[smoothaise]

Something Wicca This Way Comes
Three sisters reunite after the death of their beloved grandmother, and learn they have inherited much more than the family manor.

I've Got You Under My Skin
Phoebe can't resist a peek into the future. She and her sisters learn their first lesson in witchcraft - deadly demons can come in any kind of package, including gorgeous male photographers.

Thank You For Not Morphing
The sisters' father returns after a 20 year absence, and evil neighbours who can change shape set out to steal the Book of Shadows.

Dead Man Dating
Piper falls for the ghost of a recently murdered man who needs her help to ensure that he receives a proper burial before an ancient evil spirit can claim his soul.

Dream Sorcerer
Prue's sleep is disturbed by strange visions in which she's taunted by a sinister and threatening man who has taken over her subconscious.

The Wedding From Hell
Piper discovers a man who is being forced by evil beings to marry against his will, leading to a fight with a demonic wedding party.

The Fourth Sister
A troubled teenage witch comes to the sisters for help and guidance, hoping that the Halliwells will become her mentors, but it transpires that the girl is an unwitting pawn in the schemes of an evil sorceress.

The Truth Is Out There... And It Hurts
Prue decides she must find out how Andy will react to her being a witch so she casts a truth spell. The 24-hour spell makes anyone around the sisters tell the truth. But is the truth what they really want to hear?

The Witch Is Back
Prue is attacked by a warlock from the past, but Phoebe calls on an ancestor to help protect the sisters, and Piper works up her courage to ask Leo out.

Wicca Envy
When Prue is arrested for stealing a priceless tiara, it is revealed that her boss, Rex, is a warlock. The sisters must prove Prue's innocence and vanquish Rex before its too late.

Feats of Clay
Phoebe's ex-boyfriend shows up with a stolen and cursed Egyptian urn, Prue tries to save the auction house from bankruptcy, and Piper's witchcraft backfires.

The Wendigo
Piper is attacked by a vicious beast, and Andy goes on a stakeout with an FBI agent who is hunting a creature.

From Fear To Eternity
Every 1,300 years, a unique demon appears that feeds on the fears of witches. This time it is targeting the Halliwell sisters and they receive aid from their Wicca ancestors just as they are close to their own fearful deaths.

Secrets And Guys
Prue and Phoebe receive a plea for help from a young kidnap victim, while Piper is surprised by the unexpected return of her lover Leo.

Is There A Woogy In The House
Phoebe becomes possessed by an evil entity that was banished by the sisters grandmother years ago.

Which Prue Is It, Anyway?
To defeat a powerful foe, Prue casts a spell to multiply her powers, only to find that the spell works by creating multiples of Prue.

That '70s Episode
To protect themselves from a power stealing warlock, the sisters time travel to the 1970s where they encounter their mother and grandmother.

When Bad Warlocks Turn Good
Prue befriends a soon-to-be priest, but discovers that he has a dark past. Meanwhile, Phoebe plays matchmaker for Piper.

Out Of Sight
When a young boy gets kidnapped by a Grimlock, it's up to Prue, Piper and Phoebe to attempt a dangerous rescue.

The Power Of Two
Piper is sent by her job to Hawaii leaving Prue and Phoebe by themselves to face a ghost who serially kills people that had to with his execution for revenge.

Love Hurt
Leo returns to San Francisco to beg the sisters to protect a woman who is being stalked by a demonic stalker.

Deja Vu All Over Again
A warlock repeatedly attempts to kill the Charmed Ones, with the demon Tempus turning back time after each failure so that he can try again.

source: IMDb

[*~World on Fire~*]

I love season one. I thought it was such a great way to start a series and the pilot episode "Something Wicca This Way Comes" is still one of my favorite episodes.

[smoothaise]

I liked S1, too. Although, I wish it had more of a constant story arch, other then Leo and Andy. Everything felt very FOTW, and I tend to tune out when it becomes constant like that.

[*~World on Fire~*]

Yeah I know what you mean, but most shows don't have a very consistent story arch the first season, especially shows that premiered before 2000. Still season 1 overall really laid the groundwork that the rest of the seasons could build on.

