All Episodes Talk: Charmed and Wiccan

[yeswedo]

A place to discuss particular episodes, arcs and moments from the show's run. Please remember this isn't a complete catch-all topic -- check out the forum for character topics and other places for show-related talk.

[magicdog]

TNT aired one of Season 2's highlights, "Pardon My Past".

 

I liked this ep for a number of reasons;  A little more info on the sisters' ancestors, the concept of reincarnation, a little time travel and the Roaring 20s make the episode memorable.  Naturally, there are some beefs:

 

• It makes no sense that Prue & Piper would throw a raucous party while Phoebe is stuck upstairs studying for an exam.

 

• While it makes sense for Anton to wait for Phoebe's soul to reincarnate, how could he possibly know to whom it would be reborn to?  Not to mention the Batman Gambit in pretending to be Christina Larson, hoping Phoebe would switch life forces with P. Russell.

 

• The bartender, Christina's father, left his daughter behind in the house when the fight broke out.

 

• No one in the neighborhood seemed to notice a speakeasy was operating in the open.  In fact, the boxes of liquor were laying all over the yard and the action is taking place mostly during the day!  Most speakeasies were about operating in the evening.

 

• No one discussed why magic was practiced openly at the Manor during this time.

 

• No mention as to why despite having been descendents of Melinda Warren, two completely different powers were introduced.  One could attribute it to another witch family marrying into the Warrens, but it was never made clear since powers were not supposed to be random in their line.

 

• That the cousins never had their full names published in the family tree (of course that paper has all sorts of anomalies but that's a big one).

[Cameltoes]

I just caught up on all of season 2 of "Sleep Hollow" and Brad Kern must be livid. While the overall storyline is different on the surface, the show has totally been ripping off Charmed. They've had a wendigo, a succubus, an ancestral book with the key to stopping evil, and a pentagram covering the town. Plus, the overall baddie of the week plus the "big bad" behind everything is straight of the Charmed playbook. Kern was busy trying to make a silly Mermaid show when he should have just ripped off all of the Charmed plots and put them in a completely different setting. "Sleepy Hollow" is kind of like how I imagine a supernatural show centered on Prue and Andy or Phoebe and Cole solving crimes would be.

[magicdog]

Kern was busy trying to make a silly Mermaid show when he should have just ripped off all of the Charmed plots and put them in a completely different setting.

 

 

 

Which is why we'll never understand why he chose to ignore a Wyatt & Chris spinoff.  He had a built in blueprint there.

 

I happened to tune into today's episode on TNT - the one in which Phoebe "the baby made me do it!" Halliwell was just helpless and unlikable.  Something that would continue as the show progressed.

[4evaQuez]

This seems like the best place to put this. I really love Charmed's Season 1 - 4 spells. I must admit there are some spells I know by heart: The truth spell, the spell to vanquish the Warlock with nine lives, the spell to vanquish Shax, the spell to vanquish Kurzon, the Object of Objections spell to name a few. I was wondering, do any of you have any favorite Charmed spells?

[bettername2come]

This seems like the best place to put this. I really love Charmed's Season 1 - 4 spells. I must admit there are some spells I know by heart: The truth spell, the spell to vanquish the Warlock with nine lives, the spell to vanquish Shax, the spell to vanquish Kurzon, the Object of Objections spell to name a few. I was wondering, do any of you have any favorite Charmed spells?

A few favorites:

Blood to blood, I summon thee. Blood to blood, return to me.

 

The time travel spells were always a favorite:

A time for everything,

and to everything its place

Return what has been moved

through time and space.

 

Hear these words

Hear the rhyme

Heed the hope within my mind

Send me back to where I'll find

What I wish in place and time.

 

And the Woogeyman spell:

I am light, I am one too strong to fight,

Return to dark, where shadows dwell,

You cannot have this Halliwell.

So go away and leave my sight

and take with you this endless night.

[Writing Wrongs]

I didn't realize they had released a Charmed Score Soundtrack:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ELIWHPI?refRID=J629RMEGYQEVHV5KWVET&ref_=pd_rhf_yast_s_cp_3

[gryphon]

I just finished streaming all 8 seasons on Netflix.   There were some episodes I really liked...I enjoyed the series.  The ending was good--although I think they could have ended it after season 7 and I would have been fine with that...

[Kohola3]

They should have ended it before the whole Billie and Christy thing mess.  That was downright embarrassing to watch.

[Kohola3]

Just a nitpick that bugged the heck out of me. How come Paige's wdding dress was too long for her?  They couldn't have shortened it so she didn't have to hold it up through the whole ceremony to keep from tripping on it?

[amensisterfriend]

Sleepy Hollow" is kind of like how I imagine a supernatural show centered on Prue and Andy or Phoebe and Cole solving crimes would be.

 

As a huge mystery fan, I used to fantasize about that exact spinoff series, especially Pru/Andy. While IMO Andy wasn't that interesting (or well acted!) as an individual character, I did find him believable as a detective and liked that he could bring out a softer side of Pru. It's actually the exact opposite when it comes to Cole for me: I did find him a really interesting character and think the actor has a ton of natural charisma, but I don't really like the sides of Phoebe his presence brought out. 

 

I just started rewatching S1 and, while I get that it's clunky at points probably not the 'best' season by most measures, I'm back to feeling like it's the one to which I'm most attached. Phoebe and Piper are actually both more lovable to me this season than anytime afterwards. I totally understand why people prefer Piper as more snarky and assertive, but I just adore her as the shyer, sweeter, more peacekeeping introvert of the first season. I also have a weird fondness for her as a chef rather than the owner of a trendy nightclub, which never worked for me. (Another plus of S1 is that I'm the one fan who doesn't like most of the P3 scenes and was glad not to see it!) As for Phoebe, she's a 'type' who usually irks me, so I give a ton of credit to Alyssa Milano and even the writing that first season for making her so genuinely lovable to me, and I think she brings a ton of energy and humor to the show.

 

I know that S1 doesn't have real 'arcs' or feature the series at its most hilarious, creative, etc., but I just adore it. While love interests are always a big part of this series, I feel like S1 is the season where we focus most heavily on the siblings' dynamic and the way each woman deals with magic. The characters are flawed but lovable, and the chemistry among the actresses is perfection for me. I even like the initial clashing between Phoebe and Pru, which felt really realistic and authentically sisterly for me, for lack of a better way of putting it! Oh, and S1 Leo is one of my many TV boyfriends :) 

 

I almost don't want this season to end! S2 has some great episodes---arguably a greater number of the series' standout episodes than S1---but the endless Leo-Piper-Dan triangle, Jenny, the introduction of P3  etc are all low points for me.

 

S3 is terrific at times and a season I've often named as my favorite, but as rambled about above, I have such mixed feelings about Cole. I really enjoy the character for most of S3 and S4, but his presence makes Phoebe vastly less lovable for me. And somehow knowing that Pru dies in the final episode makes the whole season a little more bittersweet for me than it used to me. 

