Episode Report Card Owen: D | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Episode Sneak Preview
By Owen | Season 2 | Episode 23 | Aired on 06.19.2000
Episode 305: Big Man on Campus
Preview release to TV Guide:
Phoebe falls under the spell of a charismatic warlock professor (Rob Morrow) who is using his self-esteem-building theories to assemble a powerful campus cult. Piper intervenes when her new nightclub manager (Jennie Garth) has designs on Leo, and Prue is paired with an an ambitious rookie photographer (Mario Lopez) on a career-making assignment. The Barenaked Ladies perform at P3.
Recaplet: Um, doesn't brainwashing require a brain?
Jennie Garth guested on the show, but oddly didn't have much interaction with the character of Prue and didn't get a chance to point out that Phoebe's subplot (involving a university cult run by Dr. Fleischman of Northern Exposure, i.e. Rob Morrow, the male Shelley Long) was a big rip-off of a story arc that Kelly Taylor endured a few years ago on 90210. Instead, she tried to steal Leo away from Piper, although any thirteen-year-old girl could tell you that P+L are truly in luv, 4ever and ever!!!! Meanwhile, Prue got her bitch on with an ambitious protégé in a subplot that can only be called "Nellie Olsen meets Jimmy Olson." Did Phoebe get rescued from the cult? I don't want to give away the ending, but she won't be passing out pamphlets at the airport in any upcoming episodes, I assure you.
Episode 306: Minus One
Preview release to TV Guide:
The netherworldly Council becomes aware of Piper's growing displeasure with witchcraft and kidnaps her, sending an evil look-alike home to the manor, where she renounces her power and convinces Prue and Phoebe to do the same. At the same time, Leo is distracted by chaos caused by a Dark Lighter (Andrew Shue).
Recaplet: Trouble your pleasure, trouble your fun
Shannen Doherty directs again, and the episode was actually a pleasurable one. But how could anyone go wrong with a Holly Marie-centric ep in which she played two roles? The Council from last season (someone finally nudged the writers with the continuity prod) heard through the demon grapevine about Piper's unrealized desire to quit witchcraft as a career. So they snatched her from the manor and sent a glamoured witch in as Evil Piper, who cajoled the callous Ps into quitting the Charmed life along with her. While Leo was kept busy by the lame-ass antics of a Council-hired Dark Lighter (Andrew Shue, who should accept "Do Something" as an acting mantra), Piper had to single-handedly break free from her captors and make everything right. Did Piper come to a greater acceptance of her duty as a witch? Did HMC act crop circles around everyone onscreen? Did Shannen need to put the camera down and let our stomachs settle for a bit? Yes, yes, and yes.