[GrhmLz]

Actually, i'm going to disagree on the "constant story arc" assessment. Season 1 was my favorite because of the variety it presented in the storylines! The only constant dynamics i found necessary was the sister dynamic and the foundations they introduced in establishing a Prue/Andy and Piper/Leo relationship. Those factors gave some depth and solidarity to the storyline. See, for me, the latter seasons 5-8 turned me off because the storyline arc became boring and repetitive with the constant use of the underworld and the demon figures cloaked in black. Season 1 came up with originality in the different forms of evil it presented but the ending seasons kept using the same storylines over and over (the source, the triad, genies, magic school, demon figures cloaked in black and all the fairytale rubbish). Season 1 looked more connected with their world and they had to go outside into their world to fight these evils. The recent seasons mostly presented the fighting of evil in the manor, the underworld, or magic school!

My favorite Aspects of season 1:

1. The original sister dynamic (Prue/Piper/Phoebe)
2. The variety in storyline (originality in the forms of evil they vanquished)
3. Prue/Andy (i love them... they're my favorite couple in the entire series)
4. I liked the foundation set-up for Piper/Leo
5. i loved the partner dyamic of Andy/Darryl Morris

Because season 1 is my favorite, there are not too many things that i disliked but the couple of things that disappointed me are the following:

1. There was a potential foundation established for Prue/Andy but the writers never really fully took the opportunity to develop it! The writers threw them together and broke them up all in a matter of like 4-5 episodes. I would have liked it if the writers had developed them at a slower pace instead of throwing them together at the beginning of the season, only to break them apart right away and keep them that way for the rest of the season.

2. Andy's Death! I absolutely hated it... i wasn't expecting it and i completely balled my eyes out over it the first time it aired on TV!!!

[*~World on Fire~*]

Heather, I totally agree with you on these points that you made:

Season 1 came up with originality in the different forms of evil it presented but the ending seasons kept using the same storylines over and over (the source, the triad, genies, magic school, demon figures cloaked in black and all the fairytale rubbish).

and

The recent seasons mostly presented the fighting of evil in the manor, the underworld, or magic school!

I did really get tired of just suave looking demons in black suits (I liked all of the Source storylines though) and I got so tired of magic school! It made the show too Harry Potter to me, instead of the wiccan origins and other storyoines pursued in the first couple of seasons. So you are right when you say that season 1 offered different forms of evil and places to vanquish it. Which in turn made the so more interesting because of the tension and problems it created between Andy and Prue and Darryl and Andy.

I also was shocked and appalled that Andy was killed off in the season finale. And I agree that overall he was a barely used and poorly executed character. They had so much they could have worked with, his chemistry with Shannen, their past relationship Prue/Andy, their new relationship, being a cop working with witches (which eventually Darryl had to do), he had the potential to be a wonderful addition to the show for years. Plus Prue and Andy are still my favorite couple on Charmed, along with Phoebe and Cole. I wish they would have kept him on the show, because Prue never had another match as perfect as this first one.

[¨¨~ J Erlotiel L ~¨¨]

I agree with both Heather and Booey.You totally put all my thoughts about season 1 in words.Thank you for that.

[GrhmLz]

No problem, Jackie! I'm glad there are still some of us around that still really admire season 1 and the foundation it set for the rest of the series! I use to post on spoilerfix forum while season 8 was airing and alot of the fans seemed to have preferred the latter seasons with Paige. I was one of the few who did not... b/c i'm a bigger fan of "classic" Charmed (the beginning)! Also, i think there were many Shannen/Prue fans that lost interest and stopped watching shortly after she was killed off in the series so CHARMED lost a part of its fanbase. And alot of the new fans started watching the series when Paige was on it so they grew fond/attached to Paige first and watched the earlier seasons after that.

I did really get tired of just suave looking demons in black suits (I liked all of the Source storylines though) and I got so tired of magic school! It made the show too Harry Potter to me, instead of the wiccan origins and other storyoines pursued in the first couple of seasons.

Yes, you and i are definitely coming at this from the same perspective. I had the same exact thoughts you did regarding magic school and the "Harry Potter comparison." And the overuse of the demon figures cloaked in black was my bigggest pet peeve. It became soooooooo boring! That was why i was so grateful for the Billie/Christy theme introduced in season 8 because it presented something completely different into the storyline.