 

S4 may be the highest quality season IMO. Episodes like A Paige from the Past and Brain Drain are among my all-time favorites, and the 'Phoebe becomes queen of the underworld' episodes may be the best written story arc of the series for me. So there's a ton to love about S4, but the understandable grieving over Pru makes for some sad viewing from a show that I usually love because it makes me happy, Piper's post-Pru personality is just less lovable for me, and Paige is IMO so all over the place as a character through this season and the rest of the series that I STILL vacillate on who the heck the writers intended her to be and whether I like her :) 

 

S5 has a lot of the funny fluff that I like from my Charmed, and episodes like Sand Fransisco Dreamin and Sense and Sense Ability are among my most rewatchable episodes. But this is the season where I start to love Leo and everything about the Leo/Piper relationship a lot less, I hate the way the Cole/Phoebe stuff was handled, I couldn't care less about Jason or whoever Paige was dating this season, and this (more than S4, for some reason) is where I started to really miss the effect Pru had on the show. Pru (like the actress is plays her!) can be prickly and difficult to like for me sometimes, but I found her a compelling, well-defined character whose presence was sorely missed. While Pru was on the show, I felt like the siblings' roles, dynamics and relationships with one another were a million times more developed and interesting, while with Paige around they all became more interchangeable. And because Pru was more serious, there's just a certain poignancy and emotional weight she brought to many scenes that was harder to find once she left.

 

...and now I miss earlier seasons again to the point where I have to resume rewatching them immediately :)  

Edited February 21, 2016 by amensisterfriend

[4evaQuez]

 

But this is the season where I start to love Leo and everything about the Leo/Piper relationship a lot less, I hate the way the Cole/Phoebe stuff was handled, I couldn't care less about Jason or whoever Paige was dating this season, and this (more than S4, for some reason) is where I started to really miss the effect Pru had on the show.

 

So I have an odd and maybe extremely unpopular opinion, but I never actually missed Prue from the show. Don't get me wrong. I'm a huge Shannen Doherty fan, and she was the main reason I gave Charmed a chance. I remember being saddened after she left 90210, and I've watched countless Lifetime movies for her, like the one she did with Julian McMahon after she left the show. Prue was also my favorite, and I though Shannen did a phenomenal job potraying her. I even remember exactly where I was when I read that Shannen was leaving the show after watching All Hell Breaks Loose and thinking I would never watch Charmed again.

 

All that being said, although I was skeptical during the 4th season, by the time Long Live the Queen aired, I honestly no longer missed Prue's presence on the show. I actually really like how the show dealt with the consequences of Prue's death, and I actually loved that Prue's death was never cheapened or lost its impact with several hundred ghost appearances - I'm looking at you Grams. Although the show became Sabrina the Teenage Witch meets Sailor Moon in later seasons - and I loved both those shows - I thought the permanence of Prue's death helped to ground the show in just enough reality to keep it viable.

[amensisterfriend]

I actually agree with most of what you wrote, 4eva! S4 is probably the highest quality season to me (if not always the most rewatchable) in large part because of how they deal with Prue's death, allowing us to see its poignant, far reaching effects while simultaneously moving forward with new characters and storylines. (Another bonus is that I liked how endearingly vulnerable S4 Paige was. And that Cole was still a pretty fascinating, compelling character to me. And that Leo and Piper were still a relatively healthy, loving couple who I adored. And that the 'dark queen' arc, while not exactly featuring Phoebe at her most likable, was still probably the best written arc of the series. And...yeah, suffice it to say I'm a big S4 fan and am always sad to see it rank so low on most people's lists of favorite seasons!)

 

The tricky thing for me is that Prue's departure from the show just happened to coincide with other developments that I'm less enthused about---an ever increasing emphasis on various men and poorly written romances over the sisterly bond, less grounded storylines in favor of lurching between over-the-top silliness and equally over-the-top melodrama, Phoebe and Piper being written as less consistent and lovable (IMO, obviously), etc.

 

I sound like I hate later seasons, and I don't! In fact, I've gone through stages where I'm actually more partial to the later seasons and find them more fun, amusing and just entertaining than many earlier episodes. I even like the blatant Hogwarts ripoff that is 'the Magic School.' But I do think the Prue era had a relatability, realism and emotional weight that I missed. Then again, most shows get a little lost by their fifth or so season, so there's no guarantee that the show would have been better if Prue had stayed. 

 

4eva, and anyone else reading this, which characters/episodes would you name as your very favorites?! 

[4evaQuez]

And...yeah, suffice it to say I'm a big S4 fan and am always sad to see it rank so low on most people's lists of favorite seasons!)

 

I thought I was the only one who was saddened whenever people ranked Season 4 so low. I absolutely love Season 4 and would easily rank it my favorite. There is something that is highly rewatchable for me, and even though it was a dark season, it still had elements of humor and hope that made it uplifting as opposed to depressing. (In general, I hate when tv shows decide their going to make their show, "dark," with the emphasis being on pain and torture. For all of Charmed's faults, I'm very happy the show never allowed itself to sink into the endless abyss of of making the characters suffer for the sake of "art.")

 

an ever increasing emphasis on various men and poorly written romances over the sisterly bond, less grounded storylines in favor of lurching between over-the-top silliness and equally over-the-top melodrama, Phoebe and Piper being written as less consistent and lovable (IMO, obviously), etc.

 

 

 

 

I definitely agree that the last half of the series 6-8 is a completely different show from the first half 1-4. Season 5 doesn't really seem to fit with either versions of the show. Regarding the emphasis on men, it's funny that you say that as I can't say I was really of fan of any coupling on Charmed. Prue and Paige worked better as solo characters to me. And with the exception of Andy, I don't feel that the show really invested in romances for Prue or Paige.

Then, with all of Phoebe's couplings, the only one I truly liked was Cole. Mainly because Cole often interacted with the other sisters and had actually influenced and affected storylines. I know exactly how Prue, Piper, Paige and even Leo felt about Cole. However, once I start thinking about Phoebe's other relationships: Jason, Coop, Leslie, Phoebe's romances are extremely isolated. Most of her romance takes place at the office or in her season 8 apartment, and once the love interests leaves, their departure has absolutely no affect on the canvas. It doesn't help that Phoebe became increasingly selfish and isolated as a character in general in later seasons.

 

Lastly, there is Piper and Leo. As a couple, they were just there. I never particularly thought of them one way or the other. 

 

I wish the show had developed Paige and Richard in a much better fashion. I thought they had a lot of chemistry, and it would have been interesting to see a longterm male witch on the show. I also wish we could have gotten Piper and the dead John Cho from Season 1, as he was the only male character who truly seemed to get and complement a Halliwell sister. IMHO, of course.

 

 

I sound like I hate later seasons, and I don't! In fact, I've gone through stages where I'm actually more partial to the later seasons and find them more fun, amusing and just entertaining than many earlier episodes.

 

I agree, again! (I know I sound like a broken record). While I used to truly hate the 7th season, I actually find it one of the most rewatchable now, even though I still think it is much lower in quality than seasons 1-5. I like Paige and Brody, I like the idea of creating the perfect world having some horrific unforeseen,  consequences, Zankou was a delicious villian, Phoebe and the Seer were great to watch and I just find it easy to watch and lose myself in. It has somehow tied with season 2 as one of my favorites, and I'm still not sure how. 

 

 

Phoebe and Piper being written as less consistent and lovable (IMO, obviously), etc.

