Witches in Time: Favorite and Least Favorite Seasons

[Lisin]

Discuss your favorite and least favorite seasons here.

[pumpkinspice]

I love that there is a Charmed topic! it is my all time fave TV show.

fave season: 2, followed by 5.

fave episode: Morality Bites (season 2), followed by Centennial Charmed (season 5)

least fave season: 4. I loved Prue and was upset when she left. plus the season was too Phoebe/Cole centric, and right after season 3 which was also heavy on those two.

piper was always my favorite sister.

[Cameltoes]

I liked both of those seasons. It's nice to hear from someone else who enjoyed season 5 - it was my favorite post-Prue season. I especially liked "A Witch in Time" but it was mostly little things, like Piper being sensitive to Paige's issues over not being able to celebrate her birth. Morality Bites was a great episode - definitely one of the best of the series. I still think baby Wyatt should have been baby Melinda.

Edited June 8, 2014 by Cameltoes

[Writing Wrongs]

I actually liked a lot of stuff in Season 7, including the Avatars and Zankou.

 

Season 1 is a fave just because I liked Phoebe back then and the sisterly bond.

[Vixenstud]

I got into this show through watching it with my mother.

 

My fave seasons were 4-8, if only because they were without Prue....I HATED her, talk about having a stick up your ass!  My fave eppy with her is All Hell Breaks Loose, 'cause that kills her ass.

 

I liked Paige, with her around the sisters had more of a loving bond.  I really liked her romance with Henry, they were so sweet together; Piper and Leo were cute together too.

[pumpkinspice]

it's interesting how people see things differently. I always thought Prue was very caring toward her sisters. a little over-protective, perhaps. now, the actress, on the other hand, may have been a different story. i was really pissed that Sd wouldnt allow her likeness in any of the seasons going forward, especially in the series finale. when senior Piper and Leo were walking up the stairs, there seemed to be a giant hole because there was no picture of Prue. even with all that, i still thought the character was done well.

It took me a long time to warm up to Paige. I think it may be that I wasn't a huge fan of Rose McGowan, because I feel her voice sounds extraordinarily whiny all the time. eventually though, I was able to separate the actress from the character, and could see how Paige caused Piper and Phoebe to really grow and step out of Prue's shadow. the character growth for Piper especially I thought was phenomenal.

I always thought the show lost kind of an organic feel after season 3, and some of the stuff they did in the later seasons was a tad more cliche...leprechauns, wood nymphs, some of those things. not to say I didn't enjoy those seasons, because I did, very much, and some of the season 5 stuff is, as ive said before, my favorite. I really liked season 6 as well, because of Chris. I hated the piper/Leo separation, but it had to be done to get the characters to where they needed to be.

I also thought piper should have had a daughter instead of a son in season 5! especially after we see Melinda in season 2. but of course, their future had changed a lot already.

[Vixenstud]

Oh GOD, don't get me started on that pissy windbag Chris!

 

I'm still confused about the Piper/Leo breakup/makeup....why did it happen in the first place?

[blugirlami21]

Which makeup/breakup are you referring to?  They did it so many times.  I believe the first time was because he was called to be elder and Piper didn't want to have to deal with him being gone all the time so they broke up.  Not sure the elders not accepting their marriage counts as a breakup?

 

I generally liked all seasons, I think there were good and bad episodes in all seasons.  I hated the whole Billie/Christy subplot, that time could have went to someone else. 

 

Favorite episodes Sense and Sensibility, Morality Bites, and Charmed Forever.  Piper was always my favorite as well.

Edited June 11, 2014 by blugirlami21

[aradia22]

I was really into Phoebe and Cole for a while. I can't remember when/why I stopped being into them because I've watched so much of the show out of order and in reruns so it's all jumbled up in my head. It did get a little tedious in the middle of all that stuff about The Source but that was there from the beginning so I'm not sure when it started to bother me. Was there a Seer or an Oracle at that point? Whenever it was, I think that was one of the big weak points. Then there was all the Paige hates Cole stuff. There were still some good episodes in the middle of all that but for the most part that was when they really started to kill Cole/Phoebe.

 

I agree that all the seasons had weak points and strong points so I wouldn't toss any of them out. For instance, from the beginning the girl power/feminism stuff sometimes worked and sometimes didn't. I think at the beginning it was very monster of the week and everything seemed like a thin metaphor for women being vulnerable to men with so many female victims and male demons. Also, evil boyfriends. 

 

I kind of hated the two demons who worked with Prue. One was a redhead. Not in the... I hate the villains kind of way but the... these are bad characters played by bad actors kind of way. I distinctly remember a terrible underworld boxing episode.

 

I liked a lot of the episodes in the whole Chris returns from the future run of episodes but somewhere in the middle of that and the start of Magic School things really started to run off the rails more than usual.

 

Generally, Paige had the worst boyfriends. Not just bad boyfriends but boyfriends who did their best to ruin the show. Like Richard. Ugh. And Agent Brody. UGH.

 

And obviously there's the last season. Show me the Charmed fan who likes Billie and her sister and I will show you someone I do not want to talk to. Until they go to a re-education facility to cure them of their obvious brainwashing or trauma. Sometime before or after that season all the groups seemed meaningless. Avatars, Elders, The Triad. I did not give a shit. It was more like... where the heck is Leo. He's frozen or something... What?

