Charmed – S1E20 – Power of Two
This is most definitely an enjoyable episode, and part two of what I consider to be a strong “final four episodes” ending to the show’s first season.
The best part of the episode was definitely it’s centering around Prue and Phoebe’s relationship. Finally, after almost an entire season, Prue and Phoebe are starting to get their issues out in the open. It’s about time. The tension between them has just been brewing and brewing, and it needed to boil over. Poor Phoebe. Having not so long ago been in her situation, I know how frustrating it can be to be an unemployed twenty-something. Prue seems to have forgotten what that feels like. While I don’t believe it was ever the intention to essentially give Prue and Phoebe their own episode, I think it worked out to the show’s advantage. It was very necessary in terms of determining what sort of relationship these two will have going forward. There was a leveling, and to some degree, a maturing of their sisterly bond. Phoebe isn’t a little kid anymore, and she has been trying very hard throughout the season to really grow up, and to prove to her sisters that she is a mature adult. I think Prue is finally starting to understand that. I don’t think she fully understands Phoebe’s feelings, but she’s now willing to try to understand, and to listen. She’s finally starting to see Phoebe as an equal. To the point where she literally trusts Phoebe with her life at the end of the episode.
Prue and Andy’s relationship was another episode highlight. He knows she’s a witch now, so they are finally getting everything out in the open. This, of course, also means revealing the truth spell to him. I don’t know how I feel about this reveal. It was good in the sense that Andy does deserve to know why Prue broke up with him so suddenly. I think on that level, he deserved some explanation. However, there is a logical issue that bugs me, which is the fact that, knowing what the source of the Book of Shadow’s auto-page-turn is, I find it highly unlikely that said source would want Andy to know any more about the girls’ magical involvement than was absolutely necessary. Aside from that, it’s nice to see Andy coming to the girls for help, rather than him stumbling on to them at a crime scene, as has usually been the case. There is more of a cooperative effort going on, and it’s a refreshing change of pace.
The ghost of the episode was actually a pretty interesting character. I mean, Alcatraz, just in its nature of being a prison, and being old and deteriorated, naturally gives it a haunted feel. For the show to pull a ghost story out of that is actually a really cool idea. Jackson Ward was a creepy, genuine baddy, and made for a great episode. The references made to Buffy, given Jeff Kober’s guest appearance, were very much appreciated by the fangirl in me. To top everything off, the spirit to spirit vanquish was filled with just enough suspense (what with Prue dying and all), and the methods were much more unique than your typical power of three chant. I approve.
Overall, I really do enjoy this episode. Again, I have to say that it is largely due to the exploration of Prue and Phoebe’s relationship. There is so much ground to cover there, but they managed to put a nice dent in the wall that has existed between the sisters throughout the first season. I hope to see more. Add to that a fun ghost story, and Andy coming to terms with the existence of magic, and you’ve got yourself a nice episode. I definitely recommend it.
Best Moments:
-Watching Andy experience all the witchy magic stuff
-“Hey Jackson, let’s party” paired with a nice Buffy reference
-The notion that Andy and Morris are now known for handling the “freaky” cases
-The vanquish scene
Best Sibling Moments:
-Pretty much the whole episode, but particularly the scene near the end where Prue says she trusts Phoebe with her life.
-Piper and Phoebe on the phone
Best Quotes:
Phoebe: I'm not even married and already I'm a housewife.
Phoebe: I have a power too, you know.
Prue: I cannot believe you lied to me and I cannot believe I had to hear about it from a ghost.
Phoebe: Is the ghost toast?
This is most definitely an enjoyable episode, and part two of what I consider to be a strong “final four episodes” ending to the show’s first season.
The best part of the episode was definitely it’s centering around Prue and Phoebe’s relationship. Finally, after almost an entire season, Prue and Phoebe are starting to get their issues out in the open. It’s about time. The tension between them has just been brewing and brewing, and it needed to boil over. Poor Phoebe. Having not so long ago been in her situation, I know how frustrating it can be to be an unemployed twenty-something. Prue seems to have forgotten what that feels like. While I don’t believe it was ever the intention to essentially give Prue and Phoebe their own episode, I think it worked out to the show’s advantage. It was very necessary in terms of determining what sort of relationship these two will have going forward. There was a leveling, and to some degree, a maturing of their sisterly bond. Phoebe isn’t a little kid anymore, and she has been trying very hard throughout the season to really grow up, and to prove to her sisters that she is a mature adult. I think Prue is finally starting to understand that. I don’t think she fully understands Phoebe’s feelings, but she’s now willing to try to understand, and to listen. She’s finally starting to see Phoebe as an equal. To the point where she literally trusts Phoebe with her life at the end of the episode.
Prue and Andy’s relationship was another episode highlight. He knows she’s a witch now, so they are finally getting everything out in the open. This, of course, also means revealing the truth spell to him. I don’t know how I feel about this reveal. It was good in the sense that Andy does deserve to know why Prue broke up with him so suddenly. I think on that level, he deserved some explanation. However, there is a logical issue that bugs me, which is the fact that, knowing what the source of the Book of Shadow’s auto-page-turn is, I find it highly unlikely that said source would want Andy to know any more about the girls’ magical involvement than was absolutely necessary. Aside from that, it’s nice to see Andy coming to the girls for help, rather than him stumbling on to them at a crime scene, as has usually been the case. There is more of a cooperative effort going on, and it’s a refreshing change of pace.
The ghost of the episode was actually a pretty interesting character. I mean, Alcatraz, just in its nature of being a prison, and being old and deteriorated, naturally gives it a haunted feel. For the show to pull a ghost story out of that is actually a really cool idea. Jackson Ward was a creepy, genuine baddy, and made for a great episode. The references made to Buffy, given Jeff Kober’s guest appearance, were very much appreciated by the fangirl in me. To top everything off, the spirit to spirit vanquish was filled with just enough suspense (what with Prue dying and all), and the methods were much more unique than your typical power of three chant. I approve.
Overall, I really do enjoy this episode. Again, I have to say that it is largely due to the exploration of Prue and Phoebe’s relationship. There is so much ground to cover there, but they managed to put a nice dent in the wall that has existed between the sisters throughout the first season. I hope to see more. Add to that a fun ghost story, and Andy coming to terms with the existence of magic, and you’ve got yourself a nice episode. I definitely recommend it.
Best Moments:
-Watching Andy experience all the witchy magic stuff
-“Hey Jackson, let’s party” paired with a nice Buffy reference
-The notion that Andy and Morris are now known for handling the “freaky” cases
-The vanquish scene
Best Sibling Moments:
-Pretty much the whole episode, but particularly the scene near the end where Prue says she trusts Phoebe with her life.
-Piper and Phoebe on the phone
Best Quotes:
Phoebe: I'm not even married and already I'm a housewife.
Phoebe: I have a power too, you know.
Prue: I cannot believe you lied to me and I cannot believe I had to hear about it from a ghost.
Phoebe: Is the ghost toast?