 

I hope I'm not talking too much, but I'm just excited to be talking about Charmed again. It's funny you mention Phoebe and Piper becoming less likeable. I honestly can never pinpoint when I stopped liking Phoebe even though I rewatched the show several times. It's honestly not even the Cole arc of Season 4, as I found it realistic for the character and Phoebe sympathetic - well up into the, "The baby made me do it," retcon. I don't even hate her at the beginning of the fifth season as I can understand why she'll run away from Cole after her experience vanquishing him and losing her baby - although I felt the show could have written the fallout out much better than they did. With Phoebe it just seems to be some gradual process of liking her less and less as the beginning of the 6th season everything about her annoys me and by the time the 7th season hits, I'm actively rooting for demons to kill her.

 

Piper, however, is very easy for me to pinpoint. It was the 7th season, "Witchness Protection," episode. This is the episode with Charisma Carpenter as the Seer. The entire season Piper just seemed bored and out of it, and something about her portrayal that particular episode just made me realize it I was over her. I actually can pinpoint the exact moment. After Kira is killed by Zankou, Piper picks up Kira's earrings and says, "We can't keep doing this." It was clear that the writers intended for that to be a powerful moment to truly help us to understand how broken Piper was at that point in her life. However, Holly said it with such a lack of passion and with almost a robotic mannerism that it truly made me despise Piper, and I was never able to admire and respect the character the way.

 

 

4eva, and anyone else reading this, which characters/episodes would you name as your very favorites?!

 

I'm scared I may have talked too much and bored all of you to death. I'll definitely come back later and answer with some of my favorite episodes, which would be quite difficult.

Edited February 25, 2016 by 4evaQuez

[amensisterfriend]

I'm scared I may have talked too much and bored all of you to death.

 

Are you kidding me?! Anything that keeps the Charmed love (and/or snark!) alive is an automatic highlight of my day....and, sadly, I'm not joking :) 

 

 

 

There is something that is highly rewatchable for me, and even though it was a dark season, it still had elements of humor and hope that made it uplifting as opposed to depressing. (In general, I hate when tv shows decide their going to make their show, "dark," with the emphasis being on pain and torture. For all of Charmed's faults, I'm very happy the show never allowed itself to sink into the endless abyss of of making the characters suffer for the sake of "art.")

 

Yes! One of my favorite aspects of Charmed is that it's so unashamedly cheery, cheesy and just plain FUN. Even at its darkest, it never allows itself to become relentlessly grim in the name of being 'edgy' and risque and all that. I have enough depression in my real life--I watch (most!) TV shows in large part to enjoy myself and feel genuinely entertained :) And Charmed, even during its 'so bad they're fun to watch in a warped sort of way...' episodes, usually provided that for me. 

 

 

 

I definitely agree that the last half of the series 6-8 is a completely different show from the first half 1-4. Season 5 doesn't really seem to fit with either versions of the show.

 

This is such an awesomely interesting observation :) How do you see S5 as distinct from both S1-S4 and S6-S8? I would love to hear more! 

 

 

 

 

 

Prue and Paige worked better as solo characters to me. And with the exception of Andy, I don't feel that the show really invested in romances for Prue or Paige.

 

So one of my criticisms of Charmed is that there was too big an emphasis on their love lives for my personal taste. And occasionally the romances were genuinely sweet, engaging etc. (Phoebe/Cole in particular is still weirdly compelling to me even though it marks the period of Phoebe becoming less lovable for me, and Leo/Piper did have some scenes I adored...though almost solely in the first four seasons!)

 

More often than not, though, it came off like these awesome, empowered (literally, ha ha) women just couldn't feel content and complete unless they were dating someone---anyone!---in virtually every episode. I felt like that was particularly out of character for Prue (and I swear that I'm not saying that purely because I was saddened that we didn't get to see more of her and Andy!) So many of the guys who popped up in the women's lives were just so pointless and interchangeable, and there are just so many other aspects of the show I would rather have seen more of instead. 

 

 

 

Most of her romance takes place at the office or in her season 8 apartment, and once the love interests leaves, their departure has absolutely no affect on the canvas. It doesn't help that Phoebe became increasingly selfish and isolated as a character in general in later seasons.

 

It's such a great point. Cole, for all the ups and downs and ugh-just-stay-either-good-or-evil-and-stop-shifting-every-few-episodes! he brought, was (as you pointed out!) a part of the other women's lives and a major component of various storylines. Leo, as their whitelighter and at the beck and call of the Elders, was automatically involved in the other characters' lives and the show's plots outside of just being Piper's significant other (though he poor guy wasn't always given much in the way of personality OR compelling plotlines!) Most of the other love interests had no distinctive character traits, roles, interactions with the other sisters, etc. They were so very forgettable to me. 

 

 

 

I like Paige and Brody, I like the idea of creating the perfect world having some horrific unforeseen,  consequences, Zankou was a delicious villian, Phoebe and the Seer were great to watch and I just find it easy to watch and lose myself in. It has somehow tied with season 2 as one of my favorites, and I'm still not sure how.

 

Season 7 did have a ton of interesting ideas, didn't it?! 

 

I totally get why you love S2---Morality Bites and Chick Flick are both among my top favorite episodes of the series, by the way!---but the endless Dan/Phoebe/Leo stuff kind of mars it for me, and I'm really not a fan of the P3 arc or Jack Sheridan, either :) 

 

 

 

I'll definitely come back later and answer with some of my favorite episodes, which would be quite difficult.

 

Yay! And you know I need to hear your ranking of all eight seasons from favorite to least favorite too, right?! :) 

 

As for favorite episodes, I'd written this on another thread, but I don't think anyone reads it---so I'll delete and post here instead: 

 

 

 

A few of mine from the Prue era: Dream Sorcerer, The Truth is Out There...and It Hurts, Wicca Envy, Is There a Woogy in the House?, Which Prue Is It Anyway?, That '70s Episode, Deja Vu All Over Again, Morality Bites, Ms. Hellfire, Chick Flick, Be Careful What You Witch For, Primrose Empath, Sleuthing With the Enemy, Coyote Piper, We All Scream for Ice Cream, Blinded By the Wightlighter, Just Harried, Pre-Witched, Sin Fransisco, Look Who's Barking.

If I had to pick just five S1-S3 episodes... I probably couldn't. But right now I'd go with Morality Bites, Chick Flick, Primrose Empath, Just Harried and Sin Fransisco. I'm not saying these are necessarily the best episodes, but they're probably the ones I'd be most eager to rewatch on constant loop!

 

There's probably no real common among my S1-S3 favorite episodes other than that they tend to have an even larger than usual dose of clever humor and a pretty heavy focus on Prue :)

 

A lot of my post-S3 episodes will probably come from S4...and I'm guessing that almost none will come from S8 :) 

Edited February 26, 2016 by amensisterfriend

[Kohola3]

I'm not sure where this goes so I will post it here in hopes someone can explain.

 

I never watched Charmed when it was on but since I have retired and it's on in the morning I have been starting my day with some episodes.

 

I have a question on the freezing thing that Piper does.  Who is supposed to freeze?  The most confusing episode was when Cole came into the picture and there was a courtroom full of bad guys.  None of the bad guys froze (although Cole pretended to)..  But in other episodes, demons froze.  So which is it (no pun intended)?

 

Also, isn't a wound from a darklighter's arrow supposed to be fatal to a whitelighter?  But in the episode where Chris is conceived, Leo is cured.

