[S3E14] The Good, The Bad And The Cursed PATCHED

Piper: Wait a minute. (Piper turns to a Time Loop page in the Book.) Well, maybe it's not a demon. Maybe it's a curse. "Certain spiritual traditions believe that a great evil or great injustice can be cursed into a time loop until righted."

[S3E14] The Good, The Bad And The Cursed

CHARMED: THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASONReviewed by Gavin HetheringtonOn May 21, 2006, Charmed ended its spectacular eight-year run on The WB, and for fans of the show, it's been an agonising ten years since this magical show died. Relive all eight seasons every Saturday on SpoilerTV in the run-up to the 10-year anniversary of the series finale.SEASON ONE SEASON TWO SEASON THREE SEASON FOURSEASON FIVE SEASON SIX SEASON SEVEN SEASON EIGHTWhen a Charmed fan thinks about the third season of the show, a lot of different thoughts usually run through their head. It may not be some people's favourite season, but it cannot be denied that this is a rather important season for many reasons. Some people may say this was the "peak" of the show's quality, and that it went downhill after. Some people may say they do not like the darkness of the season, especially in contrast with the season before. Some people may even say that the show died at the end of the season, and this was "the end" for them.I love season 3 so much - it's possibly my second favourite season of the show. It's not just because of how important this season is to the canon, but because this season continued the upward trend of rising quality that began with the season before (in my opinion, season 2 was better than season 1, and season 3 was better than season 2). Just like almost every season, there are many standout episodes that elevates the entire season as a whole, and it may have been quite controversial at the time (due to Constance M. Burge leaving prior), but the multi-episode story-arcs begin to really creep up here, and I'm a fan.But the most important event to happen in this season is the death of Prue. It's so unthinkable that one third of the main sisters could be killed off, especially after spending three whole seasons with her. Shows have killed off main characters quite regularly these days, but due to the role Prue played in the show, it still shocks me a little when the first episode of season 4 plays, and Piper is mourning over her trying to bring her back. It's a rather morbid reason of why I love this season - that Prue dies - but it's so crucial to the direction of the show that I like how unpredictable it made the future.EPISODE GUIDEOCTOBER 5, 2000 - MAY 17, 200122 EPISODESThe final opening credits to star Shannen Doherty, which is rather sad, but still an awesome opening. I love the parts they use for each character.3.01 - "THE HONEYMOON'S OVER"Original airdate: October 5, 2000Another season begins, and I think this episode really sets off the tone that this entire season will have. If you compare how season 2 began, and how 'sunny' it was, season 3 begins a little darker. This was a pretty good premiere too, but in terms of scale, it doesn't have a huge impact. From the very first scene, when Prue mentions the Triad, we already feel the stakes raising a little as they will be the first multi-arc enemy they've had (besides Barbas). Because of that, it makes me like this premiere even more. It was great to meet Cole too, who despite being a bad guy, I ended up falling in love with - just like Phoebe. I loved his introduction as well, and when Phoebe was about to high-kick him too, it really showed they have amazing chemistry; perfectly cast. I love how Phoebe learned to levitate too, which she first experienced in the episode before. The moment of the episode, for me, was the courtroom scene. I loved when the girls run into the room to prepare, scared and outnumbered, to then come out and beat all their asses. "Don't hold my hand" was pretty hilarious too. Great fight scene that demonstrated their skills as a team. I can't go without mentioning the scene of Leo in the bathroom when Piper overhears, and then he proposes to her, which is incredible!Leo: Every time I see you, I love you even more. You're so beautiful. You're so special. I can't imagine my life without you. (Piper walks in.) Piper!Piper: Leo, who are you talking to?Leo: Me? Uh, nobody, just myself, you know.Piper: Yourself? You were telling yourself how much you love you?Winner of the Charmed One Award: Prue, for taking charge.3.02 - "MAGIC HOUR"Original airdate: October 12, 2000The main part of this episode that I remember is not just the naked man