 

One of the bright spots during the end of Charmed was Zankou. I love that actor. He did a great job with the part and it didn't hurt that I found him sexy. Like Cole, evil sexy was always the best kind of evil on this show. 

[pumpkinspice]

I LOVED Chris. part of it was that I thought the actor was pretty hot, part that I loved Piper so much and he was her son, and part because I always enjoyed the time travel stuff, whether it was the sisters or one of their family members coming/going.

If I'm remembering correctly, the breakup in season 6 was so Leo could become an elder. which led to the destruction of Gideon, and ultimately of the avatars, so he was where he needed to be.

Billie and christy. ugh. I could put up with Billie ok because I like kaley Cuoco, but the Christy actress and character was horrible.

Paige did have bad boyfriends lol. Richard especially was annoying.

there was a seer. how do I even spell that word? I think she was mostly in season 4, and was vanquished when she tried to interfere with the phoebe/cole demon child. she reappeared during season 5 in centennial charmed, because that episode centered around Cole's alternate reality. I think there was actually an Oracle as well in season 4, a completely different character? she was supposed to see the future for the Source I think.

the magic school stuff got on my nerves some, too. the whole "magical community" and all the beings that came with it. its why i prefer the first three seasons, before it became as cliche.

zankou, I think, was supposed to be end game. I could swear I remember reading an article way back when that said the show runners expected season 7 to be it, but they received an unexpected and sort of last minute renewal for season 8. I was happy, because even though phoebe wasn't my favorite, I was glad she got her happy ending with coop. girl had it rough in the romance department. I watched the 3rd season Halloween epi (all Halliwell's Eve, maybe?) just last weekend, where the sisters go back to deliver baby Melinda in the 1600s. phoebe does some thing where she drops an apple core into the water and it is supposed to unfurl into the first initial of her true love. it was C, and she whispered "Cole". except no, it really ended up being Coop. I thought, nice continuation, show! I'd never picked up on that before.

Edited June 11, 2014 by pumpkinspice

[Cameltoes]

I'd like to give them credit for continuity but considering that they couldn't get Paige's birthday correct consistently (and her birthday was a really important part of plot because of the circumstances surrounding her birth), it could have been just dumb luck on their part.

 

Trying to make any kind of logical sense out of the changes to the canon in the latter seasons requires impossible mental contortions. That's part of why season 6 is so unwatchable for me. Magic school? Not believable. There were lots of situations prior to season 6 where magic school would have been utilized if it existed. They could have just made it so that it was a new entity. The cleaners? Ridiculous. Also should have been a new creation to account for inconsistency. I'm not sure why everything had to pre-exist. Given what happened to Prue and all of their reckless behavior after that (Leo orbed Paige in broad daylight in season 4 and in season 5, the manor disappeared and Cole went on a rampage using his powers in public), it would have made sense for evil and good to get together and try to prevent exposure. 

[Vixenstud]

I need to watch every single eppy on Ma's DVD collection, 'cause I may have missed a few key breakup arcs (Piper/Leo).  All I remember is one day, she's wanting a separation then the next time I watch, the whole family is together again.

 

Co-sign with the Billie/Christy hate....them, along with Chris wasted so much airtime that could have been given to Leo instead of freezing him.

 

In terms of fave eppies, a few stand out for me....

 

Saving Private Leo

Blast From the Past, with Paige's adoptive parents

The one where Paige and Henry marries

Forever Charmed

Edited June 11, 2014 by Vixenstud

[blugirlami21]

Phoebe and Cole.  I used to love them as well but the writer's ruined Cole.  By making him the source of evil against his will they robbed him of any agency he had.  And for Phoebe and Prue and Piper to blame him for something that wasn't his fault was a real turn off.  I hate that they never acknowledged the fact that he was possessed and not acting on his own wishes, ever.  The girls were always unnecessarily cruel to him after that and it was hard for me to watch the show beat up on him week after week.  I was relieved when he was "vanquished" in Centennial Charmed.

Edited June 11, 2014 by blugirlami21

[helenamonster]

I actually think Paige made several honest efforts to help Cole in Season 5, to her credit. Cole absolutely tormented her when he was possessed by the Source, but she was able to get over that and try to do the right thing. "Sympathy for the Demon" is the first that comes to mind, as well as the beginning of "Centennial Charmed." Hell, I think even being the one sister to actually vanquish him for good (yes, Piper and Phoebe were there, but they were alternate reality versions of themselves and I could never quite see them as the real Piper and Phoebe) spoke volumes...she seemed to have done it more to give him peace than because she was out for revenge (also to return to a reality where she wasn't dead, and who could blame her for wanting to do that?).

 

As for favorite seasons, mine is Season Four. I prefer Paige to Prue (sorry!) and I thought, save for a few contrivances, it was very well done. I liked the darkness of it all, I guess, and I found the season to work as an overall arc and on the basis of individual episodes. Everything from "Charmed and Dangerous" on I thought was just fantastic, especially "The Fifth Halliwheel" (probs one of my top five fave episodes ever) and "Long Live the Queen."

[Typicalstar]

Hello all! First time posting here since TWOP closed! I absolutely loved Charmed back in the day. Forgive me for my rusty brain. I loved "The Day The Magic Died" when Wyatt was born. Piper is my favorite sister and Holly did an excellent job at portraying her. The episode where Prue died, she had me crying like a baby lol. I have mixed feelings with the Paige vs Prue. Each character brought something to the show but mostly I preferred Prue. Phoebe wasn't really my cup of tea but I really disliked the Billie/Christy. I need to play catch up. I haven't gone back and watched any episodes in a long time. Shame on me lol

[blueray]

 

magic school? Not believable. There were lots of situations prior to season 6 where magic school would have been utilized if it existed.

