Charmed (2018) Season 3 Episode 8 Review: O, The Tangled Web
Sarah Little
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Does anyone else want to give Macy a big ole hug right about now?
Macy came face-to-face with a "Karen" at the Shea Group on Charmed (2018) Season 3 Episode 8. And as Macy told us, this wasn't the first time she's encountered racism in the workplace.
Unfortunately, the situation depicted on "O, The Tangled Web" is a reality for Black women worldwide. And Charmed (2018) depicted it in a thoughtful matter that will undoubtedly resonate with the audience.
It's important to note how Macy's story unraveled over the course of the hour.
Flashforwards and flashbacks are nothing new to television, but Charmed (2018) used a mixture of the two to convey Macy's pain.
Harry: Macy, where are you going?
Macy: To figure out this demon problem.
Mel: Where are you going?
Maggie: To figure out the Macy problem.
The first scene set the tone for the remainder of the episode as we saw Macy go up the elevator in good spirits, and then we saw her coming back down.
But this time, her makeup streamed down her face, and a security guard escorted her out.
It was jarring and succeeded in making us uncomfortable.
Addressing racism is meant to put us out of our comfort zone because it forces us to recognize the biased world around us and our own role in it.
And that is what the writers of Charmed (2018) set out to do by telling Macy's story.
By taking the content of the episode's promo into account, it was clear to us that a bigoted person was racist towards Macy. And for the remainder of the hour, we were waiting to see how it played out.
Macy was on edge after she left the Shea Group headquarters, for a good reason. As time went on, we saw Macy meeting Laurie. And the moment she popped on the screen, it was clear which way this was going.
Assigning Macy to the Malaria campaign, touching her hair, putting her in a revealing dress, and constantly dismissing her valid concerns were all microaggressions from Laurie. And Macy handled it all with grace, even though she shouldn't have to.
We finally got the whole story when Macy was ready to talk about it with her sisters and Harry.
All of Laurie's little comments got to be too much for Macy, so she addressed her concerns to the Shea Group's head of corporate communications.
Laurie was having none of it, though, and called security because she didn't feel safe around Macy.
Macy: The whole ordeal made me want to scream. But then I heard Marisol's voice.
Maggie: Mom?
Macy: Yeah. The time she came to New York. She told me, women like us don't get second chances when we lash out. It's unfair and cruel, but one day, when powerful women like us rise up-
Maggie and Mel: Things will change for the better.
Macy: You got that talk, too?
Maggie: Looks like we do share some childhood memories, Mace.
Macy never once showed any signs of aggression, but Laurie's racism reared its ugly head, and there was no stopping her. It was a humiliating and traumatic experience for Macy, but it's not something new to her as a Black woman in America.
Macy is a brilliant and accomplished woman, and our heart breaks for her. No matter who they are or what they do, no one deserves to be treated this way.
There was no happy ending to this story. No repercussions for Laurie or retribution for Macy. That's because the writers wanted to accurately depict what it is like for people of color in the world.
There's a reason why the tagline for this episode is "A long way to go."
They chose Macy to be the face of the Malaria campaign because Laurie and many other people in charge decided she fit the image of their ideal Black person. You can't just solve that kind of inherent racism overnight.
Harry: I still haven't heard from Macy. She was so anxious about meeting the board members today. She hasn't responded to my texts.
Mel: She's probably too busy making power moves in the room where it happens.
Harry: In the room where what happens?
Mel: You really need to get out more.
Harry: Oh, no doubt.
"O, The Tangled Web" didn't set out to fix the injustice people of color face every day. Its purpose was to portray racism in the workplace in a realistic fashion and spark a conversation.
It is true that the world has a long way to go, but at least we have shows like Charmed (2018) that are not afraid to tell uncomfortable stories like Macy's.
The show tells both Macy's story and Charmed (2018) Season 3's story seamlessly.
Mel and Harry searched for the missing piece of the ancient tablet. In doing so, they accidentally got themselves in the middle of a feud between members of a coven.
And, if I might add, it was nice to see someone other than Macy try to solve the Tomb of Chaos problem and their allergy. I know they all have their own problems, but it was time to see someone else put in some effort.
Harry: ...we still have no idea who created the Tomb of Chaos or why.
Mel: No idea how many other creatures escaped before we closed the rift.
Harry: And no idea how all this is connected to your pernicious allergy.
Mel: So, basically, we have no idea. Period.
It's easy to forget that there are witches in the world outside of the Charmed Ones, so any appearance by a witch is quite welcome.
Unfortunately, these witches were at war with one another over some ancient runes. A plot twist and a reconciliation later, everything was fixed. But we were wondering how this feud tied into the Power of Three's problem.
The coven's runes bared a symbol that Harry recognized. After finding out where the rune was from, Harry and Mel discovered the missing half of the ancient tablet.
We didn't uncover any new information about the season's current conflict, but this is a step in the right direction.
Now that the tablet is whole, the sisters and Harry can, hopefully, find out who is behind the Tomb of Chaos and why they created it.
The story is about to get a whole lot more interesting.
Elsewhere, Jordan and Abby continued to build their strange friendship. One minute Abby is transforming into her demon form and threatening to hurt Jordan, and the next, they are having a meaningful conversation.
The two of them should not mesh well together, but, somehow, they do.
Abby: Jordan? Do you think she's right? That I'm irredeemable?
Jordan: I think that...redemption can't be demanded, coerced, or extorted. It's earned, one day at a time.
Abby: Did you get that from a fortune cookie?
Jordan: Let's just say I had my own inner demons to wrestle with after I got back from Afghanistan.
Abby: And how did you stop them from destroying you?
Jordan: Repent.
It's interesting to see them play off one another and help each other grow as a person, even if it's unintentional.
Abby has come to be vulnerable with Jordan, something she hasn't done with many characters.
They do share some similarities, though, neither of them would admit that. But I look forward to seeing more scenes between this unlikely dynamic.
What did you think, Charmed (2018) Fanatics?
How do you feel about the way Macy's experience was told? Do you hope to see Ariel again, maybe coming to work with Macy? Are you excited to find out more about the Tomb of Chaos?
And do you enjoy Jordan and Abby's relationship as much as I do?
Let me know in the comments, and do not forget that you can watch Charmed (2018) online right here via TV Fanatic!
Charmed (2018) airs Sundays at 9/8c on The CW.
Sarah Little was a staff writer for TV Fanatic.She retired in September 2021.
