Season Five Reviews

[Esmeralda]

Here's some various reviews that I've seen regarding Season Five:

Simplypoo83:

Season 5: I like to pretend it didn't happen- I barely watched the show during this time. This has to be one of the worst seasons. This is when they destroyed Cole's character for good. The birth of Wyatt. I'm torn again. I wanted the baby. I didn't care that it was a boy. This is where I get annoyed: Twice blessed? Excalibur? Seriously? I think Wyatt could have been a better storyline but I think they pulled this garbage out of a hat. I'm almost positive that even the writers of this season don't put this on their resume.

SEERofCHAOS:

Season 5:Another mixed one. I do enjoy a lot of episodes from this season, and the sisters are still helping innocents, which now became an abundance of fairytale creatures. Cole's character was ruined, he should have stayed dead, and this season was too Phoebe focused. I don't have a problem with Wyatt like most people do.

Astral Alex:

Season 5 - Hmm, I hated A Witch's Tail, and most of the season is 'forgettable'. The Day The Magic Died however was one of my favourite episodes, and I love Wyatt but just hated the fairy-tale aspect of this season, as Charmed had been so dark during Seasons 3 & 4. Also I think the decision to bring Cole back, only to kill him off finally ten episodes later was a mistake. His vanquish at the end of Season Four was more memorable and the perfect end to the series. Phoebe also began to REEEEEEAAAAAALLY annoy me during this season. Her selfishness and 'I should get what I want' attitude didn't fit with Piper's all of a sudden motherly role and Paige's superwitch role. Although I did love it when Phoebe enjoyed playing Aunt to Wyat..

Jad:

Season five- the ruining of Cole as a character or the devolution of a good character done in by Miss Phoebe Haliwell who could not let go of Cole. The exit of Cole could have been done better if only Phoebe could have an adult relationship with a man. The second half of the season had a couple of good episodes but for the most part were a waste of time. My worst season ever. Some of the Cole episodes were good and the Wyatt episodes in the second half. I Barely give this season a half a thumb.

ljones:

Season Five - Horrible beyond words, aside from a few episodes.

FROM OTHER SITES:

Review #1:

Season 5

Look I have nothing against fairytales, I don't and my fave is sleeping beauty but there is NO NEED TO HAVE ONE EPISODE IN THIS SEASON ALL ABOUT FAIRYTALES! They don't mix in with the darn show. Sure there was one before (Once Upon a Time) but maybe it would have been best to keep it like that. You see a lot of potential would've lied well in this season. There were some good ones like introducing Kevin and the gypsy episode but they focused more on the fact Phoebe wanted to be free from Cole and crap like that. That could have worked well during the first two episodes and then kill Cole off in the fourth one. But no. I did like some episodes like when the girls lost their senses and stuff. I don't know what else to say so yeah.

My rating: 3/10

Review #2:

Season Five - A child more powerful than the CO?
Piper's pregnancy got on my nerves as everywhere possible the powers of her child was mentioned. And everyone thought it'd be a girl. Tradition, oh my godness! Yep, so when the baby came, the magic died for one day. How is that even possible and why is the baby stronger than the generation before? And surprise: IT'S A BOY!! So I loved her bitching at his wiccaning and the boy was named after his father and aunt: Wyatt Matthew, so we're just stopping the P-tradition? Great idea.

So at the end: 4/10

Review #3: (Yes, Chrisaholic, this one is yours)

Season Five was a horrible season. Once the Source was gone, they no longer had a big baddie, so the show began to drift. This was when Paige quit her job and began turning into the ditzy valley girl that others have pointed out. Of course, what they did to Cole this season was inexcusable. Finally, this is the season that the magical community showed up. S5 should be wiped from history.

Finally here's mine (naturally I have to save mine for last! Hehehe!):

SEASON FIVE: Meeting the rest of the Magical Community

Along with S4, this one was my least-favorite until S6 & 8 came along. Now they're both just mediocre.

S4 was much too dark; S5 was much too light. Funny, but during S4, a lot of fans were writing on the boards that we should get a chance to meet other peoples in the magical world. I guess this proves to watch out what you wish for--you may get it!! I liked all the fairy tales and everything much, much better than the darkness of S4, but not by much.

By far, the best part of the season was Wyatt, both while Piper was carrying him (and we thought she was Melinda, who he should've been, and he *definitely* should not have had a prophecy of his own; one that no one had even heard about until then, and that made him even more powerful than the propesied "most powerful witches ever") and his birth and his first demon. Remembering that unicorn as the sign of purity still hurts when I think what they did to his character in S6. Chris *so* should've been the evil, jealous younger brother!

This season includes two of my favorite eppis--"Cat House" (although I want to kill Kern for the way he fired Shannen, so she ended up not allowing scenes of Prue to be shown!!!) and "Sense & Sense Ability"--that *had* to be the funniest episode ever!!

But I hate what they did to Cole! It's almost as if they were trying to make us hate his character so we wouldn't mind when they got rid of him in the 100th eppi--and that that--so he could be part of that eppi was the only reason for hanging on. Oh, did THAT backfire! That eppi just made me (and a lot of others) miss Cole and abhor Phoebe!

This season was when Piper began to whine and Phoebe began becoming Freebie/PhoeME and Paige was beginning to become a dumb Valley Girl rather than the gal who went to college and should've been a social worker. The deterioration of their characters from potential whitelighters to selfish b!tches began!


C-/5 out of 10/Mediocre

So? What says the rest of you? And any reaction to any of these?

And if you already posted it and I couldn't find it, I apologize!

[Chrisaholic]

Not that I want to complain but mine was Review #2, just to be concrete. I looked at it once more and it's proven that way. Sorry, Es!!

[forbuss]

Would be cool to rate all of the seasons out of 10, based on criteria - like character development, story arc, relationships, acting, writing, etc. Would anyone be interested in something like that? It would be a good matter of fact way to approach it.

[jimothy]

What should have happened in this season was having Phoebe and Piper mourn Prue more now the Source was gone. Paige should have had her own life, especially an extended family. It would have been nice had Paige had an adopted brother show up, perhaps after finding that Paige was a witch. What would have really been cool would to have had an actual story arc where three mortals steal the sisters powers and use them against them... and the less about Piper's pregnancy the better. The baby being a boy probably didn't help things.

Anyone notice how through seasons 5-8, Prue's grave wasn't visited once or even mentioned to be visited. Stupid.

[Rebecca Malfoy]

I still remember the first episode I watched, and it was the season finale.

I do think the 100th episode should've been about the sister's and not Cole (who I think should've stayed dead after I watched season 4), and I really didn't like that Wyatt became more powerful than his mother and aunts since there was nothing to indicate that there'd be a magical force stronger than them, like ever. The fairy tale episodes, I thought they were cute, or at least the first one was.

I do think there should've been some sort of power growth for Paige this season when it came to her Charmed power. It annoys me that the only power development she had in terms of powers was her whitelighter powers. I think that since her whitelighter powers was what they chose to develop, she should've stayed as a social worker.

Other than the baby storyline, I felt that this season really lacked a storyline that tied all three sisters together much like season 2's love triangle between Leo, Piper and Dan (from what I can remember).

[ljones]

I don't know why so many thought Cole's vanquish at the end of S4 was so "perfect". How was killing a victim of demonic possession "perfect"? Because he was a demonic assassin in the past? Were the memories of these people so damn short lived that they had forgotten how Cole became the Source in the first place?

If Kern wanted Cole dead so badly, he could have at least allowed the sisters to discover that they had been wrong to kill him off in "Long Live the Queen" in the first damn place. Kern should have allowed the Halliwells to realize their mistake before his death. And not that ludicrous and nauseating death that he had experienced in "Centennial Charmed".

But oh no! Phoebe needed an excuse to quickly move on to a new man without mourning Cole's death. No wonder I lost respect for the writing on this show.

[Esmeralda]

Oh, I don't think any fan disagrees that not allowing the sisters to figure out that Cole was possessed was the stupidest move ever made on a show full of stupid mistakes.

Personally, I would've preferred the Source actually murdering Cole and then taking over his body so the body that was vanquished was actually the Source - with the sisters knowing it, and Phoebe having to murder someone who looks like Cole, but isn't.

All we say is that having Phoebe actually mourn him is better than what happened to him during Season Five. That's all.

Her not properly mourning him, the way Prue mourned Andy (and the way Piper didn't mourn Leo and Paige didn't mourn Kyle - as much as I hate that character) are also grevious errors - and the character of Phoebe sufferered for it - again, I don't think any fan would disagree.

Personally I lost respect for this show long before that. For me it was when they had Phoebe put Cole in front of her sisters, first by lying to Prue about vanquishing him and then have her remaining in the Underworld rather than being with her sisters, the reason Prue died.

I also lost respect when they had Leo be an a$$ - he should've gone down to the Underworld, told Cole about the need for to turn time back, grab Phoebe and go back Up There - again, no death for Piper (Leo would've been there to heal her) and no death for Prue. Just pure stupidity. Part of why I don't like "All Hell Breaks Loose".

[Esmeralda]

A fan at another site is doing a Charmed rewatch via Netflix and is doing a review after each season. She/He just finished rewatching Season Five and I found her/his review of Season Five very accurate and decided to post it here.

But to give you some perspective, first here's his/her review of Season Four:

Well, my Season 4 re-watch is complete and I'm currently on Season 5. So once again, let's just cut to the chase.

Now....Season 4

This season is probably the most controversial season of the series. Following virtually 3 seasons of great chemistry between 3 great leads and the show evolving immensely by the end of it's third year to have it's biggest star leave (fired sigh) couldn't come at the worst possible time.

Some fans hate Season 4 out of anger over Shannen's departure by putting it with the second half of the series (Season 5-8) as being just as bad, some think it's too dark, some think along with Season 3, it's Charmed's finest season, etc.