 

Continuity issues?

 

I have WAY too much time on my hands....

[4evaQuez]

 

 

I definitely agree that the last half of the series 6-8 is a completely different show from the first half 1-4. Season 5 doesn't really seem to fit with either versions of the show.

 

This is such an awesomely interesting observation :) How do you see S5 as distinct from both S1-S4 and S6-S8? I would love to hear more!

 

Well, seasons 1 - 4 were much more grounded seasons that truly focused on the sisters' relationships with each other. Even season 4 really focused on the emerging relationship between Piper and Paige and the guilt Piper felt for "letting" Phoebe turn evil. Hell, the fourth season even dealt well with Piper's relationship with Prue and Piper learning to become an individual after living in Prue's shadow. The first four seasons also treats magic much more seriously - generally speaking - and we see the sisters actually working to create the perfect potion or using the correct placement of words for a spell. Speaking of, the spells in the first four seasons feel like poetry. There is a rhyme and reason to them that is lyrical and almost - if you pardon my choice of words - magical. The first four seasons felt like they were set in the real world and they naturally flowed into one another because of the overall look, tone, mood and messages of the first four seasons.

 

Seasons 6 - 8 is when the show becomes Sabrina the Teenage Witch meets Sailor Moon. The show is much more fantastical in these seasons and the sisters seem unlimited in their power. I'm always shocked when I watch season 7's "Styx Feet Under." when Paige - without a power of three spell - casts a spell that stops all death. I'm also even more shocked when no one mentions the fact that Paige creates a spell that stops all death. In the first 4 seasons, the idea of such of spell: 1. would probably never happen but 2. the show would also make the actual spell and the power it takes to create and incite such a spell the main focus of the episode. However, by season 7, the spell was just a plot point that was quickly forgotten roughly 20 minutes into the episode. Even non Charmed witches became all powerful. Billy and Christy for one. But also, the male witch who brought Lady Godiva into the present with a simple spell and then almost permanently changed history. Or even season 6 Richard who had a drain unclogging ability on top of several other powers. By the end of the series everyone seemed infinitely powerful, which helped to add to the almost silliness - and I say that with nothing but love - to the show. Lastly, the show definitely went away from the sisterly focus. As I stated earlier, Phoebe became a so - so friend of the sisters who just so happened to live with Piper and Paige until she got her own apartment in season 8. I, however, actually think the show portrayed Paige and Piper as having a strong bond. While it never felt as "sisterly" in the later seasons, they did seem like two people who loved and supported each other.

 

Now, for season 5, I actually don't think season 5 fits either scenario I just mentioned. For me, season 5 is a transition season. There's still a big focus on the sisterly bond that was established in the first 4 seasons. This is the best "sister" season of the Piper, Phoebe and Paige years. They have a wonderful chemistry with each other and they seem quite natural together. In my last paragraph, I mention Paige and Piper seeming like good friends with a strong bond, but this season they actually feel like sisters to me. If I had no prior knowledge of Charmed, I actually don't think I would realize Piper and Paige didn't grow up together. They bicker, tease each other, argue and also give each other much needed advice in their time of need. By the time Piper gives birth to Wyatt, it feels earned and natural that Piper would name Wyatt after Paige - Matthew - and it seems like the ultimate payoff for Paige fans - which I was - as the ultimate acceptance into the Halliwell family. Piper and Paige are also both dealing with being in Prue's shadow in various ways, which comes to the forefront in "Lucky Charmed" with them both trying to be the "Super Witch" because they both feel like inadequate replacements for Prue. At the end of the episode, their bond even becomes much stronger as a result. This episode also demonstrates how season 5 was able to take the fantastical elements of seasons 6-8 with the more grounded elements of seasons 1-4 and present them in a way that is quite unique to season 5. For me, the fantastical elements of season 5, the unicorns, nymphs, Goddesses and mermaids, were wonderfully balanced by the glimpses into the sisters' psyches. Paige's feeling of abandonment that arose from Wyatt's upcoming birth, Phoebe's fear of being evil based off her past decisions with Cole - I still wish the show had delved deeper into this or even Piper's relationship issues with Leo and Leo's jealousy of Piper's bond with her sisters. The season even foreshadows Wyatt's future struggle with evil. Next, magic is still taken seriously this season. Using Paige as an example, Paige spends an entire episode trying to complete a spell Prue was never able to accomplish. (Because she still feels like she has to prove herself). By the end of the episode, Paige finally completes the spell - which is to create a dove, essentially, creating life - and this is supposed to be seen as a crowning achievement for Paige. This is obviously a moment the show wants us to believe is earned and to root and be proud of Paige for accomplishing this. Now contrast this moment with the "Styx Feet Under" spell where stopping death was treated as a bullet point, and it's hard to see these two examples as coming from the same show. Also, while the spells aren't as memorable as the first 4 seasons, they also aren't as mindless and pointless as the spells of the last 3 seasons. Also, we still see the sisters actually working to perfect the spell. One example is "Siren Song" where Phoebe is playfully teasing Leo about why "Harken Ye'" is not a good phrase to use in a summoning spell. (Speaking of SIren Song, I always loved how they made the innocent a future whitelighter, yet her being a future whitelighter had nothing to do with the Siren attacking her. It was such a throwaway line, but it just made the Charmed universe feel so real to me because it make sense that such a coincidence would sometimes naturally happen to the sisters).

 

Lastly, because once again I fear I've made this too long, I can't actually prove this with facts. But the fifth season also felt like the most nostalgic season to me. This season, the sisters seem to be constantly calling back demons, warlocks, boyfriends, past adventures, etc., that the sisters have encountered over the past 5 years. The fifth season somewhat seemed like a love letter to Charmed because of the appreciation to history while simultaneously focusing on the potentially great future (the birth of Wyatt). And all the actors seemed genuinely excited and happy to be there. (Personally, I think this is the last season everyone seemed to enjoy. IMHO, of course). Everyone seems engaged and giving their best effort, and it makes for an extremely enjoyable viewing experience for me.

 

I hope that long ramble made sense. :-)

 

Also I will list some of my favorite episodes, but it will take some time for me to think of them. Until then, my favorite seasons are:

 

4

3

5

7, 2

1

6

8

[amensisterfriend]

Until then, my favorite seasons are:

4
3
5
7, 2
1
6
8

 

So I was going to gently tease you about breaking the rules by declaring a tie between S2 and S7...but then I realized that you did a FAR better job with this surprisingly task than I could! 

 

My rankings change more or less constantly, but as of today...

 

1. S3

2. S7 (I know, I know...I'm just really loving it lately!) 

3. S4

4. S1 (though, like so many of these, S1 and S4 are really tied---I love them both for very different reasons and have a few very different criticisms of both as well!) 

5. S5 

6. S2 (It contains two of my all time top episodes, and I'm really partial to the Prue seasons in general and pre-S5 Phoebe in particular...but this season just doesn't totally work for me, due in part to the endless, tiresome Leo/Piper/Dan triangle, not liking Jack Sheridan much,  and somehow just not enjoying the individual storylines of most episodes as much as I do most other seasons) 

7. S6 

8. S8 (This is the easiest one to rank for me!) 

[pawneerangers]

I want to agree with almost every post in this thread!!! I don't have time to reply now except to rank the seasons but I'll read it again later and try to comment more. 

