Charmed 6.22 It's a Bad, Bad, Bad, Bad World (Part 1)

And so we’ve reached the culmination of one of Charmed’s most decrepit seasons, and it’s a conclusion that’s surprisingly fresh, exciting and strong. This being Charmed, though, there’s a lot that needs over looking, but I can’t help but feel like a lot of Charmed’s downfall is down to laziness and poor execution than lack of ideas.

Part 1 tries its hand at setting up the show for a big finish, and though it’s one that’s only part of a whole story wise, it accomplishes enough to merit this story being spanned over two hours. Gideon’s plans to kill Wyatt take a nasty turn, one that forces his true objectives out into the open, Chris faces the prospect of returning home to a different future, and Piper goes into labour. It all feels very finale-ish, with all of these plot threads merging together in time for the final showdown.

The idea of duelling realities actually showcases some surprising intelligence and flare for sci-fi mythos on the writers’ part. I totally buy into the idea that there’s this parallel “evil” world out there that helps to balance things out, morally. It’s also a theme that really falls into the ball park of Gideon’s ploy to murder an innocent child. He’s this paragon of good whose trying to commit an act that’s every bit horrific as it is disgusting.

Fun was had with the situation as well, with the San Fran of evil world being all run down, and depraved, with the Charmed Ones being notorious bad girls and their club being a dodgy looking stripper filled dive. I particularly loved Barbas as the demon of hope. Come to think of it, it’s a role that actually suits Billy Drago’s theatrical mentality a lot better than his down and dirty alter-ego.

Things really kicked up a notch after the worlds fell into imbalance, with Phoebe’s shooting bringing things to a creepy conclusion, with an ice cream truck playing an all too familiar tune, and nobody giving a rat’s ass that their neighbour is bleeding to death. We all know she’s gonna be fine, but it’s the circumstances of her injury that make it as powerful as it was, and it makes you even more excited to see where part 2 will go.

8/10