phoenics

I dunno - I kinda like the Buffy style they went to in the second season. I recognize that it's not just like the OG Charmed, but I liked the direction it went and the team dynamic in this episode was just SOOOOO good. I had been expecting to get that super tight team dynamic in the roswell reboot (but the show went off the rails and was racially problematic to boot) but it didn't deliver, so I was so happy to see that team dynamic emerge in Charmed. I do still want the focus to be on the Charmed Ones, but love these little team adventures where they all come together. So good. For that reason, I'm glad the Elders are gone. I like that we got Celeste (even though I don't fully trust her) though. I like them having someone with more historical knowledge, but I like them having to figure it out on their own. I get the feeling the show is trying to "groom" them to be the nuElders and show us the journey of how they got there.

Speakeasy your Edit reasons are hilarious, lol.

This is what I love about this reboot - the Elders are just older or "elder" witches who have far too much responsibility heaped upon them who have had to fight back against puritanism and witch hunting that nearly wiped them out, as well as demon hoardes, etc.. and other evil magical creatures... it makes them human and ... gray. It gives them nuance. Even though the Elders did some horrendous things, I thought it was BRILLIANT to connect that to the Salem Witch Trials and the abject fear witches were all living under and the way that drove them to create protectors (whitelighters) at any cost. That's such a superior origin story for Whitelighters vs the Original. In the OG show, it felt like the Elders were like gods or something and they always seemed so disconnected... and their inhumanity or cruelty or arbitrary application of rules never really had a satisfactory explanation. On the reboot - they're just elder witches figuring it out as they go along. It's just better, imo. I do hope we get more fun magical adventures like this with true stakes. I loved this episode the pieces. Agree to disagree about Abigael. I worry about her being paired with Mel because I don't trust the writers not to decenter Mel and focus on Abigael too much. The show has 3 WoC leads and that's a huge reason why I watch. I'm not interested in seeing them marginalized for a white woman actress. Plenty of shows already do that - and I left them for that reason. Thankfully according to Google Trends, Macy and Maggie still trend super high relative to Abigael, so I don't think she'll ever eclipse them, but I do worry she'll eclipse Mel, who is the weaker of the 3 leads.

Harry really was kinda stupid, lol. I loved all the angst but lawd Harry come ON!

Damn - are you serious with how it turns out? Damn! Now I'm even more angry than I was. Of COURSE that's who they race bent. OF COURSE. I expected more from Shonda Rhymes but I don't know why - she's had problematic plots before. I still haven't forgiven her for how she did Stephanie in the Jackson/Stephanie relationship, and using a much beloved A Different World (like the blackest show ever) plot line to screw her over. How dare she. How DARE she. So now I don't hold out much hope at all for Bridgerton and I really was hoping they would make things right.

Bahahaha! Nowhere. I seriously hope they rethink that - that show already has issues and is trying to be better and more sensitive to issues about race. Adding her into the mix after this won't fly well.

What irritates me the most about all of this is how people keep claiming Ali can't be racist or her irritation can't be racist because she did movies with Idris Elba and Taye Diggs. Those people are misunderstanding the power dynamics. In the variety article, Ali is quoted by Leonard as being upset that his/her magazine cover was the least popular one. Basically she blamed him for "dragging her down" - she was looking to be a breakout star and thought being tied to "the black guy" who wasn't the lead wasn't going to get her there. That's why she was all over her scenes with Milo and doing everything she could to make that work, but she was obviously trying to tank the plot with Leonard. She had no issues with Idris or Taye because they were mega stars and she hoped they could raise her star level. So, let's say for the sake of argument that she wasn't being intentionally racist by trying to tank her onscreen costar and her's relationship onscreen so she could be paired with the lead and thus elevate herself. Even if she wasn't being racist, she still didn't do her job and basically created a hostile work environment for her black costar, tanking his role on the show, and setting him up for years of unemployment. He was on a better trajectory before that show - afterwards, his career stalled. The last time I ever saw him was on Charmed (2018 version). And not for nothing, but I liked Leonard's character so much better than hers and wished her character died on the show instead of his. Ali Larter has always rubbed me the wrong way and now I know why.

Yeah that was SOOOO completely obvious in its racism it was disgusting. That movie was garbage anyway.

Yoooo Freeform is about to be lit: https://deadline.com/2020/12/freeform-promotes-jamila-hunter-hires-quibi-docs-chief-jihan-robinson-1234651440/

Yeah. Topher Grace has a new tv show on CBS I think where there is a black female character who is the wife of his character's sister and I just said "no" and backed out of the news article. I'm just so tired and exhausted with tv that centers whiteness. When I think of the "newness" we got from shows like Watchmen, that didn't center whiteness and how original it was, I want more of that and less of the same old same old with minority characters propping up the white ones so the showrunners/producers can check a diversity box.

I agree here - I really loved the first season because it was like 24 meets The West Wing or Scandal and that was just so fun and exciting. It was a big premise show and to go from THAT to a boring political drama just really irritated me. But the problem with high concept shows is that it's hard to keep up the massive suspense without jumping the shark... so a lot of shows just either fizzle out or convert to boring drama. I think DS could have made it if they'd really sat down to think through how to keep the suspense and drama up. They should have grabbed some writers from 24 or Scandal. There's plenty they could have done to keep the suspense element going and it's a shame they didn't.

Cassie and her absolutely hideous style on full display over on Apartment Therapy: https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/winner-of-interior-design-masters-cassie-nicholsons-victorian-home-in-bristol-36837229#comments-36837229 The house tour literally gave me Show PTSD and made me mad all over again at the show's outcome.

Hmmm, I found Garth problematic as a character, tbh, 😕 I am glad they will probably (I'm guessing) bring Donna back. I loved her friendship with Kory. But I am happy about a return to the Core 4 because that's what I signed up for when I started watching and the show just never delivered properly. I am not saying don't have other characters, but let the Core 4 have some shine - especially Gar and Kory, who have been shafted by the writing for 2 seasons now.

Don't know if you guys saw this, but Anna Diop says they are going to finally focus more on the "Core 4" Titans (Dick, Kory, Rachel and Gar) in S3: https://fault-magazine.com/2020/11/anna-diop-the-titan-cover-shoot-and-interview/ I REALLY hope this is true.

Does Donna's lasso make people tell the truth? Or is it only Diana's? And yes, you make a great point - a lot of this stuff wouldn't have happened. Like Aquaman wouldn't have shown up when Aqualad was killed. It's always a problem with shows like this... for really earth shattering stuff or stuff where someone important dies, the bigger JL heroes should show up or some mention of them should happen so it's not so disjointed.