Charmed (season 8)

Charmed Season 8
DVD cover art
No. of episodes	22
Release
Original network	The WB
Original release	September 25, 2005 (2005-09-25) – May 21, 2006 (2006-05-21)

The eighth and final season of Charmed, an American supernatural drama television series, began airing on September 25, 2005 on The WB. Airing on Sundays at 8:00 pm, the season consisted of 22 episodes and concluded its airing on May 21, 2006, only four months before The WB shut down to merge with UPN to form The CW. Paramount Home Entertainment released the complete final season in a six-disc box set on September 11, 2007.

Synopsis

The last season of the series Charmed opens with the sisters living under false identities following the events of the seventh-season finale. They look forward to starting their new lives free of demons, but Paige is having trouble ignoring the call of her charges and goes to help a young witch, Billie. After deciding to vanquish the demon after her, Billie discovers the sisters' true identities and promises to keep their secret if they will train her in witchcraft, to which they agree. The first few episodes show how unhappy each sister is becoming, leading to their decision to go back to their Charmed lives, and they enlist the help of Agent Murphy to do so.

As the season continues Billie learns to control and expand her powers with the help of the sisters. Billie soon discovers that her older sister, Christy, was kidnapped by a demon when they were children and focuses on finding her again. Eventually, Billie finds Christy by using her power of Projection and begins to teach her how to control her powers and live in the real world.

Piper is visited by the Angel of Death who informs her that Leo is on his list and will be taken. Piper refuses to accept this after all they've done, so she summons the Angel of Destiny who explains to the sisters that Leo's death would cause the sisters enough pain and motivation to take on their forthcoming battle with the "Ultimate Power" (Billie and Christy) in a final showdown. To prevent this, Piper insists on a compromise and makes a deal with the Angel of Destiny to freeze Leo until the battle is fought and won - (reasoning that fighting to save Leo instead would be a much stronger motivator.)

While Piper obsesses over returning Leo, Paige begins to date a parole officer named Henry. As Paige's and Henry's relationship intensifies, they confess their love for each other and become engaged before marrying at what originally was meant to be their engagement party. Phoebe gains independence and buys a condo; the Elders send a cupid named Coop to help her find love again, and they end up falling in love with each other.

As all of this occurs, a brainwashed Christy works with the demons who took over Magic School while the Charmed Ones were living under their false identities to help fulfill the wishes of the Triad, the group responsible for the abduction of Christy who are vanquished in the final battle. Christy convinces Billie that the Halliwell sisters are evil, that they use their powers for selfish purposes, and that they are the only ones who can destroy them. After the two sisters vanquish a supposed unvanquishable demon Piper realizes that Billie and Christy are the "Ultimate Power."

In the final battle, each set of sisters absorbs the Hollow causing an explosion that leaves only Billie and Piper alive. They go back in time to save their sisters. After the Charmed Ones are restored, Billie finally realizes that her sister Christy is the one that's corrupted and refuses to help her kill the sisters. This causes Christy to send a fireball at Billie that Billie sends back, killing Christy.

At the end of the final episode of the series, the Halliwell sisters write their stories in the Book of Shadows. Phoebe marries Coop and they are seen going to the hospital with Phoebe in labor with their third daughter while Billie watches the other two. Paige embraces her Whitelighter side and has a son named Henry Jr. and twin daughters. Piper and Leo are reunited and are seen with their sons Wyatt and Chris and their young daughter. Leo continues to teach at the reclaimed Magic School and Piper finally has the restaurant of her dreams. The final scene is an older Piper reading their stories to one of her many grandchildren and then she exits with Leo, passing by photos of all of their loved ones as they walk up the stairs.

Cast and characters

Main cast

• Holly Marie Combs as Piper Halliwell
• Alyssa Milano as Phoebe Halliwell
• Rose McGowan as Paige Matthews
• Kaley Cuoco as Billie Jenkins
• Brian Krause as Leo Wyatt (Episodes 1-10,21-22)