I never really liked it because of the obvious hp ripoff, but what bothers me more is it wasn't mentioned until this point. Like season 1, would it have made sense if that kid Max (the one who's witch mother died) went to magic school. It probably would have helped him adjust. And the thing is they easily could have had him be in Paige's class in that one episode (to shot out the past).

 

I've always liked seaon 2 and 6. Season 2 had great episodes and I personally liked Chris's time travel story. The only season I hated was season 8, the rest were good too.

[Writing Wrongs]

 

Paige did have bad boyfriends lol. Richard especially was annoying.

I think the idea of Richard was good, a male witch, but they did nothing with it (as usual).

 

The Piper/Leo break up after he became an Elder was partly about Elders not having families or living on Earth. But then Leo was still always hanging around, so that negated the whole thing anyway.

 

I'm been feeling a need to re-watch the series, so I'm glad it's up for streaming on Netflix.

[pumpkinspice]

I've been rewatching season 4 on Netflix. I figured I owed it another chance, since its my least favorite and I haven't actually seen it in years. still my least favorite, but better than I originally have it credit for.

[magicdog]

I find that I can only watch up to "Lost & Bound".  I can't stand seeing Cole's descent into the Source storyline, Phoebe's abandoning him (despite her devotion to him just one season earlier), and his " gone insane because I can't die"  plotline.  The character certainly deserved better.

 

I tend to skip most eps of season 5 (with a few exceptions like Y Tu Mummy Tambien and Sense & Sensibility).  Season 6 I choose to watch Chris Crossed if only to get to see Future Wyatt and his interactions with Chris.

 

Season 7 I also tend to skip with the exception of Imaginary Fiends (to get a bit more on a good Future Wyatt), and Show Ghouls (sure Billy Zane is a bit of a ham, but a likeable one.  Although I can see this ep easily having originally being written with Cole and Phoebe in mind not Drake).

 

Season 8 I tend to ignore until the finale.

[fromtheashes]

 

I find that I can only watch up to "Lost & Bound".  I can't stand seeing Cole's descent into the Source storyline, Phoebe's abandoning him (despite her devotion to him just one season earlier), and his " gone insane because I can't die"  plotline.  The character certainly deserved better.

I do this also. If Long Live the Queen had been it for Cole and had they not twisted that possession into something it wasn't I could stomach the rest of S4 because I do think its a pretty good season especially considering Shannen's exit and Rose's entrance. Sadly, what follows is what I take issue with. I flat out will not watch S5 it makes me too angry. I can watch S6 and 7 mostly without issue aside from the S7 episode where Cole comes back to help Leo and Piper because they continue with the Cole wanted to be Source bs. I only saw S8 once it was out on DVD because I purchased the Book of Shadows series DVD set. I don't remember finding anything particularly memorable about it. Forever Charmed was a decent enough finale but I was annoyed at Bille taking over so much in that season and the lack of Leo and the loss of Daryl. Mostly though I just pretend it ends with Lost and Bound. I don't generally have any desire to watch beyond that. I stopped watching after S5 anyway aside from the S6 finale and two episodes in S7 I never watched anything else while it was on the air so its easy enough to block things out.

[magicdog]

Good news!  It seems TNT's repeats will be back on Season 1 by Wednesday.  What a difference between the series finale and the premiere! 

[peggy06]

The very first episode I ever saw was the season finale of S7, and then I watched some episodes of S8 and a few random ones from S1. Then I went back to the beginning, and just finally finished watching in order. S1 is a favorite because it was such a contrast to S8. I really liked the sisters' relationships; Phoebe was sweet and fun; and I liked the spells and the seriousness with which they said them. "Powers of the witches rise, course unseen across the skies" is a lot more evocative than some of the cursory rhymes they came up with in later seasons.

 

S2 was also a favorite EXCEPT for the Dan subplot. That was painful, really painful. S3 was good for the darker turn it took. I'm bad at remembering episode names, but the storylines and characterization in the first three seasons kept me engaged.

 

S4 was definitely mixed. I had a hard time getting used to Paige (and Rose MacGowan's acting), but she won me over by being the first to see through Cole. I couldn't stand Cole. That plot took the show in all the wrong directions, and IMO it never recovered. After Cole was finally vanquished once and for all, they just seemed to go all in on stupid love-life stories. There wasn't much of the sisterly bond, and not much power of three that I can recall.

 

I didn't go for either the avatars or Chris's return from the future, and I too thought Magic School was a lame ripoff of Harry Potter. It seemed silly to me in the later seasons the way new "ultimate evils" or "Sources" would keep popping up. And Phoebe as a character was pretty much ruined for me. She certainly wasn't sweet or fun any more.

 

However, nothing can come up to Christy for a terrible, terrible subplot. Ugh, just ugh. It was boring and repetitive (How many times did Christy say "Now do you believe me?"), and just a silly trumped-up plot. Classic case of never letting anyone explain anything, because that would clear it up too soon. I only watched so I could say I'd seen the whole series. At least I got to see Paige's gorgeous wedding dress, probably the best costuming in the whole shebang.

