Episode Report Card Demian: B- | 1 USERS: B- YOU GRADE IT Shape of...a smackdown!
By Demian | Season 1 | Episode 3 | Aired on 10.20.1998
Wonder Trip Manor. Screaming. Shrieking. Smashing of furniture. Cynda thinks they should've killed the Charmed Ones when they had they chance. Fritz believes that his plan of killing two of them and forcing the third to flee from the Manor with the Book is the better idea. Marshall smacks them both down, reminding them that The Wonder Trips are nowhere near strong enough to tangle with the Ps and win, which is why they need the Book. Once they get it out of the Manor, The Wonder Trips can use it to weaken the Power of Three, leaving the gals susceptible to serious harm. Fritz snots that they've already "tried everything" to get to the Book, and nothing has worked. Marshall smiles, "We still have Victor." DUN!
Manor. "Just what are you accusing me of, Prue?" asks The Teflon Dad. A verbal throwdown ensues, during which Prue urges her father to be honest with her sisters for the first time in his life. Ever the slimy one, Victor tries a different tack, admitting that he did indeed intend to abscond with the Book of Shadows, but claiming that he had the gals' best interests at heart. He asserts that the Ps have no idea what sort of evil awaits them in life if they don't renounce the Power of Three, and adds that the Book is a magnet for every dark demonic force sent from the flaming maw of Hell. Phoebe pouts that the Book is their heritage, and therefore a part of who they are. They couldn't possibly part with it. "That's what your mother used to say," he replies, "before they killed her." Smooth one, Muppet. He argues that this desire of his to protect his offspring from the sort of gruesome end their mother met is what led to his banishment from the Manor. He and Grams had a falling-out over the Glamorous Ladies' destiny, or whatever, and Grams told him to scram. Prue's been staring him down this entire time as if thinking to herself, "Now I know why those eyes of yours are so brown." Piper, however, nearly falls for this line of garbage, up until the point where The Teflon Dad casts aspersions on Grams's character. "You're blaming Grams for why you disappeared?" she howls, finally finding her voice. Prue snides something about Victor next claiming that Grams placed him under a spell to keep him from his own children. Well, you know, I wouldn't put it past Grams to do something like that, but that's just me. The Teflon Dad turns in faux-desperation to the Feebs, begging her to believe him. Phoebe's fighting back tears and can't look her father in the eye. Victor plays his last card, insisting that the three will die if they refuse to heed his warning. Prue, having had enough of this, screams, "No one can hurt us as much as you!" Prue squints as the camera sharply zeroes in on her face. How...anticlimactic. I'm so happy she eventually started flinging her hands around. The Teflon Dad flies backwards through the air and slams into a wall. He brushes himself off casually and takes his leave, murmuring that if Prue wanted him to go, she merely needed to ask. Oh, stow it, you martyr. Though I have to admit it's interesting that it's the men on this show who are so obnoxiously passive-aggressive.