Charmed Polls and Surveys

[amensisterfriend]

Hi everyone---I just saw a fan survey on Tumblr (a site which I'm about 25 years too old for but am now addicted to anyway!), and I thought it might be fun to see how people here would reply. Meanwhile, feel free to add additional questions of your own :)

 

1. If you had to pick just two favorite sisters of the four, they would be____

 

2. Your three favorite romantic pairings of the series are ___

 

3. Your three LEAST favorite romantic pairings of the series are _____

 

4. Your three favorite seasons were ____

 

5. Your five favorite episodes are_____ 

[4evaQuez]

I love this survey. Here are my answers.

 

1. Two favorite sisters: Prue and Paige

2.Three favorite romantic pairings: Cole and Phoebe (Season 3 and 4), Piper and Mark Chao (John Cho from Dead Man Dating) and Paige and Henry.

3. Three least favorite romantic pairing: Phoebe and Leslie (Nick Lachey), Prue and Jack Sheridan and Phoebe and Dex Lawson

4. Three favorite seasons 4,3, 5

 

I would have to think hard about my five favorite episodes. off the top of my head: All Hell Break Loose and Long Live the Queen would definitely make the top five, but I need to think about the other three. hmmm...

[amensisterfriend]

This is harder than it should be! 

 

1. Two favorite sisters: Prue and S1-S4 Phoebe
2.Three favorite romantic pairings: Andy/Prue, Cole/Phoebe (like you, only in S3-S4---I was close to wishing they hadn't brought him back at all in S5!), Leo/Piper (though primarily in S1,S3 and S4)
3. Three least favorite romantic pairings: Piper/Dan, Phoebe and Leslie, Prue/Jack (though, honestly, other than the ones I named as favorites, the Halliwells' love interests were all generally interchangeable and forgettable for me! Paige in particular never had a guy I was remotely interested in) 
4. Three favorite seasons: ARGH---this changes constantly! I'll go with S1, S3 and S4...but, just for the record,  it kills me to leave off S5.

 

The five favorite episode one is particularly painful...I'm not even sure I can narrow mine to 20! 

Edited April 13, 2015 by amensisterfriend

[4evaQuez]

Oh my gosh,I forgot all about Piper/Dan. Like I seriously forgot he was a character. I would have to add those two, as well. I agree that the Charmed love interests were pretty forgettable. I did have to chuckle because as I was Googling Dex's name, I was reminded that Phoebe was married three times on this show. Something about that makes me snicker.

 

I agree that I wish they hadn't have brought back Cole for the 5th season. I often pretend that isn't the real Cole, but some shapeshifter with telepathic powers who is stealing Cole's identity for a nefarious plan, but he is thwarted by the Avartars and the Charmed ones. It helps to not ruin Phoebe and Cole for me, and it helps to make his 4th season death in Long Live the Queen all the more powerful and dramatic. (I would really love to know whose idea it was to undo that death. LLTQ was the perfect sendoff for Cole and conclusion to the Phoebe/Cole relationship. The show should have known they would never be able to top it...and they did not, IMHO.)

 

I'm so happy you love Season 5 - even if it didn't quite make your top 3. I know most Charmed fans think the quality of Charmed dropped dramatically in season 5, but I think it's one of the best.

[4evaQuez]

So after some thought - this may have been the last thing I thought about before going to bed - I have chosen my top five episodes. This was extremely difficult, and if you ask me this same question tomorrow, my choices my be entirely different. Here are my top five;

 

1. All Hell Breaks Loose - This is easily my number one. A great mixture of drama, action, humor, Shax, magic exposure, Piper's death, Prue's death, a chilling cliffhanger. I've watched this episode countless times since its original airing, and I'm still in awe at Holly and Shannen's performances. This episode forever changed Charmed. 

 

2. Long Live the Queen - The conclusion to the Cole/Phoebe saga - Season 5 Cole is a shapeshifter! That's my story, and I'm sticking to it! - Phoebe's struggle to choose between Cole and her sisters, Piper's complete breakdown at the loss of both her sisters (Prue an Phoebe), Paige helping a broken Piper and creating a plan to save Phoebe, Phoebe finally choosing her sisters after she had chosen Cole over them so many times before. I can honestly say I was on the edge of my seat when Phoebe had the final crystal in her hand. I honestly think at that point it would have been completely in character for Phoebe to choose Cole again. Actually seeing her help vanquish him was both rewarding and devastating. I also love the final scene of Piper and Paige comforting a pregnant, crying Phoebe at the end of the episode. Perfect acting from all the actresses. 

 

3. Chris Crossed - Discovering that Chris came back to "Save" Wyatt from becoming The Great Evil of the future was another shocking moment for me. I never would have guessed that a Charmed one's child could grow up to be so unapologetically evil. I liked discovering Chris was "part witch/part whitelighter, just like you Paige," loved Bianca and the introduction of Phoenix Witches - I loved her poison power that stripped Chris of his powers - and it was an episode that set up the rest of the season. I found myself sad at Bianca's death, and I wanted Chris to save her just as much as I wanted him to prevent Wyatt's evil future.

 

4. It's a Bad, Bad, Bad, Bad, World parts 1 and 2 -  The Gideon/Barbas partnership is the best thing I never knew I wanted. The mirror worlds, seeing Paige and Phoebe fight their evil clones, Chris' death, discovering the trauma of Gideon's betrayal is what turns Wyatt evil, the "perfect world" with the draconian laws and Leo committing a great act of evil and killing Gideon. This is easily my second favorite season finale and one of the best episodes of Charmed, imo. It was a great conclusion to the storyline. Lastly, Phoebe being shot by the smiling cop on a bright, sun shining day as a little girl jumps rope, ice cream music in the background and people pleasantly enjoying their day as Paige screams for help, is one of the most disturbing scenes of the series. IMO, of course.

 

5. Charmageddon - Charmed explores the consequences of a "perfect world" for the second time. However, I still enjoyed the episode mostly because the Charmed ones were active participants for the perfect world's creation this time. (In It's a Bad World, it happened by accident and unbeknownst to them, at first). I liked that the Charmed had just been tired after years of demon fighting and personal losses.They wanted a demon free and happy world. And while they wanted it for personal gain reasons, in theory, everyone would benefit from a world with no evil. I liked that the show explored that a world with no evil does not necessarily translate to a world with no loss, sadness, conflict, etc. It also showed that a world with no free will was also, in a lot of ways, a world with no freedom. I remember disliking that there was no big battle with the Charmed ones and Zankou vs the Avatars when I first watched the episode, however, now I appreciate the writers' decision. It showed that the Avatars really weren't evil. They were just misguided beings who honestly thought the way they wanted humankind to live was what was best for humankind, but it just simply was not. I also loved the big premonition Phoebe has after touching the Book of Shadows. Lastly, the episode has Zankou. A demon I really loved!

 

These are my top five. I chose the ones I can rewatch endlessly, and episodes I thought were important to Charmed lore, world building and overall history. 

[amensisterfriend]

I so admire that you could narrow your list to five...I can't get mine below 30 :) 

 

One thing I'm struggling with is that some of the episodes I think are the best done, highest quality episodes (among which are All Hell Breaks Loose and Long Live the Queen, which you wisely chose for yours!) are not the ones I necessarily want to rewatch the most often. I LOVE those episodes, but when I just need a mood boost, I tend to go for the more outright funny, unabashedly sweet and fluffy episodes instead. 

[helenamonster]

One thing I'm struggling with is that some of the episodes I think are the best done, highest quality episodes (among which are All Hell Breaks Loose and Long Live the Queen, which you wisely chose for yours!) are not the ones I necessarily want to rewatch the most often. I LOVE those episodes, but when I just need a mood boost, I tend to go for the more outright funny, unabashedly sweet and fluffy episodes instead. 

 

I think that's a common theme with most dramas that also feature a lot of comedic moments...the ostensibly "best" episodes are the ones that are the most emotionally draining, and you have to be in just the right mood to watch them. Usually when I'm picking my favorite episode of any television show, it's the saddest one.

 

I don't think I could do a true Top 5 right now (it's been soooo long, and my tastes might have changed), but when I was younger I would usually hold up "The Fifth Halliwheel" as my favorite. I know, it's such a random choice, but I just always really enjoyed it. The back half of S4 is my favorite chunk of episodes in the whole series (pretty much everything from "Charmed and Dangerous" on) and I think "The Fifth Halliwheel" was kind of the epitome of what all of those episodes were about. It's the one where at the end, Paige voices her suspicions about Cole, and Phoebe and Piper leave her sitting by herself in P3, right? God, that part just guts me every time.

