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Post by Scott on Aug 22, 2006 12:25:34 GMT -5
An extremely witty episode that delivers above and beyond its purpose. Weird events unfurl as the aurea borsalis becomes visible in San Francisco on the eve of the Wiccan Sabbat. In anticipation of the birth of a magical child, gifts such as golden egg laying geese arrive unexpectedly. Amid all of the hubble and bubble, Piper collapses and is taken to the hospital where she learns that she has toxemia, a condition of high blood pressure that may result in the birth of a preemie.
Cronyn, a sorcerer, has anticipated this day, prophesied 300 years earlier, and sets about to steal the magical child with the help of Victor Bennett's new wife, a nurse practitioner, who volunteers to mid-wife the birth of a new Warren witch when Piper's water bursts unexpectedly. Though trained by Eve to be midwives, neither Paige nor Phoebe can guide Piper as the pain of labor advances. For Magic has unexpectedly vanished. Neither demon nor witch has any powers. It is up to Paige to figure out how to use the magical gifts sent, including one mysterious unicorn, to thwart Cronyn's scheme, help restore magic and finally perform their destined tasks as midwives.
A magical appendage, though, rips asunder the illusion that Piper would give birth to a daughter. A son is born. A son who in the womb has already demonstrated great power to self-heal and deflect darklighter arrows. A son important enough for the demonic world to take notice and conspire to steal him away for the cause of Evil.
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Post by kat29 on Oct 3, 2006 6:41:55 GMT -5
I recently watched this episode and thoroughly enjoyed it. The belief by everyone including the demons that the child would be a girl was interesting. The demons knew when the baby would be born but somehow despite having seers and such like who could predict the future they didn't know the baby was a boy and not a girl.
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Post by Scott on Oct 3, 2006 14:08:53 GMT -5
What interests me equally is how the decision was made to cast the baby as a boy. Certainly, this conflicted with Morality Bites. True, it did allow for the surprise appendage that no one was expecting. Still, I would love to ask Brad Kern this question.
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Post by kat29 on Oct 3, 2006 17:47:18 GMT -5
The decision was possibly based on the time the episode aired in the US, during February sweeps, the almighty ratings war won out.
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Post by Scott on Nov 29, 2006 19:39:10 GMT -5
Ironically, this episode was voted by some readers of Charmed Magazine as one of the top five episodes of Season 5. Hmmmm!
If I had voted, my tally would have looked different:
#1 Centennial Charmed #2 A Witch in Time #3 Sam I Am #4 Sympathy for the Demon #5 A Witch's Tail #6 House Call #7 Siren Song #8 Sense and Sense-Ability #9 The Importance of Being Phoebe #10 Oh My Goddess
The Day The Magic Died is not even in my top ten. But, then I am biased, as I prefer the first half of the season over the second half. Charmed without Cole lost its sense of purpose and direction for the rest of the season. True, The Day The Magic Died is one of the best episodes of the second half - after Sense and Sense Ability, Oh My Goddess and House Call, but I have difficulty placing it into the top 5. Yes, it IS a funny episode. Who can ever forget the dopey demon Stanley, apprentice to a sorcerer, but ultimately a victim of his own incompetence? Who can ever forget the fabulous fight scene in the pizza shop when the Charmed Ones - minus a very pregnant Piper - do battle with the demonic forces neither of whom has access to magic? And who could ever forget such memorable lines as those enunciated by the sorcerer who after giving the sisters his phone number quips: "You think that's bad? Try having to take a taxi."
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Post by Fourever Charmed on May 3, 2008 19:30:55 GMT -5
What interests me equally is how the decision was made to cast the baby as a boy. Certainly, this conflicted with Morality Bites. True, it did allow for the surprise appendage that no one was expecting. Still, I would love to ask Brad Kern this question. And that is precisely the reason I so despise this episode. I firmly believe this to be Kern's... hidden agender. The power in gender roles were clearly swapped this episode (though foreshadowing before this particular event was definitely there); a theme which vividly carried through until the series finale. My resentment for Kern was off the charts the night this episode aired.
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Post by Scott on May 5, 2008 17:34:33 GMT -5
Perhaps this should be a poll question. There are some fans who absolutely love this post-Cole Season 5 episode. After all, there's the silly sitcom situation of Paige trying to stuff a green bleeding demon Stanley into the closet upon the arrival of Dad and demonic new wife. Still, as Fourever Charmed notes, there are some fans who just despise this episode. See poll category!
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