 

Season 4 

Season 7 I didn't know until I came here that other people love the seventh season too

Season 5

Season 3

Season 6 

Season 2

Season 1 

Season 8 

 

Everyone has different orders so far but I think it's funny that on this and the other thread I read almost every poster has the last season at the bottom!!! 

[amensisterfriend]

Did I seriously rank S4 third?! After rewatching most of it today, I think I need to elevate it to the very top of my list. Or second place at the very lowest :) 

 

I'm used to thinking of S4 as the objectively highest quality season that's too dark to be as purely enjoyable/entertaining as, say, S1 or S3 and maybe even S5-S7. But as I think someone else noted, S4 actually does have a lot more humor and fun than I'd recalled. (Watching Alyssa Milano do an exaggerated version of the 'perfect' '50s housewife and everyone's horrified reactions to it remains one of the funniest things I've seen on this show.) I love watching Paige---who's kind of an eager 'searcher' anyway---trying so earnestly to fit in and prove her value to Piper and Prue as a witch AND a sister while simultaneously hanging on to a certain amount of independence. HMC gets to do her most phenomenal acting of the series while grieving Prue. Leo and Leo/Piper are still enjoyable for me here (that starts to change by S5!) Phoebe is still at least *partly* still the Phoebe I loved at the beginning of the series---while by S6 or maybe even S5 she's all but unrecognizable to me. And the Cole/Phoebe/Queen of the Underworld stuff is, as many have said here and elsewhere, arguably the very best arc of the entire  series. It's emotional and thrilling and funny and darkly fascinating and just wildly engaging no matter how many times I've seen it.   

[Kohola3]

Plus there was the Seer - I found her oddly mesmerizing.

[helenamonster]

Me too...something about her voice. She would have these long-ass exposition-laden monologues to Cole about what he needed to do this week to turn Phoebe to the dark side and I was so into it.

 

And at first when you said the Seer, I thought of the later Seer, Kyra. I never watched Buffy (I know, I know) but I can understand her popularity. She was only in a few episodes of this show but Charisma Carpenter is just awesome. I was crushed--crushed!--when she died before getting the human life she wanted. She deserved better!

[Kohola3]

I wonder if the actress talks like that in real life.

[4evaQuez]

I've seen the actress in other roles, i.e. All My Children. She doesn't speak like that in every role. I think she adopted the speaking pattern to help the Seer seem more devious and manipulative, which totally worked.

[amensisterfriend]

Fun quiz---goofy and ridiculous, but fun :) I'd love to hear 'which witch' people get! 

 

http://www.buzzfeed.com/annmariealcantara/which-witch-from-charmed-are-you#.luLPO4xpm

[Kohola3]

Paige which was a surprise.

[amensisterfriend]

Kohola, why wouldn't you have expected to get Paige? Who would you have expected to get instead?! 

[helenamonster]

I got Phoebe lmao. Idk what I was expecting but not her.

[4evaQuez]

I got Phoebe. I have no idea why.

[amensisterfriend]

You guys, I got Billie. BILLIE! 

 

I have never been so depressed...at least this should make those of you who got Phoebe realize that things could have been worse :) 

[4evaQuez]

Eek! I had no idea she was even an option! Hugs my Phoebe Buzzfeed selection tight!

[Catlyn]

Am I the only one who got Prue?

[amensisterfriend]

Welcome! I absolutely love Prue, and from what I've seen a lot of other people who post here feel the same way :) She's very different from me, but there's so much about her that I admire and find compelling. I thought SD was a perfect fit for that particular role, I thought Prue's relationships with her sisters were much more layered, distinct and well-defined than the relationships Paige had with them, and, coincidentally or otherwise, I just think the show was generally better written while Prue was around. So, no, you're definitely NOT alone in loving her! While I see why some find Prue kind of snippy, judgmental, etc., I adore her for both her strengths and flaws...and for how I just happened to find Piper and Phoebe more lovable while Prue was on the show! 

[Apprentice79]

Welcome! I absolutely love Prue, and from what I've seen a lot of other people who post here feel the same way :) She's very different from me, but there's so much about her that I admire and find compelling. I thought SD was a perfect fit for that particular role, I thought Prue's relationships with her sisters were much more layered, distinct and well-defined than the relationships Paige had with them, and, coincidentally or otherwise, I just think the show was generally better written while Prue was around. So, no, you're definitely NOT alone in loving her! While I see why some find Prue kind of snippy, judgmental, etc., I adore her for both her strengths and flaws...and for how I just happened to find Piper and Phoebe more lovable while Prue was on the show! 

I agree. I think the show was much better with Prue, Piper and Phoebe. Their dynamic was so much better than Piper. Phoebe and Paige...I think season 3 was the beginning of the end..The tone of the show change with the departure of Constance Burge at the beginning of season 3. I do believe that the show would have been different, if she had retained control of her show....

[Kohola3]

Well I'm not sure the departure of Constance is the issue. Shannen Doherty decided to leave the show necessitating the changes.  The series was lost without the Power of Three so the new tone was inevitable.

[Apprentice79]

Well I'm not sure the departure of Constance is the issue. Shannen Doherty decided to leave the show necessitating the changes.  The series was lost without the Power of Three so the new tone was inevitable.

It was a big issue in the beginning of season 3. Constance Burge was against Cole being brought it in as a love interest for Phoebe in season 3. She felt that relationship would diminish the sisters' bond and the character of Phoebe.. Brad Kern went to Aaron Spelling about it and he sided with him against her. She left shortly before the third season was to begin..Once Brad Kern got full control of the show, it trickled down to the actors; mainly Shannon who got along very well with Constance...It is not a coincidence to me that the show changed in tone after Brad took over..For example: we were told from the beginning, that the sisters powers came from them and not the elders...Each sister would develop 3 distinct powers organically, in their fight against evil...One active, one defense and one passive that would work in tandem just like their ancestor Melinda Warren...

Edited April 5, 2016 by Apprentice79

[amensisterfriend]

It's weird, because even as someone who really enjoys Cole for the most part, I can also definitely see how his arrival marks a permanent shift in the show and agree that's it's bittersweet. (Though I actually think S3 and even S4 are better than S2 overall!) The increased focus on the sisters' love lives did get incredibly tiresome for me, though you could argue that that started in S2 with the seemingly endless and painfully boring Dan-Piper-Leo stuff. At least Cole registered as a character, you know?! Nearly all of the other many, many, MANY love interests to pop up throughout the series are more or less interchangeable nonentities for me :) And Phoebe was even less likable for me post-Cole as someone who seemed pathetically obsessed with always dating someone---ANYONE!---while also full of herself over her career as a wildly successful, 'famous' advice columnist. I'm in the minority who seriously LOVED Phoebe for the first two seasons and even for parts of S3-S4 despite the Cole stuff, but she became borderline insufferable. 

 

And I want to love post-S1 Piper so much more than I do, but sometimes it just feels like she's always, always complaining and criticizing and whining about their lives as witches, various issues relating to Leo, etc. There are times when we see that she's still as genuinely sweet and caring as she was in S1 and I get that not everyone can and should be a fun loving extrovert who embraces her magical powers (I'm a pretty serious-minded introvert myself!), but the writers went a bit far in making her such a grim, perpetually put upon martyr sometimes IMO. 