[kiddo82]

I don't think I could do a true Top 5 right now (it's been soooo long, and my tastes might have changed), but when I was younger I would usually hold up "The Fifth Halliwheel" as my favorite. I know, it's such a random choice, but I just always really enjoyed it. The back half of S4 is my favorite chunk of episodes in the whole series (pretty much everything from "Charmed and Dangerous" on) and I think "The Fifth Halliwheel" was kind of the epitome of what all of those episodes were about. It's the one where at the end, Paige voices her suspicions about Cole, and Phoebe and Piper leave her sitting by herself in P3, right? God, that part just guts me every time.

That's also the episode where Paige just starts kicking all kinds of ass which carries over through the end of the season. Not that she wasn't holding her own before that, but that was really the ep where she single handedly starting picking up the pieces. The tail end of season 4 isn't my favorite, but if it was, I could definitely see having an affinity for the Fifth Halliwheel.

My top 5 off the top of my head...and I reserve the right to change my mind at any time...

All Hell Breaks Loose

Chick Flick

Sense and Sense Ability

Sin Francisco

Is There a Woogy in the House

I could rewatch any of those at any given moment.

[t7686]

This fourm is great! I love that I found it.

 

1. If you had to pick just two favorite sisters of the four, they would be: Piper and Paige. I like Prue but after watching Charmed several times over on TNT, I realized that I prefer Paige over Prue. She's so much more fun. Can't stand Phoebe, especially in the later seasons. She's okay in the first few seasons.

 

2. Your three favorite romantic pairings of the series are: Leo/Piper, Henry/Paige, ... don't really have a third one. Maybe Chris/Bianca or Prue/Andy?

 

I'm a huge Leo/Piper fan. Leo's probably one of my favorite characters on this show and I like the archs their sons had. Henry wasn't on very long but I think he's a perfect mate for Paige. He's open, has a similar background and I liked the irony that Paige, who's arguably the most "into" the witch thing, ended up with a mortal. While the show was on the air,I always thought Paige would be the one to end up happiliy single but when Henry showed up it was clear that they were a great match. Still don't quite buy her having three kids though.

 

3. Your three LEAST favorite romantic pairings of the series are : Dan/Piper, Phoebe/Leslie, Phoebe/Dex

 

4. Your three favorite seasons were: 6,3,4

 

5. Your five favorite episodes are: "Dead Man Dating", "The Witch Is Back" ,"Chris-Crossed" "It's a Bad, Bad, Bad, Bad World (Part 2)", "Imaginary Fiends"/ "Forever Charmed"

[pawneerangers]

1. If you had to pick just two favorite sisters of the four, they would be____

Prue and Paige. But I loved Phoebe and Piper at the beginning too!

 

2. Your three favorite romantic pairings of the series are ___

Cole and Phoebe before it got too repetitive. Leo and Piper before it got too depressing. Prue and Andy before he died!

 

3. Your three LEAST favorite romantic pairings of the series are _____

 

Dan and Piper. Phoebe and Jason.  Prue and Jack.

 

I'm filling these out and realizing that I'm indifferent to Paige's romances. She's the only one who didn't make my list of favorites or least favorites.

4. Your three favorite seasons were ____

 

Season 4, Season 7 and Season 3. A lot of the posts here helped me realize how much I love the first season though. I love the fifth one too!

 

5. Your five favorite episodes are_____

 

Sin Francisco
Morality Bites
Deja Vu All Over Again
Long Live the Queen
Something Wicca This Way Goes

 

These are tied with many other favorites though. They're just the ones that occurred to me first. 

 

Since asf said we could add questions, I have one for whoever sees this. Which of the sisters' relationships was your very favorite? I would pick Prue and Phoebe. 

 

Also which seasons and episodes are at the bottom of your lists? 

Edited February 29, 2016 by pawneerangers

[amensisterfriend]

Also which seasons and episodes are at the bottom of your lists?

 

Season 8! To be fair, I can't imagine that many shows would still be great in their eighth seasons even if they survived long enough to get one. I've really tried to give S8 a chance, and I do think there are a few great moments. Henry is arguably the best of Paige's love interests (though I agree that most of her relationships/love interests all kind of run together!), and the finale was pretty satisfying for me. But, while the idea of having to assume different identities was potentially interesting, I didn't want my last season with the Halliwells to be partly with characters who couldn't be the Halliwells. Trying to make the conflict more grand and epic by bringing in the government and Homeland Security office didn't really work for me, I couldn't care less about Phoebe and Coop (even that name annoys me!), and, this might be my own projecting, but  I just feel like you could practically see that the actresses had one foot out the proverbial door and weren't into their roles anymore. And the less said about Billie and Christy, the better :) 

 

Which of the sisters' relationships was your very favorite? I would pick Prue and Phoebe.

 

Same here, for reasons I've rambled about on other threads! I did also love Prue/Piper and Piper/Paige. And, like others here, it kills me that we didn't get to see a Prue/Paige relationship. 

[4evaQuez]

 

Also which seasons and episodes are at the bottom of your lists?

Season 6 and 8. While both had moments I enjoy, overall, my hatred for Chris, Billy and Christy keep me from fully enjoying those seasons. I found Chris a mixture of infuriating, confusing (narratively speaking) and one note (the actor's performance). Making him Piper's son did absolutely nothing to endure him to me.

 

I feel the same for Season 8.

 

As far as episodes go, I can only think of about two episodes I truly, truly despise. Mr. and Mrs. Witch from the 8th season and The Good, The Bad and The Cursed from the 3rd Season. I also really, really, really hate The Magic Hour. That's all I can think of for now, although I know there is more.

 

 

Which of the sisters' relationships was your very favorite? I would pick Prue and Phoebe.

 

Prue/Piper and Piper/Paige. 

[amensisterfriend]

The Good, The Bad and The Cursed from the 3rd Season.

 

Cole and Prue in 'old west' outfits delights me to no end :) Beyond that, yeah, it's not an especially great episode!

 

I also really, really, really hate The Magic Hour.

 

I would love to know why! I agree that it's among the S1-S3 episodes I'd be most apt to skip (a lot of S2 epissodes are actually on that list as well!), and I remember rolling my eyes when the woman is lovingly caressing the owl who's actually her true love (heh). And Piper is kind of a bummer to spend time with in these early S3 episodes, right?! I find her more of a negative drag than most do anyway, so maybe she's a lot more lovable in these episodes to some than she is to me. There is a lot to like about Piper, but this is just one of those parts in the series when I really want her to stop whining about Leo/the Elders/why-can't-she-have-a-normal-life. I think I just love it when all the Charmed ones embrace their witchiness and even have fun with it, though obviously it's not realistic to expect that in every episode!  

 

Here's a fun one: If you could name just 10-12 'desert island' episodes to watch over and over, which would you choose?! 

[Kohola3]

I don't know the episodes as well as the rest of you do.  But I have to make it clear that I hate every single second of the pouty/shiny-lipped Christy and Billy episodes with the heat of a thousand suns. I refuse to watch any of them except the very last one where at least one of them gets blown up.  I don't know which one because they are interchangeable bad.

 

I did like the finale and how it wrapped everything up.

[4evaQuez]

 

I would love to know why!

 

I wish I had an eloquent response for why I hate that episode so much, but I sadly do not. It's one of the few Charmed episodes I haven't rewatched about a thousand times, so I honestly don't remember very much of it. I just remember thinking it was boring, thinking the innocents were forgettable and the episode a waste of time. I also remember really disliking the demon for some reason. I'd have to rewatch the episode sometime this week and give you a better response as to why this episode infuriates me so much.

 

Speaking of boring, I also thought about The Demon Who Came In From The Zzzzzz from Season 3. I swear I love this season, but I think because the season has so many episodes I love that the ones I dislike really stand out. 

[EternallyCharmed]

1. If you had to pick just two favorite sisters of the four, they would be____

 

Prue Halliwell!!!! The Phoebe of seasons 1 and 2. If we would have to take Phoebe like she was later on, I'll pick Paige. 

 

2. Your three favorite romantic pairings of the series are ___

 

I like Prue with Andy. I don't really like the other romances enough to include them! 

3. Your three LEAST favorite romantic pairings of the series are _____

 

Cole and Phoebe.

 

4. Your three favorite seasons were ____

 

Seasons 1, 2 and 5 

 

5. Your five favorite episodes are_____

 

I have a lot more than five and don't think I can pick! I agree with the person who picked Sin Fransisco and Morality Bites as two of the best ones. I would include Sense and Sense Ability too. 

Edited March 1, 2016 by EternallyCharmed

[Kohola3]

Not speaking for anyone else but I didn't like the Magic Hour because it was a blatant rip off of a great 1985 film called Ladyhawke.

[pawneerangers]

Can we do a question about hairstyles? I want to know which ones people like best and worst! 

