Charmed - Unpopular Opinions

[esperanzaa]

Hi, which unpopular opinions do you have? (opinions contrary to the ones shared by most of the fans)

I start:

1) Season 8 wasn't the worst
2) I still like Cole in S5

[Deleted]

Great thread idea.   Here's mine:

• Billie and Christy were a good idea badly executed.  Charmed was a show about sister witches helping innocents, and the idea of the sisters taking in a younger witch to mentor and help her save her sister fit perfectly within that premise.  What killed the storyline was the "Ultimate Power" stuff and the terrible writing for the Charmed Ones (especially Piper and Phoebe), as well as poor timing (it should've been done earlier in the show, not the final season) and casting (Kaley Cuoco is a comedic actor, and it badly showed on Charmed).
• Cole overshadowed the sisters just as badly as Chris and Billie. For as much as the fandom complains about Chris and Billie for "stealing the spotlight" away from the sisters, it's often forgotten that Cole did it just as badly, if not even worse. Paige literally lost much of her introductory season because of Cole and his storyline, and I don't think her character ever really recovered from it.
• Season 2 was better than Seasons 3 and 4. See the above point for one reason why. I also just think that the writers were better at "Monster of the Week" than they were huge story arcs. Even in Seasons 3 and 4, most of my favorites are standalones, not the story arcs. Later seasons may have had more ambition behind them, but the writers were more in their element in Season 2.
• Chris was an excellent idea that could've saved the show in the later seasons. It seems popular to trash on Chris and his storyline nowadays, which is a shame. There was A LOT of interesting potential behind the Chris and Wyatt story, and it could've easily given the show the kick it needed after hitting a slump post-Prue/post-Source. What killed Season 6 was sloppy, inconsistent writing and garbage filler like "Witchstock," not Chris.
• The Queen of the Underworld storyline should've just been scrapped when Shannen was fired. I can't emphasize enough just how much important character development for Paige was lost in Season 4 because Kern felt the need to continue focusing on Phoebe/Cole. Season 4 should've been a return to Season 1's tone and theme, with Paige learning about being a witch and Charmed One and Piper and Phoebe learning how to carry on without Prue. The loss of Prue sent the Charmed Ones right back to Square One, and the show did a terrible job of portraying that.

I'm sure I have others, but this is a good start.

[Sadrick]

I thought Gideon acting the part of an unstable turncoat ally who was acting in the interest of his own warped sense of justice and preservation of life was a good idea that's poorly executed. Believe it or not, there was some validity to his expressed belief that a being with as much power as Wyatt could prove to be a grievous threat if left unabated with no failsafe in place should he ever turn. The issue in Gideon's characterisation is that the sisters' revelation about his intentions was too little too late. Gideon should have been introduced much earlier in the season, maybe even stage a few appearances in Season 5 as a de facto leader of the Elders or at least a sub-faction of them. That would have been a good time to develop his personality and connection to the sisters as well as Leo. The first seeds of dubious questionability could have been sown with him taking a unique interest in Wyatt's fate.

Gideon needed to be better represented as someone who is truly acting in the best interest of good while not being above proactively challenging the sisters' decisions and logic. The sisters should have been forced to evaluate their priorities and the veracity of their morals through Gideon. It was a perfect opportunity for the writers to create another interestingly complex villain after Cole and they squandered it.

[farerb]

They should have ended after season 4 with Prue instead of Paige.

[Deleted]

The shows black and white morality was decades out of date

I'm sorry, but this "good is good and evil is evil" had no place on a Turn Of The Millennium show.  This was more in tune with the 1950's.  Of course, Spelling and Vincent were raised in the Eisenhower Administration and thus their values reflected it.  While neither man was involved with the actual day-to-day running of the show, it seems clear that this black and white rubbish was an edict they handed down first to Constance Burge and then Brad Kern.  And since Spelling's company was making the show, his word was law.

What Charmed needed was someone from Generation X,  like Joss Whedon or Eric Kripke, in overall charge, someone who understood how modern television works.