Recurring cast

2

Episode list

See also: List of Charmed episodes

No. in series	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	Production code	U.S. viewers (millions)
157	1	"Still Charmed & Kicking"	James L. Conway	Brad Kern	September 25, 2005 (2005-09-25)	62015-08-157	4.2
The final season premieres after being presumed dead by the outside world, the sisters cast a spell so that their appearance is altered to the outside world, but not to those closest to them. Though Phoebe and Piper begin to adapt to a magic-free life, Paige cannot escape her Whitelighter half, which continues to tell her that there is a new charge in the world that needs her. There are also those who do not believe the Halliwells to be dead, and seek to prove it. Paige has trouble locating her charge, and when she finally catches up with the young witch, she finds that Billie has embarked on a solo vigilante career to do good and combat demons, but soon finds she has gotten in over her head. Paige takes up a career as a police recruit, hoping fighting evil that way will fulfil her needs, but has to leave training to rescue Billie.
158	2	"Malice in Wonderland"	Mel Damski	Brad Kern	October 2, 2005 (2005-10-02)	62015-08-158	3.8
Hoping to lure the Charmed ones out of hiding, Haas, a young demon suspecting they've survived and wanting to take over the rule of the Underworld by taking their powers, uses the Alice's Adventures in Wonderland fairy tale to prey on victims. Paige's new charge in her whitelighter career, a young attractive blonde college co-ed with enviable martial arts skills, Billie Jenkins embarks on a career as a white witch vigilante fighting demons in leather and mask, and soon stumbles onto the wonderland victims, and eventually ends up in over her head after spurring help and contact from Paige. Consequently, Paige takes training as a police recruit, hoping to satisfy her continuing need to fight evil while Phoebe and Piper masquerade as cousins of themselves and humorously end up in positions with the paper and at the P3 club doing pretty much what they had done before faking their deaths. Paige gets the hots for one of her instructors and is happy to have to leave training to rescue Billie and begin not just one, but two new relationships, both of a much more satisfactory nature, though still wonders what to do for work.
159	3	"Run Piper, Run"	Derek Johansen	Cameron Litvack	October 9, 2005 (2005-10-09)	62015-08-159	4.1
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 model wanted for murder. In fact, the model was innocent, framed by her obsessive and evil ex-boyfriend who is a crooked assistant District Attorney on the take reacting to being abandoned and set her up least she give evidence against her. The Charmed Ones, with Bille's help, must come up with a plan to save her once they switch her into Pipers' jail cell and discover the truth. Consequently, they intervene first to prevent her murder and then taking inspiration from none other than the Demon of Fear, Barbas—conceive a plot to have the District Attorney implicate himself on tape in the murder, freeing his ex-lover from the threat of retribution.
160	4	"Desperate Housewitches"	Jon Paré	Jeannine Renshaw	October 16, 2005 (2005-10-16)	62015-08-160	4.2
Wyatt's school play Cinderella brings out the competitive nature in Piper when her hand-sewn costume and parenting abilities are criticized by another mother. Things go from bad to worse when it is revealed that this Stepford-wife-like "Oh-so-perfect" mother is in fact possessed by a demoness focused on kidnapping Piper's son Wyatt and using him in a plot with other demons to resurrect the Source of All Evil at Magic School; which the demons have forcibly taken possession of after the (believed and faked) deaths of the three Charmed Ones. Meanwhile, Paige sees Dex with another woman, who turns out to be his ex-girlfriend who is a compulsive liar, and despite Phoebe's objections, interferes by masquerading as the woman looking and expecting evidence Dex is two-timing Phoebe. Dex apologizes to Phoebe after Paige commits her interfering faux pas and her masquerade crashes, saying he probably shouldn't have stayed in touch with and should have made a more complete break with his old girl earning points for earnestness and honesty. Meanwhile, Billie and Leo sniff out the plot at magic school and research a spell to return Billie to our world for power-of-three reinforcements while Leo stays nearby with Wyatt who has accompanied the possessed mother there. With Wyatts powerful help, the demoness has conjured the source who appears to be fully resurrected and ready to take command again in the Underworld. Billie's timely return with Paige, Phoebe and Piper enables the three to intervene in the demon's festivities. Piper vanquishes both threats by dealing with the demoness—who has linked the two by her conjuration of the source which consequently was not as powerful and troublesome as the original incarnation of source because the magical link to the demoness gave it a new vulnerability.
161	5	"Rewitched"	John Kretchmer	Rob Wright	October 23, 2005 (2005-10-23)	62015-08-161	4.2