 

I hate Phoebe's hair the most in Season 3. It was such a terrible idea to her blonde hair and it was permed and crimped or something then too. It's just terrible. I'm always relieved when she wears it up or back that season so that it doesn't distract me lol. I also don't like the short pixie cut in Season 6 or the bangs that are too short in parts of Season 4. I think I love her hair the most in the fifth and seventh seasons. 

 

I like Prue's hair the best in season 3 and the least in Season 1. She has amazing hair and I'm very jealous of it!  

 

Piper has beautiful hair too. I think she looks especially beautiful when she wears it up. I like her bangs too. 

 

Sorry to be so shallow but I thought this question might be fun!

[helenamonster]

Aw man, I looooove Piper's hair. I like that she was kind of the one sister (not counting Prue, who wasn't on as long) that didn't really change it all that much. It made sense for her character. And HMC just has such beautiful thick brown hair. I envy it so.

 

Paige's hair in the last couple seasons was divine too, which I mentioned in the Paige thread a while back lol. When it was that kind of chestnut brown and she had the side bangs? Swoon.

 

I can pinpoint the exact episode when Phoebe's hair looked the best: "Hell Hath No Fury." So lush. And then it wasn't long after that Alyssa Milano kicked her hairstylist's dog, apparently, and got the awful Phoebangs.

[amensisterfriend]

I have so many feelings about this extremely vital issue :) I have never had hair envy quite as deeply as I did (and, let's face it, still do!) of Piper and Prue :) 

 

I like Prue's hair the best in season 3 and the least in Season 1

 

I think I agree, though S1's shorter hair actually grew on me...and it seemed awesomely Prue-ish somehow :) 

 

I hate Phoebe's hair the most in Season 3. It was such a terrible idea to her blonde hair and it was permed and crimped or something then too. It's just terrible. I'm always relieved when she wears it up or back that season so that it doesn't distract me lol. I also don't like the short pixie cut in Season 6 or the bangs that are too short in parts of Season 4. I think I love her hair the most in the fifth and seventh seasons.

 

Phoebe's hair can---at times---be as gorgeous as her sisters' IMO. But when it's bad, it is REALLY bad. And all of the above are examples of when it's really bad. :) 

 

I can pinpoint the exact episode when Phoebe's hair looked the best: "Hell Hath No Fury." So lush. And then it wasn't long after that Alyssa Milano kicked her hairstylist's dog, apparently, and got the awful Phoebangs.

 

Hee! And 'Phoebangs' is brilliant, by the way :) 

 

Paige's hair in the last couple seasons was divine too, which I mentioned in the Paige thread a while back lol. When it was that kind of chestnut brown and she had the side bangs? Swoon.

 

It was stunning! I also loved it when it was cherry red, especially with that bright red lipstick she tends to wear. 

 

Here's one: Which were your favorite and least favorite of the sisters' significant others others?! I'm probably missing some, but here are the ones that sprung to mind:

 

Prue: Andy, Jack, Bane, Justin

 

Piper: Leo, Dan...do we need to include anyone else?! :) 

 

Phoebe: Cole, Jason, Drake, Leslie, Miles, Coop 

 

Paige: Glen, Richard, Kyle, Henry

[helenamonster]

Hee! And 'Phoebangs' is brilliant, by the way :) 

 

Wish I could take credit, but I picked it up from the TWoP Charmed thread. I agree with you on the brilliance, though.

 

I never really cared much about any of the sisters' love lives. Romantic relationships on TV bore me to tears 99% of the time. The only romantic TV relationships I'm ever interested in are the really dysfunctional ones where the couple shouldn't be together because they're toxic for each other as well as other people, and I obviously don't root for those couples, I just like to watch them. It's interesting to me.

 

That being said, I loved Henry as a character and think he was a good fit for Paige. I wish he had been introduced earlier as I felt their relationship was too rushed.

 

For Phoebe, I'll say Cole just because I liked Julian McMahon and thought the character opened up a lot of interesting doors for the sisters, and his existence led to the whole Queen of the Underworld arc in Season 4 which is one of my favorite arcs on TV ever.

 

I mean for Piper I feel like it's pointless to even pick someone because Leo was always going to be her endgame.

 

And none of Prue's love interests were interesting on their own, to me, so I didn't care.

[amensisterfriend]

That being said, I loved Henry as a character and think he was a good fit for Paige. I wish he had been introduced earlier as I felt their relationship was too rushed.

 

How dare you make me want to rewatch S8? ;) 

 

Actually, I do recall really liking Paige that season. I can never remember much about Henry, other than that he was a parole officer and that he grew up in foster homes. I just remember him as kind of even keel and maybe a little bit of a badass, which goes well with Paige, who's adorably animated and also a bit of a badass :)  

[Kohola3]

I liked Henry as well but agree that it was a very rushed relationship. One minute they meet and a couple of episdoes later they are getting married. I would have liked seeing their relationship evolve but they needed the air time for the Loser Sisters, Christy and Billy.

[amensisterfriend]

Here's a fun question: In which ways are you like each of the sisters? Which one are you most similar to?

 

I'm like Prue in that I can be serious and intense and am kind of obsessive once I have a certain idea/project in mind. I can be a little quick to judge and get defensive. I'm pretty sure they said Prue did well in school, and I was a hopeless nerd :) And, like Prue, I'm the oldest child in my family and sometimes feel overprotective and responsible for things that I probably shouldn't. We're different in that Prue is A LOT more confident, driven and just generally kickass than I am! I'm also a lot more openly emotional than she is.   

 

I'm like Piper in that I really don't like change and take awhile to adjust and 'get over' things. I'm totally snippy and snarky sometimes but sensitive, which is how I think of Piper. She's the most conservatively dressed of the sisters, and I dress fairly conservatively too. We're different in that I can't cook, hate cleaning, would NEVER dream of owning a night club (I never even liked going to nightclubs!), and am much more animated while she's kind of even keel and keeps a lot of her emotions inside. 

 

I'm like Phoebe in that I'm emotional, passionate, get REALLY hopeful and excited and subsequently really disappointed, etc. I can be kind of impulsive and, like Phoebe, end up thinking with my heart rather than my head even when I really, really shouldn't! And, like Phoebe, I get obsessed with certain movies/TV shows :) I'm different in that I'm way more introverted and less sociable than she is, have always been much less into dating than she is, am way less daring and more geeky. 

 

Paige is tough to compare myself to because I feel like the character is kind of all over the place depending on the specific episode and storyline, but I always had the sense that Paige is the sister who most values independence and time alone, and that's DEFINITELY me! Like Paige, I had a bunch of different jobs and was always a little restless, eagerly searching for my place but often not fully finding it. I get really stubborn and defiant when other people try to tell me what to do, as does Paige. I'm different from Paige in that I'm not artistic at all and she's much 'cooler' than I am, though I suppose that applies to all of them :)  

 

Honestly, I feel like I share a lot of similarities and differences with all four of them! If pressed to pick, I feel like I MIGHT be most similar to Phoebe (Early Seasons Phoebe, I hope!) but, again, we're incredibly different in certain ways as well. I would love to hear other people's answers!  

Edited April 7, 2016 by amensisterfriend

[4evaQuez]

I would have to say I see myself most like Paige. I know most people see her as inconsistent - and I'm not disagreeing with that assessment - however, I understood her constant struggle. I was also raised an only child, and I understand why it was hard for her to balance being independent with also needing a connection. Similar to Paige, I am inconsistent - and I don't have a team of writers to blame it on. One day, I want to be a part of the crowd and feel like I belong to someone. The next day I want to just be left alone with my thoughts and have no contact with anyone. For me, I didn't find that aspect of Paige's character inconsistent because it's a balance I'm still very much trying to accomplish myself. As a sidenote, I also thought it made it very realistic that Paige would be so close to her nephews. Unlike Piper, Phoebe and to a lesser extent Leo, they would never see Paige as a replacement Prue. Not even for a second. They would love her unconditionally as their aunt for who she is. Also as half witch / half whitelighters (I know Chris is actually half elder but I feel the show treated him as more a half whitelighter) it allowed Paige to have a bond with someone that she'd never experienced before.

 

Speaking of Paige's need to find herself, I also want to credit the writers for keeping this a consistent part of Paige's character even after Paige got married. With television characters, especially women, writers have a tendency to marry them off into a happily ever after and a lot or all of their insecurities just disappear. However there are still episodes where her need for an identity are still referenced, or in the case of Jung and the Restless, the entire episode is about her need for an identity. I love that little tidbit because it illustrated that finding inner peace is an ongoing process with no quick bandaid. 

