Long Live the Queen

Season 4, Episode 20, Aired
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Episode Summary

Phoebe accepts her new role in Cole's life, but she still sets out to save an innocent after she has a premonition and even seeks her sisters' help in protecting the man. Meanwhile, Piper's heart doesn't seem to be in it as she prepares to defend her family against any new threats from the underworld.moreless
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Fan Episode Reviews (34)

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  • Long live Queen Phoebe!!!

    10
    "Perfect"
    By gopink, Jun 22, 2011 Report Abuse
    I love to see one of Charmed Ones to turn to evil side!!! However, sometime you have to pick ONE side to be in!! EVIL or GOOD Side!! I could have both, but it will not work that way, that Phoebe wants! She chose evil because she don't want to lose her unborn baby and her husband, Cole who are source.. Piper need to chill out and she acts like mother of this family. She cant control everybody's decision.. I dislike Piper, and her character in this show. I can't imagine Phoebe have to pick ONE SIDE, it is very hard decision. I am so surprised for this episode!! Way to go!moreless

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    0 1

  • Total, waste of my time.

    1.5
    "Abysmal"
    By jjkmedw, Jun 17, 2011 Report Abuse
    Long Live the Queen, Season 4, Episode 20.

    This season of Charmed has been a real good season. But this episode just puts all the good episodes down the drain. I am so so sick of this Cole/Phoebe/Source storyline, it was good at the start but now it's just a snooze-fest. I actually dread watching this episode. Two things I did however like about this episode was that Cole got vanquished and the special FX, were pretty amazing. Overall, I would have to say this is probably the worst episode of Charmed ever produced, and I will NEVER EVER watch this episode again.moreless

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    0 9

  • Fantastic episode. One of my personal favourites as Phoebe makes a tough choice and Piper struggles with emotional demons of her own.

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By Lady_Lancaster, Jun 11, 2011 Report Abuse
    An excellent hour (almost) of television with some fantastic work by all the actors involved. After much consideration, Phoebe decides that she will do as Cole wishes and take her place at his side. This is a very tough choice for her to make but she loves him and wants to be with him, truly unaware of exactly what it is going to be like. Meanwhile, Piper seems to have a bad case of the blues as she feels as though enough is enough and she is just not sure if she can cope with the whole thing anymore. She seems listless and depressed, and even the idea of helping to save an innocent does not seem to do the trick.

    Great episode, watch it soon!moreless

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    1 0

  • Down with the King...

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By iltarion, Jun 11, 2011 Report Abuse
    This is Julian McMahon's tour de force. His performance alone makes this one of the best episodes of Charmed. If Shannen blazed a mark above all others in her final performance, Julian tried to set his star even higher. The scene at The Bay Mirror where he pleads with Phoebe to stick with her decision is perhaps the best acted and finest written scene thus far in the series. Of course, no one is more familiar with the contest of good versus evil within than Cole, and Julian's intensity in this scene conveys the pain of that battle completely.

    Alyssa, of course, is fabulous as the evil Queen, and Phoebe takes no time in acting like a powerful demon by torching other demons at a blazing pace. Unfortunately, this breeds mistrust among her minions since, as a Charmed One, not everyone is convinced she has completely turned from her demon vanquishing days. In fact, even Paige immediately thinks it is a good sign. Regardless, the scene where Phoebe has all the demons on edge, much to Cole's displeasure, is great fun.

    It was a surprising and dark turn when Cole brilliantly fools the sisters into bringing their innocent to him to be vanquished. This act, of course, brings the entire situation to a head, and once the choice is between Cole or her sisters, Phoebe makes the only choice she can. The writers got the maximum drama and emotional pull out of the vanquish by having it all come down to Phoebe making the final move. This is certainly one of Charmed's most emotionally powerful moments and toughest vanquish. The entire thing was masterfully handled.