[Esmeralda]

Mar 4, 2016 8:48:46 GMT -5 esperanzaa said:

Hi, which unpopular opinions do you have? (opinions contrary to the ones shared by most of the fans)

I start:

1) Season 8 wasn't the worst
2) I still like Cole in S5

I actually started a similar thread a number of years ago: thecharmedcafe.proboards.com/thread/10948/charmed-unpopular-opinions. My opinion hasn't changed much:

Nov 30, 2013 13:12:01 GMT -5 Esmeralda said:

Saw this at another site:

What are some unpopular opinions of "Charmed" that you have? For me, I always enjoyed the fifth season a lot more than I enjoyed the 7th season (which seems to be a fan favorite)

I also liked the first half of season 8 before Christy joined the show.

Remember, this is NOT things you didn't like about the show. It's things that you *did* like that you think most fans didn't.

And keep in mind that we all have our own opinions....

Here's mine:

1. Couldn't stand Piper and Leo together, except in Season One - think she'd be much better with Mark the Ghost or Henry, and Leo would be much better with either Phoebe or Paige.

2. Couldn't stand Phoebe and Cole together - think he'd be a lot better with Prue or Paige, and she'd be a lot better with Leo or Kyra!

3. Think that Chris is the reincarnation of Prue - all of the parts of him that I can't stand I love in her.

4. Think the series should've ended when Shax said "The end" and that Season 4-8 is the alternate universe spin-off, "The Perils of Poor, Poor Pitiful Piper" - where the only thing similar between that and "Charmed" (S1-3) are the names of some of the characters.

5. Think the series would've been much, much, MUCH better if Phoebe had died rather than Prue and even BETTER if Piper had stayed dead during "Awakened" and that's when we met Paige! ESPECIALLY if she was played by Jennifer Love Hewitt rather than Rose McGowan

6. Think that there should've never been such a thing as witchlighters - hate the idea of dead men being able to have children

7. Think the idea of a good half-demon who was raised by his demonic mother and had been a mercenary demon for more than 70 years is the stupidest idea the show came up with. Had he been raised by his father and was truly in his '30's, I'd feel totally differently.

8. Liked Billie a lot more once Christy showed up and wished that they had won the final battle rather than the Charmed Ones - although *really* think that Zankou should've won the battle in "Something Wicca This Way Goes" and would've if the writers hadn't cheated.

9. Think that Leo should've stayed away after "Love Hurts" and Prue and Andy should've been the couple who was together (but never got married and never had kids) during all 4 seasons (Had it been those two, I don't think Charmed would've lasted more than 4 years, which would've been just fine with me)

10. Think that the worst episode was "Sleuthing with the Enemy" - the death of my favorite character, Phoebs, and the birth of my least-favorite character, PhoeME/Freebie

How 'bout you?

Well, now that I've re-read this, I've changed my mind somewhat.

4. Think the series should've ended when Shax said "The end" and that Season 4-8 is the alternate universe spin-off, "The Perils of Poor, Poor Pitiful Piper" aka "PhoeME and Her Fantasy Men" aka "Two Witches Plus One Living Whitelighter Equals the Power of Three?" - where the only thing similar between that and "Charmed" (S1-3) are the names of some of the characters.

10. Think that second-the worst episode was "Sleuthing with the Enemy" - the death of my favorite character, Phoebs, and the birth of my least-favorite character, PhoeME/Freebie. The only one worse is the four-part S6 premiere: "Oh, My Goddess/Valhalley of the Dolls", part of it ran (and helping to ruin, along with the destruction of Cole's character) during S5.

[adzpower]

I hated Piper and Leo. HATED THEM. As a couple that is. I just didn't get the whole eternal love vibe from them like I got from say Paige and Henry or Phoebe and Cole. It feels like they just settled.

[Deleted]

I thought Paige was better with Kyle than Henry, whereas most fans seem to prefer her with Henry.

[esperanzaa]

Mar 5, 2016 0:51:08 GMT -5 Esmeralda said:

Mar 4, 2016 8:48:46 GMT -5 esperanzaa said:

Hi, which unpopular opinions do you have? (opinions contrary to the ones shared by most of the fans)

I start:

1) Season 8 wasn't the worst
2) I still like Cole in S5

I actually started a similar thread a number of years ago: thecharmedcafe.proboards.com/thread/10948/charmed-unpopular-opinions. My opinion hasn't changed much:

Oh you are right, should have used the search function. Unfortunately there are no Admins around, who can merge the threads together.