The overuse of the "source" storyline wasn't as bad and it was definitely used at it's best in season 4! Although, my only "pet peeve" so to speak, regarding the Source was how they drasticly changed his persona from big, scarey, and intimidating from the end of season 3 to this weak, puney, looking figure in season 4!

See, like you stated, i think the show moved too far away from its "wiccan origins" presented to us in season 1. I liked the foundation established in the first season. The "wiccan origin" theme presented us with a story about the "craft" and how it was a female tradition passed on to each generation. It introduced the Melinda Warren/Salem connection. The girls fought to vanquish evil that threatened THEIR world/innocents but the latter seasons became too focused on what was happening in the UNDERWORLD vs. their world.

I suppose the contrast that i'm trying to make is that most of the recent seasons shifted too much focus away from the wiccan origins to Elder/whitelighter/magic school themes and the continuity that season 1 established was broken. I mean don't get me wrong, Wyatt and Chris were cute and all (as babies and adults ) but wasn't it Prue that told Andy in season 1 that their powers/tradition would be passed down to girls? And Piper also made mention that the "craft" was a "chic thing" passed down in the female line? Melinda Warren makes reference to all her "beautiful daughters" of the future. Then, season 2 established that Piper would have a daughter in the future and they totally shifted away from that premise in season 5 when Piper had a boy instead of the girl. What, little Melinda, couldn't have been a "Twice-blessed child"? Afterall, Piper and Leo were still the parents in the alternate future when Prue was alive. It's not like Piper went and had a child with someone else to change who her child would be!!! With all the elder/whitelighter focus on the next generation, it became easy to forget that the whole show had a wiccan premise established in season one. There was nothing wrong with introducing those concepts, it's just that i think it should have remained a subplot in the story and not a dominating theme. The "wiccan premise" appeared to take a backseat alot of the time and if it weren't for the BOOK OF SHADOWS and the reference to the witches as the Charmed Ones, i would have forgotten that CHARMED was suppose to be about three sister "wiccan" witches and their journey to vanquish the evil from their world.

Which in turn made the so more interesting because of the tension and problems it created between Andy and Prue and Darryl and Andy.

Yes, the conflict/angst angle was definitely more compelling in the earlier seasons. Prue/Andy, Darryl/Andy, and even Piper/Leo with their struggles to remain together as a couple were dramatic. I don't know, but i got the feeling that seasons 5-8 shifted its direction to attract a much younger audience (child-age). Seasons 1-4 were drama-based with a touch of humor added to the mix while seasons 5-8 appeared to shift into a humor-centered genre with a bit of drama. I didn't like that shift as an older viewer! I prefered the dramatic form of story-telling from the earlier seasons. Season 1's portrayal of Andy/Darryl and the law enforcement connection to the sisters was much more dramatic and interesting whereas the latter seasons with the homeland security theme, inspector sheridan etc... just made me want to laugh and shake my head. I thought the way it was presented to the audience was just absurd and i didn't take it seriously at all.

I also was shocked and appalled that Andy was killed off in the season finale. And I agree that overall he was a barely used and poorly executed character. They had so much they could have worked with, his chemistry with Shannen, their past relationship Prue/Andy, their new relationship, being a cop working with witches (which eventually Darryl had to do), he had the potential to be a wonderful addition to the show for years. Plus Prue and Andy are still my favorite couple on Charmed, along with Phoebe and Cole. I wish they would have kept him on the show, because Prue never had another match as perfect as this first one.

You know what's ashame? I know i mentioned this before but i heard that they planned on bringing Andy back as some form of a magical being! There was another shannen/prue fan i posted with a spoilerfix and she read alot of articles around the time Shannen was let go from the show. Contrary to what people have come to believe, Paige was not planned for the show! The creation of her character was a last minute "save" for the story because when they filmed/aired the episode All Hell Breaks Loose they weren't even sure whether or not Prue was going to be killed off. They left it open and it wasn't until the summertime that Shannen got word, while filming a movie, she was being let go b/c word came down that either Shannen or Alyssa had to go (due to the growing conflict/tension between the girls). Holly was very upset and was refusing to come back but was made to because of her contract. And what sucks is i heard that if Prue wasn't going to be killed off, Andy was suppose to be reintroduced off of the All Hell Breaks Loose plotline. He was suppose to help in preventing their deaths and their exposure to the world.