    As well-reviewed as this episode is, I am not going to place it among the absolute top tier of Charmed episodes, meaning it is a Top 10 episode but probably not a Top 5. In fact, Cole's final vanquish in Centennial Charmed is a more entertaining episode, I believe, in its entirety. The stakes are even higher there, and we say a REAL final farewell. Whereas again, like in Charmed and Dangerous, this is almost more of a faux climax to the story. The Source is gone and Phoebe will never embrace evil like this again, but the whisper of Cole comes back as soon as the very next episode. I also don't like how the Underworld is so quick to rise against the Source. The Source can destroy them all with a wave of his hand. He has to kill an innocent himself to prove himself? Nonsense. It is also a small detraction that Piper and Leo are basically lost in space here. They have so little to do that the writers actually get Piper drunk and Leo frozen to keep them out of the action for a bit. And yes, Phoebe's actions don't make any sense. She can't rule over demons and save innocents at the same time; they are contrary occupations. I also feel that as quick as Charmed is with its storylines, it actually would have helped to take more time with this one. Phoebe is too quick in bouncing from one side to another.

    Still, small complaints with an otherwise near perfect episode, featuring a perhaps perfect performance by Julian McMahon.moreless

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  • Courage, it couldn't come at a worse time.

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By MovieMark, Mar 24, 2011 Report Abuse
    I absolutely love the ending to this episode. It's one of my all time favourite Charmed moments, and possibly one of my favourite television moments. From Cole's vanquish to Phoebe in floods of tears, it's perfect. While Charmed as a series can be described as schizophrenic, often guilty-pleasure viewing, the Phoebe/Cole arc has been, at the very least, consistent, and it's capped off with an electric finish with 'Long Live the Queen'. True, this hour is undermined by the law of diminishing returns, as Cole returns next season, but the hour remains one of the series' best offerings.

    The drama is amped up to 11 and everyone gives a fantastic performance. Alyssa really marvels at the chance to play phoebe with a splice of villainy to her, which is a lot of fun to watch; meanwhile, Holly Marie Combs is simply fantastic as hopeless Piper, and Julian McMahon gives his strongest performance yet. I did enjoy that Paige had to replace Piper as the level-headed sister, but I would have loved her to share a scene with Cole, a round two of what happened in the attic, only this time Paige is completely coherent. Still, her 'you son of a b!tch' moment was very welcomed.

    I really do think the writers should have allowed two episodes for Phoebe to embrace her dark side. The transition is too swift - it becomes jarring rather than gripping. I appreciate the writers' attempts at creating tension between the sisters, and not everything is so black and white, which is a series first, but things aren't allowed to play out, and so we have Phoebe fully evil, then not entirely sure of her standing, and eventually her turn-around all within one episode. It's a huge missed opportunity altogether, especially considering the episode that follows this one... Sigh.

    Regardless of its shortcomings, 'Long Live the Queen' boasts some stellar set-pieces (Piper's attack on Cole looks amazing); some very interesting plot-twists (Cole's kill) and a gut-wrenching end to the episode. This definitely felt like a season finale.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

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    • TRIVIA: The song played at the end of this episode is Courage by Sarah Polley. Edit
    • TRIVIA: This is not the first time Phoebe has turned evil for love. In her past life she turns evil when she fell in love with the warlock Anton. Only in that life Prue and Piper (then her cousins in their past lives) had to kill her in order to break the alliance. Edit
    • TRIVIA: Cole is vanquished by the Charmed Ones in this episode. Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • International Episode Titles: Czech Republic: Ať žije královna (Long Live the Queen) France: L'échec au roi (King in check) Edit
    • This episode scored 4.7 million viewers. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Cole: This is not a game, Phoebe. You walked through a one-way door. You try to turn around now, they will destroy us. Phoebe: Who, my sisters? Cole: The Underworld. If they think we're working both sides, they will revolt. If they do that, if they unite against us, I promise, we will pray for death. Phoebe: I'm sorry, I didn't… Cole: I get it, Phoebe, better than anyone. I know what you're going through. It'll rip you apart if you let it. Phoebe: How do I not let it? Cole: You make a choice. And you stick to it. Edit
    • Phoebe: Can you do anything about this thunder, because it is making me nuts. Seer: I have no sway over the weather. I do have a friend who works with wind, but she's out of town. Edit
    • Paige: You evil son of a bitch. Piper: Phoebe, get out here and help us, damn it! (Paige puts the crystals in an almost circle when Cole reappears) Piper: Paige. (Cole throws Paige against the wall) Piper: Phoebe, you heard what he said, he's gonna kill us, help us! Phoebe (whispers to herself): Forgive me. Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • Title: Long Live the Queen
      This is a parody of the well-known battle cry of many ancient kingdoms, "Long live the King!" Edit

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