7x01 A Call To Arms (Season Premiere)
Airdate: Sunday 17 June 2007, M-Net Series 21h00 (Re-Runs)
What Went Down?
Reeling from the loss of their future son Chris, an overprotective Piper and Barbas-obsessed Leo are forced by Phoebe and Paige to attend a Hindu wedding, where they inadvertently receive the powers of the Hindu's Ultimate Lovers, Shakti, the Goddess of Creation and her lover, Shiva, the God of Destruction. In order to save the universe from destruction, Phoebe and Paige must keep Leo and Piper from consummating their love. Meanwhile, Leo's obsession with vanquishing Barbas clouds his judgement, and Barbas and a disembodied creature trick him into killing an Elder. Feeling out of sorts, Phoebe decides to take a sabbatical from her advice column and is shocked to learn that her replacement is a guy, Leslie St. Claire, whom she is attracted to due to the spell on Piper and Leo. Paige, upset over Magic School closing, decides to fight to keep it open. After Thoughts?
After such a breathtaking Season 6 finale, we were left in wondering what was going to happen, what would be the plot this time. Although not as solid and deep as other season premieres, this episode hold it on its own as it shows us new faces on every character. They all have changed after facing such a dramatic drama in their lives: Gideon's betrayal and Chris' death. Piper and Leo attend a Hindu wedding, where they inadvertently receive the powers of Hindu gods, and it's up to Phoebe and Paige to keep them from consummating their love, which would cause the universe to end and reborn. Leo is driven by anger towards Barbas- the always popping up everywhere always, Demon of Fear; who tries to confront the sisters once more, by kidnapping baby Chris. Piper's possession causes her to grow four additional arms, which are used in a very believable way. We'll see her using her six arms to comfort Chris, to hit Phoebe, and to fight demons in an amazing battle sequence. It has a lot of interesting and deep elements, and, in the end, the question of a future threat appears to keep us watching the following episodes. Even though it doesn't last two hours like recent previous premieres, it still delivers the way a Charmed season premiere should.
What Exactly Happened? Okay let’s recap what magical mayhem went down:
The Halliwell Sisters and Leo are dealing with the aftermath of last season's finale which was Gideon's- the Elders’ betrayal and trying to kidnap Wyatt; Older Chris' death as well as younger Chris’ birth, and Leo's destruction of an Elder- Gideon. Plus there's a new (evil?) force floating around, and no one knows who it is - or what it wants or whether it’s a friends or foe. Piper is more paranoid than usual about the children, especially after having Chris who is now two months, she is worried about protecting them and she hasn't left the house since Chris was born, and she's in hyper-protective mode. While on the other end of the spectrum, their once was a Whitelighter, now Elder daddy Leo's lost it - he's obsessed with finding Barbas and wreaking a little well-deserved revenge for Barbas trying assist Gideon in kidnapping Wyatt in last seasons’ final. Unfortunately, Barbas' fear-mongering powers mean Leo suspects everyone - even the Elders which Barbas sets Leo to go after an Elder- Zola (James Avery- Uncle Phil from “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”)
Phoebe the mistress of everlasting changing outfits- seriously she goes through like three scenes before work- each with a different outfit (and they wonder why the clothing budget is so high); finds herself a bit distracted from her work and not giving it the full and proper attention that she’s err never given it before. Anyways Phoebe’s distressed to learn form Paige that she’s started plagiarizing from herself and offering the exact same advise to multiple readers, and decides she’s in a bit of rut and needs some time off. She tells Elise her Editor that she needs to take a sabbatical. Elise agrees and decides to hire a ghostwriter (whose ironically human) to write Phobe’s column during her sabbatical.
Paige is bored because since Chris has been born for the last two months she’s been on Nanny duties and been couped up indoors- don’t lie, between the seasons Paige has gotten the most amazing tan. Its amazing when your taking about Charmed to someone who doesn’t watch the show as frequently as I do and you mention Paige, and their either, “Oh that chick who dated Marlin Manson” or that really pale sister.” However Paige goes through a massive Extreme Makeover this season, new hair colour, gorgeous tan, no bright lipstick and finally she’s on good terms with Wardrobe who isn’t dressing her up like Barney with all those bright colours!