Unaware that she is being watched, Billie jeopardizes the Charmed Ones' new lives when 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, spots her using her powers to save an innocent. Meanwhile, Phoebe's planned overnight trip with Dex starts with an unexpected assist from Billie and comes to a surprising conclusion when Billie casts a spell from the book of shadows intending to help and to make her happy, with unexpected consequences. Both Paige and Phoebe, having repeatedly questioned the manner the three are living conclude that the situation is untenable as they are constantly living a lie with those they would trust, and innocents are suffering as well. As that happens, Agent Murphy having already approached Billie, confronts Piper and makes plain that he feels the world needs their continued ministrations. Billie sets a trap for the Demons and vanquishes the imp-master while the power of the three vanquish its master from ambush. At the end of the episode, the three agree that the masquerade should be canceled and uncast the magic which had disguised them. Approaching Agent Murphy, the three cut a deal to have him cover for them explaining away the inconvenience of their faked deaths as being due to national security concerns which allows them to resume life as themselves.
162	6	"Kill Billie Vol. 1"	Michael Grossman	Elizabeth Hunter	October 30, 2005 (2005-10-30)	62015-08-162	4.3
While the Charmed ones are dealing with Paparazzi and Halloween, Armed and ready to vanquish, Billie inexplicably freezes and is flooded with childhood flashbacks when she sees her latest demon target, the Dogan. Billie casts a spell to erase her fears and goes after the demon, and realizes that her sister was kidnapped by demons when she was only a child.
163	7	"The Lost Picture Show"	Jonathan West	Doug E. Jones & Andy Reaser	November 6, 2005 (2005-11-06)	62015-08-163	3.8
Wanting to return to her old career as a social worker, Paige's plans get put on hold, when her Whitelighter father, Sam, returns asking for her help with his charge. Meanwhile, Piper and Leo go to see a magical marriage counselor who thinks the best therapy is for them to walk a mile in each others' shoes – literally.
164	8	"Battle of the Hexes"	LeVar Burton	Jeannine Renshaw	November 13, 2005 (2005-11-13)	62015-08-164	4.3
Agent Murphy gives the sisters their first Homeland Security case – searching through cold case files, where Phoebe and Billie discover a belt that gives Billie superpowers. Meanwhile, Piper and Leo are on the hunt for a band to play at P3; and Paige meets a handsome man, who happens to be her new charge's parole officer.
165	9	"Hulkus Pocus"	Joel F. Feigenbaum	Liz Sagal	November 20, 2005 (2005-11-20)	62015-08-165	4.2
Phoebe has decided to take a hiatus from men. Piper seems to think Agent Murphy and the government is hiding something from the sisters. She and Paige discover that an experiment with a captured demon created a deadly virus that is infecting the magical community, including Billie.
166	10	"Vaya Con Leos"	Janice Cooke Leonard	Cameron Litvack	November 27, 2005 (2005-11-27)	62015-08-166	4.3
The Angel of Death returns to visit the Charmed Ones but they're shocked to learn that he's there for Leo. To try to stop him from taking Leo, Piper casts a spell that backfires, making every man a Leo lookalike, forcing Piper to take drastic measures and ask the Elders and the Avatars for help. Meanwhile, Billie continues her search for the truth behind her sister's disappearance. In the end Leo is frozen to save himself.
167	11	"Mr. & Mrs. Witch"	James L. Conway	Rob Wright	January 8, 2006 (2006-01-08)	62015-08-167	3.3
When her parents come for a visit, Billie accidentally transforms them into assassins and also manages to contact a demon who is posing as a human. Meanwhile, Piper attempts to continue her life without Leo; Paige tries to make a connection with Henry; Phoebe tries to find a way to have her own life.
168	12	"Payback's a Witch"	Mel Damski	Brad Kern	January 15, 2006 (2006-01-15)	62015-08-168	3.4
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 Wyatt's third birthday party, Wyatt uses his projection power to turn three of his toys into real people. Unfortunately the situation at the bank degenerates when Henry is accidentally shot and a possessor demon, wanting to expose the Charmed Ones, possesses the parole and tries to force Paige to orb Henry to a hospital and expose herself. Unexpectedly she develops the Whitelighter healing power and heals Henry's wound before switching places with Billie using her glamouring power. Paige is taken hostage by the demon who takes her to Magic School, but Paige orbs them to the manor attic where Piper and Phoebe dispossesses the parolee and Billie vanquishes the demon.
169	13	"Repo Manor"	Derek Johansen	Doug E. Jones	January 22, 2006 (2006-01-22)	62015-08-168	3.6
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. Demons attempt to steal the Power of Three by taking the form and place of each sister, one by one, as each sister is shrunk and placed into a dollhouse replica of the manor.
170	14	"12 Angry Zen"	Jon Paré	Cameron Litvack	February 12, 2006 (2006-02-12)	62015-08-170	3.2
During Chinese New Year, a demon attempts to steal a mystical wooden staff, that's protected by the Zodiacs and they enlist the aid of Piper. Meanwhile, Phoebe enjoys her new place by throwing a housewarming party that gets out of control; a monk teaches Billie how to use her power of projection to find her sister; Paige tries to get through to Henry about her magical abilities.
171	15	"The Last Temptation of Christy"	John Kretchmer	Liz Sagal & Rick Muirragui	February 19, 2006 (2006-02-19)	62015-08-171	3.8
Paige learns the difficulties of dating a mortal when Henry becomes too involved in the magical world and is torn when another suitor arrives hoping to convince her to marry him so they can become the ultimate magical couple. Meanwhile, Billie finally finds her missing sister, Christy; Piper faces a romantic decision when she runs into an old flame and Piper must explain that Leo is coming back despite it looking like he abandoned his family.