 

Now I want to watch the pilot again to wash the taste of S8 out of my mouth.

[magicdog]

Now I want to watch the pilot again to wash the taste of S8 out of my mouth.Now I want to watch the pilot again to wash the taste of S8 out of my mouth.

 

 

Fortunately, TNT rolls back to "Something Wicca This Way Comes" this morning at 10am EST (7am PST).    How I love that season!

[kiddo82]

My people! I have found you. I have such a love hate relationship with this show and it always manages to pull me back in.

Season 3 has always been my favorite. The pacing of the back end of the season, from about Pre-Witched on, is fantastic with only one stinker (The Demon who Came in from the Cold) in the bunch. Actually, the pacing of the first leg of the season isn't too shabby either with Sleuthing With Enemy acting as somewhat of an act break before the intermezzo that is middle of the season. And the finale is one of the best episodes this show has ever produced. My one gripe would be the underworld stuff drags while all I want to do is get back what was going on with Piper and Prue. I can't complain too much though. I remember watching All Hell Breaks Loose for the first time with my jaw on the floor from the moment Piper was shot until "The End." And it still holds up well on rewatch for me. I don't know that it's my absolute favorite episode, but its positives by far outweigh the negatives. It was a hell of a finale.

Season 5 is my favorite of the post Prue era, and second favorite overall. It gets a lot of hate for the turn towards, well, Leprechauns, and those criticisms aren't undeserved, but I can't help myself. I think it's fun. The chemistry of the Charmed Ones 2.0 was gelling by that point and I enjoyed the majority of the season on a brain candy level. That sounds like a backhanded compliment but I don't mean it as such. Come on. Siren Song. ("I am absolutely entitled to do 'the crying thing'") Sense and Sense Ability ("PAIGE IS PROPOSING VIOLENCE AGAINST THE MONKEY!"). A Witch in Time. House Call. The Eyes Have It. Y Tu Mummy Tambien. I love candy!

Season 1 is fine but I find the first few episodes tiresome to rewatch. (Something that is true of almost all long running shows. So....much....exposition) but it finds itself around Wicca Envy and gains steam from there. Is there a Woogy in the House might be my favorite episode of the series and Deja Vu All Over Again is probably the second best finale after All Hell Breaks Loose, IMO.

Edited July 20, 2014 by kiddo82

[Cameltoes]

kiddo82, where have you been all of my life? Seriously, I think we're totally kindred spirits when it comes to our favorite episodes and seasons. Totally with you on the season 5 chemistry (Paige really comes into her own), on season 3 as a whole and on Deja Vu All Over Again. I also agree about the beginning of season one though I might put the turning point at The Truth is Out There... or The Witch is Back. Is there a Woogy definitely marked a major shift in the writing. I think that's when they moved beyond the more cliched versions of the sisters' personalities (capable/bossy oldest, insecure, shy middle and rebellious youngest) and made them a little more complex.

[kiddo82]

I also agree about the beginning of season one though I might put the turning point at The Truth is Out There... or The Witch is Back....

Hi, Cameltoes! Nice to find my kindred spirit. In fact, after thinking about it, I'm inclined to agree with you about The Truth Is Out There... being the turning point for season 1. It does seem like the first episode that isn't dragged down by a ton of exposition and the aftermath of the truth spell on the sisters is always fun. Season 1 is probably the best for consistent sister interaction.

[pumpkinspice]

whoa! I'm rewatching season 1, and I'm on I think episode 6. it's called the fourth sister. the girl conjures a demon or something from mirrored surfaces. I probably haven't seen this one since it's original airing, because I didn't really care for it. anyway, the girls's aunt was just in a scene, and guess who it was! Elise! as in phoebe's boss at the bay mirror. completely took me by surprise.

ps- it's really hilarious seeing Prue and Andy browse VHS tapes to rent and Phoebe and Piper battle over Leo. :)

[JAYJAY1979]

S4 was a pretty good season even without Pru.  Piper is the break-out, and I liked that Paige was a social worker and not a total screw up like Phoebe was.  Though I hear S5, Paige quits and becomes a flake/white Lighter.. yes?

[magicdog]

 

Though I hear S5, Paige quits and becomes a flake/white Lighter.. yes?

 

 

Yes.  That was one of the many missteps this show took post season 4.  Paige was in a great position to help innocents and supply what could have been the source of great B plots.  Then the writers decided to have her quit so she could "concentrate on magic".  Then the temp jobs followed - which were magically related but still time wasters.  Then she's meant to pull double duty as a Charmed One AND a Whitelighter!  Like being one or the other wasn't enough to deal with!

 

.

the girls's aunt was just in a scene, and guess who it was! Elise! as in phoebe's boss at the bay mirror. completely took me by surprise.

 

 

If the writers had any sense of humor, they would have had a joking reference that Aviva's aunt was a twin sister to Elise.  Only the viewers would have known this since only Prue met the aunt in "The Fourth Sister".

[Cameltoes]

I wonder if it's ficitonally conceivable that they are the same person. She could have changed her name, gotten a new career, etc. She never met Phoebe and we don't know if she ever found out Prue's last name.

[pumpkinspice]

it could be, I suppose. something to ponder :)

I did find one other repeat actor. in season 2, the actor who played War, one of the four horsemen, in Apocolypse Not, also played one of the Gods in Oh My Goddess, the season 5 finale.

