomfort everything for your sister etc. and she was also an angel of death. Even if Paige had died, she would have tried everything to save her. All the time some folks try to underestimate the relationship between the two while Piper loves Paige and vice versa, the way it should be. and everyone who has really watched the series knows that and doesn't just pull everything out of context. Whether with or without Prue. The girls had a lot of lessons to learn. About themselves and magic
She was very visibly sad about it and said "You think I want to take her? I don't have a choice", but she knew she couldn't fight it
She wouldn't have fought it more if it were Phoebe.
Between her refusing to accept it and the Paige moment, she had come to certain realisations, she had come to understand the necessity of death and to let go of her selfishness. She had also come to see a lot more deaths, she had taken more people into the afterlife, which made her understand and accept death more.
She's also accepted that it's her job and it needs to be done. If anything, she'd rather be it her to walk Paige to the afterlife than someone who isn't close to her. That's, in a sense, her way to protect and help her baby sister as best as she can.
I know it’s because her character developed fact that she didn’t want phoebe do die but was ok with Paige 💀
She did admittedly say "you think I want to take her?" and Phoebe was begging for her life
When I played Dragon Age Origins and I heard Simon Templeman's voice (Teryn Loghain), I immediately knew it was Death from Charmed!!
Does he use the same voice lol
@@BetterWithBob Yes! I found a clip of him giving a speech in the beginning of the game: ruclips.net/video/r1PG8HlZNdU/видео.html
I really am in the minority for loving season 6 and not caring for 7 or 8 lol. Mainly because it has Chris and he's one of my top 5 characters
nah a lot of people prefer season 6 to season 7 & 8. Most people do
Please do little monsters ❤
The one thing that always confused me about this episode is how did they kill the demon in magic school at the end? I thought no one could die at magic school🤔
They seemed to forget about that even back in S6 when Gideon killed Sigmund and then tried to kill Wyatt. Maybe Gideon controlled that enchantment since he ran the school and when he died it stopped?
@@BetterWithBob that’s a very good explanation! You should of worked on the writers staff 😂
@@BetterWithBob We all eventually accepted the existence of Magic School because it’s not just for witches, it’s for all good magical beings who want to learn about magic.
In my head canon, the Elders didn’t hide in Magic School at the end of Season 5 because they didn’t want to risk and expose its existence to enemies, or jeopardise the safety of the children (aka the future of good magic) in it.
Could you please do hyde school reunion too cause i feel that you wouldnt try to justify Rick's death.
Hola felicidades a todos me gustaría ver la serie completa de hechicera en español desde primera temporada asta la última gracias mil bendiciones para todos 💯🙏♥️
I think my main issue with this episode is how the list seems to be constantly changing with names appearing and disappearing constantly and new names getting added or removed on what seems to be a whim, and yet somehow Death can't take any further souls until he gets that one specific mortal, and Phoebe can claim the name of a demon isn't on the list when she hasn't even looked at it in the first place.
She knows because she otherwise wouldn't have gotten the premonition to know that Sirk was going after Harriet in Magic School. Just like Paige wouldn't have been on the list because Kyra had a vision of what they were planning.
@@BetterWithBob Sure, but Phoebe has premonitions that lead to innocents saved and demons dead plenty of times.
I did cheer when Phoebe got her powers because she EARNED her premonitions back by being selfless which was who Phoebe was in the beginning.
Exactly
I didn't know who Simon Templeman was until he said "life only has meaning because it ends"...as soon as he said that all I could picture was kain from legacy of kain...I never knew what his voice actor looked like lol
oh dear hopefully I haven't ruined it for you ha
Yes, in the sixth season the essence of the series was completely lost. I recently watch it again and to be honest it seemed even worse than I remembered it to be: dragons taken from the interior of a television set, talking dogs, dinosaurs in the Jurassic, magic schools, children of the future, magical boots. .. I finished watching it practically because of the love I had for the series and nothing else. I agree with you that in the seventh season the series tried to resume its essence by including more sisterhood, witchcraft and innocents to save
Season 6 improves radically once they decide to make Chris their son. The first 8 episodes have a ton of cringe, but Little Monsters is a serious rumination on the relative nature of evil and from there every episode has some degree of emotional depth consistent with what came before the season. Even Prince Charmed with its cringingly silly side plot.
As it is 6 is my 4th favourite behind 4, 3 and 1. If the tone of those first 8 episodes had remained for the final 15, it would be in 7th place above only Season 5.