on the porch part, but when Leo is taken away from Piper when they tried to secretly marry, which is also my moment of the episode. Piper crashing down in tears was just heart-breaking, and I kinda thought Leo was destroyed when I first saw it happen. A lot of the episode is to do with figuring out how to marry Piper and Leo without the Elders knowing, which has Phoebe on edge as she worries of the consequences - I thought it would be Prue to be the one doing the worrying. In other episode news, I did really enjoy seeing the naked guy on their porch and I kinda liked the true love story in the background of this episode - perfectly reflecting the forbidden love of Piper and Leo. The poor owl and wolf story was nicely done, and I rooted for the couple to win. Despite this, this wasn't one of my favourite episodes, though still nicely done.Piper: Kit, leave that alone!Phoebe: Bad kitty!(The owl suddenly turns into a naked man.)Prue: Oooh, good kitty.Winner of the Charmed One Award: Piper, for her emotional attempted wedding day.3.03 - "ONCE UPON A TIME"Original airdate: October 19, 2000When it comes to the comedic, I think this episode captures the show's sense of humour perfectly. Who doesn't love to see Prue and Phoebe act insanely immature and childish? The moment of the episode has to go to Phoebe's and Prue's beautiful rendition of 'If You're Happy and You Know It' in P3. Really enjoyed the fantasy element of this episode with the trolls and the faeries, even if it is a bit of a ridiculous storyline - but hey, this is a show about witches, so anything can happen. Poor Piper though, still reeling over Leo being taken away from her, so she isn't as included in this episode due to her threat of going on strike. I loved her scene outside P3 where the trolls trip her up and she sort of goes ballistic to the Elders, demanding Leo back. I like how she became more moral at the end by wanting to put the innocents first, so I'm glad she and Leo managed to reunite. This is a really fun episode, and one of my favourite 'comical' episodes of the show.In this tween time,This darkest hour,We call upon this Sacred Power.Three together, stand alone,Command the unseen to be shown.In innocence we search the skies,Enchanted are our new found eyes.Winner of the Charmed One Award: Phoebe and Prue, for being children at heart.3.04 - "ALL HALLIWELL'S EVE"Original airdate: October 26, 2000I only wish there were more episodes like this one - an episode that celebrates Halloween. I'm a sucker for a holiday-themed episode, and I am still sad there was never a Christmas episode, but I really appreciate and love this Halloween episode. As is the custom with Charmed, some of its best work comes from time travelling, and here we have the exciting storytelling being told in the 1600's. I loved that we saw Melinda Warren's mother and the problematic birth of her, which raised the stakes so high when the Charmed Ones had to protect her. So many moments I loved from this episode, but perhaps the moment of the episode goes to Phoebe riding a broom and cackling as she passes the full moon. I liked how Cole travelled back there too and the girls had no idea of his evilness. So much urgency in this episode, and it's why it's one of my all-time favourites. It nearly became my favourite of the season, but as you'll read later, it doesn't quite make it to the top spot.Phoebe: So you're an angel.Cole (about his costume): This? No, not really.Phoebe: That's okay. Neither am I.Winner of the Charmed One Award: A 3-way tie for the Halliwell sisters.3.05 - "SIGHT UNSEEN"Original airdate: November 2, 2000I liked this episode for different reasons than I usually would, and my thoughts of it are so different to when I first saw this episode. For starters, we had a very human problem in a stalker for Prue - Abbey. It was rather scary and intense when Prue was attacked by her in the Manor, and could barely see - but fortunately Piper freezes a bullet before it goes straight into her face. So close. I like the idea of not being able to see what's in front of you as the theme for this episode. The demon of the week is Troxa, an invisible demon who they can only really see when it's cold, and fortunately Cole kind of helps the sisters just because he is furious the Triad sent a different demon to kill them. First sign of Cole actually being a good guy. I kinda like how Prue was putting her Charmed duties before dating men - she really took her job as a witch seriously. All in all, a decent episode, and moment of the episode may go to Prue's fight with Abbey.Prue: If you guys don't want to take this