S3 Observations

[BettyNewbie]

This show already did a soft reset with S2, and look at how that turned out. And, time jumps have almost always been bad news for TV shows. I still have scars from PLL's last two seasons.

This show is a dumpster fire, and no amount of "rebooting" is going to save it. Better to just use this season to wrap things up and move on.

[Tim]

I know that most of you tuned your backs on the reboot because of Season Two, and I can't blame you.

However, and this is my personal opinion only, Season Three is way better.  Yes, they needed the first few episodes to resolve the Season Two Faction thing, but, one that was done, things got better.

The sisters are back out in the world:  Mel and Maggie are back at college (Mel an instructor, and Maggie a student), Macy is now running Safespace (and she's been using her science skills to help tackle the problems of the week), and they got the Book Of Shadows back (or rather they have a new one, that a cousin of theirs, Josefina, who stayed with the sisters for a few episodes, made for them).

And in the latest episode, Marisol's ghost made her first appearance (Macy summoned her because she had info that they needed).  However, her stay was brief, just long enough to give the said info and tell her daughters that she loved them, before heading back to the Spirit World.  You get the impression that this will not be a regular thing (like Patty and Penny always dropping in on the original show), so I was fine with it.  It really was a touching scene.

And, to top it all off, Parker is nowhere to be seen.

So give it another shot. If you start after the end of the Faction storyline, I think you'll like it.

[Silas]

I'm hearing rumors that Abbey may be written off after this season. If so, YES!!

I loved that Marisol had written some letters and put them in a box, so they could find them years later after she died. Especially because the time was right. So touching. I wished we saw more with the episode ending with all three reading their letters with Marisol's voiceover.

I did like seeing Marisol's ghost for the first time. Such a touching reunion and it was brief. Also she didn't come out of the circle. Looks like the show will continue to have her pop up at least once a season. 

I wonder if Marisol has a mother, where is their Grams, she must be dead.

[Tim]

Now that S3 is over, I thought I'd convert this thread into a post season discussion. 

Anyway, I know a lot of you jumped ship after S2, and frankly, I almost did too.  I hated that Faction storyline and felt that it was dragged out for WAY too long.   And I was less than thrilled when the COVID shutdown meant that we'd still be stuck with that storyline when the show returned.   Thankfully, the writers managed to dispense with it in just three episodes.  Good riddance.

The time line then jumped three months and we got into Season Three.  And, i have to say, I liked it.  The sisters found themselves going up against monsters from the Tomb Of Chaos, something that H.P. Lovecraft himself might have dreamed up.  Most of the season dealt with the sisters trying to put this genie back the bottle.    A much better storyline than the Faction debacle of S2.

Furthermore, we had the sisters back out in the world.  The house was de-cloaked and Mel and Maggie were back at college (Mel, an instructor and Maggie a student).    Macy was now running the mall (guess they will have to address this next season, her sudden disappearance).  

We got some good supporting characters, like Jordan, and we learned more about his military background.    Ruby, Mel's girlfriend, is still around.   And there was Swan, the Asian woman, who works at the mall. 

Abby was better this season, and parted as a friend.  I don't know if she will be back, because it seems her story is over.   And, thankfully, no Parker this season!

The appearance of cousin Josefina had the reboot do something the original series never did, bring in a living extended family member (aside from a parent or grandparent, that is). 

So, I think this season was a great improvement over the previous one.

[DC Fanatic]

Jul 25, 2021 17:50:52 GMT -5 Tim said:

The appearance of cousin Josefina had the reboot do something the original series never did, bring in a living extended family member (aside from a parent or grandparent, that is). 

From what I heard most didn't like her at all. She was too much of a Mary Sue saving the day and her cousins, the way Cole, Leo or Chris did in Classic Charmed. If that's the case, then I think that's a bad addition. Nothing worse than when someone else does stuff over the real stars.

[Tim]

She gave them a new Book Of Shadows, but that was it.   The sisters still did all the heavy lifting.

[Silas]

Jul 25, 2021 18:27:31 GMT -5 DC Fanatic said:

Jul 25, 2021 17:50:52 GMT -5 Tim said:

The appearance of cousin Josefina had the reboot do something the original series never did, bring in a living extended family member (aside from a parent or grandparent, that is). 

From what I heard most didn't like her at all. She was too much of a Mary Sue saving the day and her cousins, the way Cole, Leo or Chris did in Classic Charmed. If that's the case, then I think that's a bad addition. Nothing worse than when someone else does stuff over the real stars.

Jul 25, 2021 23:25:33 GMT -5 Tim said:

She gave them a new Book Of Shadows, but that was it.   The sisters still did all the heavy lifting.

I'd have to disagree with that. (Still got to catch up on the rest of S3 last saw episode 14 or 15).

But she really did come across as a Mary Sue in my eyes right off the bat.

Josefina essentially saved the day in one episode with not only being able to create the only magical items and spells that can contain the Perfecti but also was able to communicate with them and be the help talk to them between them and Mel, Maggie and Macy. That was in her first episode, she really felt like the star in that one. Now, if she pointed them in the right direction, that would be something. But she was a true Mary Sue saving the day in that whole episode.

It's fine if she is just helping, but she was far too perfect. 

Then the next episode, they suddenly give Josefina a power. She was able to create power potions. She was totally written to be superior to the sisters, the true stars of the show.

[Pia]

Jul 25, 2021 23:41:48 GMT -5 Silas said:

Jul 25, 2021 18:27:31 GMT -5 DC Fanatic said:

From what I heard most didn't like her at all. She was too much of a Mary Sue saving the day and her cousins, the way Cole, Leo or Chris did in Classic Charmed. If that's the case, then I think that's a bad addition. Nothing worse than when someone else does stuff over the real stars.

Jul 25, 2021 23:25:33 GMT -5 Tim said:

She gave them a new Book Of Shadows, but that was it.   The sisters still did all the heavy lifting.

I'd have to disagree with that. (Still got to catch up on the rest of S3 last saw episode 14 or 15).

But she really did come across as a Mary Sue in my eyes right off the bat.

Josefina essentially saved the day in one episode with not only being able to create the only magical items and spells that can contain the Perfecti but also was able to communicate with them and be the help talk to them between them and Mel, Maggie and Macy. That was in her first episode, she really felt like the star in that one. Now, if she pointed them in the right direction, that would be something. But she was a true Mary Sue saving the day in that whole episode.

It's fine if she is just helping, but she was far too perfect. 

Then the next episode, they suddenly give Josefina a power. She was able to create power potions. She was totally written to be superior to the sisters, the true stars of the show.

Oh wow! Glad I don't watch it, sounds like they didn't learn anything from the Classic original show where Cole or Leo saved the day. 

Hopefully they tone that down with her in S4, and give her some weaknesses, so she isn't so perfect.

[Melinda Halliwell]

It sounds like season 3 was better than season 2 and the fact Abby's gone is good but if Josefina is too Mary Sueish I wouldn't want to watch it either.

People like characters overcoming adversity themselves not someone doing that for them the same with relationships overshadowing show plots instead of being on the sidelines where they should which puts certain people off watching of course.

Like Silas said if Josefina had just pointed the sisters out in the right direction occasionally maybe people might've liked her more then but if she saved the day too often then they wouldn't overall.

[Tim]

Which seems to support the theory that Josefina was introduced to replace Macy. The writers probably knew, months in advance, that Madeleine was going to leave and were able to prepare.

As far as Abby goes, S3 treated her much better than S2 did. When she left, she left as a friend of the Vera sisters. Whether she will return, well, as I said, it seems her story is over, but I won't rule anything out.