13:55 'gasp' oh no, is it Snow and Charming or Swan and Killian?? (it's the latter isn't it)
I have to know!
Honestly, most of my immense love for 'captain swan' comes from Killian. As Emma uhhhh. I really don't know what to say about Emma. She could be great, but could also OFTEN fall towards the really annoying/flat. He's easily the best character in the show whose character they fucked with the least, and actually grew amazingly and stayed consistent. Deadass the ONLY thing I kept watching for was Hook xD
Fun fact: Alyssa was sick with a cold during the filming of this episode, but she stuck it out.
I liked the series until Billy came along. The number one rule was only family could touch the book of shadows but hell with that rule with her around.
No, the book protected itself from evil. It's just that besides the sisters and Leo there weren't many people who got to the book that weren't evil.
season 7 was good season like episode paige is best sister
The show was darker with Prue and when she left it seemed like she passed the torch to Cole to keep the show kinda dark but after they killed him off too then the seasons afterwards were up and down and more about phoebe and her love life and piper and her children and marriage and also a lot sillier compared to previous seasons in my opinion
The only silly season was season 5 tbh. The rest might not be some people's cup of tea but they were definitely not too sillu
2 was pretty silly as well tbf. I prefer 5 because at least it was enjoyably silly lol
Paige brought her own darkness to Season 4 with how damaged she was by her parents' deaths, her former alcoholism, her social work passion and her loneliness. For me Cole is more sympathetic in Season 4 than in Season 3, because he's a possessed human instead of a conflicted part-demon. He goes from a Spike figure to an Anya figure only far less comedic.
@@BetterWithBob Interesting that you find S2 silly. I found it joyful where they were exploring and building their universe. Plus, it had a good character development for Prue and Phoebe. It's my favourite one, btw.
@@BetterWithBob Well I enjoy the heck out of both. S2 is my favorite season but 5 is not far behind. I would say it's my 4th favorite season
I did never get this "circumstances change" thing
Well with Arthur, the only reason he didn't die right away was because Paige cast a protection spell - something she shouldn't have done because personal gain consequences led to death being stopped indefinitely, so she meddled with reality in a way that was unnatural. With Harriet, the Charmed Ones were able to save her because the Angel of Death had given Piper access to his list, which meant that they could save her in a way that didn't alter reality. The Phoebe/Paige switch happened because of a seer, whose powers are natural. And Sirk could only be killed because of Phoebe's premonitions unexpectedly coming back.
Earlier in Season 3, Prue came off the list because she learned her lesson about trying to stop death. And that only happened because the Angel of Death intervened to teach her.
The Zankou storyline reminded me too much of The 2nd mummy movie
How are paige and piper even allowed to do a state out on a military base 😂
I really enjoyed this episode even though the later seasons of the show are not that great season 7 was actually decent and a step from season 6
I think season 7 had high and low as well as weird moments. Firstly, we thought the Avatars were evil and then good and then evil again. This was weird and they destroyed the hype, the curiosity and the excitement about the Avatars and their agenda. Secondly, I didn't like what they did with Leo's character and this season had 2 of the worst episodes of the series (Charrrmed & Once in a Blue Moon). Fortunately, Zankou really saved the season being one of the worst and most powerful villains of the series, which lead to maybe the best episode finale of Charmed. However, Styx Feet Under was a really good episode for all the reasons that you mentioned.
Also, I really enjoyed Charisma Carpenter and I wish she had stayed for longer.
Yeah I avoid rewatching those two episodes lol. They're up there with Lucky Charmed, Dream Sorcerer, That Old Black Magic and Animal Pragmatism in terms of series low points
@@BetterWithBob I like That Old Black Magic 🙈
Kira, the Seer was the most impactful Demon of Charmed. I loved Charisma Carpenter.
Love her too
Not as insufferable and all over the place as season 6 but they do attempt to clean up the mess in season 7, mainly because it was the original final season before the WB transitioned into the CW and decided to keep some of their older shows running. Hint : last episode is a nod to the series first episode titled Something Wicca This Way Goes. They did wrap it up nicely but they COMPLETELY destroyed any good will they had with the season 8 hidden identity/ 'i will ignore any innocent' storyline. That season is basically unforgivable for what it is. They had the perfect layout for teaching the next generation of witches and they blew it.
