Charmed 6.17 Hyde School Reunion

3 years ago Piper grappled over whether or not she should spend a night of her now profoundly important life with a group of people who couldn’t even begin to understand how much more she’s worth than them. Her sisters also faced the terrifying ordeal of their beloved sister being taken over by a body snatching super bitch. Now 3 years later, Phoebe has the same struggle, and though things are quite similar, Phoebe even gets taken over by her own super bitch (only it’s herself in this case), the shocking drop in quality only serves to diminish this episode’s strengths.

But still, it had quite a few laughs, even if they were in bad taste. Considering how hard it’s been to like her the past while, Hyde School Reunion had a few great character beats where Phoebe’s concerned. All those years ago she was a bad girl (leather jacket and all, ha), devoid of any sense of the future, and running wild. Now she’s an almost together career woman, with a family who loves her and she’s also a demon killin’ witch to boot. It echoes Piper’s same experience in Coyote Piper to a lesser degree, but we at least got to see how much she’s changed, even if she’s lost her edge since the show’s early years.

But then there’s the whole Rick segment of Hyde School Reunion. All those years ago, Piper, Phoebe and Prue travelled to the future in one of the show’s greatest episodes. They learned a powerful lesson about morality, and that their powers aren’t enough to justify petty vengeances. Their job was to protect the innocent, not punish the guilty. Guess that whole ideal was flung out the window this past year along with a whole bunch of other stuff. How many ways was there to get Rick out of the way without killing him? Sure, it got those weirdo rat things off Chris’s back, but wasn’t the Power of Three an option? Guess human life isn’t worth more than saving time to these guys.

Since his coming out over the past 3 episodes, Chris has found himself in an altogether different position. Now that his family are aware of his true identity, he has to deal with their constant questions over their futures, and what has become of them. Though I’m still sick to death of Chris’s charm sucking ways, it’s wonderful to see the show embrace such an interesting perspective of the future, and such dark possibilities that may come to pass. It was great seeing Victor again, too.

It isn’t the brain fart that I remember, neither is it a shining example of this show’s strongest writing, but it had enough to it that I wasn’t too bothered by how weak this show’s morals have become.

6/10