'Charmed - The Final Season'
(Alyssa Milano, Rose McGowan, Holly Marie Combs, et al / 6-Disc DVD / NR / (1973) 2007 / Paramount Home Video)
Overview: After seven years of protecting the innocent, demon fighting and generally ridding the world of evil, the Halliwell sisters have begun a search for a different destiny – living normal lives free of fighting demons. As "The Charmed Ones," the most powerful good witches to ever exist, the sisters faked their own deaths last year and created new identities, altering their appearances to the outside world, but appearing as themselves to those closest to them. Now, they must reconcile with their own guilt about not fighting the supernatural evil that continues in the world.
DVD Verdict: Well, this here is the final season of CHARMED. The Charmed Ones, PIPER HALLIWELL (played by Holly Marie Combs, for the final time), PHOEBE HALLIWELL (played by Alyssa Milano, for the final time), & PAIGE MATTHEWS (played by Rose McGowan, for the final time) return for the final time, with LEO WYATT (played by the outstanding Brian Krause, for the final time), to battle demons & warlocks before they go on to the next phase in their lives, where they would leave a legacy to the future Halliwell witches, who are soon to come.
Here's a complete rundown for all you true fans thinking about buying this farewell box-set: "Still Charmed & Kicking" - Presumed dead, the Charmed sisters start their demon-free existence with new identities brought about by a spell that altered their appearances to the outside world, but not to those closest to them; "Malice in Wonderland" - Hoping to lure the Charmed Ones out of hiding, Haas, a young demon wanting to take over the Underworld, uses the Alice's Adventures in Wonderland fairy tale to prey on young victims; "Run Piper, Run" - Looking for a new career path, Piper goes on an interview with a corporate recruiter, but is soon arrested when a background check reveals that the physical appearance she adopted was that of a woman wanted for murder.
"Desperate Housewitches" - Wyatt's impending school play brings out the competitive nature in Piper when her hand-sewn costume for Wyatt and her parenting ability are attacked by Mandi, the perfect Stepford-like mother; "Rewitched" - Unaware that she is being watched, Billie jeopardizes the Charmed Ones' new lives when she uses her powers to save an innocent and is caught by Agent Murphy of Homeland Security, who has suspected all along that she and the "cousins" are involved in supernatural activities and that the Halliwell sisters are not dead;
"Kill Billie Vol. 1" - Armed and ready to vanquish, Billie inexplicably freezes and is flooded with childhood flashbacks when she sees her latest demon target, the Dogan. Wanting to prove to the sisters that she is an asset, Billie casts a spell to erase her fears and goes after the demon.
"The Lost Picture Show" - Wanting to get her old job back as a social worker, Paige's plan changes when her Whitelighter father, Sam, asks for her help with his charge, J.D., a future Whitelighter, who recently reappeared after fifty years; "Battle of the Hexes" - The Charmed Ones are given their first Homeland Security case by Agent Murphy going through cold case files. Billie discovers a belt in one of the boxes and can't help but put it on; "Hulkus Pocus" - Phoebe has decided to take a hiatus from men. Piper seems to think Murphy and the government is hiding something from the sisters; "Vaya Con Leos" - Piper notices that the Angel of Death is watching over them, but what she doesn't know is that he is actually there for Leo.
"Mr. and Mrs. Witch" - Billie's parents are in town and have supper with their daughter and the Halliwells; "Payback's a Witch" - With the intention of helping his parolee get a loan, Henry, along with Paige, go to a bank but instead the parolee decides to take everyone at the bank hostage. Meanwhile, Phoebe and Piper have their hands full when, during his third birthday party, Wyatt turns three of his toys into real people;
"Repo Manor" - Phoebe, in an attempt to move on with her own life, signs a lease for a new apartment, much to the worry of Piper, while Paige considers telling Henry she's a witch; "12 Angry Zen" - In searching for information about Leo, Piper discovers a message from Lo-Pan, a monk and keeper of a sacred Buddhist staff containing the power of influence.
"The Last Temptation of Christy" - Paige begins to realize the difficulty in dating a mortal when Henry tries to immerse himself in her magical world. She finds herself even more conflicted when a suitor, Sir Simon Marks, arrives hoping to convince her to marry him so they can become the ultimate magical couple; "Engaged and Confused" - Piper organizes an engagement party for Paige and Henry, but the wedding is put in jeopardy when the couple begins to get cold feet. Phoebe notices a strange man following her, and soon discovers that he is a Cupid;
"Generation Hex" - Two former students of Leo's from Magic School turn up at the manor to inform the Charmed Ones that demons Leo had imprisoned in the Magic School dungeons have escaped and are seeking revenge;
"The Torn Identity" - Christy becomes a powerful force in the Underworld as the demon Creo tries to convince her that she needs to get Billie away from the Charmed Ones so she and her sister can fulfill their dark destiny.
"The Jung and the Restless" - The Charmed Ones are put into a dream-like state by Christy so that Billie can learn something about each of them;
"Gone with the Witches" - Convinced that The Charmed Ones are too self-involved to protect the "greater good," Billie and Christy team up to destroy their reputations in the magical community; "Kill Billie Vol. 2" - Billie and Christy have managed to turn everything around: while the two of them are now at the Manor and demons are at Magic School, the Charmed Ones are forced to hide in the Underworld; "Forever Charmed" - After the death of their respective sisters, Piper and Billie go their separate ways, both determined to get their families back together.
What an excellent season to close out the series. The series finale was absolutely incredible, especially the ending, with the sisters writing down everything they had experienced in the last eight years (eight years for Piper and Phoebe, four years for Paige), where it then shows an elderly Piper reading their legacy to her young granddaughter. As an elderly Piper and an elderly Leo ascend the long staircase in the old Halliwell Manor, they pass many photographs taken of the Halliwell family, including Penny Halliwell (good ole Grams), Patty Halliwell, Paige, Leo, Piper, Phoebe, Wyatt, Chris, and many more.
The only disappointment was not seeing the spirit of PRUE HALLIWELL (once played by Shannen Doherty), or at least a few photos of Prue. I am very upset at the fact that the show has been brought to an end. But I do wish the cast: Holly Marie Combs, Alyssa Milano, Rose McGowan, Shannen Doherty, and Brian Krause, the best of luck with whatever comes next in their careers. This is a Full Screen Presentation (1.33:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:
The Making of Charmed
A 2-Part Documentary: "Story of Charmed"
To The manor Born - A Behind-The-Scenes Look At The Central Role The Halliwell Manor Played In The Series
Forever Charmed - A Profile of Charmed Fans
Cast and Crew Audio Commentaries on Select Episodes
www.Paramount.com/HomeEntertainment