 

And the more I rewatch, the more I have to fanwank Paige's personality, because, wow, she really is ALL over the place! She's like this weirdly contradictory combination of Phoebe and Prue and seems to change personalities and viewpoints more often than she changes that gorgeous hair of hers :) To paraphrase what I think others may have said somewhere: is she sociable or a bit more solitary? Super stubborn and opinionated or really eager to keep the peace and make sure everyone gets along? Optimistic or cynical/negative? Edgy rebel or big believer in following the rules? Super excited about being a witch or resentful of not leading a more normal life? In any given episode, the writers go back and forth on all of the above and more so often than it almost gives me whiplash :) Prue is definitely not everyone's cup of tea, but at least she had a pretty consistent and well-defined personality, you know?!  

 

Anyway, I'm rambling, but despite its issues, I love and miss this show and find it's still a lot more engaging to rewatch than I'd have expected! 

 

Which episodes do you guys find the funniest of the series?! 

[Apprentice79]

I loved chick flick in season 2, and I loved how Prue used her new power to save the day..I know alot of people hated that Prue was so powerful, but, she was the first born witch in her line, so she was always going to be the most powerful in the power of 3. It was no way a slight to Piper and Phoebe...I think Phoebe got screwed in the power department..She should have had the power to heal in the collective of the charmed ones, just like Melinda Warren said in the witch is back..I hated the sisters' dependence on Leo...

 

If I was writing the show, Prue's powers should have been the following: Telekinesis, Bilocation and not Astral projection as the show claimed..At her most powerful, she could even be in 3 different places at the same time; and her third power should have been the ability to create things with her mind..If she is in need of something, it can come into existence based on her wanting it to be so...

 

Piper's powers should have been Freezing time and in time she should be able to slow down time, reverse time, fast-forward time and project herself and others in time.

Her second power should have been Pyrokinesis and her third power should have been invisibility..She could make herself and others invisible.. Only her sisters can see her when she is invisible...

 

Phoebe's powers should have been premonitions. The show missed an opportunity in not developing  this awesome power. She could see time and in time it would have given her great mental powers at her most powerful...

Her second power would be the ability to cause great mental and physical pain to her adversaries both demons and humans...She could also heal people and herself with this power...

 Her third power would be the ability to copy powers..When a demon uses a power against her, she can get that ability for a limited amount of time..It can be for a few hours, days,  and at her most powerful, she could have a certain power for months...

[magicdog]

I loved the power discussion we had in the old forums!  Half the fun was doing a better job than the writers ever bothered to do post season 3.

 

Morality Bites gave us a great sample of what the sisters could have been capable of - and that being only a decade after having their powers!  It killed me that by seasons 5-8 the powers were never really developed properly and so many more powerful beings turned up (not to mention students at Magic School) it made the Charmed Ones afterthoughts!  All three [original] sisters should have been growing in strength and wisdom but they seemed to get dumber and sloppy as time went on.

 

I think Phoebe got screwed in the power department..She should have had the power to heal in the collective of the charmed ones, just like Melinda Warren said in the witch is back..I hated the sisters' dependence on Leo...

 

 

 

Big fat ditto to this!!  Then the writing geniuses had Phoebe's powers stripped!  Perhaps they thought they could start from scratch but they failed miserably.   Towards the end of Season 1 ("Power of Two") Phoebe was starting to feel the energy in her visions (like the heat of the flames in a burning building) so it seems she was meant to develop empathy in some form.  She really didn't get another potential upgrade until Season 5 (The Eyes Have It) but that was only due to the gypsy amulet she was wearing.  Then flash forward to her vision of the demon free future with daughter, "Ladybug" - in which Present Phoebe was talking to her Future vision self.  That could have been a nice trick to see more often.  

 

Shall we work on a new round of powers and development?  Let's go as we did before with Connie Burge's plan to have three powers per sister and rooted in their emotions:  

 

Prue triggered her powers initially via anger/agitation and developed mind based powers.  

 

 

Prue:  Offensive power - Telekinesis - she would have developed it as we saw in Morality Bites.  Of course this means she has to maintain greater control over it to  avoid knocking down buildings or nearby innocents.

 

            

          Defensive Power - There had been a rumor that Prue would get her past self's ice power but it seems a little random.  Conjuration (creating something out  of thin air at will) could work since it's a mental ability and Prue could temporarily create a defensive object in a fight (sword, etc.) if her  mind can properly envision the object (she could create a gun too but if Prue didn't know the exact working parts to a .38, then she'd  have a prop gun that won't fire).

           

            Passive power - Bilocation - The power to be in two places at once (not to be confused with cloning - which on the show was demonstrated to be several  copies at once).  My guess was Prue would have been able to remain conscious after creating her duplicate (as we saw in "Primerose  Empath").  She could have had one double doing a specific task (spy on a demon) while the original is working on a potion or fighting.

 

 

Piper triggered her powers via fear/nervousness/shyness.  She developed power over time itself.

 

Piper:  Offensive power - In the show, she got the power to blow stuff up but I never considered it a proper power advancement for her.  I'm sure Connie didn't  either. 

         

           Defensive power - Freeze/stop time - Her powers initially manifested this way, and it allowed to to escape dangerous situations (or freeze Leo for her personal jollies).  We saw it develop to the point in which she could freeze a city block ("Morality Bites"), freeze and unfreeze an opponent entirely or in part at will.  She should have been able to reverse and move forward in time to limited amounts (say, five   minutes maximum) in order to correct a mistake or prepared a better defense (think how the demon Rodriguez from "Deja Vu All Over             Again" used it in his battles).  Perhaps she could have sped up time for herself enough to move quickly (everyone else appears to                   stand still) to get something or research an entry in the BOS. 

 

          Passive power - Invisibility - This would have suited Season 1-3 Piper, although perhaps not necessarily her character in later seasons.  Of course if we go with the assumption that the original Power of Three remained intact and developed as initially intended, I'd agree with it.

 

Phoebe triggered her powers via her empathic, youthful nature.  Her development became more emotion based.

 

Phoebe: Offensive power - Empathy - She would also develop mind links (as we saw her do with the succubus and Bo the Indian).  Then develop the electrokinetic power she used on Cal Green in "Morality Bites".  That would be the energy of the pain someone had inflicted on them.  Phoebe would use that vision to kill or cripple an individual with the very pain they caused to someone else.

             

              Defensive power - Power duplication - how her empathy was used in later seasons of the show - to copy a power used against an opponent temporarily.

               

              Passive Power - Premonitions & Healing - her premonitions would have developed to the point in which she could get them on command and not necessarily  touch an object.  She could walk into a building or room and feel the psychic energy.  Intertwined with her empathy ability, she'd be able to feel emotions and the world within her individual visions (feel the terror of a victim, or heat from a fire).  Since we have her using the empathy to destroy a demon with the pain it caused, perhaps she can also use her power to heal a victim spiritually by channeling the good someone has done for others.    

Edited April 6, 2016 by magicdog

[Apprentice79]

 Magicdog, I chose Pyrokinesis as Piper's offensive power because I hated the explosion power, it fit more with something that Prue can do with her advanced telekinesis that we saw in Morality bites..The same goes with Phoebe's levitation..Levitation to Prue is like running and jogging to us...There was no need to showcase it as a separate power....Plus, it was eventually removed from the show anyway....So, it was obsolete to begin with..