Anyway, keep posting everyone. Really enjoy reading all the opinions. 

[jdpm1991]

1): Season Eight is a good season until Christy came in, that's when I gave up on the show.
2): I prefer Jason and Phoebe than Phoebe & Cole (too much of a Buffy / Angel rip off imo)

[Esmeralda]

Mar 5, 2016 18:25:36 GMT -5 esperanzaa said:

Mar 5, 2016 0:51:08 GMT -5 Esmeralda said:

I actually started a similar thread a number of years ago: thecharmedcafe.proboards.com/thread/10948/charmed-unpopular-opinions. My opinion hasn't changed much:

Oh you are right, should have used the search function. Unfortunately there are no Admins around, who can merge the threads together.

Anyway, keep posting everyone. Really enjoy reading all the opinions. 

No big deal about merging them - if they want to read the older threads, they can use the link. And everyone's opinions change after a while. We've done just fine without admins or staff for quite a while and I expect that to continue.

[sol]

Mar 4, 2016 8:48:46 GMT -5 esperanzaa said:

Hi, which unpopular opinions do you have? (opinions contrary to the ones shared by most of the fans)

I start:

1) Season 8 wasn't the worst
2) I still like Cole in S5

I think that season 8 wasn't the worst, matter of taste, of season 2, apart Morality Bites, I love only the last 4 episodes.

Nor do I believe that Cole's character was ruined in the season 5,I like both his sturboness that his desperation

Also, I love the sisters in the same way in all 8 seasons: seeing  them as real people and not angelic heroines, I appreciate their selflessness and I consider normal and healthy  their desire for a bit more peaceful life

[Deleted]

Mar 5, 2016 19:23:56 GMT -5 jdpm1991 said:

1): Season Eight is a good season until Christy came in, that's when I gave up on the show.
2): I prefer Jason and Phoebe than Phoebe & Cole (too much of a Buffy / Angel rip off imo)

For me, the plot of Season 8 (sisters v. sisters) had massive potential, but everything was executed so badly and lazily. They could've really delved into the moral dilemmas facing the Halliwells and the Jenkins, but they did it so bluntly. 

[West]

Mar 18, 2016 20:56:55 GMT -5 @deano said:

Mar 5, 2016 19:23:56 GMT -5 jdpm1991 said:

1): Season Eight is a good season until Christy came in, that's when I gave up on the show.
2): I prefer Jason and Phoebe than Phoebe & Cole (too much of a Buffy / Angel rip off imo)

For me, the plot of Season 8 (sisters v. sisters) had massive potential, but everything was executed so badly and lazily. They could've really delved into the moral dilemmas facing the Halliwells and the Jenkins, but they did it so bluntly. 

Massive potenial wasted. Had they not done Power of three blondes or Repo Manor then you could add a third sister so its three sisters vs. three sisters. That could of been fun.

[codebox]

Billie and Christy were a good idea badly executed. Charmed was a show about sister witches helping innocents, and the idea of the sisters taking in a younger witch to mentor and help her save her sister fit perfectly within that premise. What killed the storyline was the "Ultimate Power" stuff and the terrible writing for the Charmed Ones (especially Piper and Phoebe), as well as poor timing (it should've been done earlier in the show, not the final season) and having Billie and Christy's plot shoved into the background to focus on other things. I also think a 3rd sister should've been added as a way to offset the Charmed sisters a 3v3 battle would've been epic.

Billie should've never worked for the sisters: She should've been a fan of the Charmed One's work, tried to take over the legacy when they "retired" and then after learning their selfish habits finds Christy and works up to destroy them, could've had a lot of interesting subplots with Billie there. They should've been a trio of sisters called "The Jenkins Sisters"..

Paige & Henry are basically Piper and Leo from Season 1 and should've been together since Season 7 : This isn't a negative opinion, but I think Paige and Henry served as a way to remind us how Piper and Leo use to be considering at Season 8 they felt apart completely.