[blueray]

Paige's work history is something that always bothered me. Why could she have just stayed a social worker? That would have set her up to be able to help people and have a life outside of magic.

[amensisterfriend]

Fun thread!

 

I, too, am among those who know objectively that this show has numerous and major flaws, and it bugs me a whole lot sometimes...but whenever I catch reruns on TNT, I find myself devouring it. It's so addictive, and it actually has some really interesting ideas (the actual execution of said ideas is often debatable, but still!) 

 

Some general opinions...many of which are kind of unpopular: 

 

1) I'm actually partial to later seasons. It's not that I didn't like Pru----I actually enjoyed her quite a lot---but I think maybe I'm just too old to relate to the more 'single girls hanging out in a cool club' stuff of the earlier seasons, and (*whispers*) I actually like Chris, the magic school, etc. 

 

2) I'm not a huge Piper fan. She just always came across as so joyless, irritable and perpetually put upon to me. 

 

3) I always adored Leo. Lord knows why. :) 

 

4) Pru and Paige are my two favorites of the Halliwells. 

 

5) I was never a big Cole fan and found Phoebe more enjoyable after he was gone. 

 

Favorite seasons: 5, 6 and 7...though I, too, like S3 a lot. I agree that S4 is probably the most skip-worthy. I'll have to rewatch more before remembering which episodes stand out as favorites and the most cringe inducing! 

Edited April 6, 2015 by amensisterfriend

[amensisterfriend]

ETA: Prue and Andy were by far my favorite romantic pairing on the show...but since I didn't really love any of the show's other romantic pairings, that's not saying all that much :) 

[natyxg]

I watched seasons 1-6 in real time, but stopped after that because I wasn't home when the show was on and I didn't care much anymore by then. But I always wanted to finish it, so recently I ran out of shows in Netflix and have been watching the last couple of seasons that I missed.

 

Season 7 wasn't as bad as I expected it to be. I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it either. It was just... there. All the focus on Leo was tiresome, but at least they stopped eventually.

 

I've just started season 8 and just two episodes in and I am already feeling like this one will be the absolute worst ever. I have never seen characters acting as OOC as everyone is here right now. It makes zero sense that the sisters would decide to turn their backs on innocents everywhere just so they could make some pathetic attempt at having a normal life, aka spending a day in the spa and shoe shopping! It has been surreal to see Leo, of all people, telling Paige to ignore her charge's call for help, and Phoebe and Piper wanting her to ignore everything. And they look so stupid realizing that they can't NOT help. DUH. And it makes them look so stupid to think that the demons would leave Wyatt and Chris alone, and that no one would suspect that just when they die three new chicks move into the house with another new dude. Barf, gah, augh.

 

Now, about favorite and least favorite seasons. I think my favorites are 1-3, before Prue died. It happens with shows, usually, specially fantasy shows, that the first couple of seasons are more of stand alone adventures and then they start coming up with try hard, complicated story arcs. I prefer the stand alone adventures. So I guess it would be more accurate to say seasons 1-2 were my faves? Cause season 3 already had Cole and the triad.

 

It was a big blow to lose Prue and I think this one was one of the few shows that could pull off losing one of its leads and continue on for 5 more seasons, specially considering that Prue was so essential to the power of three. Paige did grow on me, but I still prefer the first two seasons because, if memory serves me right, they had more of a witchy feel to them. As the show continued everything became so much more fantasy oriented and lost some of its more witchy edge? I don't know how to explain it, but it was different.

 

Least favorite season? I don't know. I mean, besides the obvious season 8, I remember that season 5 and its constant ass kissing of Wyatt bugged (the tone was so much more childish, IIRC) and season 6 also bugged with Chris from the future.

 

Speaking of Wyatt and Chris, it also bugged me a lot that Piper went on to have boys. Its like they took such a fundamental female thing (their entire family was basically a line of women) and were all "no, no! boys can be witches too!" and not only threw in boys but made Wyatt like the most powerful ever. The kid could dream up dragons and made them happen. Sigh.

[amensisterfriend]

I've been rewatching and have a special soft spot for S6. I like my Charmed funny (intentionally or otherwise!) and high energy, campy fun, and this season rises to the occasion. I love Paige's temp jobs, find this to be Phoebe's most likable season since back in S1, and I'm fond of Chris and what he adds to the show. Paige is probably my favorite sister, and while I'm not wild about any of her love interests, Richard at least occasionally provides mild 'can he be saved or can't he?!' entertainment. And I'm a sucker for 'traveling back in time to try to change the future' stuff...and also a sucker for Magic Schools, however lame their names and execution may be :)  

 

For those who at least semi-like the show: Which episodes throughout the series would you say are the funniest???

Edited April 7, 2015 by amensisterfriend

[helenamonster]

For those who at least semi-like the show: Which episodes throughout the series would you say are the funniest???

 

For me, it would definitely be "Sense and Sense Ability," if only for Phoebe's "Paige is proposing violence against the monkey!" But honestly, that whole episode is just golden.

[kiddo82]

I always rate Sense and Sense Ability and Chick Flick as the two top to bottom funniest episodes of the series. Sin Francisco, while not as funny as those two, always gets giggles out of me also.