Me? I think considering losing Shannen/Prue, Season 4 is without a doubt one of the best seasons of the series While I do admit, coming off a pretty Prue heavy season, it's just as hard for the viewer (I'm assuming) as it is for Piper and Phoebe not having their eldest sister with them anymore. Luckily, while Prue not being present gives the season sometimes an underwhelming feel, her presence is certainly felt. The writers are smart in this regard, realizing that Prue was too integral to the series' first 3 years to just swipe her existence under the rug. They didn't just lose a cast member, they lost a major character and had to make sure that Prue in some form was remembered almost every episode to give her absence some emotional resonance. From the aftermath of Prue's death at the start of the season to Phoebe's temptation of evil taken to a whole new level, the Charmed Ones are put through a whirlwind of pain and grief that kinda trumps last season's dilemmas. Add in the imminent threat of the Source and you have truly an unsettling year for all the right reasons

Without Prue, the dynamic between this new set of sisters is pretty jarring, if not intriguing. Another great way the writers use Prue's death during this season is by taking Piper and Phoebe to some new places personally and emotionally they otherwise would have never been if Prue was still alive. Each pushed to the next level of sisterhood, Piper is now the oldest and the matriarch of the family. If last season was Shannen Doherty/Prue's time to shine, Season 4 was certainly Piper's by far. Holly Marie Combs was always the second actress after Shannen who always performed very well and during this season, especially "Charmed Again, Part 1" and "Hell Hath No Fury", her performances are tremendous Not only is the writing for Piper incredibly strong but it's obvious Holly was incorporating some of her real feelings towards Shannen's messy exit considering her acting is so raw and surreal. It's no surprise Piper takes Prue's death the hardest, she was always the closest to her and spent more time with her than Phoebe. It's the loss of that closeness that makes Piper the most resistant when Paige comes into their lives. Luckily, Piper makes some efforts in connecting with Paige, while also trying to adjust to her new role as the big sister. While last season, Piper had some moments of taking charge, here is where she needs to take lead and seeing Piper grow into that role is pretty awesome.

Being the oldest sister, she now has the strongest powers and seeing her master her molecular combustion was cool. It's also great seeing her develop as the big sister. Sure, Prue had it, but Piper's take on this new role was definitely different. Not to mention, while dealing with Prue's death and becoming the eldest sisters, she's once again dealing with her burden over being a witch. In the psychologically potent "Brain Drain", Piper reaches her breaking point considering what she's been through, it's understandable that she wants to give up being a witch and when put into a reality where she's a sick mental patient who's only delusional about being supernatural, who wouldn't want to be free from that? Holly showcases more phenomenal acting here and you really feel for Piper deeply. Another side of Piper we see develop are her maternal instincts, like in "Lost and Bound", where she becomes sort of a surrogate mother to Tyler, a firestar. While not the best episode in quality (quite poor actually), it's cool to see Piper take charge and being so nurturing. In "Black as Cole", Paige gives Piper and Leo a robo-baby to test out their parenting skills and while humorous, it gets pretty saddening in the last half of the season. In "Bite Me" and "Womb Raider", the reality of Piper not being able to conceive is all too real for her and Holly once again conveys such a realistic human element in a supernatural based series. The pain doesn't end there when Phoebe becomes queen of the Underworld and she loses a sister again. Piper feels she failed in her big sister role and let her family fall apart. Luckily, Paige helps Piper get her strength back and she manages to get Phoebe back on their side. Lastly, when it comes to the finale, "Witch Way Now?", when the sisters are given a chance to relinquish their powers by the Angel of Destiny, Piper's reasons for giving up her powers are reasonable given her season arc. It's a rewarding ending when Piper and her sisters discover she is pregnant. In the end, it was great seeing Piper step up as the oldest sister, work through her grief over Prue's death, yearning to be mother and finally getting be one like she foresaw in "Morality Bites". Great stuff

Phoebe's character evolution is actually more intriguing than Piper's if you think about it. Personally and visually, Phoebe's almost a completely different character by the end of the season and matures a great deal. By the start of the season, she's still the cute blonde little sister with an eagerness for witchcraft but now with Prue gone, she's quickly becomes the middle sister/mediator of Piper and Paige ("Hell Hath No Fury"). Not only that, but she get's engaged, struggles with the idea of marriage, eventually get's married to Cole, gets a job, gets pregnant demonically, vanquishes her husband and by season end, she's a now mature looking young woman who has lost all her innocence and wants a demon free life ("Witch Way Now?") This is truly a transitional season for the character and while most fans hate this season for alternating Phoebe's personality, I think the writers did it realistically. She's not the baby anymore and with any loss in the family, people are forced to grow up. Without Prue to keep her in check, Phoebe was forced to grow up whether she liked it or not. Alyssa was great this season I feel in showing Phoebe hesitation and near disdain for growing up so fast. Little things like Phoebe not seeing herself as the marrying type ("Black as Cole"), being afraid of being a home bound housewife ("Lost and Bound"), to wanting to move out the Manor ("Saving Private Leo") to wanting to maintain her relationship with her sisters ("Bite Me"), it all made Phoebe seems wiser, older yet still Phoebe. Then you have her dark turn as the Queen of the Underworld, the darkest arc of episodes the series ever did. Phoebe's darker nature has been hinted at by the writers since the first season and we finally get what feels like some major payoff. Alyssa is quite riveting in these episodes as well as the writing, with the series really pushing the emotional drama and moral ambiguity to it's peak. Never has the series been so dark and powerful, love those episodes. It's no wonder after Cole's manipulation and the consequences of that lead to her changing her outlook on being a witch ("Witch Way Now?"). Phoebe has every right to feel that way and now with Cole still contacting her from the beyond, she has reached her limits. I sometimes feel this is the most fascinating season for Phoebe, the writers put her through the ringer and Alyssa for the most part rose to the occasion. "Long Live The Queen" lies possibly the finest acting of her career.

Lastly, we get to the newest sister: Paige Matthews. The idea of a long lost sister could have been the death of the series but surprisingly, Paige's introduction is handled with such care. Thanks to some conveniently established plot developments (Sam and Patty's affair revelation in Season 2's "P3 H20"), Paige's existence was not only plausible but believable. Not to mention, Rose McGowan made for a fine choice for the character. Sure, she's no Shannen Doherty and her performances in the later seasons feature some of the most horrendous facial expressions I've ever seen........ but...here, she's pretty darn good. The character fits her and she makes it her own right from the start ("Charmed Again"). Instantly, you relate to Paige and it's nice that writers crafted her a nice back story that gives her character some depth. She was a reckless teen who lost her adopted parents at a young age yet managed to find a career in social services. Unlike the next 4 seasons (combined), Paige feels so fleshed out and her own person here. She's not simply Phoebe-lite or Prue's shadow, she's a quirky, independent young woman whose not afraid to speak her mind and whose heart is always in the right place. Her initial fear over discovering being a witch is believable and reminiscent of the sisters during the first season. Paige has her doubts not only about magic but about her new sisters. In "A Knight To Remember", Paige faces not only her past life but the possibility of moving in with Piper and Phoebe. There are great discussions brought up about reuniting the sisterhood under one roof, especially from Paige's point of view, feeling like she won't measure up to Prue. The writers also find the time to elaborate on Paige's past in "A Paige From The Past" when she re-visits her past and finds out the reason why she lost her parents. While the episode itself is blogged down by filler material, Rose gives probably her best performance on Charmed.

On the sister front, Paige didn't match the closeness that was the original sisters, but the writers never tried to force that bond. Paige naturally fits in because she doesn't exactly fit in. They establish while Paige is a blood relative, she was raised differently than Piper and Phoebe and her eager independence is a key character trait that separates her from them that was interesting to watch. I also enjoyed her bonding with Piper once Phoebe left the Manor. It's unlike Prue and Piper's relationship but it's something new and fun to watch. I realize Holly and Rose really bounce off each other better than Alyssa and Rose. Something about Piper's brooding sarcasm mixed with Paige's upbeat, jittery assertiveness works so well. The sister moments for the most part still work like Piper and Phoebe introducing Paige to Patty ("Charmed Again, Part 2"), Piper declaring Paige is her sister to her boss ("Hell Hath No Fury"), Phoebe and Paige hilariously clashing on Phoebe's wedding day ("Marry Go Round") Paige talking to Piper about her pregnancy issues ("Bite Me" and "Womb Raider"), The sisters doing their make-up and talking about their sex lives ("The Fifth Halliwell"), the sisters' arguments over whether they should stay witches or not? ("Witch Way Now?") and who could forget Piper and Paige coming to Phoebe's bed side just to show their undying support ("Long Live the Queen") It's without a doubt the finest sister moment of the Paige years and shows that while the dynamic wasn't as strong with Prue but still had some genuine, heartfelt moments that were undeniable. The show was still about the sisters and sadly, here is where that sisterhood focus ended.

Paige being half-witch/half-whitelighter was a cool angle for the character as well. Her Telekinetic Orbing is a cool variation of Prue's power as well as finally having a sister that could teleport or Orb. As a new Charmed One, she quickly learned all aspects of magic from potions to Power of 3 spells, aids in vanquishing the Source 3 times and manages to hone her instincts by realizing before anyone else Cole was up to no good. "The Fifth Halliwell" is probably where Paige feels the most like an outsider as Cole psychologically pushes Paige to her limit. Another strong performance from Rose by the way. Ironically, Paige is the sister that helps bring her sisters back together in "Long Live The Queen" and is the sister wanting to stay a witch in "Witch Way Now?" Paige's journey this season is filled with such depth and maturity, that it's such a shame where the character goes from here.

Cole's return this year was a bit jarring at first, another consequence of a slightly messy resolution to Season 3's cliffhangers. Everyone seems back to seeing him as an ally, guessing cause he helped get Leo and Phoebe out of the Underworld? But anyway, Cole's presence this season is just as refreshing as the last, probably even more so, since we see more instances of Cole fighting for good and making serious attempts at redemption. He helps the sisters track down Paige ("Charmed Again"), tries to reason with Piper when she gets out of control ("Hell Hath No Fury"), trains Phoebe to fight the Source ("Enter The Demon") and even manages to temporarily hurt the Source ("Brain Drain"). "Black As Cole" is a superb episode centered on the character as Cole faces his past head on when not only is a demon copycatting his old schemes but a widow of one of his previous victims is out to stop him for good. It's great morally gray episode that truly capitalizes and ends Cole's journey as Belthazor. Once Cole is human, we see a man who is trying to find his identity and struggling to find his place among a world he doesn't belong in anymore. Phoebe's lack of an answer to his wedding proposal doesn't help either. Though he gets a chance to show how powerful he can be even a mortal when he helps the sisters stop the Source in "Charmed and Dangerous". But it proves to be at a horrifying consequence when Cole is possessed by the Source. While it's hard watching Cole being forced into the villain role again, Julian is so captivating in the role as the new Source, it's hard not to feel too bad. His manipulation of the family, especially Phoebe are dark, twisted and bring some of the most profound material from the series. Not to mention with the wonderful Seer by his side, played with delicious menace and cool by Debbi Morgan, the character of Cole is at his finest this season in all his evil glory. The only downside is Cole should have stayed dead after "Long Live The Queen". His return in "Witch Way Now?" begins to drag his/Phoebe's story to the ground and only promises a tiresome recycling of what we've seen the both of them go through next season. Sigh.