Piper was tolerable in Season 5, later half of Season 6: Don't get me wrong Piper was by no means good at all and her decline is noticably felt. (She was birthed into Whinper while Piper died in Witch, Way Now) however Piper's transition to being a mother was okay it was mostly her nagging/treatment of Leo that got irritating. However Oh My Goddess solidified Whinper was here to stay, while she was moderately okay even though her whining and shrill nature was taking over and centralizing the character (Also the Cole treatment aside) plus would you really say she's comparable to PhoeME in this season? (I really like to crap on PhoeME, but it's true she ruins a lot of the later half for me and she's consistently more awful than Whinper though it occasionally flips, the consistency with PhoeME is worse! Which is made all the worse by her completely obvious writer's favoritism as noted by her column)

Whinper was at full force in Season 6 and was increasingly willing to abandon her duties (Soul Survivor and My Three Witches being prime examples) however once Holly's pregnancy comes into play and she takes a backseat in a lot of magic school related plots (Starting with Legend of Sleepy Halliwell) she becomes the more laidback/sarcastic Piper from Seasons 1-4, even her interactions with Leo were normal that didn't involve complaining or whining. Meanwhile PhoeME spends the entire season being at her worst and at least Whinper wasn't involved with killing Rick in Hyde School Reunion. Don't get me wrong neither season were good for Piper whatsoever and her full on transformation to Whinper (Viper in Season 8) was in full effect, I just think those little tiny moments where she's normal don't solidify her being "the worst" but she certainly isn't pleasant either. I even agree that Whinper can be just as bad, it's just the consistency with PhoeME is worse! Not defending her or anything, and I certainly don't like Whinper, I just can stomach her more than PhoeME. 


I like Piper's Molecular Combustion and is actually a good power just executed poorly : A lot of people seem to hate this power because it was just a "ends everything in one fellow swoop" when people forget worse powers like PhoeME's Empathy which literally served no purpose other than to have PhoeMe whine how other people's feelings inconvenienced her/was an excuse to have Alyssa talk more/narrate everything. The thing with Piper's Combustion power is that it came during the season where Piper was the most underpowered. When you think about it Prue and PhoeMe this season had power buffs, PhoeMe had more chances to showcase Martial Arts and Prue gaining Martial Arts (via Telekinesis) allowed for more situations where Piper would be knocked out often or just be in the back to freeze things, Piper even spends the season complaining she doesn't have an offensive power when that was Phoebe's job in Seasons 1.

Not to mention people never seemed to mind the fact Prue's Telekinesis in Season 1 was exactly the same thing, it was pretty much the only solution to vanquish demons in Season 1 (outside a Po3 spell) it was either Prue used Telekinesis or Piper Freezes followed by Telekinesis. So why does Combustion get singled out?

On top of that it was more of the writers making PhoeME and Paige often using potions that got destroyed over using their powers (moreso Paige), Phoebe being virtually a mortal with potion and spells in seasons 7&8, and not having as many demons as easily resisted to it that was the problem over the power itself. Though I do agree Molecular Inhibition would've been a better power evolution since it involves actual freezing. I also can agree that Combustion was a weird power evolution that didn't seem to go with "freezing" though I like how Piper's involves actual Molecules and not time simply because it wouldn't be unique considering Angels of Destiny/Cleaners can actually freeze time. I also agree that it shouldn't have overshadowed her Molecular Immobilization.


Season 2 had some better elements than Seasons 3 and 4. I also just think that the writers were better at "Monster of the Week" than they were huge story arcs. Even in Seasons 3 and 4, most of my favorites are standalones, not the story arcs. Later seasons may have had more ambition behind them, but the writers were more in their element in Season 2. That being said I still love Seasons 3 and 4 for at least trying with their attempts at story arcs, it just proved that their niche is standalone plots with the focus on the girl's sisterhood. In fact later seasons failed to capitalize on this element. I just think the Dan/Leo/Piper love triangle should've scrapped entirely. Also Seasons 3 and 4 are my favorite tied with Season 2, I just think Season 2's focus on standalones were more powerful.

