This is an excellent episode which manages to combine many different elements into a really tight plot. The young couple's ordeal, inspired by a lesser-known fairytale, rings a bell while remaining fresh. It also makes for a few beautiful scenes with the owl and the wolf.
But a hallmark of any good Charmed episode is that it echoes with the sisters' personal lives. The parallel with Piper and Leo's forbidden love is obvious, so it is no surprise that the same magical loophole should hold the key to both plots. By the way, unusual cosmic phenomena seem to greet every significant moment of Piper and Leo's life (watch The Day The Magic Died), as if the whole universe conspired to make them a couple against all odds. Their love feels so inevitable that the tragic last-minute twist really comes as a shocker. The Elders definitely become the enemy, which puts the sisters in an awkward position since they technically embody Good.
Another significant point is the ongoing subplot with the mysterious Cole. I love how subtly he is being eased into the main story, leaving ample room for conjecture and providing a lot of great little scenes in the meantime: having Leo's goodness literally rub off on him like a stain is hilarious, and the living shadow is quite intriguing. There is also a fitting parallel with the sorcerer. Both men are well-integrated, successful individuals who work the system from within, which is a refreshing take on evil. However, I regret that the sorcerer, while pledging his love to Brooke, acts so business-like about it. Even though this is consistent with his character, it makes it a bit difficult to understand why he ends up being literally consumed by jealousy, and it also suggest that demons cannot feel love --a tenet Cole is about to shake to the ground.
But a hallmark of any good Charmed episode is that it echoes with the sisters' personal lives. The parallel with Piper and Leo's forbidden love is obvious, so it is no surprise that the same magical loophole should hold the key to both plots. By the way, unusual cosmic phenomena seem to greet every significant moment of Piper and Leo's life (watch The Day The Magic Died), as if the whole universe conspired to make them a couple against all odds. Their love feels so inevitable that the tragic last-minute twist really comes as a shocker. The Elders definitely become the enemy, which puts the sisters in an awkward position since they technically embody Good.
Another significant point is the ongoing subplot with the mysterious Cole. I love how subtly he is being eased into the main story, leaving ample room for conjecture and providing a lot of great little scenes in the meantime: having Leo's goodness literally rub off on him like a stain is hilarious, and the living shadow is quite intriguing. There is also a fitting parallel with the sorcerer. Both men are well-integrated, successful individuals who work the system from within, which is a refreshing take on evil. However, I regret that the sorcerer, while pledging his love to Brooke, acts so business-like about it. Even though this is consistent with his character, it makes it a bit difficult to understand why he ends up being literally consumed by jealousy, and it also suggest that demons cannot feel love --a tenet Cole is about to shake to the ground.