The reason this episode stands out for so many fans is that it deals with something that despite all their power, Prue and Phoebe can’t stop it; sickness. ‘Awakened’ is a pretty powerful hour that accomplishes quite a lot.
Synopsis: When Piper is stricken with an incurable disease, Prue and Phoebe cast a spell to help cure her, but the spell has more than one consequence.
Fighting demons and warlocks on an almost weekly basis would give anyone the feeling that they’re invincible when it comes to the more human stuff, but this episodes showed just how vulnerable they really are. It was a cold harsh reality, and Charmed dealt with it well. All three girls’ performances here are nothing short of stellar. They die quite a lot over the course of the show, and each time it’s just as hard on them.
The poppet responsible for spreading the disease through the hospital was a little weird looking. Take kid and his doll out of the equation and you still have all the good elements of the episode left.
I felt a lot for Dr. Williamson, and even more so come ‘Astral Monkey’, so his desire to find out what actually happened to Piper is both understandable and admirable.
‘Awakened’ sees the start of the fight for Piper go into full swing, with Leo’s proclamation at the close of the episode. It was pretty obvious from this point just who would win. Dan had no other reason to be on the show after all! Leo’s sacrifice was something that felt a little more like the Leo we’re used to.
Prue’s quest to follow her heart starts here when she finally quits her job at Bucklands, and allowing her to follow her dream of being a photographer (though that realisation comes later on). It’s such a change from the Prue we met in ‘Something Wicca This Way Comes’, but it’s a change that was never forced, it felt quite natural. Phoebe also changes, when she finally enrols back at college, it was her fist major step towards maturity.
‘Awakened’ was a pretty great episode, but not as perfect as some like to think. It was still very memorable though.
8/10
I love this episode for many reasons. As you said it shows what happens when the sisters are powerless and has to let nature take its course, only they can't and the consequences become too much for Piper to bear. One surprise in all the reviews I have read no mention is made of the powerful scene in the hospital when Piper persuades Prue to get the spell. It's almost on a par to the Morality Bites scene as well as the Apocalypse Not yet is barely referenced. Strange. Piper knew she would probably die as did the other two yet to save the six they went through with it. A great episode that I have enjoyed countless times, and I even don't mind the doll!
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