Chris was an excellent idea that could've saved the show in the later seasons: There was A LOT of interesting potential behind the Chris and Wyatt story, and it could've easily given the show the kick it needed after hitting a slump post-Prue/post-Source. What killed Season 6 was sloppy, inconsistent writing and garbage filler like "Hyde School Reunion," not Chris. In fact Chris was the only thing I enjoyed in Season 6 aside from Paige's temp job sideplots. Chris felt like an audience surrogate going by his reactions to the girl's self involved priorities, he also served as a way to remind the girls the show is about 3 sisters who are witches. Not a sitcom where all of them do random things. I just wish his storyline was better executed.


The Queen of the Underworld storyline should've just been the main arc for Season 5. I can't emphasize enough just how much important character development for Paige was lost in Season 4 because Kern felt the need to continue focusing on Phoebe/Cole. Season 4 should've been a return to Season 1's tone and theme, with Paige learning about being a witch and Charmed One and Piper and Phoebe learning how to carry on without Prue. The loss of Prue sent the Charmed Ones right back to Square One, and the show did a terrible job of portraying that. It felt like they tried to replace Prue too quickly and Paige learning the ropes would've been better suited for the overall season narrative. It's why the first 13 episodes were so enjoyable for me, they felt like a transition for Piper and Paige gets to come into the season to recover from Prue's shadow.


Read more: thecharmedcafe.proboards.com/thread/11585/charmed-unpopular-opinions#ixzz5jTMyydUI

[Esmeralda]

I’ve decided to list mine as I did a few years ago, slightly updated. Happy to say they’re not as unpopular as they used to be as members become older and can see my point of view.

1. Couldn't stand Piper and Leo together, except in Season One - think she'd be much better with Mark the Ghost or Josh or Henry, and Leo would be much better with either Phoebe or Paige.

2. Couldn't stand Phoebe and Cole together - think he'd be a lot better with Prue or Paige, and she'd be a lot better with Leo or Kyra!

3. Despite the comics, still think that Chris is the reincarnation of Prue - all of the parts of him that I can't stand in him I love in her except for the fact that he’s a lying, whining, murdering brat, something Prue could never be.

4. Think the series should've ended when Shax said "The end" and that Season 4-8 is the alternate universe spin-off, "The Perils of Poor, Poor Pitiful Piper" aka “PhoeME and Her Fantasy Men” aka “Two Witches Plus One Living Whitelighter Equals The Power of Three?” - where the only thing similar between that and "Charmed" (S1-3) are the names of some of the characters, especially S5-8 when Piper and Phoebe were suddenly idealized versions of Holly and Alyssa, and no longer based on Connie and her sisters.

5. Think the series would've been much, much, MUCH better if Phoebe had died rather than Prue and even BETTER if Piper had stayed dead during "Awakened" and that's when we met Paige! ESPECIALLY if she was played by Jennifer Love Hewitt rather than Rose McGowan and was written similar to her character in “Ghost Whisperer” rather than a ditzy Valley Girl who the more blonde she got, the more ditzier she got.

6. Think that there should've never been such a thing as witchlighters - hate the idea of dead men being able to have children. Ditto for demons and mortals who are two different species. Cole should’ve been a warlock.

7. Think the idea of a half-demon who was raised by his demonic mother and had been a mercenary demon for more than 70 years suddenly becomes good all due to the wonderfulness of Phoebe Halliwell (heavy on the sarcasm here) is the stupidest idea the show came up with. Had he been raised by his father and was truly in his '30's, I'd feel totally differently.

8. Liked Billie a lot more once Christy showed up and wished that they had won the final battle rather than the Charmed Ones - although *really* think that Zankou should've won the battle in "Something Wicca This Way Goes" and would've if the writers hadn't cheated.

9. Think that Leo should've stayed away after "Love Hurts" and Prue and Andy should've been the couple who was together (but never got married and never had kids) during all 4 seasons (Had it been those two, I don't think Charmed would've lasted more than 4 years, which would've been just fine with me)

10. Much prefer the lightness of the S5 over the horrible unCharmedliked darkness of S4.

11. Think that the second-worst episode was "Sleuthing with the Enemy" - the death of my favorite character, Phoebs, and the birth of my least-favorite character, PhoeME/Freebie. The only one worse is the four-part S6 premiere: "Oh, My Goddess/Valhalley of the Dolls", part of it ran (and helping to ruin, along with the destruction of Cole's and Phoebe’s characters) during S5, while S6 finished ruining all of the characters and suddenly made it okay to believe that ends justify the means rather than the wrong things done for the right reasons are still the wrong things.