Leo...well....is Leo. But honestly, Leo's role has always been the background character with occasionally strong moments with Piper and guiding the Charmed Ones, anything more proves to be underwhelming especially in "Saving Private Leo". The first episode to focus on Leo and it feels so contrived. Suddenly Leo has all his army photos all over the manor, especially when he hates the idea of even reminiscing about it? Also, Brian Krause shows how limited his acting is as he makes Leo's dilemma seem like a kid at the school yard stole one of his favorite toys than a man dealing with deep regret over his past. I don't know, but that episode just didn't work for me.

Darryl has a decent moment in "Charmed Again" by standing up for the sisters to Inspector Cortez showing him that he's developed a deep relationship with them. While Darryl is once again underused, he proves to be a worthy human ally for the sisters and fits in with rest of the characters well, especially his funny moments when Cole is human.

Season 4 is filled with themes of isolation, grief, loss, lack of identity, sacrifice and ultimately giving into evil. While the demonic rituals and underworld politics become a bit tedious toward the end of the year, it was exciting for the most part seeing the villains' side of the fight, especially when Phoebe is Queen and there's a twisted domestic approach to that arc.

Speaking of villains, while there aren't that many standouts to chose from like last season, this is the first season to have a season long antagonist in the Source of All Evil. While his attacks against the sisters aren't the best at first, like manipulating Paige to the dark side, the rest of the season sees some great plots centered on the Source's agenda to kill the Charmed Ones with the best being his asylum illusion in Piper's mind ("Brain Drain") and the introduction of the Hollow ("Charmed and Dangerous"). Once Cole takes over as Source#2, he becomes more menacing and creepy. The Seer as his partner in crime made for one of the strongest female villains the writers ever created and Debbi Morgan is simply memorizing as the character. Though her twist in the story comes to a disappointing end in "Womb Raider" which has some bad acting from Alyssa, jarring humor and useless plot devices (The Tall Man=ZZZZZ)

As for the rest of the Season 4's rogues gallery: Sykes was a cool looking Belthazor doppelganger, Gamel was freakin played by Freddy Krueger himself , The Wizard was freakin' played by Snyder, The Rat demons were lame though, so were Ludlow, Leo's ghost friends, the vampires, and Yenlow. Devlin was serviceable, Karzon was a wannabe Source, Shax comes back for a cool vanquish, The Oracle was clearly played by a playboy bunny, Coolie was thankfully mostly silent as the Lazarus demon, Rose makes for a decent Evil Echantress and Bruce Campbell...Mr. Evil Dead himself....a witch hunter...color me intrigued despite the predictability!

So just to wrap things up:

PROS:
1. The final season to emphasize the sisterhood and the Power of Three.
2. The well executed introduction of Paige.
3. The season long Source arc and his rebirth in Cole.
4. Some remarkable acting from the cast, especially from Holly Marie Combs and Julian McMahon
5. The character evolution of Piper and especially Phoebe.
6. More series classics in the form of "Brain Drain", "Charmed and Dangerous", "The Fifth Halliwell" and "Long Live The Queen".
7. Phoebe's Queen of the Underworld mini-arc ("We're Off To See The Wizard" and "Long Live The Queen").
8. Debbi Morgan/The Seer.


CONS:
1. The cliffhangers at the end of "All Hell Breaks Loose" being clumsily resolved.
2. The noticeable loss of Shannen Doherty/Prue.
3. A disappointing end to the Source arc ("Womb Raider").
4. Cole remaining post-"Love Live The Queen".
5. Inconsistency with awesome arc episodes and weak stand alones.


Season 4 Episode Grades:

Charmed Again (1)=A-
Charmed Again (2)=B-
Hell Hath No Fury=B
Enter the Demon=D-
Size Matters=B-
A Knight to Remember=C
Brain Drain=A+
Black As Cole=A
Muse to My Ears=B-
A Paige from the Past=C
Trial By Magic=D-
Lost and Bound=D+
Charmed and Dangerous=A+
The Three Faces of Phoebe=B+
Marry-Go-Round=B+
The Fifth Halliwell=A
Saving Private Leo=C-
Bite Me=C+
We're Off to See the Wizard=B+
Long Live the Queen=A+
Womb Raider=C
Witch Way Now?=C+

Final Score= B+

Overall a great season! Sure, it's a step down from Season 3 in terms of inconsistency in episodes and Shannen/Prue's loss really affected the dynamic of the series, but the wonderfully done intro for Paige, the continuation of strong sister characterization, the significant character growth for Piper and Phoebe and the darkest, most riveting storytelling really does make it one of the finest seasons of the series.

And now here's his/her review for Season Five:

Sigh. Finished my Season 5 re-watch and all I can is....well...let’s get to it.

Without further a do.........Season 5

Here begins the infamous half of the series (Season 5-8) and where most of the complaints, even hatred of Charmed lies and starting with Season 5, it's hard to defend the series with such a drastic change of writing, direction etc. By this point in the series, Constance Burge was completely gone from the series (serving as creative consultant for Season 3 and 4), Alyssa and Holly were made executive producers and certain things like continuity/common sense started exiting the series.

Anyway, if Season 2 had a jarring tone with a mix of dark, gritty plots and comedic situations, Season 5 takes that to another level to where the show is barely worthy of the title "guilty pleasure". While the show gets a huge budget increase right from the two-part series premiere "A Witch's Tail", with some visual flourish, vibrant colors and a polished look to the series, it seems to be at the expense of what made the series what it is: that clever mix of sisterhood and witchcraft.

It's almost like we entered an alternate reality where the only thing that makes sense is that Piper is pregnant. Everything else just seems off in terms of continuity. Suddenly Cole's back and everyone hates him, Phoebe is some kind of celebrity, Paige gets the promotion she's been waiting for....only to quit her job, Leo comes off a kind of a jerk by instilling some maternal fears in Piper, Cole is back to annoyingly pinning for and stalking Phoebe, and Piper....well....at least she's still somewhat recognizable. The show quickly moves away from the dark, serialized storytelling of late due to the WB's melding and Kern caving in to their demanding because apparently he can't run a series himself. Now the show embraces an even more flawed episodic structure and becomes too fantasy driven. Sure we've had being like Cupids and Muses on the show, but this is when the series goes overboard and starts pulling creatures from other mythologies that seriously ham the hell out of the series. Mermaids, mummies, superheroes, fairy tales, sandmen, gods, titans........ leprechauns, nymphs, even those dreaded fairies return! The problem is some of these could have worked by the writers giving them a clever spin, but nope, some of them are about as cliched as you'd expect producing some of the worst episodes of the series ("Lucky Charmed" and "Nymphs Just Wanna Have Fun").

As far as the sisters go, Piper is not only the sister that has the most substantial material this season but probably the only character. Piper's pregnancy was a huge revelation that left a lot of hope at the end of Season 4. Though, the pregnancy is used mostly for silly subplots (Piper and Leo's power swap in "Siren Song") or convenient plot devices (self-healing/invincibility), it is interesting storyline none the less that sees Piper having some maternal fears along the way, starting with "A Witch's Tail" when she fears to confront any demon thinking she might die, leaving her child without a mother like what happened with her mother. It's a believable development for Piper and while the fearless spell reeks of personal gain, it was just plain awesome seeing Piper being a full-on badass. Then you have her continued concerns of having a natural birth instead of a medical one ("The Eyes Have It"), wanting to still be romantic despite becoming a mother ("Sand Francisco Dreamin'), to her detesting any maternal wear ("Y Tu Mummy Tambien"), which is understandable, if not blatant sitcomy material. Luckily Holly Marie Combs works wonders with such standard material and while the pregnancy has it's up and downs in terms of story. The mystery surrounding the baby and what it means to the Charmed Ones's line as well as the magical community is intriguing none the less. Piper's pregnancy culminates in "The Day Magic Died", a flawed if not fairly touching episode which we discover Piper's baby is a boy and is named Wyatt Matthew Haliwell in the following episodes.

It's good to see Piper's maternal instincts at play during the later half of the season. Although, this is officially when the series became less about the sisters and more about protecting Wyatt. From there, Piper and Leo suddenly have marital issues....wait what!? and see a marriage counselor. While "Cat House" is a decent trip down memory lane for the series, Piper and Leo's issues were never built upon prior to the episode and just feels forced. Their problems culminate in "Oh My Goddess!", an outlandish, over the top finale that sees the sisters in Xena-lite costumes and Leo ascending to Elder land with the only decent development being Piper's reaction to losing her husband. Holly makes the best out of a silly situation (especially that costume) and makes Piper and Leo's shoehorned split seem pretty legit. Between her anticipation of motherhood, saving her sisters multiple times, battling an invincible Cole all her own, raising Wyatt and then losing Leo, these storylines weren't always perfect but Piper was still remained pretty consistent this year and Holly truly becomes the miracle worker of some dire scripts.

Onto Phoebe....sigh....I seriously started missing the old Pheebs here. Here is when the character becomes shrill, self-absorbed with a wardrobe consisting of outfits only Hugh Hefner could love. The first half of the season sees Phoebe dealing with her animosity towards Cole and while it's understandable she would be upset given her fallout with him as the Source last season, her attitude for the most part is uncalled for and written inconsistently. She's mad when Cole's around, she's mad when Cole's not around, she's mad when he does something good, she's mad when he does something evil, she's mad when he tries to kill himself, she's mad when she can't kill him and on and on and on....WHAT!? The only times Phoebe's issues with Cole are handled with maturity or should I say like a married couple are in "Siren Song" or when the writers cut the crap and put them at odds with each other ("Sam I Am"). This story arc between the characters seriously drags to no end this season and when Phoebe finally is able to vanquish Cole in the 100th episode, "Centennial Charmed", it's by an alternate Phoebe and while a cool looking vanquish, hardly competes with the emotional punch of "Long Live The Queen".