Leo is on the war path and still after Barbas, we’re starting to root with him, Barbas the Demon of Fear has been on probally more episodes of Charmed than Darryl; Billy Drago, the actor, must be blackmailing the producers to keep coming back onto the show. Leo’s some how haunted by a mysterious green ghostly type ominous floating invisible creature who warns him to save his son from Barbas. Later that same creature appears to Barbas counseling him to take out the Charmed Ones by pushing Leo over the edge and thus leaving the sisters unprotected. Despite being scarily ominous and weird, both men decide to listen to the head and trust it and take their adivce.
Uncle Phil the Elder, Zola appears to warn Paige and Phoebe that Leo is attacking Elders and is in danger of being "recycled," or sent off to be born in a new body and warns Phoebe and Paige that there’s a new threat looming on the horizon and it’s the most powerful one they’ve ever sensed- could it be the Invisible Head Creature?
Friend of the family, Christi is getting married and Paige decides that she should tackle two problems at once: She sends Leo and Piper to a friend's Hindu wedding so that Piper and Leo can reunite, and Leo can be distracted form hunting down Elders while she tries to track down Barbas. At the Hindu Wedding, Phoebe is left tending to baby Chris outside, while Piper and Leo rush off late to the wedding and sit in the back. Phoebe is then harangued by the suspicious inspector Sheridan , who wants to know what happened to Chris. She hands Phoebe a summons to come down to the police station and answer the unanswered questions they have. At the wedding, the officiant calls upon the Hindu's Ultimate Lovers, Shakti, the Goddess of Creation and Shiva, the God of Destruction, to bless the marriage. However they some how chose to possess Leo and Piper while they're at it. Suddenly, Piper is sprouting a couple of extra sets of arms. They rush off and leave the wedding.
Because of their now godly powers, Shiva-Leo and Shakti-Piper are seriously into each other, which is a problem according to the Book of Shadown If Shakti and Shiva get together, it spells the end because their love is so powerful it will result in the end of the world and rebirth of the world over again, so Paige and Phoebe have to keep them off each other even though Leo’s feeling very ‘potent’. Paige and Phoebe send powerful Shiva-Leo off to find Barbas while they try to figure out how to eject the gods from his and Piper's bodies.
The sparks between the happy couple rub off on those around them - Phoebe gets amorous when she meets her new ghostwriter, Leslie St. Claire whose actually male is played by Nick Lachey. The tension mixed with some godly magic results in her kissing him and then fleeing the scene.
Paige goes to the magic school for information on how to dispense the gods from Piper and Leo, only to find it's being shut down now that Gideon isn't around to run things. Which gives Paige the idea that she wants to save Magic School and save it for future generations of witches.
Barbas and his demonic minions plot an attack against Piper when they try to kidnap Baby Chris but because of the fact that she now has 6 arms, she’s able to fend for her and Baby Chris pulling off and impressive deflection powers and some awesome electric godly powers while she’s at it.
Leo finds out about the attack and is on the war path, Barbas uses this rage and leads him towards The Uncle Phil Elder, Zola who Leo goes after and with all his major God power kills.
Meanwhile Inspector Sheridon and Daryl ‘break’ into the manor to confront the sisters however Leo telekinetically throws Inspector Sheridon into the wall. Phoebe and Daryl cover up by saying she’s slipped.
Paige manages so to find the spell to strip Piper and Leo of their Hindu God Powers and Leo tells Piper what he did, they decided to keep it to themselves and not tell anyone. Paige devises a vanquishing potion for Barbas and Phoebe and her go after him. When Paige and Phoebe are able to track him down, Barbas realizes that he was tricked and Phoebe and Paige manage to overcome their greatest fears with their greatest desire- vanquishing Barbas once and for all.
Paige has found her new cause - she's going to take over the magic school. Piper's time as the ultimate mother made her realize being overprotective just leads to neurotic kids. Phoebe apologizes to Leslie for objecting to his being her ghostwriter. Leo looks for answers in Barbas' ashes, but is confronted by the scary floating head - who lets Leo know they're gunning for him.
Next Week on Charmed: The Charmed Ones have their hands full, when thanks to a bored Magic School student, they must keep Lord Dyson from killing the infamous Lady Godiva before she can travel back in time and complete her famous ride. Meanwhile, Phoebe has reservations about Les being able to properly write an advice column for women.
Sunday 24 June 2007, M-Net Series 21h00
Sundays 21h00, M-Net Series
Repeated: Mondays 03h00, 09h00, 15h00