On DVD: Charmed The Final Season

Produced By Brad Kern

Starring: Alyssa Milano, Holly Marie Combs, and Rose McGowan

They have entertained us for years and now our favorite witchy sisters are back for a final blowout. Piper (Holly Marie Combs), Phoebe (Alyssa Milano), and Paige (Rose McGowan) faked their deaths so they could finally lead a simple life away from magic in the last season. Charmed: The Final Season picks up with the girls’ memorial at the manor. Of course, the sisters and Leo (Brian Krause) have changed their appearances to hide themselves from the public and demonic eye. The writers and producers start with this and create a final explosive season that smacks of classic Charmed writing and continues to beguile us into the mythos of witchy soap opera. Charmed: The Final Season was recently released on DVD by Paramount Home Video.

The Season

Charmed was one of those shows that had a steady following, even if it wasn’t a top show. Even though the budget got cut, the producers managed to bring on new actors and flesh out new story arcs in the final season. Where they started might have seemed a little hokey at first, but the writers developed a great story with the introduction of Billie (Kaley Cuoco) and her sister Christy (Marnette Patterson).

Billie kind of serves as the one who lets the sisters get on with other things and focus on normal life, while Billie eagerly learns how to take on nasty demons. Of course, things are never that simple. The sisters have a calling after all, and they can’t run away from it. Life is never demon free or uncomplicated. Anyway, the introduction of Billie, a young college-age woman, reminisces on the naïveté and headstrong youthful determination of Phoebe from the first season. By now, the sisters have become successful women, pushing 30, so Billie probably helps keep the show young. Kaley Cuoco is a cute girl, with some good acting talent. She brings zest and spunk to the role, as much as is needed.  

Charmed has always been a high concept, episodic kind of show, and so this season is by no means lacking in good episodes. Playfully tipping their hats at Desperate Housewives, “Desperate Housewitches” focuses on the domestic things the girls aspire to. Piper wants to sew the best costume for Wyatt, but she is challenged by the Bree Van DeKamp of demons. Phoebe thinks she has this perfect future with Dex, but Paige thinks Dex is a cheater.  

Piper and Leo’s relationship, the forbidden coupling, is always fraught with issues. In “Vaya Con Leos, the Angel of Death comes for Leo, but Piper tries to get in her way by making every man look like Leo. That was one of the coolest effects used on the show this season.  

Romance always helps hold this series together. Paige finds love with Henry, a parole officer. Phoebe almost gives up on love, but this is tested by Coop (Victor Webster), a very attractive cupid who helps Phoebe find love again. Coop takes Phoebe down memory lane in “Generation Hex”, where Phoebe has to relive a few moments from her past relationships.

Treachery and plot for the sisters’ annihilation never ceases, and of course, this season is no exception. The deception culminates in the final two episodes. To me, “Kill Bille Vol. 2” and “Forver Charmed” could have been a short movie. “Kill Billie Vol. 2” has the ultimate battle ever seen on Charmed. The special effects used were done quite convincingly. Vanquishes seem nasty, but this episode ends in explosions and death. Of course, the whole series wraps up in a final episode where we find out the destiny of the Charmed Ones and their lineage, which has been part of the struggle over the past 8 seasons.

8/10

The Video

Presented in full screen format, the video quality is good for a TV production. The colors are usually reddened or softened to fit the gothic elements of witch/demon scenes.  There's some softness of detail and grain in darker scenes but overall the transfer is acceptable.

6/10 

The Audio 

The sound is presented in Dolby Digital stereo surround. There are no major balance issues and dialogue, score, and sound effects all come through loud and clear.  It's a basic TV presentation so there isn't much dynamic range but it does get the job done.

6/10 

The Packaging and Bonus Features

The DVD release is packaged in three aramay cases, enclosed in a cardboard box with a provocative picture of the sisters on the front cover. 

As appropriate, this DVD release has bonus features. (If they hadn’t, I was going to pen a letter). There is a very informative feature, “The Making of Charmed”, about the production values and how they were produced. You get a lot of behind the scene people commenting on the day to day rigors of making a TV show. Also, I liked the “Story of Charmed” as it told how the series came about and how it has progressed over time.

“To the Manor Born” talks about how the set of the Halliwell manor was constructed, how they uses it, what it really looks like as a set and so on. Interesting to note is that Rose McGowan loves to sit on the set because it feels like a Victorian house.

Another awesome feature was “Forever Charmed”. This spotlights some of the fans of Charmed and what the show means to them. I think it is refreshing to show some of the fan base in a bonus feature as it comes across as appreciative and interesting. Besides these features, audio commentaries are available on the episodes.

9/10

Overall, the final season of Charmed is a solid one. The DVD release offers some kickin’ features that I can imagine we’ve all begged for since season one.

Overall (Not an Average) 8/10

The Review

The Movie 8/10

The Video 6/10

The Audio 6/10

The Packaging and Bonus Features 9/10

Overall (Not an Average) 8/10

-Chuck Knight