And i'm with you all the way! There was no replacement for Prue that compared to Andy. I would have loved to have him brought back from the afterlife.

[*~World on Fire~*]

Originally Posted by GrhmLz (View Post) The overuse of the "source" storyline wasn't as bad and it was definitely used at it's best in season 4! Although, my only "pet peeve" so to speak, regarding the Source was how they drasticly changed his persona from big, scarey, and intimidating from the end of season 3 to this weak, puney, looking figure in season 4!.

I know that was one of the things I found lacking about the Source as well. Although I loved how they made Cole become the Source and I can see how they couldn't robe him like the first Source and such (because he was Cole and so gorgeous) but I still think that when they used the Source to go after Paige in the 4th season they could have made him more threatening or brought him topside, but said something like no one could see him. That would have been a juxtaposition, big scary Source walking behind ordinary people.

See, like you stated, i think the show moved too far away from its "wiccan origins" presented to us in season 1. I liked the foundation established in the first season. The "wiccan origin" theme presented us with a story about the "craft" and how it was a female tradition passed on to each generation. It introduced the Melinda Warren/Salem connection.

I agree with you here as well. I understood that Leo was a whitelighter and how important that was to shaping the show, but I don't think it should have been the only thing shaping it. I loved "All Haliwell's Eve" in season 3 where they went back into the past and saved Melinda Warren and themselves. Also "Wicca Envy" in season 1 where they brought Melinda forward. Episodes that showed them how to further use their craft, new secrets, how to use things like apples and brooms, Phoebe starting the whole witch cliche. Those were completely valid story archs that were abandoned in favor of the whitelighter aspect of the "new" Haliwell line.

I even would have been okay with Piper having boys with Leo if that's what whitelighters tend to have. But I would have only wanted them to have whitelighter powers, not witch ones. But I hated how they abandoned the "woman" theme of Charmed. I think it really left the show more ungrounded.

You know what's ashame? I know i mentioned this before but i heard that they planned on bringing Andy back as some form of a magical being! There was another shannen/prue fan i posted with a spoilerfix and she read alot of articles around the time Shannen was let go from the show. Contrary to what people have come to believe, Paige was not planned for the show! The creation of her character was a last minute "save" for the story because when they filmed/aired the episode All Hell Breaks Loose they weren't even sure whether or not Prue was going to be killed off. They left it open and it wasn't until the summertime that Shannen got word, while filming a movie, she was being let go b/c word came down that either Shannen or Alyssa had to go (due to the growing conflict/tension between the girls). Holly was very upset and was refusing to come back but was made to because of her contract. And what sucks is i heard that if Prue wasn't going to be killed off, Andy was suppose to be reintroduced off of the All Hell Breaks Loose plotline. He was suppose to help in preventing their deaths and their exposure to the world.

Oh Heather reading this just make me sad for what could have been. I was reading something the other day that said Shannen was also fired because she wanted to leave after season 4 and they wanted her to sign another contract, prolonging her departure. Having Andy reintroduced and pivotal in saving the girls' lives after "All Hell Breaks Loose" would have been fantastic. I just wish it had come to pass.

[GrhmLz]

Originally Posted by *~World on Fire~* (View Post) I know that was one of the things I found lacking about the Source as well. Although I loved how they made Cole become the Source and I can see how they couldn't robe him like the first Source and such (because he was Cole and so gorgeous) but I still think that when they used the Source to go after Paige in the 4th season they could have made him more threatening or brought him topside, but said something like no one could see him.

I liked Cole too. Cole as the source was the only consistent storyline that didn't become boring and repetitive like the themes in latter seasons.

Julian and Shannen were dating at the time, did you know? He was also her co-star in the movie she was filming when she received notice that she was fired from CHARMED. The movie was called, Another Day!

Yeah, i think the only thing that made the Source storyline passable when he was going after Paige was the fact that he was possessing Paige's boyfriend/date. That helped to serve as a minor distraction and take away from the fact that the Source's persona was completely altered. We really couldn't see him; therefore, we the viewers, just knew that his presence was there.

That would have been a juxtaposition, big scary Source walking behind ordinary people.

Ha!