 

I would have had season 3 be the time that Phoebe and Piper get their second powers setting up awesome advancements to the sisters' original powers in season 4 that you mentioned above... I would set it up that Phoebe's mind link abilities to connect with demons would have dire consequences for her.. It would push her dark side to emerge..Her descent into evil should be a slow one in season 4, culminating in her ascent as the Queen of the underworld at the beginning of season 5. The source would be a continuous thorn on the sisters's side..

 

.As the sisters powers and wisdom grow, it becomes very dangerous for those they love....Prue would still consult at Bucklands, while running a photography studio. Piper would be a chef with her own restaurant..Phoebe would at first be a guidance counselor helping at risk youth, but in time she would be a psychologist..It would keep her in constant contact with innocents..She would also help Darryl with cases, especially cold cases...Phoebe's power of premonition should have been driving stories for the charmed ones...That power had so much potential to be the best power out of Melinda Warren's powers..

Edited April 6, 2016 by Apprentice79

[magicdog]

I chose Pyrokinesis as Piper's offensive power because I hated the explosion power,

 

 

I understand that, I wasn't crazy about it or the explanation for it (molecular manipulation - speeding them up to cause an explosion).  Being able to control time itself - even if in limited amounts or methods would make for a far more powerful witch.  However Pyrokinesis wouldn't make sense, especially since we're going based on her earlier personality traits.  Perhaps Cryokinesis could have been better since it was a literal freeze and could be used offensively as well as defensively.  

[Apprentice79]

I understand that, I wasn't crazy about it or the explanation for it (molecular manipulation - speeding them up to cause an explosion).  Being able to control time itself - even if in limited amounts or methods would make for a far more powerful witch.  However Pyrokinesis wouldn't make sense, especially since we're going based on her earlier personality traits.  Perhaps Cryokinesis could have been better since it was a literal freeze and could be used offensively as well as defensively.  

Cryokinesis is too close to her freezing power. She would need an offensive power to fight...A fire power would be good, because Piper may be timid and shy ,but, she did have a temper. Her temper would manifest itself through fire, hence her Pyrokinesis...Plus, that power would make her a badass....

Edited April 10, 2016 by Apprentice79

[blueray]

I agree that Phoebe kind of got the short end of the stick with her powers. She was never able to really control her premonitions, and she never got an active power. And I never got her levitation power (which disappeared at some point). I know that she lost her powers, to be honest I forgot why.

[magicdog]

On 5/1/2016 at 11:40 AM, blueray said:

I know that she lost her powers, to be honest I forgot why.

She was being punished by TPTB for misusing them and they were "suspended" for a time.   She eventually got her premonition power back, but I don't remember her getting anything else back.

[Writing Wrongs]

It's been 10 years since the show ended. I still miss it.

[Lady Calypso]

I definitely started rewatching Charmed a few days ago, for the anniversary of the series ending 10 years ago. As I rewatch several episodes, I realize that I have an interesting list of favourite seasons.

Season 6: This is the season I personally have enjoyed the most out of all of them, as well as the season I have rewatched the most. I think that this season had its issues, but it was just so entertaining. I liked Phoebe/Jason a lot, and I like Paige/Richard. I wasn't a huge fan of the Leo/Piper breakup, but it's not like they didn't foreshadow that it was a possibility. Also, Chris became a favourite of mine. There's a lot more I'd love to say about this season, but I'll just leave it at this for now.

Season 4: I went back and forth whether I liked season four or three better, but I ultimately edge season 4 ahead by a tiny bit, if only for the Evil Phoebe arc, which I was surprised at loving more upon rewatch. I loved the introduction to Paige. I feel like having P3H2O in season 2 created a gateway to bring in Paige more naturally than if they didn't have that setup, and it ended up working very well after Shannen's departure from the show. I really liked Paige in this season and her discovery of being a witch and having sisters. I also liked the Cole/Phoebe arc, which is surprising. I think we saw even more layers with Cole during this season than we did in season 3. There are also many episodes I'd gladly rewatch this season, and although it was the beginning of the end of my enjoyment of Phoebe, I still found the sisterly moments were strong this season, even as they began to lose those moments in later seasons. 

Season 3: This season is ranked only slightly behind season 4. I really liked seeing the growth of the sisters this season; in particular, seeing Prue become a better witch. Out of all the witch arcs in the series, this season with Prue worked the best, because we got to see her work on spells, work on her powers, and become stronger because of it. It helped with the understanding of Prue as a character, and Shannen really pulled off some really tough episodes. Primerose Empath certainly is the first that comes to mind as a strong episode. I also really liked Cole's arc and it really began to highlight how Phoebe was definitely the sister most in tune with emotions; love, in particular. This season also gave Piper/Leo their wedding arc and that was really well done. It also showed up how the Elders have always been dicks. There are also some really strong villains in this season, not only with Belthazor, but with The Triad (until Cole killed them) and then Shax for the finale. 

Season 5: I enjoyed this season, maybe not as much as others, but I found this a transitional season. The two arcs (Piper's pregnancy, Cole's immortality) led to some pretty powerful stuff, but this season definitely had some weak points. Unlike the previous seasons, there strangely weren't a lot of connecting themes. A lot of the episodes felt like filler episodes and there were quite a few that didn't pack any emotional punches like they should have for me. Besides the premiere, the finale, and maybe Centennial Charmed, none of the episodes truly felt connected together. I did like the sisters' relationship, and I enjoyed seeing Phoebe finally move on from Cole, but overall, there was just something missing in this season. If I didn't enjoy five of the episodes so much, I might have ranked this under season 1. 

Season 1: I think that there were some really good episodes in their first season. Not great, but they were still discovering what kind of show they wanted to be, which I understand. I didn't mind the Rex/Hannah arc. I think it gave them a short path to get to for the first half of the season, which allowed them to develop a somewhat of a good arc. I also like the character of Andy; it's a shame Prue never had a steady boyfriend after him. I also loved the introduction of Leo, and the relationship he had with Piper. Finally, the sisters' relationship is really strong and really sold me on the show (even after I already technically was watching it). But of course, it's their first season, so there were several weak points, like villains and some earlier episodes. 

Season 2: As much as I enjoyed a few episodes this season, the introduction of the Piper/Leo/Dan triangle, Jack Sheridan, and not having a strong arc puts this lower on the list. The show certainly didn't find its footing yet this season either, although they had very strong individual episodes, like Awakened, P3H2O, and Be Careful What You Witch For (amongst a couple of others). I just wish it were stronger and they found a better footing. But yeah, Dan really brought this season down for me, and Jack was very annoying with Prue. 

Season 8: I only rank this above season seven because I did not like season seven when I watched it several years ago. I didn't mind some episodes here. I didn't mind the introduction of Billie. She had the potential to be a good character. I always imagined a scenario where the Charmed Ones would not only encounter more witches, but possibly mentor a couple here and there. Billie was good at first for that. It was only when Christy came along and they introduced the Triad again that really hindered the show...well, along with getting rid of Brian Krause and having Billie develop a very powerful power. Too powerful, I think. I will say that I did enjoy the finale because they tried to bring back as many people as they could, and I enjoyed some episodes here and there. Plus, the Henry/Paige arc is what kept me watching each week. I was just glad that Paige got a really good guy.