There are solid episodes in there, and a very welcome character development for Leo which i appreciate a lot . If we exclude the unnecessary back and forth of Phoebe's disastrous love life that by that point it was extremely overplayed as a character arc , i feel like this season is split in half, meaning there are two mini seasons combined in one. The Avatar storyline ends somewhere half way and then they move on to Zankou whom i still remember with computer generated pig ears in the season finale, lol. That is etched to my memory.
Now as for Phoebe, who used to be my favorite, this episode almost had me fooled but as soon as she goes back to being discount Carrie Bradshaw she goes back to her old selfish ways, meaning that episode did absolutely nothing in the long run, which was a running theme for the show at that point. Count how many times Phoebe would get a love interest that would teach her about love only for her to be disappointed again and lose trust in love until the next guy taught her the exact same thing. It happens again with Coop in the following season; Right when she started focusing on fighting evil and doing good they would stop her progress in order to find "love". Infuriating. By season 8 she's going to sperm banks and actively tries to trick a guy into marrying her under a false identity. Damn, season 8 was wild! You gotta make a video analysis of it because there's so much nonsense to unpack in 22 episodes. Whew!
Both Piper and Phoebe would have a wake up call in one episode and by two episodes later they would be back complaining about not having a normal life and avoiding their witch duties by going on dates or belittling Leo for not picking up the kids from grandpa.
The only sister that actually changed from experiences was Paige and by the end she was the only one maintaining some integrity, not that she didn't have her fair share of flaws. She just cared more about innocents and the greater good than the other two.
I also really liked her relationship with Henry in contrast to Phoebe's shallow rich boyfriends or Piper's growing mistreatment of Leo. I wonder if it has to do with the fact she didn't have producer credits on the show unlike HMC and Alyssa Milano. She also got the more meaningful storylines that were usually cut short in favor for more screentime of the other two.
Paige does share that in common. No one more important than innocents.
I love seven seasons of Charmed. The 8,the season I don't like because of Kristy!
Is the guy who played the guy who had a yr to live was in titanic
Yes Billy Zane also played Cal, Rose's fiance
I always felt like Phoebe liked Paige more than Piper liked Paige. I get it was hard for her to accept Paige after Prue but she had to time to do so
What happened to your Instagram!?
Ah i just had to deactivate for a while for some mental health reasons (long story lol). I hit off something by accident last week and my phone logged me back in without me wanting to, so I had to wait seven days to deactivate it again.
TBH I stopped watching after season four ended. I only watched from 5 to 8 every now and then. I don't particularly care for campiness/camp in the supernatural type TV shows that I watch. Because of this I skipped season six all together. And the season that Billy was introduced. Like Sheldon Cooper anytime she was on screen I wanted to jettison her out of the nearest window. 🤷🏻♀
Y'ALL REMEMBER THE 4 HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE AND IT WAS THE WILLINGNESS TO SACRIFICE PRUDENCE TO SAVE THE BIGGER WAR ! HUMAN KIND !
While I still maintain the second half of the show not as good as the first, season 7 was the best of the second half of the series post season 4. It felt like the season that tried to cover the more nuances present in earlier seasons, it still had problems that the later episodes had don't get me wrong (Like the Blue Moon episode, a weak first half, poorly done Avatar plot and many episodes of the first half showcases the protags in a bad light) and this episode presents a couple of them. But this is one of Piper's best episodes in a season where she was pretty bad. (She's at her worst in Season 8) And she shows a bit of that with her scene of death, but otherwise we get a nice execution between her and Paige and she plays the role of death perfectly. This is a good episode and this analysis was great!
Thanks for watching :)
Charmed has been my all time favourite series for 20 years already. I’ve watched it countless times except for the last three seasons which are not as good imo. Your episode breakdowns of Charmed are interesting and insightful. Really enjoy them. Greetings from Russia! 🇷🇺🪆
Can we talk about how beautiful Rose looked in this episode?
For the algo ❤
Ma boyyy!!!!
The 7season arc was trash but there was a lot of stand alone episodes that I favor that season
I actually hated season 7 and much preferred season 6. Hated the Avatar plotline
The avatars had to be the worse storyline
I think the first 4 seasons are flawless. 6 I think is by far the worst, followed by 5. Then 8 follows… 🥲
season 7 is my least favorite, followed by season 8
You know how many times ive seen this episode and it wasnt until recently that i realized phoebe knew Sirk's name without anyone telling her or them looking it up.