seriously, that's your business. Me? I'm on a mission.Leo: Whoa...Phoebe: We really need to get her laid, huh?Winner of the Charmed One Award: Prue, for her focus on the Triad.3.06 - "PRIMROSE EMPATH"Original airdate: November 9, 2000Happy 50th episode everyone! I feel like that feat should be celebrated considering a lot of witch-focused shows these days can't seem to make it past 23 episodes. This episode is pretty good too, and very Prue focused, which I'm seeing a lot of so far this season, and we're only 6 episodes in. I loved Prue trying to advance her powers in astral form, and Phoebe not liking her "astral games" - I wish we saw more of Prue using her astral projection to annoy her sisters. I guess Prue was kind of an outsider to her sisters in this season, in that Piper has Leo and Phoebe has Cole, so Prue just has her work. She finds an empath in this episode and ends up taking in his pain that almost destroys her. I love her traumatic scenes in the basement as she can't seem to cope, but fortunately she ends up channeling it, and in doing so, destroys the demon with her amazing astral projection skills. My moment of the episode goes to Prue jumping inside Vinceres and destroying him. So badass.Prue: I haven't felt anything like that since Andy was alive.Phoebe: Like what?Prue: Spinning into infinity. You know, falling down the spiral that makes you lose your breath and stops your heart.Winner of the Charmed One Award: Prue, for one of the best vanquishes of the show.3.07 - "POWER OUTAGE"Original airdate: November 16, 2000I love when the sisters have some pent-up drama between them, and it really all comes out in this episode - on a huge scale! So huge that the triquetra on the Book of Shadows splits - which is dramatically done. The fight between the sisters is my moment of the episode, as Cole unleashes the demon of anger to turn them against each other. Sneaky. I also liked the rehearsed attack by Belthazor, or Leo in disguise, to prepare them for a surprise attack. The threat by Belthazor a.k.a. Cole is so strong, it makes it even more intense when Phoebe goes to Cole after the fight and he pulls an athame out while they're kissing. I was holding my breath until the girls apologised to each other, and fought the double-attack from Belthazor and Andras. I was rather shocked when Cole single-handedly killed all of the Triad too, which shows just how strong he is, despite being wounded. Really loving the complication of his relationship with Phoebe and his struggles with that. Great episode.Phoebe: I am so sick of the two of you ganging up on me and judging me.Prue: I am so sick of saving your asses.Piper: I'm sick of being taken for granted and those are mine.(Piper rips off Phoebe's earrings.)Phoebe: Ouch! Bitch!Winner of the Charmed One Award: Piper, for managing to take some flesh from Belthazor.3.08 - "SLEUTHING WITH THE ENEMY"Original airdate: December 14, 2000Aww. Poor Phoebe. After episode upon episode of seeing Cole being quite shady behind their backs, the truth finally comes out - and it's tough decisions galore for our youngest sibling. Firstly, Prue and Piper try desperately to finish the job on Belthazor but end up summoning Krell - and I love when Piper unfreezes his head, and still let him fly into the poor grandfather clock that always needs fixing. "It was worth it." I like the slow realisation that Cole is Belthazor, from Leo healing only part of him, and the jacket the homeless man has. It all starts to unravel, and no big moment would be complete without a climax at a graveyard. The moment of the episode does go to Cole's speech to Phoebe about how he couldn't kill them because of his love for her, and offers himself up for Phoebe to vanquish. I love that she was actually going to do it too until Krell attacked and Cole saves her. I also love how Phoebe pretends to have vanquished Belthazor to Prue and Piper - a huge secret to keep from them, so quite the betrayal!Magic forcesBlack and White,Reaching outThrough Space and Light.Be he far,Or be he near,Bring us the demonBelthazor here.Winner of the Charmed One Award: Phoebe, for her love for Cole.3.09 - "COYOTE PIPER"Original airdate: January 11, 2001Pour Some Sugar On Me, Ooh in the Name of Love! Sorry, that's the film, but as you can see from the episode of the name and the very sexy dance Piper does on the bar, Charmed took a few leaves out of the film's book. This is another fun yet exciting episode this season, one that isn't quite as outrageously funny as Once Upon a Time, but manages to stay serious despite its comedic timing. Piper is dreading her 10 year high school