[amensisterfriend]

That's one of the very best, most insightful analyses of Paige that I've ever come across---thank you!!! And suffice it to say that I relate to a lot of what you said about both you and Paige :)

 

 While my main complaint about the show is the excessive emphasis on the sisters seeming to 'need' love interests at almost all times, nearly all of whom were pointless, interchangeable and lacked any personality, I, too, love how the show didn't present marriage as a permanent solution to women's quests for happiness and identity. Actually, watching what happened to Phoebe/Cole right after they got married probably helped to permanent taint my view of the institution of marriage ;) (Kidding, of course...or at least I hope so!) 

Edited April 8, 2016 by amensisterfriend

[Charmedverse]

1. Paige and Piper but I loved all the sisters. 

2. Phoebe/Jason was awesome. He was the best looking of her boyfriends and the richest. Paige/Henry. They were adorable and Henry was funny. Paige/Brody. 

3. Leo/Piper in the later seasons were too much. Phoebe and Cole were annoying. Paige/Richard was horrible the worst relationship on the show.

4. Season 8,4,2,3

[Lady Calypso]

Ah! I just want to answer all the questions!

1. If you had to pick just two favorite sisters of the four, they would be: Paige and Prue. I can't really describe why, except that Prue was becoming a very powerful witch, just like the Charmed Ones should have been, and Paige's enjoyment of the craft, willingness to learn, and her need to help people really made me like her as a character. 

2. Your three favorite romantic pairings of the series are: Paige/Henry as the number one. They just...worked, and they were the best part of the final season, by far. I love that Henry could support Paige, and he fought for her by random witch dude that appeared out of nowhere. Then Phoebe/Cole of season 3/season 4. Cole really loved Phoebe, and even when he was The Source, he still loved her and almost overpowered The Source. Season 5 had Phoebe hating him for most of the season, so I can't really support them. And finally, because I do love them together, Piper/Leo. What can I say? They did a really good job in setting them up and they were a couple from the very first season. Seeing them evolve, grow (and occasionally regress) and maneuver through obstacles was interesting for me. I was a fan when I was ten years old and I'm still a fan now.

3. Your three LEAST favorite romantic pairings of the series are: Phoebe/Coop. Not only was he kind of abrasive and I preferred the first Cupid, but he just rehashed the exact same storyline that Drake did in the previous season. It's just that Coop was more upfront about it and could actually revisit the past. And it felt tacked on because they knew it was the final season.  Piper/Dan for obvious reasons. And finally, Prue/Jack. My god, that man was annoying. I literally don't know what Prue saw him Pushy Jack. He never left her alone, he was a pig, and I know that opposites attract and all, but after Andy, he was a serious downgrade. 

4. Your three favorite seasons were: 6, 4, and 3, for reasons mentioned in the All Episodes thread.

5. Your five favorite episodes are in no particular order (and I might actually choose five underrated episodes just to spice things up): Chris Crossed, Y Tu Mummy Tambien, Primrose Empath, P3 H20, and Spin City.

As for the typical favourite episodes, like All Hell, Mortality Bites, Long Live the Queen, Sin Francisco, and Sense and Sensibility, those are definitely up there, along with Just Harried. So there are six additional favourites. 

6. Favourite hairstyles: For Prue, I really, really liked her hair in season 3, around the Primrose Empath episode. Piper always had great hair, but she also didn't change it that much. Phoebe had so many different styles, I literally can't keep track of them all. But her hair in season 4 was great for me. Season 5 and season 8 hairstyles were actually pretty nice as well. As for Paige, season 8 had her best hairstyle. She went back to the darker colour like in season 4 and she looked amazing. I also liked the bright red that she had. Her worst for me is definitely the strawberry blonde in season 6'ish that she sported. It just didn't appeal to me. 

7. Best Love Interests: 
a) Paige:  Her best love interest is Henry, by far. Followed by Kyle Brody, surprisingly. For how much I detested season 7 and I wasn't even that fond of Kyle, I liked his relationship with Paige. That's not saying much because I didn't like most of her boyfriends, but Kyle was kind of interesting. I didn't even mind Richard, but I preferred Kyle more. 

b) Phoebe: I still stand by Cole as her best love interest. What can I say? Two and a half seasons and even with their ups and downs, she never could get over him, and I get why. Plus, Cole's love for her almost trumped The Source, which is funny. Her next relationship I liked was with Drake. I thought they had chemistry, and Drake was definitely quirky. And finally, Jason. I don't know why; I just liked Jason.

c) Piper: I liked her and Leo together. Yep, I said it. All her other love interests sucked balls. Except for John Cho's character back in season 1. 

d) Prue: Well, Andy of course. He really loved Prue, and I wish he could have lasted to the second season. And then I liked Bane a lot. 

I'll leave this as it is for now. But more polls and surveys! They're a lot of fun! 

Edited May 30, 2016 by Lady Calypso

[amensisterfriend]

But more polls and surveys! They're a lot of fun!

Yay! I love that other people like this stuff as much as I do. Now if only I knew what else to ask :) 

 

Hmmm...how about some of the scenes/episodes that stand out for you as the funniest? The most touching/tearjerking? Favorite romantic scenes of the series? Favorite sisterly bonding scenes? And, of course, favorite/least favorite outfits?! :) 

[amensisterfriend]

ETA: Was Pre-Witched not initially on my list of all-time favorite episodes? If so, I need to atone for that ASAP! I just rewatched it and love pretty much every amazing second of it. It's a great showcase for the best elements of the show, IMO: the sisterly bonding, the importance of family, the blend of humor, warmth, joy, angst, action, etc., the ways that the past informs the present, the eternal struggle between maintaining one's individual identity and independence and being part of a close knit unit, etc. Are there any other episodes that have gotten even better for you guys over time?! 

[4evaQuez]

My favorite sisterly bonding between Prue, Piper, Phoebe has to be when the three are dancing at P3. I'm not sure what episode it is, but I know it is in season two. Each are dancing with their respective love interests, but then they ignore their dates and start laughing and dancing with each other. It is honestly one of the most memorable scenes in the entire show to me. Also, this isn't a specific moment, but I love how touchy the sister are with each other. They are always holding each other's hands, brushing hair off the other's shoulder or hugging. Just very small things that is not the scene's focus that really sell that they are lifelong sisters, and regardless of any issues they have with each other, they are comfortable and love each other.

 

My favorite sisterly bonding between Piper, Phopebe and Paige is The Fifth Halliwell when the three are in the bathroom getting ready for the day. Again, one of the most memorable scenes for me, and it was the first time I actually bought the three as sisters.

[amensisterfriend]

A fun poll to make this post-Memorial Day return to work more tolerable:

 

1) You're stranded on a desert island with just 10 Charmed episodes to watch over and over forever. Which ones do you pick?! 

2) You have the power to change three things about the series! Erase a character/relationship/storyline you wish hadn't existed, add something you wish HAD existed, etc. Which three changes do you magically make to the series?! 

3) I mentioned this one above, but what scenes stand out to you as the most touching? The funniest? The most romantic?! 

Edited May 31, 2016 by amensisterfriend

[Lady Calypso]

Oh! This will be fun!

1) You're stranded on a desert island with just 10 Charmed episodes to watch over and over forever. Which ones do you pick?! 

This is actually hard, because just ten episodes? I'll just name the ten episodes, in no particular order (at least I don't think): Chris Crossed, All Hell Breaks Loose, Long Live The Queen, Sense and Sensibility, Primrose Empath, Charmed Again Part 1 (if I couldn't choose both episodes), Spin City, Centennial Charmed, Mortality Bites, and Brain Drain. I think I could easily switch a couple out for others, but I think that would be my list. It obviously shows my bias for seasons 3-6, with one season 2 episode in there, but oh well. It's odd, because I almost chose Sin Francisco over Charmed Again, but I honestly don't think I'd want to watch SIn Francisco over and over again. I have more love for Charmed Again. 

2) You have the power to change three things about the series! Erase a character/relationship/storyline you wish hadn't existed, add something you wish HAD existed, etc. Which three changes do you magically make to the series?! 

Ok, so I'm going to avoid the obvious 'erase Dan/Jack' choice that I would make because that's too obvious. The first change I want to make is the goddamn Avatars in season 7. Oddly enough, they were fine in season 5 when helping Cole. I constantly forget that they were a season 5 storyline. But I just disliked them so much in season 7, even when they gave Leo his own storyline for once, that I just want to eliminate them from my memories. I have to wonder if I rewatch and like that storyline, but right now I just don't. Instead, I would have let Leo's arc end with his healing over Chris' death and then had him choose to take care of his sons. If they desperately wanted him to be mortal, they could have allowed him to make the choice as a result of what happened in season 6. 

