“Charmed” is a long running television show on the WB network that focus on the lives of three sisters – Prue, Piper, and Phoebe. The three women try to deal with normal everyday life, while also being ‘the charmed ones,’ the most powerful witches to have ever existed. Being charmed is not as great as it might sound. Having no choice but to try and balance life in the real world with battling supernatural forces and powers creates problems and chaos. It does, however, make for entertaining television. “Charmed: The Complete Third Season,” a six-disc collection which includes twenty two episodes and no bonus features or materials, is now available on DVD from Paramount Home Entertainment.
The Halliwell sisters are played by Shannen Doherty (Prue), Holly Marie Combs (Piper), and Alyssa Milano (Phoebe). Season three is the last season to feature Doherty, who was replaced by Rose McGowan. McGowan would go on to play a half sister of the group, named Paige Matthews. Besides season three being the last to feature Doherty, it is also the first season that includes Julian McMahon, (Nip/Tuck, Fantastic Four). McMahon’s character, Jack Cole, will find himself falling who Phoebe and her battling evil ways. Piper is also bitten by the love bug, as she debates while preparing to marry Leo, played by Brian Krause.
The problem is that The Powers That Be do not want Piper and Leo. The second episode of the season, “Magic Hour,” features Prue finding a way for the marriage to take place without anyone finding out. The best episode on the first disc of the set is titled “All Halliwell’s Eve.” Halloween causes the sisters to be sent back into time, needing to save the child of a witch from an evil witch who would like to raise the child and teach it the dark powers. The situation later proves to have more of a direct effect on the sisters than they could have imagined.
“Sleuthing with the Enemy” causes all types of problems for the sisters both personally and spiritually when they discover that Cole is really Belthazor, one of the most dangerous and evil mutants alive. This poses as an extra special problem for Phoebe, since she has starting falling in love with Cole. Prue and Phoebe have their hands full in “Coyote Piper.” On the day of their high school reunion, Piper becomes possessed by the spirit of an evil witch. Another good episode from season three is titled “Just Harried.” Piper wants nothing more than a stress free wedding day, but Prue finds herself accused of murder. The girls get to spend a touching moment a deceased family member before the wedding takes place.
“Pre-Witched” is a flashback episode which takes the sisters back to a time when they were not as close as they currently are. With Piper getting ready to move out of the house with Leo, memories of their time apart are occurring for all of the sisters. The season concludes with the episode “All Hell Breaks Loose.” The witches are exposed to everyone on television, but that is only half of their problem. One of the charmed ones life is dangerously at risk and the season ends leaving more questions that need to be explored and answered. Overall, the third season of “Charmed” includes some good effects, interesting stories, and enough magic to keep viewers entertained.