Season 7: I rank this as my least favourite because there's not much I can say I loved. I can say I kind of liked Brody, but I didn't love him. I kind of liked Drake until they inserted Cole into that storyline, and I enjoyed the beginning arc of Leo until the Avatars came along. I didn't like a lot of the episodes either. I think I can count on one hand the episodes I actually enjoyed. I didn't really like Zankou, I hated the Avatar arc, and a couple of my least favourite episodes (Once In a Blue Moon, Freaky Phoebe) are in this season. Also, there was some retcon with Paige, and the characters really started to get on my nerves this season. Also, part of me was hoping for more with baby Chris, but he fell upon the wayside after the first couple of episodes. Overall, not a good season for me. I think if I rewatch, maybe I'll re-evaluate? 

[amensisterfriend]

Lady Calypso, I agree with a lot of what you wrote, particularly about the awesomeness of S3-S4 and how, despite S2 having a few individually great episodes and (IMO, obviously) featuring Phoebe at her most lovable, the season as a whole was a disappointment, particularly due to the endless Dan-Piper-Leo stuff and the uneven, all over the place feel of it. And I had almost managed to block out the existence of Jack Sheridan, so thanks for reminding me ;) 

I really need to watch S6 again, because I used to LOVE it---I adored snarky Chris, the magic school, the humor and energy, the way the Wyatt/Chris/etc stuff tied the season together and added a trippy element to it, etc. And when you mentioned Richard, it reminded me that at the time I actually enjoyed their dynamic a bit---or at least more than Paige's other relationships, all of which run together for me. I even remember sort of liking Jason at points despite finding the show's non-Cole love interests an interchangeable yawn. And while the angst with Leo made Piper even more negative, whiny and miserable than she had been since Prue's death, I wasn't invested in their relationship by that point so I wasn't affected by their split. But for some reason I didn't like S6 during my last rewatch---I couldn't stand Phoebe or her hair, and the rest just didn't connect with me. I think Charmed is the kind of show that you have to be in a certain mood to fully appreciate, though, so I'll try again and see if I can recapture my S6 love! :)  

Edited May 25, 2016 by amensisterfriend

[Lady Calypso]

1 hour ago, amensisterfriend said:

I really need to watch S6 again, because I used to LOVE it---I adored snarky Chris, the magic school, the humor and energy, the way the Wyatt/Chris/etc stuff tied the season together and added a trippy element to it, etc. And when you mentioned Richard, it reminded me that at the time I actually enjoyed their dynamic a bit---or at least more than Paige's other relationships, all of which run together for me. I even remember sort of liking Jason at points despite finding the show's non-Cole love interests an interchangeable yawn. And while the angst with Leo made Piper even more negative, whiny and miserable than she had been since Prue's death, I wasn't invested in their relationship by that point so I wasn't affected by their split. But for some reason I didn't like S6 during my last rewatch---I couldn't stand Phoebe or her hair, and the rest just didn't connect with me. I think Charmed is the kind of show that you have to be in a certain mood to fully appreciate, though, so I'll try again and see if I can recapture my S6 love! :)  

I absolutely agree with this. I guess it also has to do with season 6 being the first full season I watched live so that may have also contributed to my love for the season. I'm rewatching season 6 right now and I realize that there are many, many inconsistencies...in fact, it might be one of the most inconsistent seasons. It's still at the top of my list, but I do know that there are other better seasons, like 3 and 4. Season 6 had quite a few subplots within episodes that worked well, something that they ended up dropping in other seasons (my FAVOURITE subplot is by far the Chris/Leo time travel subplot in Soul Survivor). I guess it helped for them to have a character like Chris. Actually, it's weird because this rewatch, unlike others, I actually LIKE Phoebe's hair. I mean, don't get me wrong, her hair in season 4 is by far my favourite (her shoulder length dark hair is amazing, especially during her evil arc) followed by season 8 and 5, but I don't hate her hair as much as I did earlier. 

I will say that no matter what Brad Kern has said, I really don't believe that they had any idea that Chris would be Piper and Leo's son right from the season 5 finale. If they did, they REALLY screwed up on that. I also feel like after the big reveal to Phoebe about Chris, they made a mistake in having him try to get his parents to have sex. I'm rewatching I Dream of Phoebe and I am mostly disappointed in the way they handled the aftermath of Chris' secret. Suddenly, it seemed like Chris couldn't keep his own secret, Leo was trying to send him away again for the second or third time (they mostly stayed consistent with Leo/Chris, except Leo did keep going back and forth on being Chris' advocate and getting him sent back to the future), and that episode kind of made me wish for a moment that Phoebe never found out...or Paige, for that matter. The Courtship of Wyatt's Father did a much better job in dealing with this aspect, but that's only because it was about Chris' existence being on the line....which, by the way, Phoebe and Paige were WAY too chill about Chris not getting conceived. The show didn't enforce the point that a time paradox would have been created if Chris was never born. Or maybe it was just Phoebe....

God, I have a lot of feelings about season 6. I love the season, but I also know there are so many problems with the writing in this season. 

[amensisterfriend]

I actually think Gideon was one of the better nefarious characters of the series, the time travel stuff was thought-provoking fun even when it was a little sloppy and inconsistent, I loved Paige's temp jobs and thought that having her temp both fit with her personality as a restless 'searcher' and gave us the opportunity to see a few different contexts/settings that we wouldn't ordinarily have gotten...ugh, maybe I like S6 more than I thought :)

Every time we chat about this show, I get more and more excited and nostalgic to the point where I now kind of feel like I HAVE to use my Amazon gift card to buy the series on DVD. I'm not sure whether to thank you guys or blame you!

[Lady Calypso]

7 minutes ago, amensisterfriend said:

I actually think Gideon was one of the better nefarious characters of the series, the time travel stuff was thought-provoking fun even when it was a little sloppy and inconsistent, I loved Paige's temp jobs and thought that having her temp both fit with her personality as a restless 'searcher' and gave us the opportunity to see a few different contexts/settings that we wouldn't ordinarily have gotten...ugh, maybe I like S6 more than I thought :)

Every time we chat about this show, I get more and more excited and nostalgic to the point where I now kind of feel like I HAVE to use my Amazon gift card to buy the series on DVD. I'm not sure whether to thank you guys or blame you!

I really, really liked Gideon as the evil of this season, for the good reason that he was not 100% evil. He truly believed that what he was doing was for the greater good, but he just happened to be morally grey, as demonstrated with his likeness with his evil self. Plus, he was something other than a demon, so that was nice. We all knew the Elders were evil in their own way! Also, Paige's temp jobs were a lot of fun, especially since they kept coming back to magic. They also provided fun little subplots, so it wasn't just Paige practicing magic and that's it. Again, as sloppy as the writing/continuity was this season, there are still some really strong redeeming points, like Gideon, Chris, evil Wyatt, and Paige's temp jobs. 

I haven't chatted about this show in so long that it feels nice to go back, rewatch and talk about it. I was about nine/ten when I first watched the show...now almost thirteen years later, here I am, still loving the show! I am really happy to see that there are some people here to chat about a show that's been over for a decade!