And just imagine the reactions from nearby people as he swings his lifesize blade back and forth!!!

I agree with you here as well. I understood that Leo was a whitelighter and how important that was to shaping the show, but I don't think it should have been the only thing shaping it. I loved "All Haliwell's Eve" in season 3 where they went back into the past and saved Melinda Warren and themselves. Also "Wicca Envy" in season 1 where they brought Melinda forward. Episodes that showed them how to further use their craft, new secrets, how to use things like apples and brooms, Phoebe starting the whole witch cliche.

I'm in agreement. Those particular episodes were enjoyable because they connected the craft to the sisters' heritage. I really enjoyed the season 1 premise of this series because it explored the sister bond with some depth along with their Wiccan heritage. The show developed the sister bond along with the knowledge/use of their powers through their struggles and their triumphs.

Those were completely valid story archs that were abandoned in favor of the whitelighter aspect of the "new" Haliwell line.... I even would have been okay with Piper having boys with Leo if that's what whitelighters tend to have. But I would have only wanted them to have whitelighter powers, not witch ones. But I hated how they abandoned the "woman" theme of Charmed. I think it really left the show more ungrounded.

Yes, i really thought that the whitelighter/elder theme went into "overkill." Now, like i stated, there was nothing wrong with introducing that plot point because it was connected to Leo and his role to the girls. However, it should have remained a "subplot" not a dominating background plot! It was like the Elder/Whitelighter plot took centerstage and foreshadowed the Wiccan theme!

As for Wyatt and Chris, i think i would have to agree with you there. Wyatt and Chris developing Charmed powers breaks cannon with the original premise in season 1 which told us that the powers are only passed down through the female line. Which would mean, Piper having boys with Leo should result in the boys developing whitelighter abilities only!

See, like you, i enjoyed the "woman" theme/premise of Charmed and was a little disappointed they abandoned the plot point of Piper having little "Melinda." I was looking forward to seeing the wiccan heritage being passed on from mother to daughter and we didn't get to see that at all. I mean, even though little Wyatt and Chris were acknowledged as descending from the Charmed line, most of their plot points revolved around the whitelighter aspect or the prophecy. Wyatt was superpowerful because of some age old prophecy (which makes little sense to me that he had to be the twice blessed child b/c Paige was born half-witch/half-whitelighter before him and she is an actual charmed one with whitelighter abilites. Wyatt is just the descendent of a charmed one with access to whitelighter abilities but whatever). Chris's involvement was even grounded more in his whitelighter status, his relationship to his father, and saving Wyatt which connects back to the prophecy. There was very little centered around the Wiccan heritage being passed onto the next generation!

The shift in direction isn't really too surprising when we consider that Constance Burge (the creator of Charmed) left after season 3!

Oh Heather reading this just make me sad for what could have been. I was reading something the other day that said Shannen was also fired because she wanted to leave after season 4 and they wanted her to sign another contract, prolonging her departure. Having Andy reintroduced and pivotal in saving the girls' lives after "All Hell Breaks Loose" would have been fantastic. I just wish it had come to pass.

It makes me sad too! Just think of all the missed storyline opportunity!

I agree, the reintroduction of Andy into that plotline would have been great. I mean, if we connect some of the plot points it kind of makes sense that Andy was going to be brought back through this particular story. Think about it, Andy dies as a mortal in Deja Vu All Over Again trying to save the sisters in a time loop connected to Tempus! Then, he comes back as a magical being to help save the sisters from exposure and death in another storyline that involves Tempus and reversing time at the end of season 3 into 4. I definitely think the foundation was set for that to happen.

As for Shannen, there were alot of rumors that were flying around about why she was let go. It's possible she was expressing a wish to leave after season 4 but if she did i'm guessing the reason is connected to her fued with Alyssa. I know at one point Alyssa threatened to get a lawyer and sue to be let out of her contract over the conflict. But Charmed was signed on with an 8 year contract from the beginning which means so were the girls. That's why Holly was made to stay b/c of her contract and she was very upset about Shannen's treatment/departure from the show and was refusing to come back for season 4, herself. I heard she was still very upset over it all the way into season 5 which means if the contract was only 4 years, Holly could have refused to come back for a season 5. So, i don't think the alleged contract dispute regarding Shannen is true! PR (public relations/publicity) connected to the show made a choice between Alyssa and Shannen and at the time they figured they could afford to loose Shannen more than Alyssa. The "conflict" between the girls on set is what sent one of the girl's packing and unfortunately, Shannen got the "short end of the stick."