reunion, but is possessed by a life essence. I love the concept of that, how the life essence kills the host body to move to a different body, which makes this threat extremely serious. I like how Prue had Piper's back throughout the episode, and how Phoebe researched Cole's history. But moment of the episode does go to Piper dancing on the bar at P3, shaking what her momma gave her. It's basically the defining moment of the episode. My heart was in my mouth at the end though, when Phoebe tells Leo that Cole is still alive, until she ends with "in my heart" after a heart-stopping pause.Let flesh be flesh,And bone be bone.The Alchemist shall transform none.Cruel scientist of evil born,With these words face the fire scorn.Winner of the Charmed One Award: Piper, for those awesome Coyote Ugly skills.3.10 - "WE ALL SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM"Original airdate: January 18, 2001I didn't realise how much Victor is in this season compared to last season until writing these articles, but this is yet another of his appearances, and to be honest I'm so glad. I loved that this episode strengthened the bond between Victor and Prue, and while I don't exactly scream for this episode, there is so much to enjoy here. The plot of an ice cream man capturing children is terrifying, yet I loved the twist that he was actually capturing demonic children - something that takes the Charmed Ones a little longer to figure out. Moment of the episode may have to go to when Prue and Victor are inside the truck, and the Nothing tries to take Prue, but Victor keeps a hold of her. It's probably the only moment she ever showed just how much she needed her dad, but it made her more relatable, and I loved it. Not much else went on besides flashbacks to little Prue also being taken inside the ice cream van - there's so much the girls have forgotten.Piper (about the demons): Why don't they ever run into a well-lit room with nowhere to hide?Prue: All right, well, nothing usually means something, and something usually means a boy, so...Winner of the Charmed One Award: Prue, for the growing bond with her dad.3.11 - "BLINDED BY THE WHITELIGHTER"Original airdate: January 25, 2001This was another episode I wasn't quite sure I liked when I first saw it, but upon repeated viewings, I've grown to love it - and for very good reason. The girls get a new whitelighter, Natalie, and she is very hard to cope with at first. She's bossy and kinda like the strict teacher we hated at school. But I warmed to her, as the Charmed Ones do, and I love the scenes where she's training them as if for bootcamp. The backchat by the girls was hilarious, including Natalie's criticism of their attire being "bra-less" and "strapless", which means Prue will have nothing to wear. Hilarious. Eames was a good villain as well, being able to steal a witch's power, or a whitelighter's, as he manages to steal Natalie's orbing and go to the upper realms. The moment of the episode goes to his vanquish, where I love Phoebe's delivery of the final line - "I'm rejectin' your deflection!".Time for amends and the victims' revenge;Cloning power turn sour.Power to change, turn strange.I'm rejectin' your deflection!Winner of the Charmed One Award: Phoebe, for that one amazing line.3.12 - "WRESTLING WITH DEMONS"Original airdate: February 1, 2001Bonkers. Another totally bonkers episode in the show - witches versus... professional wrestlers?! What's going on here?! Despite this crazy concept, I do find this episode to be quite fun and, due to the heaviness of the season, a nice change. But we also, finally, have Phoebe tell Prue and Piper the truth about Cole and that he's still alive. Of course, it doesn't go down well with either sister, and it again shows the strains of sisterhood - what happened to sisters before misters? I can't remember an awful lot about this episode besides bits here and there. I do remember Prue wanting to save someone she used to know who wants to enter the demonic Academy. She tries to save him, like Phoebe now wants to do with Cole, and it leads to the moment of the episode - the fight between the wrestlers against Phoebe and Prue. I still can't take it seriously that they actually did this, but it strangely worked.Guiding spirits I ask your charity,Lend me your focus and clarity,Lead me to the one I cannot find,Restore that and my peace of mind.Winner of the Charmed One Award: Phoebe, for wanting to atone for her mistake of saving Cole.3.13 - "BRIDE AND GLOOM"Original airdate: February 8, 2001Love this episode! The evil Charmed Ones, look out, they may turn you into a pig in a blan