The second choice I would make would have been to change Billie's backstory completely, which would change most of season 8. No stupid sister who got kidnapped, no illusion power either (honestly, I find that her power is WAY too powerful and if they wanted to give it to someone, they could have given it to one of the Charmed Ones). Just a new witch who the sisters did take under their wing. I would have had Phoebe take her under her wing, which would have eliminated the stupid Dex storyline, and possibly lessened the Coop storyline. The character of Billie was needed, but how they executed her was poor. Actually, having Phoebe take her under her wing and teach her how to be a powerful witch would have been good for both characters. I just disliked that they had to have Billie and Christy as the big bads when they could have found other characters as the villains. 

And a third change? That's difficult but the one thing I wish they did was get Shannen back for at least one episode and have her interact with Paige. Honestly, I would have loved to see that dynamic, even for one episode.That way, if there were that many problems with Alyssa and Shannen (I'll admit they hid it REALLY well on screen because Prue/Phoebe is easily at the top of favourite sibling relationships), they could have had one on one scenes with Shannen and Rose. It could have happened a little later on in the series. Ideally, I would have loved it to happen in season 5, when they magically brought up Paige's insecurities about Prue in Sympathy for the Demon. It would have given her something other than her claustrophobia fear, and a physical representation could have been fun. But if they couldn't have done that, have her appear in the episode in season 7 when they brought back dead people. It's a missed opportunity, and it seems like Shannen would have been willing to come back for one episode to do it. As much of a diva as Shannen seems to be, she's a damn good actress and one week to film (or even just a couple of days for a few scenes) wouldn't have killed her. Plus, it would have been for the fans. Each party should have sucked it up and dealt with it.  

3) I mentioned this one above, but what scenes stand out to you as the most touching? The funniest? The most romantic?! 

This is highly difficult, because there are so many moments and I know I could never possibly name them all. There's a lot of moments I know I'll forget. So I'll try to name a couple different ones that I remember. At least ones that are somewhat underrated.

The most touching and romantic that I remember on top of my head was in season 8 (I know, shocking). Payback's A Witch, the best episode of season 8 in my opinion (Forever Charmed comes close, if not on par). The moment where Henry is shot and Paige is holding him, and she develops her healing power (like...finally? Even though she helped heal Cole in season 4). It was just so touching and so rewarding to finally see her heal. It's sad because even as a half Whitelighter, she should have developed the ability to heal but they chose not to for plot reasons. So seeing her get that, and because of her love for Henry, was so sweet and rewarding. 

Also, another touching moment is in Primrose Empath, between Prue and Father Thomas. Shannen acted the hell out of that episode, probably one of my favourite episodes done by her. Having her so devastated and so emotional and wanting it to all stop, and Father Thomas convinces her to not give up and embrace her new power to stop the demon. And then seeing the next scene of her power growing and her ability to actually pass off the Empath power to the demon again (well, sort of. They never fully explained that part) through her Astral self. 

As for funny moments? There is one, particularly from season 7 with future Wyatt and the whole marble story. It's really funny to me because Chris kept his lips sealed about future stuff (except for apparently after his secret came out and he told Victor about Piper's death in the evil Wyatt timeline....), but Wyatt is too eager to share things about the future.

I also will say that the season 8 Piper/Leo body switching episode was funny. Despite the fact that they rehashed another Piper/Leo marriage therapy storyline (I'm ok with them being in therapy, but they're never consistent with it), it was good to have Brian and Holly try something new, and Brian Krause did have Piper's mannerisms down pretty well.

Another funny moment for me was in season 4's Brain Drain. The whole episode was both entertaining and touching (with the ending and Piper almost giving away their powers), but the particular image of Cole being strapped down, getting electroshock therapy and screaming "You can't hurt me! I am the mighty Belthazor!" will forever be funny to me.

[amensisterfriend]

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, if there were that many problems with Alyssa and Shannen (I'll admit they hid it REALLY well on screen because Prue/Phoebe is easily at the top of favourite sibling relationships

Same here!!! I love the Phoebe/Prue dynamic beyond the telling of it, and it's a huge part of what makes those first few seasons so special to me. Their realistic conflicts based on their history and differing personalities yet really authentic closeness and  bonding makes them arguably my favorite sibling relationship on any show ever. (I love Piper/Prue too, btw!) 

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1) You're stranded on a desert island with just 10 Charmed episodes to watch over and over forever. Which ones do you pick?!

 

Mine changes on pretty much a constant basis, but attempting to answer my own question:

Something Wicca This Way Comes, The Truth is Out There, Morality Bites, Murphy's Luck (I know this is just another episode for most, but it really connects with me!), Pardon My Past, All Halliwell's Eve, Primrose Empath, Pre-Witched, Sin Fransisco and Long Live the Queen...not that I'm currently feeling biased in favor of the earlier seasons or anything ;) There are some higher quality episodes (like Deja Vu All Over Again, All Hell Breaks Loose, etc), but these are the ones I just love rewatching over and over and seem to epitomize everything I love about the show. 

Lady Calypso, I loved reading your answers so much! And you're convincing me to rewatch later seasons again with a more open mind :) I'll be back later to talk about the three things I'd magically change, but I already know that one of them is keeping Prue alive and on the show because my love for her knows no rational bounds.  

Edited May 31, 2016 by amensisterfriend

[Lady Calypso]

2 minutes ago, amensisterfriend said:

(I know this is just another episode for most, but it really connects with me!

That's the best reason to have it on your list. There are so many episodes that will connect with others and not for some. I know there are certainly episodes that seem to be random or filler episodes that most people forget about. It's why my 'guilty pleasure' episode is Bite Me. I've seen that episode several times now and I just enjoy it, mostly for the fact that I love when the sisters turn into creatures and Paige is easily my favourite sister.

Well, I really only love season six out of the later seasons, but I'm starting to relook at the other later seasons and realize they do have small, minor moments that may not make up for the mess of the later seasons, but they certainly make them worth checking out again. I have a more open mind now on episodes and seasons that I may not have loved right away.

I definitely love Prue too and would have loved to keep her alive, but I also know that I'd miss Paige...oh, but if they could have introduced Paige somehow still while Prue was alive, now THAT would have been fun! It's sad to think about what could have been, but I guess we will always be left to wonder!

[Lady Calypso]

So, thinking about the what could have been Next Generation spinoff, I guess I have a couple of questions pertaining to that.

1a) I know that Drew Fuller and Wes Ramsey would most likely stay as Chris and Wyatt. However, if you could recast those two, are there any actors in mind that you'd cast in their place?

1b) On the lines of casting, are there any actors and actresses you would cast for the other Next Gen children? Such as Melinda, Paige's children, Phoebe's children? 

2) What kind of major storylines would you include in the theoretical spinoff? 

3) If you could bring back any previous cast member in a major recurring role, who would it be? Excluding the sisters and their husbands, of course. 

[amensisterfriend]

Lady C., I'm not ignoring your questions but haven't come up with any decent answers to them! While I mull those over, here's another one for you guys: If you could keep just 4-5 episodes from each season, which would they be? And if you could magically eliminate 1-2 episodes from each season, which would you ditch?! 

I could very happily keep at least 95% of the episodes from S3 and S4 and can't think of even three I want to keep from S8, so this will be a challenge :) 

[betterthisway]

Just found this wonderful place so forgive me for answering later than everyone else. 

 

1. If you had to pick just two favorite sisters of the four, they would be____

Piper is my favorite and Paige is right behind. Then would come Phoebe and then Prue, but I love all four of them!

 

2. Your three favorite romantic pairings of the series are ___

Piper/Leo...I don't think I care enough about any of the other ones to mention them, but I did think Cole was an interesting character 

 

3. Your three LEAST favorite romantic pairings of the series are _____

Piper/Dan, Paige/Kyle, Phoebe/Coop. I felt like there was something pushy and annoying about Coop and his romance with Phoebe. He seemed arrogant and obnoxious yet boring. Maybe it's the actor. Or maybe it's my annoyance with his name! 

4. Your three favorite seasons were ____

5, 4 and 3. I think that's in order, but it changes 

5. Your five favorite episodes are ______

My five favorite episodes are close to 25 favorite episodes! I'll think about this one more and see if I can limit myself to just five. 

 

If we're allowed to add new questions, how about your three most unpopular or unusual opinions about the show? Mine are that I didn't love the first two seasons as much as everyone else does, I'm eternally devoted to Piper/Leo no matter how many annoying problems came their way, and that the fifth season is my favorite. I know many fans didn't warm up to Paige, so loving her as much as I do probably counts as unpopular and unusual too. This is a really fun thread and I'm glad I found it! 