Post-Cole, there isn't much going on for Phoebe. Oh, I'm sorry, she's suddenly a mini-celeb in San Francisco cause of her column (ummm...yeah...whatever ) She's overworked, constantly having to balance a booming career and her wicca duties now, but it's hardly interesting. Then you have her sadly obvious rebound in Miles and her relationship with Jason Dean. While Eric Dane makes a good first impression in the role, the relationship is pretty rushed (like ALL Phoebe's relationships during this half of the series) They met, they barely go on one date, they bone and now Jason wants her to move across the world with him....okay. The fact Phoebe makes a decision to move without discussing it with her sisters and then decides not to for some vague reason that makes it seem like the writers forgot they can't write Phoebe out the series is just poor characterization. The only time I could tolerate Phoebe this season was in "The Eyes Have It" where the writers put her Cole baggage/career BS aside and focus on what fans use to love about Phoebe: her concern over her powers and her family. It's the only real genuine character development for Phoebe all season yet it feels all for nothing, especially the advancement of her premonitions which becomes literally non-existent. Sigh. There really isn't that much else to say....

Then you have Paige. After such a promising debut in Season 4, she already shows signs of a complete lack of direction this season. In the season premiere, like I said, she gets that damn promotion she wanted so bad last season, only to quite her job and pursue a mission of being a full time witch. Which is fine...I guess...only there's absolutely no pay-off to this storyline. None. Nada. Zeep! Unlike Prue's witch kick in Season 3, Paige's is empty, hollow and a complete waste of time!! She makes no progress as a witch and at the end of the season, she then decides she wants a life separate from magic....excuse me...huh!? All Paige does throughout the season is complain about having no job, whines about having no life and uses magic for personal gain cause she has no money! Don't get me wrong, Paige has some decent episodes this season. She finally gets to meet Sam, her father in "Sam I Am" and finds some closure and when Cole alters the world in the 100th episode, it's up to Paige to save her family again. Of course, Paige does make someattempts to explore more powerful spells/potions, but this moments are so few and far in between with no build up that the end result equals up to a big fat: "What was the point?" ZZZZZZZ Between that, getting hit on by horny Leprechauns and being turned into a nymph? Riveting, I tell you!

Cole.....poor Cole....poor Julian I should say. He certainly wasn't the reason why the character took a huge nose dive this season. Calling the writing for Cole "schizophrenic" would be a serious understatement! Cole returns and wants Phoebe back, then he wants to show her he can be good, then he goes insane, then he's suddenly evil again and poof he's gone! All in one 12 episode arc that becomes tired back in Season 4 before it even began. You gotta feel awful for Cole through all this. Everyone, especially Phoebe, gives him a hard time every episode about being evil and when actually does some good it's undermined simply for the fact that the writers don't know what to do with Cole anymore! Like I said, thank God for Julian, he puts in some solid work regardless of how poorly written the character quickly becomes and while Cole's demise comes as more of a blessing because of such a tiresome character arc, he will be missed! Wish I could say more about Cole but like with Phoebe and Paige, there arcs are so irrelevant and sloppily handled, I have no choice to write so little about them.

Leo doesn't fare much better. He starts out the season putting fears into Piper's head about being a witch and a mother. The heck, Leo?! Spends the majority of the season forced into silly sub-plots with Piper surrounding the pregnancy, with any significance from him personally is that he wants to be close to the baby like Piper ("Sand Francisco Dreamin'") Then you have his martial problems with Piper and suddenly he has a problem with Paige and Phoebe being around for Piper to confide in...say what!? In the finale, Leo becomes an Elder thanks to Chris' manipulation and leaves Piper wanting her to move on.

Oh and speaking of Chris....I'll save my character analysis/rant for my Season 6 review. All you need to know here that Drew Fuller in just 2 episodes redefines to the phrase "dead air" and simply does something sinister to Leo! *Gasp*

Darryl gets a promotion thanks to Leo helping him with a case and....man, I'm just realizing the male characters on this show get such a short end of the sick they are barely worth talking about anymore.

I mean Season 5 isn't all bad, the first half has a section of some good episodes, namely "The Eyes Have It", "Sympathy For The Demon", "Sam I Am" and especially "A Witch In Time", the only real series standout in a season full of mediocrity! "Sense and Sense Ability" is the finest comedy episode of the later years, "Centennial Charmed" is a good (not great) milestone episode and "Cat House" in all it's Prue-less imagery/continuity issues is still entertaining for what it is. The show visually looks vibrant and flourish, not to mention the special effects during some episodes is exquisite. But the season just falls apart post-Cole's exit and the tone becomes so light, it's borderline Sesame Street. No joke. The costumes gets more corny and cheap looking, but nothing compares to Phoebe's outfits.

All I can say is, Kern must have lost his mind starting this season. He calls this a "family show" by throwing in episodes about fairies, nymphs, etc. yet has an episode like "The Importance of Being Phoebe" where Alyssa plays a demonic stripper pretending to be Phoebe who dry humps Cole in a strip club!? What kinda family where you raised by, Kern!?

As for Season 5's rogues gallery, this is where the majority of villains become so one dimensional they all could pretty much be the same character. The ones I remember and liked: The Siren was fun played with a seductive charm by Melinda Clarke, The Crone was creepy, intriguing.....then vanquished too quickly, Orin was excellently played by Jigsaw himself, the Evil Witch was had a fun cliche to her if that makes sense, Barbas is useful only here and Bacara is first (and most impressive) warlock in a while to actually pose a threat to the Charmed Ones. Everyone else is a snore: a shame Zachary Quinto makes an appearence as one of the most forgettable warlocks on the series, The Sea Hag and Necrom look good, especially their powers but are worthless, Rnon is a bore considering he's played by Crowley himself, Jeric is played by Mr. Highlander himself but is second rate and killed so easily, the Witch Doctor was badly reinvented and the rest are like I said, one dimensional and not worth talking about.

Just to wrap things up:

PROS:
1. A budget boost. Visually, the show looks stunning as well as the special effects.
2. A mini-run of solid episodes ("The Eyes Have It"-"Sam I Am").
3. The mystery surrounding Piper's pregnancy and the eventual birth.
4. A series classic in "A Witch In Time".


CONS:
1. The complete character assassination of Cole.
2. The poor characterization of Phoebe and Paige.
3. Leprechauns, Nymphs and Fairies! OH WHY!?
4. From childish storylines to overt sexuality, the show starts to feel absurd.
5. The beginning of horribly designed/tacky costumes, especially on Phoebe.
6. Piper and Leo's abrupt martial issues.
7. The introduction of Chris *shudder*

Season 5 Episode Grades

A Witch's Tail Part 1=C-
A Witch's Tail Part 2=D+
Happily Ever After=B-
Siren Song=B
Witches in Tights=C
The Eyes Have It=A-
Sympathy for the Demon=B+
A Witch in Time=A
Sam I Am=B-
Y Tu Mummy También=C-
The Importance of Being Phoebe=F
Centennial Charmed=B
House Call=D
Sand Francisco Dreamin'=C
The Day the Magic Died=C+
Baby's First Demon=C-
Lucky Charmed=F
Cat House=B-
Nymphs Just Wanna Have Fun=F
Sense and Sense Ability=B+
Necromancing the Stone=C-
Oh My Goddess Part 1=D
Oh My Goddess Part 2=D+

Final Score= C-

Overall a mediocre mess of a season yet only the beginning of much worse. You'll notice this review is shorter than my other reviews and that because, like I said, there just can't be much to be said about something pretty bad. The show looks nicer, more polished, there are a handful of good episodes and memorable moments, but this was truly a downhill year where the series starts replacing what they've previously established as entertaining TV with something pretty trite and trashy.

[Astral Alex]

LOVE them reviews Es. I'm glad that person shares my love for Season Four, and especially the whole Source/Phoetus storyline (which I know I'm in the minority for loving) and I agree with Season Five, it is my least favourite season now I come to think of it, or at least one of them.

The Season Four review caught my attention more to be honest, never seen a review be so similar to my thoughts (most just bash Paige and mourn over Prue)

[ljones]

The only downside is Cole should have stayed dead after "Long Live The Queen". His return in "Witch Way Now?" begins to drag his/Phoebe's story to the ground and only promises a tiresome recycling of what we've seen the both of them go through next season. Sigh

He should have stayed dead? In other words, are you saying that the sisters were right to kill him without prejudice or even bothering to find out what happened to him, despite the fact that he became a victim of the Source and the Seer? You find nothing wrong with that? I did. Which is why I dislike the way the Source storyline ended.


That is why in my AU stories, the sisters eventually discover the truth and learn a valuable lesson from the entire situation.

[SEERofCHAOS]

He should have stayed dead? In other words, are you saying that the sisters were right to kill him without prejudice or even bothering to find out what happened to him, despite the fact that he became a victim of the Source and the Seer? You find nothing wrong with that? I did. Which is why I dislike the way the Source storyline ended.

I rather have Cole dead, then become the train wreck he did in season five, which not only ruined his character but helped to ruin Phoebe some more. It was just terrible all around.

This makes me glad that in the comics, Phoebe and Cole got to talk and apologize for all the mistakes they made to each other.

[Esmeralda]

I was also going to reply to ljones, but I didn't want to put words into the author's mouth, so instead I copied over both her and your comments, also including both of your S4 and S5 reviews to give some perspective to that person. Here's his reply:

Wow, thanks Es! Glad to see others enjoying my reviews. The last poster asks why I thought Cole should have stayed dead and I felt from a story standpoint, his arc should have ended there. Besides some solid acting from Julian, his arc in Season 5 ran its course, not to mention his characterization was all over the place. His exit in "Long Live The Queen" packed an emotional punch and made his death mean something to Phoebe regardless if the sisters and Leo knew the details or not about how Cole became the Source. You can tell that poster that.