[amensisterfriend]

I love all the ones you guys have mentioned! For all the show's flaws---and lord knows there are plenty---I actually do find it surprisingly funny. At times unintentionally so, but still. I find some of the DemonCole/underworld stuff such campy fun. It makes me laugh even at times it might not be trying to :) (While I got weary of the Phoebe/Cole angst-drenched relationship, I think JM did a terrific job with the role)

 

I find The Legend of Sleepy Halliwell amusing as well. I love when Piper says that  she'd kick them...IF she still had legs. I think I remember finding A Knight to Remember funny too. But, honestly, even many of the subpar episodes have a few amusing moments to me. 

 

Here's a question I was just thinking about to avoid work: During which season(s) did you find each of the sisters and most least likable overall? I'm in the minority who prefers S4-S7 to the earlier seasons overall, but I have to say that I found Piper so much more lovable and relatable in that first season. She became so perpetually irritated, put upon and kind of entitled in subsequent seasons IMO. And she was so constantly critical and snappy towards Leo, like, ALL the time by S4 or so...even when the big lunk didn't deserve it :) 

 

I'll always regret not getting to see Prue and Paige on the show together! 

Edited April 7, 2015 by amensisterfriend

[magicdog]

During which season(s) did you find each of the sisters and most least likable overall?

 

 

I liked Phoebe best during seasons 1-2 and the first half of 3.  Her character suffered the most as the show progressed IMO.  Earlier she was a girl with no direction until magic helped her find her way.  She was also the one who loved being a witch the most.  By Season 6 and beyond it was all about using magic to find her Mr. Right and getting the little girl she foresaw.  She became almost useless too, as her powers were never properly developed as they should have been and there was the storyline in which her active powers were stripped from her temporarily!  She got the prems back but everything else was gone and never revisited.

 

I also liked Piper during the first 3 seasons as she was relatable and not the Miss Witchy Crankypants she turned into after Season 4.  Part of that character turnaround (just a theory) had to do with making Piper the eldest sister and literally taking over the "Prue" role.  The intent by TPTB was to make Piper "Prue", while Phoebe was to become the mediator (the "Piper"), while Paige became the new Phoebe (the youngest and the screw up).   You see this most during "Hell Hath No Fury", in which we see Piper acting Prue-ish when she learns about Paige stealing the BOS, while Phoebe is mediating by saying she merely "borrowed it".   Unfortunately it made Piper perpetually grumpy.  I'm not saying Piper didn't have a reason to be angry and somewhat bitter during Season 4, but her character seemed to become all about how many times she could blow up Leo.  I never found that cute and if reversed, no one would have written a scene with Leo blowing up Piper.

 

I liked Prue during the majority of her run on Charmed.  I identified with her (being an elder sister myself) and understood her character and motivations as head of the Halliwells.  She took her job seriously, and in Seasons 2-3 was able to lighten up a bit once she realized her sisters could take care of themselves and didn't need a "mother" anymore.

 

I liked Paige also, although I hated that her character was rather uneven considering the background she was given.  If anything she should have had a few of Prue's traits (not a clone mind you) and not been the kooky free spirit the writers kept trying to turn her into.  I liked her most in seasons 4 and 5. 

 

 

I'll always regret not getting to see Prue and Paige on the show together

 

Ditto!  We did have a discussion on an old forum in which we wondered what would the show have been like if Phoebe had died and Prue had to feel guilt over that and her reaction to Paige.  Many of us thought that might have been a better show but YMMV.

 

 

I still prefer the first two seasons because, if memory serves me right, they had more of a witchy feel to them. As the show continued everything became so much more fantasy oriented and lost some of its more witchy edge? I don't know how to explain it, but it was different.

 

 

Agreed.  The latter seasons (especially 5-8) were starting to seem like "Bewitched" with the magical creatures popping up out of the woodwork.  The first 3 seasons were taken a bit more seriously and introduced magical beings a bit better.  Suddenly you had the 7 dwarves, nymphs, ogres etc. just stopping by looking for help or some favor.  I also hated that the sisters (post Prue seasons) seemed to get progressively dumber and less in touch with their abilities.  After being witches for as long as they were and having the power of three and the legend foretelling them as the most powerful witches the world had ever known, they just never seemed to live up to the hype.  You had a sense that [during the Prue years] it could have happened.  We should have had wise witches, not selfish hags who were willing to turn their backs on the innocents that needed them. 

[amensisterfriend]

I just wrote about why I'm so meh on S2 in the Unpopular Opinions thread, so I won't bore you guys by repeating the same stuff here!  

 

I liked Phoebe best during seasons 1-2 and the first half of 3.  Her character suffered the most as the show progressed IMO.  Earlier she was a girl with no direction until magic helped her find her way.  She was also the one who loved being a witch the most.  By Season 6 and beyond it was all about using magic to find her Mr. Right and getting the little girl she foresaw.  She became almost useless too, as her powers were never properly developed as they should have been and there was the storyline in which her active powers were stripped from her temporarily!  She got the prems back but everything else was gone and never revisited.

 

I'm among those who never grew to dislike Phoebe and always thought she brought a good liveliness and energy to the show, but I do agree that she was definitely most lovable at first---a great mix of bubbly innocence and a wilder, irresponsible free spirit who was such a perfect contrast for Prue's more intense seriousness IMO. Yes, she always cared too much about guys, but she ALSO cared deeply about her sisters and being a witch, which IMO salvaged the character. I guess it was inevitable that she'd lose some of that uninhibited warmth and unguarded affection as the years went on and negative experiences piled up, but I agree that Early Phoebe was the best :) 

 

Actually, you also helped me nail why I don't love Piper quite as much as most fans do---of the Halliwells, she was always the least enthusiastic about being a witch and the first to whine about wanting a 'normal' life which, while understandable, made her kind of a killjoy sometimes. 