[*~World on Fire~*]

Originally Posted by GrhmLz (View Post) I agree, the reintroduction of Andy into that plotline would have been great. I mean, if we connect some of the plot points it kind of makes sense that Andy was going to be brought back through this particular story. Think about it, Andy dies as a mortal in Deja Vu All Over Again trying to save the sisters in a time loop connected to Tempus! Then, he comes back as a magical being to help save the sisters from exposure and death in another storyline that involves Tempus and reversing time at the end of season 3 into 4. I definitely think the foundation was set for that to happen.

This would have created amazing continuity, bridging the third season and the first season together, and maybe it would have effectively kept the theme of the show more on track with the introduction of Andy being a magical being. It might have brought to attention the fact that they couldn't donate so much of the plot to the whitelighter aspect of the show. I would have loved to see plotlines from the first season resurface again.

Swinging in a different diffection I was watching "Thank You For Not Morphing" the other day and was wondering, does this episode make sense to anyone else? Because I totally don't get it.

But I love how they introduced Leo at the end of the episode as the handy-man it always makes me laugh. And I love when Prue points out to Phoebe that the only reason she likes Leo is because Piper likes him! Prue is so right.

[Moonlight~Pixie]

See, for me, the latter seasons 5-8 turned me off because the storyline arc became boring and repetitive with the constant use of the underworld and the demon figures cloaked in black. Season 1 came up with originality in the different forms of evil it presented but the ending seasons kept using the same storylines over and over (the source, the triad, genies, magic school, demon figures cloaked in black and all the fairytale rubbish). Season 1 looked more connected with their world and they had to go outside into their world to fight these evils. The recent seasons mostly presented the fighting of evil in the manor, the underworld, or magic school!

IAWTC. I started disliking the later seasons. Mostly 6 and 7, some of 8 too. They had mostly one storyline the whole seasons and I didn't care for that really. I loved the variety of the early seasons. How each week it was a new demon.

[¨¨~ J Erlotiel L ~¨¨]

I didn't like season 7 at all.There was to much that was repetated and also the whole thing that happened between Leo and Piper.It just sucked.

I thought about stop wtching the show after Shannen was kicked off but then I had seen some movies with Rose and I did like her.I love Paige in but at the same time I miss Prue so extremely much.It feels like there's a big part missing.
Also it is really a shame that the haven't shown her sprit or summoned it not even once.I mean they had the power to someone anyone else with the power of three but no their sister.

@Heather, all you wrote was very much true to what I felt but still I can't say that I prefer the original charmed ones more or less to what has been all these seaons when Paige came along.

[*~World on Fire~*]

Originally Posted by Moonlight~Pixie (View Post) IAWTC

What does this stand for?

Jackie I totally know where you are coming from the only redeeming part of season 7 is Kyle and Paige, especially in "Charmed Noir". Actually that could be the only episode I really love from that season.

I used to think that having a demon of the week on Charmed or a freak of the week on Smallville was stupid and campy. But I realized the more I watched different TV shows that certain plots structures work better in different tv shows than others. Buffy benefited greatly from a one Big Bad of the season type story-arch but Charmed was really at its best when each episode was something new and exciting. Although when they would link 3 or 4 episodes together that worked too. Zankou on the other hand, didn't work. A whole season of being unable to vanquish him? It only would have worked with a more likeable villian, like Cole. But the early seasons had great variety in demons and evil doers, they really tried everything to see what worked best with the show. And they came up with some good stuff, Tempus, Barbaros, the Angel of Death, the Triad.

This strategy really showed off the versatility of the show in the earlier seasons, kept it from being repetative, and gave the sisters numerous situations to try out their powers or learn something about themselves as sisters. This made the demon seem like an after thought to the main theme of sisterhood, even if the supernatural tended to infringe upon their bond occasionally. It usually gave them something to bicker about.

[ImmortallyUsed]

season1 will still always be my favourite i dont know why it just seemed so much more magical and it was new and so so interesteing