[Lady Calypso]

On 6/24/2016 at 10:12 AM, amensisterfriend said:

Lady C., I'm not ignoring your questions but haven't come up with any decent answers to them! While I mull those over, here's another one for you guys: If you could keep just 4-5 episodes from each season, which would they be? And if you could magically eliminate 1-2 episodes from each season, which would you ditch?! 

I could very happily keep at least 95% of the episodes from S3 and S4 and can't think of even three I want to keep from S8, so this will be a challenge :) 

Ok, I'll answer this first, and then think about my top 20 episodes!

So keep in mind, how I personally am determining this is not all based on favourite/best episodes, but the episodes that made the most impact in the season, whether through the plot or significant character development. They may not be anyone's favourite episodes, but in order to stay objective, these may even be my least favourite episodes. I'll also add a couple of episodes that I would want to keep, even if they weren't important.

Season 1: This is kind of an easy season to choose the 5 episodes that I'd want to keep. 
a) Something Wicca This Way Comes- This one started the entire series. Obviously this one has to stay, as it sets up the sisters, how they got their powers, and their first warlock (sadly, one of the few, before they went to demons). 
b) The Fourth Sister- This one introduced the first good witch to the sisters' lives. Having them be so new in their powers, this is the first time they get to watch another practicing witch, even if she is younger and being controlled by a priestess. Not that I necessarily liked Aviva at all, but we didn't get as many other witches in the series as we could have.
c) The Witch is Back- This one is where we actually meet Melinda Warren and learn about the lineage. Plus, it's the episode that sets up the next episode, where Rex and Hannah try to take down the Charmed Ones. I was going to include Wicca Envy too, but there's only so much limited space and I felt like learning about the Warren line and seeing the girls have a limitation with their powers and Matthew Tate, it was a good episode for the sisters. 
d) From Fear to Eternity- So, this one had more character progression, and it was the introduction of one of the better villains of the series, despite his several appearances making him less and less scary. This one got to deal with mostly Prue and Phoebe's fears, but it really explored that in depth. 
e) Love Hurts-  Ok, so I would have included the finale; however, the finale's only important moments were Andy dying and Phoebe dealing with the deja view aspect. It didn't really affect much else, so I chose Love Hurts due to it affecting Piper and Leo's relationship going forward. Plus, the sisters had to swap powers and we got to see them get in tune with different emotions as triggers. There's a lot in this episode that changed as the series went on (the orbing this season, the healing was a little off as Piper didn't have her hand over the damn wound) but I really loved the Piper/Leo relationship. 

Special Mentions: Is There a Woogy, That 70s Episode, The Power of Two
Elimination Episodes: Feats of Clay (despite the fact that we got to see a little of Phoebe's life pre-series, it was just a dull episode); The Wedding from Hell (I liked the episode a little bit, but it was definitely not good or important). 

Season 2: This season found its footing better, but it definitely had its problems.
a) Mortality Bites: Obviously, aside from being a very strong episode, it dealt with the idea of mortality and how powers can be truly used for personal gain. It also showed what could have been with the sisters' powers, but seeing Phoebe, in particular, struggling with good versus evil? It is one of her best episodes. It really showed the bondage of sisters, but how good should always triumph over evil. I think this particular moment also shaped who Phoebe would be...at least for the new few seasons. 
b) P3H20: So, this episode is also a strong one, but a poignant one. We are introduced to Sam, and we know the details of Patty's death. Prue also had to deal with her fear of water again, and the awful foreshadowing (little did they know) of Prue following in her mother's footsteps in dying young. I think it was important to have a water demon, to show that not all demons are corporeal and it can be as simple as nature bound. 
c) Awakened: I actually think this is also a great episode, but also one that is important. The sisters had to deal with an actual human illness almost taking Piper's life, and Prue and Phoebe using personal gain to try to save her. It was a very emotional episode, and one that also led to Leo breaking the rules outright and losing his wings temporarily. Plus, this is one of the last mentions of a whitelighter's healing power being up to the Elders, I think. 
d) Pardon My Past: This dealt with Phoebe's fear of being evil, which is actually a continued plot for her for most of the series. Having to figure out how to save Phoebe before she actually died, and having Phoebe go to the past and learn a lot about herself was a good lesson for her. 
e) Be Careful What You Witch For: This one isn't one that's totally important, but it was a good finale to an ok season. Piper finally gets rid of Dan, we get young Prue, and we get Phoebe having a temporary new power. 

Special Mentions: Heartbreak City, Murphy's Luck, Chick Flick, Apocalypse Not (mostly because it was the very first episode I saw...on rerun)
Elimination Episodes:The Painted World, Animal Pragmatism

Season 3: So, this is the season that'll be one of the more difficult ones to narrow down, but I'll try to really keep it to most important episodes instead of just my favourites.
a) The Honeymoon's Over: So, this one introduces Cole, and we find out by the end of the episode his purpose for being around. We get Piper/Leo and their conflict with the Elders (which becomes heavily prominent this season), we get Phoebe's new power, and we get Leo proposing to Piper. 
b) Sleuthing with the Enemy: This is where Cole's discovered as Belthazor and Phoebe has to choose between him and her sisters. I liked her a lot this episode, because she couldn't let Cole die, but she also couldn't disappoint her sisters. It was a choice that had to be made, and it really defined her this season. 
c) Just Harried: I think this episode is important, not just because Piper/Leo finally get married, but because we get to actually see Prue's inhibitions come out to play. She was the actual 'demon' this episode, not on purpose, but it was good to see a threat coming from inside the family. We got to see Patty come, and the whole episode was really focused on family. 
d) Pre-Witched: This is the first instance where the sisters deal with the possibility of separation, as Piper considers moving out. Plus, we get flashbacks of the pre-series, which is always fun and informative. 
e) All Hell Breaks Loose: This is the episode where the sisters finally lose, but we also briefly see what would happen if the Charmed Ones were exposed. It's the first finale that I actually feel like it's super important and closed a chapter to a season. 

Special Mentions: All Halliwell's Eve, Primrose Empath, Death Takes a Halliwell, Exit Strategy
Elimination Episodes: I think all of them are good but if I have to eliminate one or two, they would be Wrestling with Demons, and Demon Who Came In From the Cold

Season 4: Ah, the season where Paige is introduced and the season of figuring out their new path. It was a very strong season and another where I have to choose importance over favourites. 
a) Charmed Again Pts 1&2: I think both of them need to be included under one, as they are both vital to the season as a whole. Paige is introduced and the viewers and the show are figuring out how it's all going to work. 
b) Hell Hath No Fury: This is another strong episode early in the season, dealing with Piper's grief, and Paige learning about personal gain and the Book. It also deals a little with Cole's inner demons. This was all still fresh with Prue's death, so they needed to find a way to have them all start to move on, but Piper especially. This was a good way to slowly start to heal the family after her death, and it helped Piper to allow herself to open up the door to accept Paige. She doesn't quite get there until later on, but this is the first major step.
c) Charmed and Dangerous: Of course, this is where they fight the Source and where Cole becomes the Source. We learn about the Hollow, and we get a lot of plot development and character development.
d) Marry Go Round: This one I wasn't sure if I should include here, but this is where Phoebe/Cole get married, and where Paige really becomes suspicious of Cole. 
e) Long Live the Queen: Of course, this is where we get evil Phoebe, a fear she's had for years, and we get her trying to balance her new role as the Queen of the Underworld and as a Charmed One, all while being pregnant. I think it was an important, emotional change for Phoebe as she lived out her worst fears and having to choose good or evil by the end. Plus, it was hard to watch Cole be vanquished because it was a difficult choice for Phoebe. 

Special Mentions: Brain Drain, A Paige from the Past, The Fifth Haliwell, We're Off to See The Wizard
Elimination Episodes: I really did like them all, but I'd probably choose Size Matters and Womb Raider, but only Womb as a personal choice. It's an important episode too, but one of my lesser favourites. 

Season 5: The season that didn't have a solid path or endgame by the end of the season, and one with a few more misses than hits in terms of episodes.
a) A Witch's Tail Pts 1&2: This becomes important for Phoebe and Piper, in particular. Phoebe has to learn to let go of Cole and she learns that all she wants is freedom. Piper learns to deal with her fears about being pregnant. It might not be my favourite premiere episode(s), but it worked well in doing some set ups for Cole and Piper's pregnancy, the only two major arcs of this season. 
b) Sympathy for the Demon: This deals with fears again! Hi Barbas! We get to see truly good Cole for an episode, which was fun, and we saw Phoebe's new fear of being evil. We get a mention of Prue with Paige's fear of not being like Prue, and again, we get to see Barbas again. 
c) Sam, I Am: This one may not be considered as important as other episodes (I was going to replace this with The Eyes Have It), but I think it helps with Paige and dealing with Sam, her biological father. He is also her first charge, so seeing them bond was something that did need to happen. 
d) Centennial Charmed: The final vanquish of Cole. We get an alternate reality, Cole trying to win Phoebe in this alt reality, and Cole being vanquished for good, unfortunately.
e) The Day the Magic Died: Well, this is the birth of Wyatt, and we got to deal with the sisters not having powers....actually, no magical creature having powers. I was torn between this and Oh My Goddess Pt2, but this one inched out.

