Charmed

[atpeacewithme]

I have become sort of addicted. But, why oh why, does it come on *four* times a day on TNT. We're talking four different episodes - no repeats!

And I think I actually like the Paige episodes better than Prue. It is so gritty and dark with Prue. Paige lightens things up. And what is wrong with Phoebe? She is so pretty when she is, well, natural. And I love Piper - so grounded and real.

Let's discuss!

[ladymadonna]

I used to watch every morning on TNT, when I was a SAHM. My oldest daughter and I liked the Prue episodes the most, I think because in the first few years of a show, the concept is fresh, the writing is decent, and they haven't run out of situations for characters to get into.

I find the same thing in every show I've ever "gotten into". ER- Fabulous for the first 5 seasons or so, then descended into repetitive, self-aggrandizing muck. Friends- Tremendously funny until about the fourth season when all the friends started getting married and sleeping with each other. It's like the writers were struggling to figure out where the characters were going to go next. Cheers-Managed to power through the major cast changes (Kirstie Alley, Woody Harrelson) for a brief period, then lost itself in redundant jokes and themes. And so on and so forth....

I think Charmed, though it was cheesy right from the beginning, really lost a crucial element when Doherty left. I just thought it was incredibly stupid to invent a "lost" sister after one of the magical three passed away. Very few TV shows can replace a main character with a virtual doppelganger and get away with it. (See Roseanne, with the replacement Becky. It worked, at least before the last two seasons, because they acknowledged that it was a different actress and worked WITH it, instead of contriving a stupid non-story, ala Charmed.)

I like some of the Paige episodes, but honestly, after Prue was killed off, I treated the show as a lame duck and didn't expect much.


Oh, and I have had a total girl-crush on Holly Marie-Combs since Picket Fences. AND I adore the name Piper.

[atpeacewithme]

I think the series lost something - not with Prue - but with the writing off of Cole. I mean, I definitely think the trio was stronger with Prue, but the characters got to grow in new ways when there is a death like that. But writing Cole off was a mistake. He had so much charisma and screen presence. Phoebe character totally regressed after it and it was a bit unfair that only Piper got this grand, sweeping lovestory. I hope it was Julian McMan (?) who opted to leave, and not the producers who wrote him off b/c that would have been a bad call.

[Deleted]

atpeacewithme said:

I hope it was Julian McMan (?) who opted to leave, and not the producers who wrote him off b/c that would have been a bad call.

My guess would be that Julian McMahon left to work on Nip/Tuck, but since I wasn't watching Charmed at that point (I watched part of the first season, but didn't like it all that much), I wouldn't swear to it.

I actually remember him from Another World, so now I'm feeling ancient!