172	16	"Engaged and Confused"	Stuart Gillard	Jeannine Renshaw	February 26, 2006 (2006-02-26)	62015-08-172	4.0
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. Meanwhile, a demon kidnaps Christy in order to lure the Charmed Ones into attacking the Triad, thus preventing them from taking over the Underworld. In a battle with the Triad at Magic School, Paige and Piper vanquish one by orbing him in front of a fireball and Piper blows up the second. The third runs, but unlike how they expected, Leo is not returned, showing that the Triad is not the big threat that they have to face to get him back.
173	17	"Generation Hex"	Michael Grossman	Rob Wright	April 16, 2006 (2006-04-16)	62015-08-173	2.9
Two former students of Leo's from Magic School turn up at the manor to inform the Charmed Ones that demons that Leo had imprisoned in the Magic School dungeons have escaped and are seeking revenge. Christy tries to get Billie away from the sisters, and Billie wants Christy to reunite with her parents. Paige goes on her honeymoon, and Coop continues to follow Phoebe. One of the demons is eventually vanquished by Piper and the students sending him to the Astral Plane in a perpetual vanquish, but beforehand, the two demons kill Billie and Christy's parents under orders from Candor, the last remaining member of the Triad. In retaliation, Christy vanquishes him, but he claims that doing so completes her conversion to evil.
174	18	"The Torn Identity"	LeVar Burton	Andy Reaser	April 23, 2006 (2006-04-23)	62015-08-174	3.3
Coop comes to the conclusion that he has fallen for Phoebe but she'd rather spend her life with a mortal. Meanwhile, Piper is on the hunt for killer demons; Paige finds it hard balancing life as a Charmed One with that of a married woman.
175	19	"The Jung and the Restless"	Derek Johansen	Cameron Litvack	April 30, 2006 (2006-04-30)	62015-08-175	3.1
Christy continues to try to corrupt Billie. Meanwhile, Paige gains a new charge in trouble with a Darklighter. The two conspire to throw the sisters into a dream world so Billie can determine their true desires. Billie is forced to make an important decision.
176	20	"Gone with the Witches"	Jonathan West	Jeannine Renshaw	May 7, 2006 (2006-05-07)	62015-08-176	3.3
Christy has now managed to convince Billie that the Charmed ones are too self obsessed to help the 'greater good' so when Paige, Phoebe and Piper attempt to involve the rest of the magical community, Christie and Billie turn all the leprechauns and other creatures against the girls. Christie and Billie then directly attack the Charmed ones who attempt to escape to magic school but find that it has been blocked from them and so are sent to the underworld…
177	21	"Kill Billie Vol. 2"	Jon Paré	Brad Kern	May 14, 2006 (2006-05-14)	62015-08-177	3.7
In part one of the two-part series finale, 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. The Jenkins and the Halliwells absorb the Hollow and attack each other in the Manor, not knowing the deadly consequences of their actions — Phoebe, Paige, and Christy are killed and the Manor is destroyed in a massive explosion caused by the biggest fight in Halliwell history.
178	22	"Forever Charmed"	James L. Conway	Brad Kern	May 21, 2006 (2006-05-21)	62015-08-178	4.5
In the series finale, Reeling from the death of her sisters, Piper along with Leo, using the help of Coop's ring, must travel back in time to change the events that lead to the deaths of Phoebe and Paige, encountering Grams and Pattie, who come back from different times to help recreate the Power Of Three.Grown up Chris and Wyatt are also transported to help save Wyatt's power, which was stolen by a demon. While in the past, Piper and Leo meet their old selfs, indicating that the future looks bright for them. Meanwhile, Billie also tries to go back in time, and finally realizes the truth in what her sister has become. Billie comes back seeking the help of the sisters to change her sister but when Christy launches a fire ball at the sisters, Billie deflects it and accidentally kills Christy. At the end, the sisters write down a reflection of what has happened in the years and it shows the future where the next generation. In conclusion, Piper and Leo are seen to have had a daughter and their granddaughter whose name is Prudence (after her deceased sister) closes the door with telekinesis just like Prue Halliwell. Phoebe marries Coop and they have three daughters, in which Billie looks after the first two when Phoebe goes into labour for a third time. Paige and Henry have twin girls and then Henry Jr. Leo becomes the headmaster of Magic School, and Paige continues to juggle being a Whitelighter and a family woman.

Reception

In 2016, Gavin Hetherington of SpoilerTV ran a series of Charmed articles in the run-up to the 10th anniversary of the series finale. The eighth was a complete season review of season eight, posted on the day of the 10th anniversary of the series finale. Gavin comments that the season suffers from its budget cut, saying "I blame budget more than anything else for the reason season 8 felt less magical than most of the previous seasons". He highlighted 'Forever Charmed' as the best episode the season, while also saying he respected the writers since they "still managed to deliver 22 episodes of hit-and-misses, but for me, a lot of it was good".

External links

• Charmed at IMDb
• List of Charmed season 8 episodes at TV.com
• Charmed at epguides.com