 

also liked Piper during the first 3 seasons as she was relatable and not the Miss Witchy Crankypants she turned into after Season 4.  Part of that character turnaround (just a theory) had to do with making Piper the eldest sister and literally taking over the "Prue" role.  The intent by TPTB was to make Piper "Prue", while Phoebe was to become the mediator (the "Piper"), while Paige became the new Phoebe (the youngest and the screw up).   You see this most during "Hell Hath No Fury", in which we see Piper acting Prue-ish when she learns about Paige stealing the BOS, while Phoebe is mediating by saying she merely "borrowed it".   Unfortunately it made Piper perpetually grumpy.

 

YES---this!!! I've said the exact same thing, though not as well :) 

 

I liked Paige also, although I hated that her character was rather uneven considering the background she was given.  If anything she should have had a few of Prue's traits (not a clone mind you) and not been the kooky free spirit the writers kept trying to turn her into.  I liked her most in seasons 4 and 5.

 

I like Rose/Paige, but while rewatching now I'm struck by how her characterization really ALL over the place---ranging from really insecure, vulnerable and desperate to fit in to being the super self-assured rebel who needed the most independence, to being more serious and sharp and smart like Prue to being the boy crazy bubbly free spirit like Phoebe...and all back and forth within the same season!  

 

 

While rewatching, I'm thinking my top seasons are definitely S1, S3, S4 and S5, though I've lost the ability to put them in order of preference! I do also have a soft spot for S6 :)  

[4evaQuez]

Am I too late for funniest Charmed episodes? If not, I would of course say Sense and Sensibility but would also add "Trial by Magic". I still remember my uncontrollable laughter at Piper's "Nancy Drew coming through," and the reactions of the jurors as Phoebe keeps dragging out her decision as everyone else wants to plead guilty. Phoebe's "that time of the month" as one of the male jurors make a disgusted face and Phoebe running into the bathroom still makes me laugh. Also, I can never forget the "rat demons" of the episode. I still watch whenever I need a good laugh.

 

I would also add "Lost and Bound" because of Phoebe's becoming Samantha Steven's B story. The conversation between Samantha and Cole "Cole, you need more fiber in your diet," Cole "What the hell are you talking about?!" or Phoebe to Paige, "Serena. Hi, it's Sam." or Piper to Phoebe, "You may want to ease off the hairspray there's a firestarter in the house." I laugh so hard at this episode. And I think Alyssa Milano has great comedic timing.

 

As for most and least likable seasons for the sisters

 

I liked Prue most the third season, Paige most the 4th and 5th season, Piper most the 3rd, 4th and 5th season, Phoebe most the 1st and 2nd season. By the 7th season I hate Piper and would probably says she's my least favorite sister. While Phoebe can be annoying, she still has moments where I like her in both the 7th and 8th season. Piper, however, just seemed tired, bored and over everything the last two seasons, and I feel she really was a drag. I also hate how the 6th season revolved around Piper considering the Chris and Wyatt storyline. For me, Piper just wasn't a character that could carry a storyline.

 

If I had to rank the seasons I would say, 4,3,5,7,2,6,1,8. While the first season is good, overall I find it forgettable. It isn't until the second half of the first season that I feel the writers find their groove and show us the great potential of the Charmed universe. With the 8th season, I just don't really it.

Edited April 12, 2015 by 4evaQuez

[amensisterfriend]

Am I too late for funniest Charmed episodes? If not, I would of course say Sense and Sensibility but would also add "Trial by Magic". I still remember my uncontrollable laughter at Piper's "Nancy Drew coming through," and the reactions of the jurors as Phoebe keeps dragging out her decision as everyone else wants to plead guilty.

 

Never too late! I love Trial by Magic as well and appreciate it even more after recently serving on a jury. 

 

If I had to rank the seasons I would say, 4,3,5,7,2,6,1,8. While the first season is good, overall I find it forgettable. It isn't until the second half of the first season that I feel the writers find their groove and show us the great potential of the Charmed universe. With the 8th season, I just don't really it.

 

I'm totally with you on loving S4, S3 and S5 and ranking S8 dead last :) I actually love S1 a lot more than you, though it's probably due more to sentimental attachment than that season's objective quality :) As rambled about elsewhere, I love watching the sisters first come to terms with their powers and familial history, I love that fresh, exuberant (albeit often clunky!) tone, Andy and Prue/Andy, and I may like both Phoebe and Piper more this season than any other.

 

I can't tell you how happy it makes me that other people still want to talk about this show! What would you guys name as your top 3-4 episodes from each season?

[magicdog]

It's be tough for me to limit some seasons to 3-4 eps (especially Season 1), but I'll try:

 

Season 1 Faves:

 

• Something Wicca This Way Comes (world building and introduction to the sisters)

 

• Dead Man Dating (very poignant at times especially between the ghost and Piper)

 

• Dream Sorcerer (their first encounter with a mortal opponent)

 

• The Truth Is Out There....and it Hurts (Seeing why some truths should remain unsaid)

 

• The Witch Is Back (getting some Halliwell history and meeting "Cousin Melinda")

 

• Wicca Envy (the episode in which Prue's bosses are defeated and the sisters affirm their willingness to remain witches)

 

• Feats of Clay (touches on Phoebe's life in NYC following Grams' death - and shows how much Phoebe grew up since she received her powers.  I kind of wanted Clay to be the "C" who was Phoebe's true love after Cole was vanquished for good)

 

• Is There A Woogy In The House? (the first indication that Phoebe was the weak link in the Power of 3 and the significance of being born over the Nexus.  Plus the shadow was creepy!)