And I just did.

I think most fans agree that although they should've allowed the sisters to be smart enough (this is the start of dumming them down) to realize that Cole was possessed and help unpossess him, given what the show DID show, this is the best.

Naturally you don't agree, but in these reviews we are NOT talking potential AUs - we are discussing what actually happened.

[ljones]

This makes me glad that in the comics, Phoebe and Cole got to talk and apologize for all the mistakes they made to each other.

I wish they could have done this in Season 5. One, the sisters could have learned a valuable lesson about their own prejudices and penchant for making assumptions. Even if it meant that Phoebe would have to mourn Cole for a while, before moving on to another romance.

I sometimes get the feeling that Kern dumped that "insane Cole" storyline to ensure that Phoebe's romances keep marching on without any stop.

[Esmeralda]

Which is why I'll continue to wish that Paul Ruditis had been the executive producer through all eight seasons - because I *do* believe that he would've allowed Phoebe and Cole to do that.

I do agree with you, tho - I think that now that Alyssa was the supposed star of the show (with Shannen gone), they wanted to free her from Cole so she could have a ton of boyfriends - it's obvious what both Kern and Alyssa wanted for the character, something Phoebe couldn't do if she was still mourning Cole.

[Deleted]

Hey Es. I loves reading your comprehensive reviews of Season 4 and 5. They are very fair and unbiased. Have you done one for Season 1 to 3? More interestingly, I would love to see Season 6 - 8 reviews.

Out of curiosity what were your gradings for each season?

[Esmeralda]

Hey, D.C.!

Did you mean this one:

SEASON FIVE: Meeting the rest of the Magical Community

Along with S4, this one was my least-favorite until S6 & 8 came along. Now they're both just mediocre.

S4 was much too dark; S5 was much too light. Funny, but during S4, a lot of fans were writing on the boards that we should get a chance to meet other peoples in the magical world. I guess this proves to watch out what you wish for--you may get it!! I liked all the fairy tales and everything much, much better than the darkness of S4, but not by much.

By far, the best part of the season was Wyatt, both while Piper was carrying him (and we thought she was Melinda, who he should've been, and he *definitely* should not have had a prophecy of his own; one that no one had even heard about until then, and that made him even more powerful than the propesied "most powerful witches ever") and his birth and his first demon. Remembering that unicorn as the sign of purity still hurts when I think what they did to his character in S6. Chris *so* should've been the evil, jealous younger brother!

This season includes two of my favorite eppis--"Cat House" (although I want to kill Kern for the way he fired Shannen, so she ended up not allowing scenes of Prue to be shown!!!) and "Sense & Sense Ability"--that *had* to be the funniest episode ever!!

But I hate what they did to Cole! It's almost as if they were trying to make us hate his character so we wouldn't mind when they got rid of him in the 100th eppi--and that that--so he could be part of that eppi was the only reason for hanging on. Oh, did THAT backfire! That eppi just made me (and a lot of others) miss Cole and abhor Phoebe!

This season was when Piper began to whine and Phoebe began becoming Freebie/PhoeME and Paige was beginning to become a dumb Valley Girl rather than the gal who went to college and should've been a social worker. The deterioration of their characters from potential whitelighters to selfish b!tches began!


C-/5 out of 10/Mediocre

which is actually mine (and I still stand by it)

or this one:

But to give you some perspective, first here's his/her review of Season Four:

Well, my Season 4 re-watch is complete and I'm currently on Season 5. So once again, let's just cut to the chase.

Now....Season 4

This season is probably the most controversial season of the series. Following virtually 3 seasons of great chemistry between 3 great leads and the show evolving immensely by the end of it's third year to have it's biggest star leave (fired sigh) couldn't come at the worst possible time.

Some fans hate Season 4 out of anger over Shannen's departure by putting it with the second half of the series (Season 5-8) as being just as bad, some think it's too dark, some think along with Season 3, it's Charmed's finest season, etc.

Me? I think considering losing Shannen/Prue, Season 4 is without a doubt one of the best seasons of the series While I do admit, coming off a pretty Prue heavy season, it's just as hard for the viewer (I'm assuming) as it is for Piper and Phoebe not having their eldest sister with them anymore. Luckily, while Prue not being present gives the season sometimes an underwhelming feel, her presence is certainly felt. The writers are smart in this regard, realizing that Prue was too integral to the series' first 3 years to just swipe her existence under the rug. They didn't just lose a cast member, they lost a major character and had to make sure that Prue in some form was remembered almost every episode to give her absence some emotional resonance. From the aftermath of Prue's death at the start of the season to Phoebe's temptation of evil taken to a whole new level, the Charmed Ones are put through a whirlwind of pain and grief that kinda trumps last season's dilemmas. Add in the imminent threat of the Source and you have truly an unsettling year for all the right reasons

Without Prue, the dynamic between this new set of sisters is pretty jarring, if not intriguing. Another great way the writers use Prue's death during this season is by taking Piper and Phoebe to some new places personally and emotionally they otherwise would have never been if Prue was still alive. Each pushed to the next level of sisterhood, Piper is now the oldest and the matriarch of the family. If last season was Shannen Doherty/Prue's time to shine, Season 4 was certainly Piper's by far. Holly Marie Combs was always the second actress after Shannen who always performed very well and during this season, especially "Charmed Again, Part 1" and "Hell Hath No Fury", her performances are tremendous Not only is the writing for Piper incredibly strong but it's obvious Holly was incorporating some of her real feelings towards Shannen's messy exit considering her acting is so raw and surreal. It's no surprise Piper takes Prue's death the hardest, she was always the closest to her and spent more time with her than Phoebe. It's the loss of that closeness that makes Piper the most resistant when Paige comes into their lives. Luckily, Piper makes some efforts in connecting with Paige, while also trying to adjust to her new role as the big sister. While last season, Piper had some moments of taking charge, here is where she needs to take lead and seeing Piper grow into that role is pretty awesome.

Being the oldest sister, she now has the strongest powers and seeing her master her molecular combustion was cool. It's also great seeing her develop as the big sister. Sure, Prue had it, but Piper's take on this new role was definitely different. Not to mention, while dealing with Prue's death and becoming the eldest sisters, she's once again dealing with her burden over being a witch. In the psychologically potent "Brain Drain", Piper reaches her breaking point considering what she's been through, it's understandable that she wants to give up being a witch and when put into a reality where she's a sick mental patient who's only delusional about being supernatural, who wouldn't want to be free from that? Holly showcases more phenomenal acting here and you really feel for Piper deeply. Another side of Piper we see develop are her maternal instincts, like in "Lost and Bound", where she becomes sort of a surrogate mother to Tyler, a firestar. While not the best episode in quality (quite poor actually), it's cool to see Piper take charge and being so nurturing. In "Black as Cole", Paige gives Piper and Leo a robo-baby to test out their parenting skills and while humorous, it gets pretty saddening in the last half of the season. In "Bite Me" and "Womb Raider", the reality of Piper not being able to conceive is all too real for her and Holly once again conveys such a realistic human element in a supernatural based series. The pain doesn't end there when Phoebe becomes queen of the Underworld and she loses a sister again. Piper feels she failed in her big sister role and let her family fall apart. Luckily, Paige helps Piper get her strength back and she manages to get Phoebe back on their side. Lastly, when it comes to the finale, "Witch Way Now?", when the sisters are given a chance to relinquish their powers by the Angel of Destiny, Piper's reasons for giving up her powers are reasonable given her season arc. It's a rewarding ending when Piper and her sisters discover she is pregnant. In the end, it was great seeing Piper step up as the oldest sister, work through her grief over Prue's death, yearning to be mother and finally getting be one like she foresaw in "Morality Bites". Great stuff

Phoebe's character evolution is actually more intriguing than Piper's if you think about it. Personally and visually, Phoebe's almost a completely different character by the end of the season and matures a great deal. By the start of the season, she's still the cute blonde little sister with an eagerness for witchcraft but now with Prue gone, she's quickly becomes the middle sister/mediator of Piper and Paige ("Hell Hath No Fury"). Not only that, but she get's engaged, struggles with the idea of marriage, eventually get's married to Cole, gets a job, gets pregnant demonically, vanquishes her husband and by season end, she's a now mature looking young woman who has lost all her innocence and wants a demon free life ("Witch Way Now?") This is truly a transitional season for the character and while most fans hate this season for alternating Phoebe's personality, I think the writers did it realistically. She's not the baby anymore and with any loss in the family, people are forced to grow up. Without Prue to keep her in check, Phoebe was forced to grow up whether she liked it or not. Alyssa was great this season I feel in showing Phoebe hesitation and near disdain for growing up so fast. Little things like Phoebe not seeing herself as the marrying type ("Black as Cole"), being afraid of being a home bound housewife ("Lost and Bound"), to wanting to move out the Manor ("Saving Private Leo") to wanting to maintain her relationship with her sisters ("Bite Me"), it all made Phoebe seems wiser, older yet still Phoebe. Then you have her dark turn as the Queen of the Underworld, the darkest arc of episodes the series ever did. Phoebe's darker nature has been hinted at by the writers since the first season and we finally get what feels like some major payoff. Alyssa is quite riveting in these episodes as well as the writing, with the series really pushing the emotional drama and moral ambiguity to it's peak. Never has the series been so dark and powerful, love those episodes. It's no wonder after Cole's manipulation and the consequences of that lead to her changing her outlook on being a witch ("Witch Way Now?"). Phoebe has every right to feel that way and now with Cole still contacting her from the beyond, she has reached her limits. I sometimes feel this is the most fascinating season for Phoebe, the writers put her through the ringer and Alyssa for the most part rose to the occasion. "Long Live The Queen" lies possibly the finest acting of her career.