Special Mentions: The Eyes Have It, Cat House, Oh My Goddess Pts 1&2
Elimination Episodes: Lucky Charmed and Nymphs, which are not important to the season at all.

Season 6: Ok, so as you guys are aware, season 6 is my favourite so this was an extremely difficult choice. So, again, I had to forget favouritism. It was hard, though. 
a) Valhalley of the Dolls Pts 1&2: Because they set up Piper/Leo to be separated this season, this really establishes that. We see Chris doing shady things, which makes the viewers wonder who he really is, we see Piper struggling with the idea of Leo being gone, and we see Leo get his first major story of being trapped in Valhalla and that will affect him for future episodes. Plus, Phoebe gets her empath power.
b) Chris Crossed: This one really helped the viewer understand Chris better. We see him engaged to a Phoenix, we see the future Wyatt and we get the revelation of him being evil. It's a very strong episode, and we see the sisters and Leo warm up to him (for, like, a minute but still, it counts!). 
c) The Legend of Sleepy Halliwell: Not only is this the introduction to Gideon and Magic School, but we also find out about Chris being Piper and Leo's son. Plus, we get a whole bunch of young witches, which we don't see that often. Phoebe gets to go on a vision quest, which I think she needed (although that set her onto her family making mission for the rest of the series), and it's an episode that does work really well in establishing a world of magic outside of the Charmed Ones, one where an all powerful child like Wyatt can go and learn.
d) Spin City: I liked the episode, alright? But it also established Chris' issues with Leo. Ok, ones that weren't well developed, but they were hinted towards. 
e) It's a Bad Bad Bad World Pts 1&2: Again, cheating a little with combining both episodes, because both are extremely important. Piper has baby Chris, there's the fun plot of an evil world and a good world (where Gideon is morally grey for both), and unfortunately, Chris' death which does give Leo a storyline for next season. 

Special Mentions: My Three Witches, Prince Charmed, Courtship of Wyatt's Father, Crimes and Witch Demeanours 
Elimination Episodes: I liked almost all the episodes, but if I had to choose, they'd be Power of Three Blondes, and Witchstock. Maybe also Used Karma. 

Season 7: God, I didn't like this season. So this was tricky for me, only because I can't remember a lot of the season, so I'm going off of what little I remember. 
a) A Call to Arms: Not that I remember this episode being any good, but it has Leo suffering from the effects of last season, and it has demons trying to kidnap baby Chris. Alright, not that I like the demons going after the kids, but baby Chris never gets attention from the demons after this episode. He's pretty much forgotten about, which is a shame. Piper's overprotective, Leo's obsessive to the point of hurting a detective, and he also almost kills an elder? I think he kills Uncle Phil in a future episode. Poor Uncle Phil. 
b) Styx Feet Under: This one has the return of Phoebe's premonition power, and Piper learning a lesson in death, much like Prue had to learn in season 3. 
c) Someone to Witch Over Me: So this one is a big one for Leo, where he moves on from Chris' death but then gets manipulated/blackmailed into joining the Avatars on their mission. 
d) Charmageddon: So, this is where they get that Utopian world, right? And then Leo figures out that it's not all cracked up as it should be, gets a message to Phoebe, fades away, and then the sisters have to team up with Zankou to right the world. That's all I remember from it, which is more than I can say for a lot of season 7 episodes. But it does teach all of them a lesson in Utopia.
e) Something Wicca This Way Goes: This leads to an ending I don't personally like, but I guess it was an ok ending to a show that might have ended right then and there.

Special Mentions: Cheaper by the Coven, Charmed Noir, Show Ghouls, Seven Year Witch (because of Cole), Imaginary Fiends (but really only because we got to meet good Wyatt). See, look? I'm half generous here with giving a few special mentions, but mostly because of certain moments here and there. 
Elimination Episodes: SO. MANY. But mostly Once in a Blue Moon, and Freaky Phoebe.

Season 8: So...this list may be a little more biased, but I'll try to keep it objective.
a) Still Charmed and Kicking: I liked this episode, despite everything. It introduced a potentially good character, it showed the Charmed Ones trying to lead normal lives, and there aren't many episodes this season that were decent and were written ok. 
b) Run Piper Run: This one dealt with the fallout of Piper choosing an identity that was already walking around, and one that was almost a prisoner. It was a fun little episode, I guess.
c) Vaya Con Leos: This one, obviously, dealt with them having to lose Brian Krause for budget cuts, but it also led to a lead in Billie's sister's disappearance. Goddamnit. At least Leo and Piper's goodbye was sad, and we got to see Death one last time. 
d) Payback's a Witch: Paige. That's really all that matters. I've expressed my actual love for this episode and why it's an important one. 
e) Forever Charmed: Of course this one was actually a really good series finale, and one that was much more satisfying.

Elimination Episodes: So many. Any episode with Christy, really. I also hated Hulkus Pocus and Battle of the Hexes.

[amensisterfriend]

Excellent choices, Lady C! I can't wait to see your personal 20(ish) favorites and am working on mine :) 

Sympathy for the Demon: This deals with fears again! Hi Barbas! We get to see truly good Cole for an episode, which was fun, and we saw Phoebe's new fear of being evil. We get a mention of Prue with Paige's fear of not being like Prue, and again, we get to see Barbas again.

I rewatched this one yesterday and couldn't believe how great it was for all the reasons you mention! 

Elimination Episodes: So many. Any episode with Christy, really. I also hated Hulkus Pocus and Battle of the Hexes.

 

Amen :) 

[betterthisway]

I couldn't pick just five favorites but will try to limit myself to 20! 

1. That '70s Episode 

2. Morality Bites

3. Be Careful What You Witch For

4. All Halliwell's Eve : I think one pattern so far is that I love when the Halliells time travel! 

5. Primrose Empath

6. Just Harried : Another pattern will probably be that I love episodes that give us special Leo/Piper moments 

7. Pre-Witched

8. Sin Francisco

9. Brain Drain

10. Muse to My Ears : I'm guessing we'll all have episodes that no one else thinks is special and this has always been one of my mine! 

11. Lost and Bound

12. Long Live the Queen

13. A Witch's Tail : Can we count two part episodes as just one entry? 

14. Happily Ever After

15. Sympathy for the Demon: This one doesn't get mentioned a lot but is one of my favorites and contains a little bit of everything I love about Charmed

16. Sand Fransisco Dreamin' 

17. The Day the Magic Died : Just in case you thought I was done picking strange favorites that will probably not appear on anyone else's lists! 

18. Sense and Sensability 

19. Chris-Crossed

20. Forever Charmed

These are not the ones I think are most important or the best, just my own favorites! You can see my bias for seasons 3, 4 and 5 in this list. Those are the seasons that made me fall for Charmed and they're the ones I watch the most.  I would love to see other fans' selections and see if other people have a few surprise picks like I did. Maybe we could do a group marathon rewatch with some of these episodes! 

[Lady Calypso]

I was going to try to go in order of my actual top twenty favourites but that's too damn hard. So instead, I went by episodes in order of when they aired.

1. The Wendigo
2. That 70s Episode
3. Mortality Bites
4. P3H20
5. Primrose Empath
6. Just Harried
7. Sin Francisco
8.All Hell Breaks Loose
9. Charmed Again Pt 1
10. Brain Drain
11.The Fifth Halliwheel
12. Long Live The Queen
13. Sympathy for the Demon
14. Y Tu Mummy Tambien
15. Sense and Sensibility 
16. Chris Crossed
17. Spin City
18.  It's a Bad Bad Bad World Pt 2
19. Payback's a Witch
20. Forever Charmed

I think these are roughly my top twenty episodes. I actually had to cut down on a lot of my favourite season 6 episodes, because there are actually so many from that season I could watch over and over again. My Three Witches, for example. So I have some underrated favourites, and I have some that are typical. These are episodes that I'd gladly watch over and over again. 

Some special mentions that I had to cut from my list include: Awakened; The Good, The Bad, and the Cursed; A Paige From the Past; Sam I Am; Centennial Charmed; The Day The Magic Died; Love's a Witch; My Three Witches; Legend of Sleepy Halliwell; and Styx Feet Under

So basically, those could be my top thirty, including my special mentions.  

[amensisterfriend]

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Maybe we could do a group marathon rewatch with some of these episodes!