 

• From Fear to Eternity (Our introduction to Barbas, and being stalked by a demon who can kill you with your fears really struck a nerve)

 

• That 70s Episode (our introduction to Grams and Patty when they were alive and seeing Little Prue & Little Piper really made me think back to my own childhood.  Loved the emotions all the way around)

 

• The Power of Two (this episode intentionally or otherwise came off as very X-Files and was exciting to see the enemy defeated without the power of 3)

 

• Déjà Vu All Over Again (the "Groundhog Day" premise used to great effect, David Carradine and of course, Andy's farewell )

[amensisterfriend]

Magicdog, I adore your above list...and it helped me to realize that maybe we just can't limit ourselves to a mere 3-4 favorites per season. It also reminded me of just how attached I am to S1. I'll be back later with my own lists when and if I can narrow them down! 

 

After rewatching some of S4 last night, I'm pretty sure that Lost and Bound needs to find its way on that favorites list. I have odd taste :) 

[kiddo82]

Season 1:

The Truth Is Out There And It Hurts. The first third of season 1 trudges along and this is the first really good episode of the season for my taste

Is There a Woogy in the House? All around good episode combining horror and snark.

That 70s Episode: Heavy on the cheese but the girls seeing Patty first the first time is too sweet. Bonus points for Patty/Penny snark.

Deja Vu All Over Again: Good premise and while I liked Andy, I liked that Prue had to make the hard choice and let him die for the greater good. Back when death actually meant something on this show.

Season 2:

Morality Bites: One of the heaviest eps the show has ever produced and they worked it to great effect.

Chick Flick: One of the funniest episodes this show has ever produced.

Be Careful What You Witch For: I find this one to be underrated. The scene in the park with Prue getting stabbed is pretty tense

Season 3

Power Outage: I'm always engaged in the girls' smack down and then aftermath. Well written and acted. Plus, the Phoebe/Cole date scene is really well done. I was never a big Phoebe/Cole fan, but you can see the chemistry between the characters.

Sin Francisco: this show was at its best when it went light hearted and this episode is a great example. The entire cast was stellar in acting out the sins. I crack up every time.

Look Who's Barking: another underrated one from my book.

All Hell Breaks Loose: One of the best episodes they ever put together. Piper's death scene and "The End" are still chilling to this day.

Season 4:

Hell Hath No Fury: Between Charmed Again and Hell Hath No Fury Piper had about five breakdowns. The one at Prue's gave at the of this ep might be my favorite

A Knight to Remember: Another one that I sometimes forget about but entertains me whenever I watch it. Pretty funny ep.

Long Live the Queen: Not high on my personal favorite list (I was never down with the Queen of the underworld story line) but objectively a really solid episode. Piper drunk off her ass and Paige piecing everyone back together always stand out. And the death of Greg the innocent was really well done.

To be continued...

Edited April 13, 2015 by kiddo82

[amensisterfriend]

Sin Francisco: this show was at its best when it went light hearted and this episode is a great example. The entire cast was stellar in acting out the sins. I crack up every time.

 

YES to everything you said! This is one of my favorites as well. I love the basic premise and idea behind it, the humor, the acting, the sneaky insight sprinkled in with the fun...everything :)

 

 

 

A Knight to Remember: Another one that I sometimes forget about but entertains me whenever I watch it. Pretty funny ep.

 

It's a terrific mixture of humor and poignancy for me. The Paige storyline is obviously sad but also oddly uplifting, and as sappy as it may be, her parents confirming that they've been watching her every step of the way chokes me up more than almost any other Charmed scene. And I just LOVE the gleefully cheesy Phoebe/Cole possessed by old-timey southern con artists stuff beyond the telling of it! 

Edited April 13, 2015 by amensisterfriend

[helenamonster]

It's a terrific mixture of humor and poignancy for me. The Paige storyline is obviously sad but also oddly uplifting, and as sappy as it may be, her parents confirming that they've been watching her every step of the way chokes me up more than almost any other Charmed scene. And I just LOVE the gleefully cheesy Phoebe/Cole possessed by old-timey southern con artists stuff beyond the telling of it! 

 

I think you might be confusing "A Knight to Remember" with "A Paige from the Past." "A Knight to Remember" is the one where Paige accidentally brings her past life, the Evil Enchantress, to the present. I also think it's the episode where she decides to move into the manor. The one you're describing is "A Paige from the Past." Easy to get them confused, though, since they both deal with Paige and time-travelling.

[amensisterfriend]

Yikes---yes, I'm so sorry! You're totally right. I'm a disaster with episode titles!

[4evaQuez]

Sin Francisco: this show was at its best when it went light hearted and this episode is a great example. The entire cast was stellar in acting out the sins. I crack up every time.

 

 

Is it bad that I remember the seven deadly sins based on this episode? I always list the sisters and Leo's sins first and then start naming the sins of the extras. And there are people who think Charmed isn't educational.