Lastly, we get to the newest sister: Paige Matthews. The idea of a long lost sister could have been the death of the series but surprisingly, Paige's introduction is handled with such care. Thanks to some conveniently established plot developments (Sam and Patty's affair revelation in Season 2's "P3 H20"), Paige's existence was not only plausible but believable. Not to mention, Rose McGowan made for a fine choice for the character. Sure, she's no Shannen Doherty and her performances in the later seasons feature some of the most horrendous facial expressions I've ever seen........ but...here, she's pretty darn good. The character fits her and she makes it her own right from the start ("Charmed Again"). Instantly, you relate to Paige and it's nice that writers crafted her a nice back story that gives her character some depth. She was a reckless teen who lost her adopted parents at a young age yet managed to find a career in social services. Unlike the next 4 seasons (combined), Paige feels so fleshed out and her own person here. She's not simply Phoebe-lite or Prue's shadow, she's a quirky, independent young woman whose not afraid to speak her mind and whose heart is always in the right place. Her initial fear over discovering being a witch is believable and reminiscent of the sisters during the first season. Paige has her doubts not only about magic but about her new sisters. In "A Knight To Remember", Paige faces not only her past life but the possibility of moving in with Piper and Phoebe. There are great discussions brought up about reuniting the sisterhood under one roof, especially from Paige's point of view, feeling like she won't measure up to Prue. The writers also find the time to elaborate on Paige's past in "A Paige From The Past" when she re-visits her past and finds out the reason why she lost her parents. While the episode itself is blogged down by filler material, Rose gives probably her best performance on Charmed.

On the sister front, Paige didn't match the closeness that was the original sisters, but the writers never tried to force that bond. Paige naturally fits in because she doesn't exactly fit in. They establish while Paige is a blood relative, she was raised differently than Piper and Phoebe and her eager independence is a key character trait that separates her from them that was interesting to watch. I also enjoyed her bonding with Piper once Phoebe left the Manor. It's unlike Prue and Piper's relationship but it's something new and fun to watch. I realize Holly and Rose really bounce off each other better than Alyssa and Rose. Something about Piper's brooding sarcasm mixed with Paige's upbeat, jittery assertiveness works so well. The sister moments for the most part still work like Piper and Phoebe introducing Paige to Patty ("Charmed Again, Part 2"), Piper declaring Paige is her sister to her boss ("Hell Hath No Fury"), Phoebe and Paige hilariously clashing on Phoebe's wedding day ("Marry Go Round") Paige talking to Piper about her pregnancy issues ("Bite Me" and "Womb Raider"), The sisters doing their make-up and talking about their sex lives ("The Fifth Halliwell"), the sisters' arguments over whether they should stay witches or not? ("Witch Way Now?") and who could forget Piper and Paige coming to Phoebe's bed side just to show their undying support ("Long Live the Queen") It's without a doubt the finest sister moment of the Paige years and shows that while the dynamic wasn't as strong with Prue but still had some genuine, heartfelt moments that were undeniable. The show was still about the sisters and sadly, here is where that sisterhood focus ended.

Paige being half-witch/half-whitelighter was a cool angle for the character as well. Her Telekinetic Orbing is a cool variation of Prue's power as well as finally having a sister that could teleport or Orb. As a new Charmed One, she quickly learned all aspects of magic from potions to Power of 3 spells, aids in vanquishing the Source 3 times and manages to hone her instincts by realizing before anyone else Cole was up to no good. "The Fifth Halliwell" is probably where Paige feels the most like an outsider as Cole psychologically pushes Paige to her limit. Another strong performance from Rose by the way. Ironically, Paige is the sister that helps bring her sisters back together in "Long Live The Queen" and is the sister wanting to stay a witch in "Witch Way Now?" Paige's journey this season is filled with such depth and maturity, that it's such a shame where the character goes from here.

Cole's return this year was a bit jarring at first, another consequence of a slightly messy resolution to Season 3's cliffhangers. Everyone seems back to seeing him as an ally, guessing cause he helped get Leo and Phoebe out of the Underworld? But anyway, Cole's presence this season is just as refreshing as the last, probably even more so, since we see more instances of Cole fighting for good and making serious attempts at redemption. He helps the sisters track down Paige ("Charmed Again"), tries to reason with Piper when she gets out of control ("Hell Hath No Fury"), trains Phoebe to fight the Source ("Enter The Demon") and even manages to temporarily hurt the Source ("Brain Drain"). "Black As Cole" is a superb episode centered on the character as Cole faces his past head on when not only is a demon copycatting his old schemes but a widow of one of his previous victims is out to stop him for good. It's great morally gray episode that truly capitalizes and ends Cole's journey as Belthazor. Once Cole is human, we see a man who is trying to find his identity and struggling to find his place among a world he doesn't belong in anymore. Phoebe's lack of an answer to his wedding proposal doesn't help either. Though he gets a chance to show how powerful he can be even a mortal when he helps the sisters stop the Source in "Charmed and Dangerous". But it proves to be at a horrifying consequence when Cole is possessed by the Source. While it's hard watching Cole being forced into the villain role again, Julian is so captivating in the role as the new Source, it's hard not to feel too bad. His manipulation of the family, especially Phoebe are dark, twisted and bring some of the most profound material from the series. Not to mention with the wonderful Seer by his side, played with delicious menace and cool by Debbi Morgan, the character of Cole is at his finest this season in all his evil glory. The only downside is Cole should have stayed dead after "Long Live The Queen". His return in "Witch Way Now?" begins to drag his/Phoebe's story to the ground and only promises a tiresome recycling of what we've seen the both of them go through next season. Sigh.

Leo...well....is Leo. But honestly, Leo's role has always been the background character with occasionally strong moments with Piper and guiding the Charmed Ones, anything more proves to be underwhelming especially in "Saving Private Leo". The first episode to focus on Leo and it feels so contrived. Suddenly Leo has all his army photos all over the manor, especially when he hates the idea of even reminiscing about it? Also, Brian Krause shows how limited his acting is as he makes Leo's dilemma seem like a kid at the school yard stole one of his favorite toys than a man dealing with deep regret over his past. I don't know, but that episode just didn't work for me.

Darryl has a decent moment in "Charmed Again" by standing up for the sisters to Inspector Cortez showing him that he's developed a deep relationship with them. While Darryl is once again underused, he proves to be a worthy human ally for the sisters and fits in with rest of the characters well, especially his funny moments when Cole is human.

Season 4 is filled with themes of isolation, grief, loss, lack of identity, sacrifice and ultimately giving into evil. While the demonic rituals and underworld politics become a bit tedious toward the end of the year, it was exciting for the most part seeing the villains' side of the fight, especially when Phoebe is Queen and there's a twisted domestic approach to that arc.

Speaking of villains, while there aren't that many standouts to chose from like last season, this is the first season to have a season long antagonist in the Source of All Evil. While his attacks against the sisters aren't the best at first, like manipulating Paige to the dark side, the rest of the season sees some great plots centered on the Source's agenda to kill the Charmed Ones with the best being his asylum illusion in Piper's mind ("Brain Drain") and the introduction of the Hollow ("Charmed and Dangerous"). Once Cole takes over as Source#2, he becomes more menacing and creepy. The Seer as his partner in crime made for one of the strongest female villains the writers ever created and Debbi Morgan is simply memorizing as the character. Though her twist in the story comes to a disappointing end in "Womb Raider" which has some bad acting from Alyssa, jarring humor and useless plot devices (The Tall Man=ZZZZZ)

As for the rest of the Season 4's rogues gallery: Sykes was a cool looking Belthazor doppelganger, Gamel was freakin played by Freddy Krueger himself , The Wizard was freakin' played by Snyder, The Rat demons were lame though, so were Ludlow, Leo's ghost friends, the vampires, and Yenlow. Devlin was serviceable, Karzon was a wannabe Source, Shax comes back for a cool vanquish, The Oracle was clearly played by a playboy bunny, Coolie was thankfully mostly silent as the Lazarus demon, Rose makes for a decent Evil Echantress and Bruce Campbell...Mr. Evil Dead himself....a witch hunter...color me intrigued despite the predictability!

So just to wrap things up:

PROS:
1. The final season to emphasize the sisterhood and the Power of Three.
2. The well executed introduction of Paige.
3. The season long Source arc and his rebirth in Cole.
4. Some remarkable acting from the cast, especially from Holly Marie Combs and Julian McMahon
5. The character evolution of Piper and especially Phoebe.
6. More series classics in the form of "Brain Drain", "Charmed and Dangerous", "The Fifth Halliwell" and "Long Live The Queen".
7. Phoebe's Queen of the Underworld mini-arc ("We're Off To See The Wizard" and "Long Live The Queen").
8. Debbi Morgan/The Seer.


CONS:
1. The cliffhangers at the end of "All Hell Breaks Loose" being clumsily resolved.
2. The noticeable loss of Shannen Doherty/Prue.
3. A disappointing end to the Source arc ("Womb Raider").
4. Cole remaining post-"Love Live The Queen".
5. Inconsistency with awesome arc episodes and weak stand alones.


Season 4 Episode Grades:

Charmed Again (1)=A-
Charmed Again (2)=B-
Hell Hath No Fury=B
Enter the Demon=D-
Size Matters=B-
A Knight to Remember=C
Brain Drain=A+
Black As Cole=A
Muse to My Ears=B-
A Paige from the Past=C
Trial By Magic=D-
Lost and Bound=D+
Charmed and Dangerous=A+
The Three Faces of Phoebe=B+
Marry-Go-Round=B+
The Fifth Halliwell=A
Saving Private Leo=C-
Bite Me=C+
We're Off to See the Wizard=B+
Long Live the Queen=A+
Womb Raider=C
Witch Way Now?=C+

Final Score= B+

Overall a great season! Sure, it's a step down from Season 3 in terms of inconsistency in episodes and Shannen/Prue's loss really affected the dynamic of the series, but the wonderfully done intro for Paige, the continuation of strong sister characterization, the significant character growth for Piper and Phoebe and the darkest, most riveting storytelling really does make it one of the finest seasons of the series.

And now here's his/her review for Season Five:

Sigh. Finished my Season 5 re-watch and all I can is....well...let’s get to it.

Without further a do.........Season 5

Here begins the infamous half of the series (Season 5-8) and where most of the complaints, even hatred of Charmed lies and starting with Season 5, it's hard to defend the series with such a drastic change of writing, direction etc. By this point in the series, Constance Burge was completely gone from the series (serving as creative consultant for Season 3 and 4), Alyssa and Holly were made executive producers and certain things like continuity/common sense started exiting the series.

