The Lucky Seven… (Part I)

In a previous post, “Six and Counting,” I spoke about how the six new SF series (the ‘Sinister Six’ if you will) were doing. Today I’m going to touch on how the returning SF series (‘The Lucky Seven’ if you will) are doing. The 4400 and Dead Zone had their seasons during the summer, so I won’t discuss them right now. I also won’t talk about Alias because I haven’t seen this season yet. I save this series for DVD. Hey, I can’t watch everything on TV. I do have a life you know…I think.

Smallville
(Marx gives it a B)
Smallville Episode Guide

I have enjoyed this series off and on over the years, but was always frustrated with the lack of story development. When are Lana and Chloe going to figure out Clark’s secret? When will Lex finally start going to the dark side, instead of this constant walking the line? When will Clark actually fight a real super villain instead, of these “freaks of the week” nonsense? I know that the writers can only do so much with the storyline of Clark before he became Superman, but the little reboots have been starting to get a little silly.

Well, this season may finally be a move forward. They are going to college. Lana and Clark are finally together (many times, if you know what I mean), but Lana still doesn’t know Clarks secret. Grr, Argh…tell her already. I can’t believe Lana doesn’t already know and it is really starting to make her look stupid. I already think Clark should get over this crush and go for Chloe. Chloe would be a much better catch. She’s smart, resourceful, funny, and she can handle the truth (Lana, you can’t handle the Truth!). I don’t know what Clark is worried about, anyway. What room does Lana have to judge...

“Lana I’m an alien”
“Yuck, that’s gross”
“Hey, what are you talking about? You were a witch.”
“What did you call me!?”
“What?”
“That’s it; I’m breaking up with you again and dating another guy to obsess over me until he wants to kill me. Now I must go and cry for the 100th time.”
“What?”

Ok…where was I?

Although I have been frustrated in the past, this season is shaping up to be the strongest yet. Lex is getting darker, James Marsters is playing a real super villain (hopefully the writers will know how to use him), Chloe is in on the super secret, Lana & Clark are sitting in a tree with no freak love interest getting in the way, more guest star heroes (Aquaman, possibly the Flash again, and maybe more later), and we get to see the characters go to college. Hopefully Clark will graduate, unlike Buffy…poor, poor Buffy. So, this season may be really great if the writers can keep the momentum up, which they unfortunately don’t always have a good track record of doing.

Charmed
(Marx gives it a C-)
Charmed Episode Guide

Charmed (in case you don’t know) is about three sisters who are witches. Not only that, but they are the “Charmed Ones,” given great powers to fight those pesky demons. They must balance saving the world while keeping a love life and making sure the world doesn’t find out, which isn’t easy. Look at poor Buffy, of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Dating truly is tough enough without secret identities and a destiny to save the world thrown into the mix.

I once enjoyed this series. Honest. But I feel that it started going downhill after Prue’s death. Even further after they killed Cole. That is after making him switch between evil and good so fast it would even make dual-personality-super-villain Two-Face confused.

This season has continued the slow spiral to series finale. I’m getting so tired of the “why can’t we have normal lives” moaning. Guess what, girls? Apparently, the whole world is defenseless without the Charmed Ones, so get over it. Ever hear of balance? What is more frustrating is that they have learned this lesson over, and over, and over again. Make it stop please! Plus, you’ve got a kid with super powers who could change the balance of power. Guess what; no matter what you do the demons aren’t going to leave him alone. Period.

After faking their deaths and magically taking on new lives, the sisters are trying their best to avoid magic and fighting those mean demons. But a new Buffy…I mean witch… is in town. She has become their protégé. Do I smell spin-off? First off, what was up with her clothes in the first few episodes? Could they get any campier? This show is almost as much comedy as fantasy, which was nice at first, but the campy factor is growing to Godzilla proportions this season.

I also dislike how man-hating this show is. You heard me, people, I said it. Silly man, Charmed is for women. Some people thought Buffy the Vampire Slayer was man-hating? Yeah, right. This show either kills, turns evil, turns stupid, or neuters…err…I mean de-powers every man that is on this show. I know, girl power. But at least Buffy had Angel, then Riley, and then Spike. Not that Leo hasn’t been helpful, but he is (especially now sans powers) generally just being saved or giving advice.

Last season had some high points. I found the Avatars’ plot line rather interesting. Maybe the writers will prove me wrong, but it just seems like the characters are stuck in a loop. Over and over again with evil boyfriends, demons after their kid, the Source, the sisters wanting a normal life (what is “normal” anyway, especially in a world like theirs?), and the government wanting to butt in. It is all starting to get a little old. Sorry, but this series is just no longer charming.