[rebooted]

Mar 4, 2016 11:57:29 GMT -5 @bettynewbie said:

Great thread idea.   Here's mine:

• Billie and Christy were a good idea badly executed.  Charmed was a show about sister witches helping innocents, and the idea of the sisters taking in a younger witch to mentor and help her save her sister fit perfectly within that premise.  What killed the storyline was the "Ultimate Power" stuff and the terrible writing for the Charmed Ones (especially Piper and Phoebe), as well as poor timing (it should've been done earlier in the show, not the final season) and casting (Kaley Cuoco is a comedic actor, and it badly showed on Charmed).
• Cole overshadowed the sisters just as badly as Chris and Billie. For as much as the fandom complains about Chris and Billie for "stealing the spotlight" away from the sisters, it's often forgotten that Cole did it just as badly, if not even worse. Paige literally lost much of her introductory season because of Cole and his storyline, and I don't think her character ever really recovered from it.
• Season 2 was better than Seasons 3 and 4. See the above point for one reason why. I also just think that the writers were better at "Monster of the Week" than they were huge story arcs. Even in Seasons 3 and 4, most of my favorites are standalones, not the story arcs. Later seasons may have had more ambition behind them, but the writers were more in their element in Season 2.
• Chris was an excellent idea that could've saved the show in the later seasons. It seems popular to trash on Chris and his storyline nowadays, which is a shame. There was A LOT of interesting potential behind the Chris and Wyatt story, and it could've easily given the show the kick it needed after hitting a slump post-Prue/post-Source. What killed Season 6 was sloppy, inconsistent writing and garbage filler like "Witchstock," not Chris.
• The Queen of the Underworld storyline should've just been scrapped when Shannen was fired. I can't emphasize enough just how much important character development for Paige was lost in Season 4 because Kern felt the need to continue focusing on Phoebe/Cole. Season 4 should've been a return to Season 1's tone and theme, with Paige learning about being a witch and Charmed One and Piper and Phoebe learning how to carry on without Prue. The loss of Prue sent the Charmed Ones right back to Square One, and the show did a terrible job of portraying that.

I'm sure I have others, but this is a good start.

I like these

[gzv969]

Ok these are some of my unpopular opinions and issues I had.

I still think season 8 is a very good season. I often watch it frequently but normally stop after 12 Angry Zen when Christy is found. Mostly because I still can’t wrap my head around why the sisters would let christy stay in the manor and they would think that Billie having a sister that’s a fire starter could be any good, or that she could be redeemable in any way after being in the underworld for so long. Season 4s “lost and Bound” with Tyler should have been a clear indication that christy couldn’t be any good in any way.

I didn’t care much for phoebes personality changes and change in look that she took on from season 5. In fact starting from mid season 4 after becoming queen of the underworld. I wish she never became “ask phoebe”. I feel she lost a lot of that little sister innocence and eagerness to fight evil and practice magic that she had in the first 3 seasons and part of 4.

Same goes for pipers character development. I would have rather both phoebe and piper go it alone for most of season 4 before introducing another sister. Piper should have still remained the reserved and skeptical one she used to be and phoebe the one still determined to continue their legacy. I’d prefer to have seen them struggle for most of season 4 to vanquish demons by themselves and looking for a way to bring prue back. Then let it be both of them that discover Paige much later on their own and not pushed on them through a lost witch spell. Even then they let Paige know that they are still bent on finding a way to bring prue back and nothing will change that. Can you Imagine if Sam showed up half way though the season and dropped it on piper and phoebe out of the blue in casual conversation while their discussing the lack of the power of 3 to help him. Like he’s half drunk listening to them talk and he says to them “I don’t get it. What about your other sister, my daughter? The one I had with your mom. Can’t she reconstitute the charmed ones?”. They would freak out

Piper and Leo shouldn’t have been allowed to marry and have kids till the end of the series. Same with phoebe and Cole getting married in season 4. It should never have worked out. We could still have future Chris and Wyatt visit from the future as indication that piper eventually has kids but they aren’t born during the series.