Anyway, if Season 2 had a jarring tone with a mix of dark, gritty plots and comedic situations, Season 5 takes that to another level to where the show is barely worthy of the title "guilty pleasure". While the show gets a huge budget increase right from the two-part series premiere "A Witch's Tail", with some visual flourish, vibrant colors and a polished look to the series, it seems to be at the expense of what made the series what it is: that clever mix of sisterhood and witchcraft.

It's almost like we entered an alternate reality where the only thing that makes sense is that Piper is pregnant. Everything else just seems off in terms of continuity. Suddenly Cole's back and everyone hates him, Phoebe is some kind of celebrity, Paige gets the promotion she's been waiting for....only to quit her job, Leo comes off a kind of a jerk by instilling some maternal fears in Piper, Cole is back to annoyingly pinning for and stalking Phoebe, and Piper....well....at least she's still somewhat recognizable. The show quickly moves away from the dark, serialized storytelling of late due to the WB's melding and Kern caving in to their demanding because apparently he can't run a series himself. Now the show embraces an even more flawed episodic structure and becomes too fantasy driven. Sure we've had being like Cupids and Muses on the show, but this is when the series goes overboard and starts pulling creatures from other mythologies that seriously ham the hell out of the series. Mermaids, mummies, superheroes, fairy tales, sandmen, gods, titans........ leprechauns, nymphs, even those dreaded fairies return! The problem is some of these could have worked by the writers giving them a clever spin, but nope, some of them are about as cliched as you'd expect producing some of the worst episodes of the series ("Lucky Charmed" and "Nymphs Just Wanna Have Fun").

As far as the sisters go, Piper is not only the sister that has the most substantial material this season but probably the only character. Piper's pregnancy was a huge revelation that left a lot of hope at the end of Season 4. Though, the pregnancy is used mostly for silly subplots (Piper and Leo's power swap in "Siren Song") or convenient plot devices (self-healing/invincibility), it is interesting storyline none the less that sees Piper having some maternal fears along the way, starting with "A Witch's Tail" when she fears to confront any demon thinking she might die, leaving her child without a mother like what happened with her mother. It's a believable development for Piper and while the fearless spell reeks of personal gain, it was just plain awesome seeing Piper being a full-on badass. Then you have her continued concerns of having a natural birth instead of a medical one ("The Eyes Have It"), wanting to still be romantic despite becoming a mother ("Sand Francisco Dreamin'), to her detesting any maternal wear ("Y Tu Mummy Tambien"), which is understandable, if not blatant sitcomy material. Luckily Holly Marie Combs works wonders with such standard material and while the pregnancy has it's up and downs in terms of story. The mystery surrounding the baby and what it means to the Charmed Ones's line as well as the magical community is intriguing none the less. Piper's pregnancy culminates in "The Day Magic Died", a flawed if not fairly touching episode which we discover Piper's baby is a boy and is named Wyatt Matthew Haliwell in the following episodes.

It's good to see Piper's maternal instincts at play during the later half of the season. Although, this is officially when the series became less about the sisters and more about protecting Wyatt. From there, Piper and Leo suddenly have marital issues....wait what!? and see a marriage counselor. While "Cat House" is a decent trip down memory lane for the series, Piper and Leo's issues were never built upon prior to the episode and just feels forced. Their problems culminate in "Oh My Goddess!", an outlandish, over the top finale that sees the sisters in Xena-lite costumes and Leo ascending to Elder land with the only decent development being Piper's reaction to losing her husband. Holly makes the best out of a silly situation (especially that costume) and makes Piper and Leo's shoehorned split seem pretty legit. Between her anticipation of motherhood, saving her sisters multiple times, battling an invincible Cole all her own, raising Wyatt and then losing Leo, these storylines weren't always perfect but Piper was still remained pretty consistent this year and Holly truly becomes the miracle worker of some dire scripts.

Onto Phoebe....sigh....I seriously started missing the old Pheebs here. Here is when the character becomes shrill, self-absorbed with a wardrobe consisting of outfits only Hugh Hefner could love. The first half of the season sees Phoebe dealing with her animosity towards Cole and while it's understandable she would be upset given her fallout with him as the Source last season, her attitude for the most part is uncalled for and written inconsistently. She's mad when Cole's around, she's mad when Cole's not around, she's mad when he does something good, she's mad when he does something evil, she's mad when he tries to kill himself, she's mad when she can't kill him and on and on and on....WHAT!? The only times Phoebe's issues with Cole are handled with maturity or should I say like a married couple are in "Siren Song" or when the writers cut the crap and put them at odds with each other ("Sam I Am"). This story arc between the characters seriously drags to no end this season and when Phoebe finally is able to vanquish Cole in the 100th episode, "Centennial Charmed", it's by an alternate Phoebe and while a cool looking vanquish, hardly competes with the emotional punch of "Long Live The Queen".

Post-Cole, there isn't much going on for Phoebe. Oh, I'm sorry, she's suddenly a mini-celeb in San Francisco cause of her column (ummm...yeah...whatever ) She's overworked, constantly having to balance a booming career and her wicca duties now, but it's hardly interesting. Then you have her sadly obvious rebound in Miles and her relationship with Jason Dean. While Eric Dane makes a good first impression in the role, the relationship is pretty rushed (like ALL Phoebe's relationships during this half of the series) They met, they barely go on one date, they bone and now Jason wants her to move across the world with him....okay. The fact Phoebe makes a decision to move without discussing it with her sisters and then decides not to for some vague reason that makes it seem like the writers forgot they can't write Phoebe out the series is just poor characterization. The only time I could tolerate Phoebe this season was in "The Eyes Have It" where the writers put her Cole baggage/career BS aside and focus on what fans use to love about Phoebe: her concern over her powers and her family. It's the only real genuine character development for Phoebe all season yet it feels all for nothing, especially the advancement of her premonitions which becomes literally non-existent. Sigh. There really isn't that much else to say....

Then you have Paige. After such a promising debut in Season 4, she already shows signs of a complete lack of direction this season. In the season premiere, like I said, she gets that damn promotion she wanted so bad last season, only to quite her job and pursue a mission of being a full time witch. Which is fine...I guess...only there's absolutely no pay-off to this storyline. None. Nada. Zeep! Unlike Prue's witch kick in Season 3, Paige's is empty, hollow and a complete waste of time!! She makes no progress as a witch and at the end of the season, she then decides she wants a life separate from magic....excuse me...huh!? All Paige does throughout the season is complain about having no job, whines about having no life and uses magic for personal gain cause she has no money! Don't get me wrong, Paige has some decent episodes this season. She finally gets to meet Sam, her father in "Sam I Am" and finds some closure and when Cole alters the world in the 100th episode, it's up to Paige to save her family again. Of course, Paige does make someattempts to explore more powerful spells/potions, but this moments are so few and far in between with no build up that the end result equals up to a big fat: "What was the point?" ZZZZZZZ Between that, getting hit on by horny Leprechauns and being turned into a nymph? Riveting, I tell you!

Cole.....poor Cole....poor Julian I should say. He certainly wasn't the reason why the character took a huge nose dive this season. Calling the writing for Cole "schizophrenic" would be a serious understatement! Cole returns and wants Phoebe back, then he wants to show her he can be good, then he goes insane, then he's suddenly evil again and poof he's gone! All in one 12 episode arc that becomes tired back in Season 4 before it even began. You gotta feel awful for Cole through all this. Everyone, especially Phoebe, gives him a hard time every episode about being evil and when actually does some good it's undermined simply for the fact that the writers don't know what to do with Cole anymore! Like I said, thank God for Julian, he puts in some solid work regardless of how poorly written the character quickly becomes and while Cole's demise comes as more of a blessing because of such a tiresome character arc, he will be missed! Wish I could say more about Cole but like with Phoebe and Paige, there arcs are so irrelevant and sloppily handled, I have no choice to write so little about them.

Leo doesn't fare much better. He starts out the season putting fears into Piper's head about being a witch and a mother. The heck, Leo?! Spends the majority of the season forced into silly sub-plots with Piper surrounding the pregnancy, with any significance from him personally is that he wants to be close to the baby like Piper ("Sand Francisco Dreamin'") Then you have his martial problems with Piper and suddenly he has a problem with Paige and Phoebe being around for Piper to confide in...say what!? In the finale, Leo becomes an Elder thanks to Chris' manipulation and leaves Piper wanting her to move on.

Oh and speaking of Chris....I'll save my character analysis/rant for my Season 6 review. All you need to know here that Drew Fuller in just 2 episodes redefines to the phrase "dead air" and simply does something sinister to Leo! *Gasp*

Darryl gets a promotion thanks to Leo helping him with a case and....man, I'm just realizing the male characters on this show get such a short end of the sick they are barely worth talking about anymore.

I mean Season 5 isn't all bad, the first half has a section of some good episodes, namely "The Eyes Have It", "Sympathy For The Demon", "Sam I Am" and especially "A Witch In Time", the only real series standout in a season full of mediocrity! "Sense and Sense Ability" is the finest comedy episode of the later years, "Centennial Charmed" is a good (not great) milestone episode and "Cat House" in all it's Prue-less imagery/continuity issues is still entertaining for what it is. The show visually looks vibrant and flourish, not to mention the special effects during some episodes is exquisite. But the season just falls apart post-Cole's exit and the tone becomes so light, it's borderline Sesame Street. No joke. The costumes gets more corny and cheap looking, but nothing compares to Phoebe's outfits.

All I can say is, Kern must have lost his mind starting this season. He calls this a "family show" by throwing in episodes about fairies, nymphs, etc. yet has an episode like "The Importance of Being Phoebe" where Alyssa plays a demonic stripper pretending to be Phoebe who dry humps Cole in a strip club!? What kinda family where you raised by, Kern!?

As for Season 5's rogues gallery, this is where the majority of villains become so one dimensional they all could pretty much be the same character. The ones I remember and liked: The Siren was fun played with a seductive charm by Melinda Clarke, The Crone was creepy, intriguing.....then vanquished too quickly, Orin was excellently played by Jigsaw himself, the Evil Witch was had a fun cliche to her if that makes sense, Barbas is useful only here and Bacara is first (and most impressive) warlock in a while to actually pose a threat to the Charmed Ones. Everyone else is a snore: a shame Zachary Quinto makes an appearence as one of the most forgettable warlocks on the series, The Sea Hag and Necrom look good, especially their powers but are worthless, Rnon is a bore considering he's played by Crowley himself, Jeric is played by Mr. Highlander himself but is second rate and killed so easily, the Witch Doctor was badly reinvented and the rest are like I said, one dimensional and not worth talking about.