I would love this so much! I'm always eager to do Charmed rewatches and always too lazy and out of it to actually organize them :) 

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Sympathy for the Demon: This one doesn't get mentioned a lot but is one of my favorites and contains a little bit of everything I love about Charmed

I'd kind of thought this one was really underrated too, but since most of us here have already included it on our lists, maybe it does get the credit that I agree it deserves! 

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10. Muse to My Ears : I'm guessing we'll all have episodes that no one else thinks is special and this has always been one of my mine!

I actually like this one a lot. I like reminders that Paige is creatively inclined and of how much cooking means to Piper, and the idea of muses in general is really interesting to me. 

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The Wendigo

I always forget about this one and would love to hear why it's a favorite of yours!

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Sin Francisco

Still probably the episode I have and will rewatch more than any other! 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 29, 2016 by amensisterfriend

[Lady Calypso]

20 minutes ago, amensisterfriend said:

I always forget about this one and would love to hear why it's a favorite of yours!

You know, The Wendigo is one that I can't quite explain why I love it so much, but I do. It's one of the first season ones I've watched the most. It's just always been enjoyable to me. Andy gets a slighter bigger role, we get to see Piper with a whole other side to her, and when I first watched it, I didn't peg the female FBI agent to be the Wendigo at all. It's just a really fun episode for me to watch. It's not spectacular, in any means, but it's one I love the most out of season 1. 

[amensisterfriend]

This one is inspired by our current episode elimination game and recent discussions: What guy or general type of guy would you ideally pair with each sister? Like, for instance, would you keep Piper with Leo? Pair her with a more vibrant, charismatic type who we may not have met? Go back in time and put her with Mark Chao?! 

I'm especially eager to hear which guys or type of guys people would put with Prue and Phoebe! 

[amensisterfriend]

It's just a really fun episode for me to watch. It's not spectacular, in any means, but it's one I love the most out of season 1.

I think we all have tons of episodes that we know aren't objectively among the series' best but which we just love rewatching anyway...after all, this is Charmed, so a whole lot of episodes fall into that category :) Some of mine are Dream Sorcerer, Feats of Clay, Reckless Abandon, Bride and Gloom, Muse to my Ears, Happily Ever After, Y Tu Mummy Tambien, and many more...

[Lady Calypso]

6 hours ago, amensisterfriend said:

This one is inspired by our current episode elimination game and recent discussions: What guy or general type of guy would you ideally pair with each sister? Like, for instance, would you keep Piper with Leo? Pair her with a more vibrant, charismatic type who we may not have met? Go back in time and put her with Mark Chao?! 

I'm especially eager to hear which guys or type of guys people would put with Prue and Phoebe! 

Hey, if we can make up our own love interests, then I'm taking advantage of my imaginative powers!

Prue is someone who I could see being picky with her love interest. If this show was less PC, I think she might actually be someone who could be with a guy or a girl. I honestly could picture her with either, unlike Piper or Phoebe. Prue has always seemed to be picky with guys. She was with Andy, Roger, Andy again, a couple of dates with one episode guys, Jack, and Bane, but none of them lasted. I could see her being with someone who was fine with her being so dedicated to her work, if not someone who worked with her. Jack was obviously that guy, but he was so cocky and so smug that him and Prue never had a chance. I think she would find someone who wasn't a Type A, someone who isn't exactly quiet, but someone who didn't share her stubbornness or leadership. Honestly, Andy was one who stood up to Prue, but never tried to outshine her, which is why they worked. I could see Prue with someone who enjoyed staying in as much as she did, someone who could surprise her at work with food. Even as a photographer by the time she died, I could see her start her own photography business and when she's at work late doing paperwork, or editing her photos, her love interest would be perfectly happy either giving her space or hanging out with her at the office. 

I think Prue was with the most amount of diverse guys (Jack was cocky, Andy was a little quiet, Bane was a bad boy, etc) so I think Prue would have found someone who was content with who she was. The other thing is that I can only picture this particular person being a mortal. Prue loved being superwitch, I think, and being involved with a magical being (most likely another witch) might not have worked out. Also, I could picture her having one kid in her mid to late thirties, but being fine with only having one. 

Piper, I think, needed someone a little more outgoing than Leo. As much as her having an equally introverted male by her side, I think she would have been great with a guy who was outgoing and charismatic. I could also see her being with a guy like Mark. I think because Leo was so quiet and too much like early season Piper, her character was forced to have a more outgoing introvertedness. I could see her with a mortal, but also with another magical being. The mortal aspect because she always dreamed of being normal, but we also know how that worked out with her constant complaining and nagging after Leo became mortal. So I think she did need a magical being, possibly another witch, to help show her that she's fine being a witch and that she can still be 'normal'. I could have seen them meet at Piper's club, after said guy was out on the town with a few friends. I think having another magical boyfriend/husband who liked having some normalcy but also being content with being a witch would have worked out well. She just needed someone who balanced out with her introvertedness. I think because Leo was so introverted, she had to act more extroverted while making all the decisions and making all of the money. She needed a guy who was more fun, who could make her loosen up, and to teach her that being irresponsible once in a while isn't a bad thing. Also, in my head, she would have only had two kids, a boy and a girl (and yes, my obsession with Chris would have had it be Chris and Melinda).

Phoebe is a bit of a wildcard to me, because she's always been drawn to the bad boys. Clay, Cole, and Drake were all very much bad boys. Her more successful relationships have been with the secret bad boys with a lot of charm and a lot of energy, like her. Well, Cole didn't have that much energy for a bit, but she always worked well with someone with charm and Drake had high energy, much like Phoebe used to have. She definitely worked well with Drake, and I wish they had worked out. A magical creature, probably a reformed demon, would have been perfect for Phoebe. Someone who could make Phoebe laugh and let her be open to love. Someone who oozed positivity, much like Cupid and Drake, and one who was a romantic at heart. She, like Piper, needed someone who had fun and who could take risks. She's the only one I could see with three kids and being perfectly happy with trying for more. 

As for Paige, she really worked well with a mortal. Like, Henry was really, really good for her so ultimately, sticking with him would be ideal. But, just for fun, if I had to choose a more ideal love interest, I could see her with someone who  was a little closed off and reserved. Again, like Prue, I think a mortal worked best for Paige, as she was so into being a great witch that having a mortal would have balanced things out in her life. I also see her as someone who could have been open for a more fluid sexuality, someone who just wouldn't care about gender or sex, but someone who made her happy; I do think that she would have mostly been with guys, though I could see her dating females from time to time. I think this particular individual would have been quiet and reserved, someone who accepted Paige for being a witch but preferred to stay out of the magic aspect of her life. They would listen to Paige and be supportive of her career (I still think she would be great in the magical community as a social worker or a teacher) and would be able to sit and work out problems with her, which would be the extent of their participation in the magical world. I could see them being sarcastic and witty, like Paige, and not afraid to make those retorts about her family. They would really be able to hold their own in the Halliwell family, but absolutely comfortable with staying away. Paige is one who I could see with a couple of kids, but not three. I also feel like she would have eventually moved away from San Francisco, as she would be able to orb anywhere and she would have a way to Magic School from wherever they moved to.

At the moment, I think that's roughly what I picture. 

[amensisterfriend]

Another fun poll question: Of all the sisters' powers, which one(s) would you most want to possess?! Which ones would you least want to possess? And are there any powers you wish the sisters had had that they didn't? 

[Rockstar99435]

7 hours ago, amensisterfriend said:

Of all the sisters' powers, which one(s) would you most want to possess?! Which ones would you least want to possess? And are there any powers you wish the sisters had had that they didn't? 

That depends. Do I have to fight Demons? If I have to fight Demons, definitely Piper's power. She's got the best defensive and best offensive powers. Back in Season 6, when Phoebe moved to Hong Kong and Paige was busy with Richard, half the time Piper just fought and vanquished demons without them. If I don't have to fight Demons, definitely Paige's power. The ability to teleport alone would be great, but her orbing telekinesis means you could do things like wave your hands at the dryer and say "Clothes, closet" and all your laundry would hang itself up. You could wave your hands at the kitchen floor and say "dirt, garbage can" and your floor would be spotless. And being able to glamour would be really cool. Phoebe's powers are mostly useless. Seeing the future would be cool, but levitation wouldn't really be useful and her empathy power was pretty dumb. She only really seemed to use it to channel Demon's powers. It would've been cooler if she could've affected other people's emotions (make people feel happy or sad or brave, etc.).  

[helenamonster]

I'm very absentminded and am always leaving rooms without grabbing everything I needed, forgetting my ID at home, etc., so definitely Paige's orbring telekinesis power. It would come in handy at least once a day.

Also orbing in general would be cool. I'd get to sleep in and leave for things at the last possible second!