[Ruth Marie]

Apr 23, 2019 20:54:38 GMT -5 gzv969 said:

Ok these are some of my unpopular opinions and issues I had.

I still think season 8 is a very good season. I often watch it frequently but normally stop after 12 Angry Zen when Christy is found. Mostly because I still can’t wrap my head around why the sisters would let christy stay in the manor and they would think that Billie having a sister that’s a fire starter could be any good, or that she could be redeemable in any way after being in the underworld for so long. Season 4s “lost and Bound” with Tyler should have been a clear indication that christy couldn’t be any good in any way.

I didn’t care much for phoebes personality changes and change in look that she took on from season 5. In fact starting from mid season 4 after becoming queen of the underworld. I wish she never became “ask phoebe”. I feel she lost a lot of that little sister innocence and eagerness to fight evil and practice magic that she had in the first 3 seasons and part of 4.

Same goes for pipers character development. I would have rather both phoebe and piper go it alone for most of season 4 before introducing another sister. Piper should have still remained the reserved and skeptical one she used to be and phoebe the one still determined to continue their legacy. I’d prefer to have seen them struggle for most of season 4 to vanquish demons by themselves and looking for a way to bring prue back. Then let it be both of them that discover Paige much later on their own and not pushed on them through a lost witch spell. Even then they let Paige know that they are still bent on finding a way to bring prue back and nothing will change that. Can you Imagine if Sam showed up half way though the season and dropped it on piper and phoebe out of the blue in casual conversation while their discussing the lack of the power of 3 to help him. Like he’s half drunk listening to them talk and he says to them “I don’t get it. What about your other sister, my daughter? The one I had with your mom. Can’t she reconstitute the charmed ones?”. They would freak out

Piper and Leo shouldn’t have been allowed to marry and have kids till the end of the series. Same with phoebe and Cole getting married in season 4. It should never have worked out. We could still have future Chris and Wyatt visit from the future as indication that piper eventually has kids but they aren’t born during the series.

I agree completely with these, and as we all have come up with ideas before in other threads. Wishing it was Paige who got the promotion at her job, and Phoebe quit her job for herself and recover from what went down in S4, and going back to magic would have been good. 

I couldn't agree more with Piper and Leo. I feel their storylines played out by S5, they had nothing else to gain, they already got their happy ending. Personally the payoff for them getting married and having kids being much later was better.

I think Leo being gone for all of S3 after Magic Hour would have been better, and them getting a new whitelighter and or having none. Leo can return at the end of S3/start of S4. I'd rather they not marry until the end of the series, but then they'd have more conflicts if they had no child entering S6 when Leo became an Elder, so without Wyatt, no reason to have Leo being around. Maybe then they can get married in S7, with Piper being pregnant in S8 near the end of the series.

But if we had to have both marriage and children for Piper/Leo in the series, them marrying in S5 and then having their first child in S7. Even if I'd rather both have been near or at the end of the series, for a great payoff. 

I think it would be more rewarding for Piper/Leo's end-story to give them their wedding and pregnancy, because having done it so much earlier, it left little story moving forward and they had nothing else to gain having already reach their peak. 

[peytonmarie]

Not sure if you'd call these "unpopular opinions" exactly. More like adjustments.

1. Future Leo shouldn't have appeared in Morality Bites. The father of Piper's daughter should've been a mystery so that the whole love triangle arc would actually have some weight (and when Wyatt's born it's another hint that maybe Melinda was Dan's or someone else's after all.) Future Darryl should've been the one to show up and explain the witch hunts. If they see he was still trying to help innocents it's another nudge toward telling him their secret later in S2.

2. Piper and Leo's trip to Up There between S2 and 3 should've felt like years to them but only a day on Earth. (They don't age because it's a heavenly plane.) That way, they've been together "longer" when they get married. They've only known each other for, what was it, 2 years? And they weren't even a couple for most of that.

3. Carrying on from the above, Piper and Leo should've never gotten together at all because he's been watching her since she was a baby and that's f***ing gross.

Can someone please clarify the Leo Watching Over Baby Piper thing for me? I distinctly remember he says it in S5's opener but back in S3, he didn't know what Piper was like in high school. Was that just another inconsistency?