Episode Report Card Demian: A | 7 USERS: A+ YOU GRADE IT All Hell Breaks Loose
By Demian | Season 3 | Episode 22 | Aired on 2001.05.17
Outside, the two break into a trot. As they jog along, Prue notes that she doesn’t think Fruma-Shax went too far, as his primary target is still breathing. “Do you really think he’d attack us in broad daylight?” Piper asks. “Evil’s usually more insidious than that.” Prue hears a noise, and the two stop in the middle of the sidewalk, holding hands, as the Tornado of Fruma-Shax whips into view behind them. Quick switch to the DemonCam as the swirling cloud closes in on them. Fruma-Shax rematerializes and shoots another shield at the sisters. Prue TKs it back into him. Piper takes this opportunity to blow him up. Fruma-Shax does not, however, explode into black shards as the Freak and the Banshee did. After he has disappeared into a cloud of blue flame, Prue and Piper evaluate the situation. Prue finds it odd that they vanquished him without the spell. Piper hesitantly reminds her that they don’t always need spells to rid themselves of their enemies. Nervously, they glance around the apparently-empty street as Piper notes, “It’s lucky that nobody saw us.” Prue grabs Piper’s hand, and the two spin around to scurry back to the manor.
Cut to a mobile news crew from KCSF Channel 8. Uh oh. They saw everything. What’s more, they taped it. The reporter, “Elana Dominguez,” orders the cameraman to focus on her as she continues with her broadcast. “I’m not sure exactly what happened,” she pants into her microphone. “But remember, you saw it here. Live.” Credits.
Do you want to know how much I like this episode? So much so that the endless opening travelogue of San Francisco accompanied by some alterna-testicle doesn’t bother me at all. The camera eventually settles on the manor. In the suspiciously-undamaged sun porch (which doesn’t bother me, because I like this episode so much), Piper crosses from the kitchen to hand the good doctor a glass of water. The three sisters are just finishing up their standard lecture on the importance of keeping one’s mouth shut about witches and demons and such. Prue explains that, should the good doctor go running to the tabloids with what he knows of the Halliwells, the Ps would no longer be able to help people. He understands how important it is for them to continue their work, doesn’t he? He does. After making a crack about his freshly-discarded atheist dogma, he reassures them, “Your secret is safe with me.” “You saved my life,” he continues. “The least I can do is protect yours.” Phoebe beams and offers to see him to the door. As the two cross to the hall, the Dolt (I almost typed “Leo” there -- that’s how much I like this episode) enters, wondering how the good doctor received the lecture. “We dodged another bullet,” is Piper’s hushed response. Prue, however, has her doubts. She’s still not happy with the manner in which Fruma-Shax disappeared. If Piper’s heightened power of molecular manipulation was all they required to get rid of the beast, why was there a vanquishing spell in the BoS? She reminds them that the whole idea underpinning the Power of Three is that individual powers such as telekinesis or molecular manipulation are never enough. The Dolt suggests that the sisters’ individual abilities have progressed to the point that they no longer need spells, necessarily, to get the job done. Prue’s not having that explanation. She asks the Dolt if he wouldn’t mind orbing up to The Powers That Be for a consult to ensure that Fruma-Shax won’t be bothering them again. He doesn’t mind at all. Out he goes.