Just to wrap things up:

PROS:
1. A budget boost. Visually, the show looks stunning as well as the special effects.
2. A mini-run of solid episodes ("The Eyes Have It"-"Sam I Am").
3. The mystery surrounding Piper's pregnancy and the eventual birth.
4. A series classic in "A Witch In Time".


CONS:
1. The complete character assassination of Cole.
2. The poor characterization of Phoebe and Paige.
3. Leprechauns, Nymphs and Fairies! OH WHY!?
4. From childish storylines to overt sexuality, the show starts to feel absurd.
5. The beginning of horribly designed/tacky costumes, especially on Phoebe.
6. Piper and Leo's abrupt martial issues.
7. The introduction of Chris *shudder*

Season 5 Episode Grades

A Witch's Tail Part 1=C-
A Witch's Tail Part 2=D+
Happily Ever After=B-
Siren Song=B
Witches in Tights=C
The Eyes Have It=A-
Sympathy for the Demon=B+
A Witch in Time=A
Sam I Am=B-
Y Tu Mummy También=C-
The Importance of Being Phoebe=F
Centennial Charmed=B
House Call=D
Sand Francisco Dreamin'=C
The Day the Magic Died=C+
Baby's First Demon=C-
Lucky Charmed=F
Cat House=B-
Nymphs Just Wanna Have Fun=F
Sense and Sense Ability=B+
Necromancing the Stone=C-
Oh My Goddess Part 1=D
Oh My Goddess Part 2=D+

Final Score= C-

Overall a mediocre mess of a season yet only the beginning of much worse. You'll notice this review is shorter than my other reviews and that because, like I said, there just can't be much to be said about something pretty bad. The show looks nicer, more polished, there are a handful of good episodes and memorable moments, but this was truly a downhill year where the series starts replacing what they've previously established as entertaining TV with something pretty trite and trashy.

Those come from a different site where a fan is doing a Charmed re-watch and then posting his review after watching each season. He's in the midst of rewatching S6, but has been watching it online and recently has been running into an unreliable site - he wishes he was watching via Netflix, which is what I plan on doing once I get my new laptop. I earlier said he *was* watching it via Netflix - OOPS! My bad!

If you want me to post his S1-3 reviews, I certainly can. The others will have to wait, I guess.

Out of curiosity what were your gradings for each season?

For my own, they're:

Season One: A/9 out of 10 stars // Very Good!

Season Two: A+/10 out of 10 stars/ EXCELLENT!

Season Three: B+/8 out of 10/Very Good!

Season Four: C-/4 out of 10 Stars/Mediocre

Season FIve: C-/5 out of 10/Okay

Season Six: F-/0 out of 10 stars/ATROCIOUS!

Season Seven: D+/3 out of 10 stars/Bad, but not terrible

Season Eight: F/1 out of 10 stars/A bit better than S6 but not by much!


While here are the ones the other guys have posted so far. For those, for now, I'll post his summaries:

Season One:

PROS:
1. The instant chemistry and personality distinctions between the three leads.
2. A second half with stronger and darker episodes.
3. The theme of sisterhood mixed with witchcraft being well written from the start.
4. The Rex and Hannah arc.
5. The mini-arc with Inspector Rodriguez.
6. Piper and Leo's humble beginnings. Awwww.
7. Some series classics in the form of "That 70's Episode", "Out of Sight", "Is There A Woogy In The House?" and "Deja Vu All Over Again"

CONS:
1. Somewhat dated feel to the first season, especially the first couple of episodes. I know "it was the 90s! What do you expect!?"
2. Some poor guest stars, bad acting and weak story-lines. "The Wedding From Hell"=
3. Some dated and cheesy special effects.
4. The whole "just standing there, waiting to be vanquished by the Charmed Ones" syndrome from some demons and warlocks during this season. WTF!?
5. Some inconsistent writing for Andy Trudeau.


Final Vanquish= B

Overall a good season. The great sisterly moments, stronger episodes in the second half and really enjoyable character development overshadowed the weaker aspects like some sub-par episodes, weak villains and dated feel this season has.

Season Two:

PROS:
1. More genuine, heartfelt and hilarious sisterly moments.
2. The great lessons of morality in some episodes.
3. The writers heavily reinforcing previous established mythology (personal gain=consequences, protect the innocent/not punish the guilty. Something they completely forgot in the later seasons )
4. A happier, funnier Prue this season. Great to see this side of the character and Shannen really excelled in showing that side.
5. More series classics in the form of “Morality Bites”, "P3 H20", "Awakened" and "Astral Monkey" .
6. Without a doubt, the funniest and most entertaining season of the series. Truly impeccable comedic timing from the cast, especially our lovely 3 leads.
7. The serious upgrade in wardrobe and make-up for the leads. My God! Not to sound shallow but Holly and especially Shannen looked gorgeous that year compared to the last.

CONS:
1. A majority of lackluster villains and boring or average episodes.
2. The lack of a story arc (mini or season long).
3. Heartbreak City =.
4. The Piper/Leo/Dan triangle...Zzzzzzzzz.
5. The jarring nature of the season's overall tone.
6. Jenny. Talk about utterly useless, annoying and forgettable. Not even worth talking about!

Season 2 Episode Grades:

Witch Trial-B+
Morality Bites-A+
The Painted World-C
The Devil's Music-D-
She's a Man, Baby, a Man-B+
That Old Black Magic-C-
They're Everywhere-C
P3 H2O-A+
Ms. Hellfire-C+
Heartbreak City-F
Reckless Abandon-C
Awakened-A+
Animal Pragmatism-C+
Pardon My Past-A-
Give Me A Sign-C
Murphy's Luck-A
How to Make a Quilt Out of Americans-C
Chick Flick-A+
Ex Libris-C-
Astral Monkey-A
Apocalypse Not-C+
Be Careful What You Witch For-C

Final Vanquish= B-

Overall a pretty good season. Despite a flawed episodic structure, awkward tone and sub-par villians for the most part, the great abundance of humor, more enjoyable characterizations of the sisterhood and some series standouts in the drama ("Astral Monkey") and comedy ("Chick Flick") departments make Season 2 still one of the stronger seasons of Charmed.

Season Three:

PROS:
1. A deeper exploration of the sisters, their history/ancestry and The Power of Three.
2. The introduction of Cole and his arc.
3. The most consistent run of episodes of any season of the series.
4. An impressive roster of villains for once (Shax, Belthazor, Eames, Troxa, Shadow, The Seekers, etc.)
5. More series classics in the form of “Pre-Witched”, “Sin Fransico”, “Death Takes A Haliwell” and “All Hell Breaks Loose”.
6. Stellar performances from our leads, especially Shannen.
7. The series getting morally ambiguous.
8. Better writing with a clear sense of direction for the characters/series and a refreshing dark tone again.

CONS:
1. "Magic Hour" and "Once Upon A Time"=Talk about a complete back to back suckfest
2. Some ridiculous fight scenes and over the top action set pieces.
3. While incredibly badass during her final year, Prue suddenly being an expert martial artist and marksman was completely contrived and nonsensical

Season 3 Episode Grades:

The Honeymoon's Over-C+
Magic Hour-D-
Once Upon a Time-D-
All Halliwell's Eve-B
Sight Unseen-A
Primrose Empath-B+
Power Outage-B+
Sleuthing With the Enemy-A-
Coyote Piper-B+
We All Scream for Ice Cream-A-
Blinded by the Whitelighter-A
Wrestling with Demons-D
Bride and Gloom-B+
The Good, the Bad and the Cursed-C
Just Harried-B-
Death Takes a Halliwell-A
Pre-Witched-A+
Sin Francisco-A+
The Demon Who Came In from the Cold-C
Exit Strategy-B-
Look Who's Barking-C+
All Hell Breaks Loose-A+

Final Vanquish= A-

Overall an excellent season! Not perfect by any means, but the writers really peaked during this year of the series. Fine writing, great character development, strong villains, fantastic performances by Shannen Doherty, memorable character introductions, dark storytelling, etc. So funny that most conversational time of the series produced the finest season of the show.

Four and Five you can see above; the rest, you'll have to wait.

Like I said, if you want his full reviews for S1-3, I can copy them.

But I repeat - these are most definitely not mine!

[Deleted]

Hey Es. Both would be good. I like the two different viewpoints.

[Esmeralda]

If that's the case, I'd suggest you check out this thread, which is the one I've been copying for all the reviews.

Since this thread is just supposed to be about Season Five, just for you, I'm going to post the other viewers' reviews there.

[The overall dip]

...in quality beginning from the premier of season 5 is alarming. The show not continuing as a dark drama was a huge mistake. Mermaids, fairies, nymphs etc is truly what ruined Charmed for me. The only time it was OK was in season 3 with that little girls fairy.

All the sisters were ruined personality wise. Piper's baby ruined her, Phoebe's "career" ruined her, and Paige's lack of direction of a character ruined her. The dynamic between the original sisters, and even between the sisters in season 4, was much better. Shame it went downhill so quick, especially after such a stellar fourth season.

[Deleted]

I couldn't agree with you more Guest!

I watched the Season 5 premier the other day and I was shocked at how quickly the show lost stead especially following such a neatly written and well improvised Season 4.

From the very beginning of Season 5's premier its just a major shift. Phoebes more concerned about Billboards than her Sisters baby. Piper who's grown up and almost scared of nothing becomes extremely whinny and Paige really serves no purpose after vanquishing the Source.

Fun Phoebe is gone, Piper forgets hot to Freeze and Paige is overloaded with power but is very boring.

Mermaids.... this was the beginning of the end.

I think I just waited it out toget some glimpses of the great Charmed and hoped that Shanne would return one day.


For me. Charmed finishes when the Angel of Destiny closes the door and the last solid sisterly scene is witnessed.

This show had so much potential. It makes me really really angry.