Little Box of Horrors (2005) User Reviews (4)

Into every generation, a girl is born... she is the Chosen One. ^^

[owlaurence · 8/10 · 24 July 2008]

Oh, sorry, did I blunder into the wrong series ?? I really hope the huge parallels were voluntary. If they were, they're just hilarious. And what to say about the last guardian of Pandora's Box being called Hope ?? That plot works well, Hope and her best friends are refreshingly young, and the details fit perfectly. Really, how could no one wince at "Nina"'s mode of transportation ?? And how cool is it that the shape-shifter demon is trapped by a shape-shifter ? (By the way, just a note to Katya : I wouldn't try to be noticed by Zankou if I were her, as his main allies have had an unfortunate tendency to burst into flames).

Overall, this episode doesn't really add anything huge to the mix, it's just another world-saving day at the manor. Everything fits fine, the rhythm is good, and there are a few nice little asides, such as Wyatt's funny orbing spree. I just love a series that manages to make a 2-year old toddler a real character. The scene in the elevator is also very good, with Paige managing to "save" everybody at the same time... even though none of them were her mission. Beautiful conclusion here, and I find Odin's conspicuous absence rather amusing after what he did to Leo two episodes ago.

Stick the subtitles on if you have tinnitus - you'll be missing a lot

[ciara89-267-235420 · 6/10 · 29 July 2023]

Okay episode, Leo finds a new purpose in the magic school which means Paige gets freed up to get out and about...only to be given some Whitelighterly duties right out of the box. Unfortunately it seems like the only way to convey how much discomfort Paige is in when getting those calls from the Elders is to subject viewers' ears to the same awful skull-drilling noise she's hearing. Repeatedly.

If you've auditory processing issues such as tinnitus or hyperacusis, this is not the best episode for you. I wish they'd stopped after one or two repetitions of the sound at most, my ears are still ringing.

Speaking of boxes, it's time for the Charmed Ones' take on Pandora's Box, combined with the Chosen One trope - a little too on the nose of a Buffy reference mixed in there ("to every generation a Chosen One/guardian is born"). They couldn't resist calling this generation's chosen one Hope, in case anyone out there missed their oh-so-subtle writing.

Overall it would have been a fairly alright episode, if it wasn't for the frequent audio jump scares that kept coming back with a vengeance.

Hmm... A bit of Buffy going on here!

[popsy964 · 10/10 · 26 October 2021]

Talking about guardians "...every generation a girl is born". Then switch to the high school where a Buffy lookalike is telling her friend "call me"! Ring any bells? I don't mind at all by this similarity because I absolutely love Buffy so it brings back great memories of the Scooby Gang into Charmed which is,for me,on par with Buffy. Well done! Thumbs up from me!!!

delightfully familiar

[asfrtas · 18 April 2006]

From the opening scene, there's a very familiar feel to this story.

I've often been dismissive of Charmed in the past because I had the feeling the writers were making the story up as they went along from week to week. But this week the scriptwriters have decided to make a pastiche of B*ffy the V*ampire Sl*yer and it works very well.

The blonde schoolgirl reluctantly discovering that she's inherited a calling as a guardian of a supernatural relic... All that's lacking is the Watcher's Council.

A lot of fun even for those whose enthusiasm for the show has waned a bit in the last few years.