Season Five: Your views, before and now

[Sasha]

Mar 6, 2018 3:16:18 GMT -5 fallingsnow6136 said:

I liked it once Cole died because I felt he shouldn't have been in S5 at all. He should have stayed dead in Long Live the Queen.

That would have been great and made S5 so much better. But still, if Phoebe had taken time for herself after what she went through with Cole and Paige stayed a social worker. S5 would improve much more.

Actually what I find interesting to consider, if maybe Phoebe and Paige should have had a role reversal for S5. Phoebe quits her job to stay at home, take care of things and reflect on her life and get over Cole properly. Paige's job is promoted and she advances in it, with innocents and cases she has coming out of Social Services.

Phoebe can get back in touch with who she once was before Cole and get back in touch with her love of magic. It isn't so wrong for Phoebe to take a step back and do this. Maybe then she can go off and find what she really likes to do in her life career-wise.

Just a few writing changes to Paige and Phoebe and ditching Cole was needed in S5. Maybe then the season could focus more on the bond between the second set of sisters while preparing for the new addition to the family with Piper's baby.

[fallingsnow6136]

I like your S5, Sasha. Write it, write it I would also have Phoebe refind her kid from Womb Raider (who survives in my head) and being a single mother for awhile. Maybe the kid and Wyatt could be friends.

[nightowl]

Mar 11, 2018 19:14:41 GMT -5 Sasha said:

Mar 6, 2018 3:16:18 GMT -5 fallingsnow6136 said:

I liked it once Cole died because I felt he shouldn't have been in S5 at all. He should have stayed dead in Long Live the Queen.

That would have been great and made S5 so much better. But still, if Phoebe had taken time for herself after what she went through with Cole and Paige stayed a social worker. S5 would improve much more.

Actually what I find interesting to consider, if maybe Phoebe and Paige should have had a role reversal for S5. Phoebe quits her job to stay at home, take care of things and reflect on her life and get over Cole properly. Paige's job is promoted and she advances in it, with innocents and cases she has coming out of Social Services.

Phoebe can get back in touch with who she once was before Cole and get back in touch with her love of magic. It isn't so wrong for Phoebe to take a step back and do this. Maybe then she can go off and find what she really likes to do in her life career-wise.

Just a few writing changes to Paige and Phoebe and ditching Cole was needed in S5. Maybe then the season could focus more on the bond between the second set of sisters while preparing for the new addition to the family with Piper's baby.

This is very good. Please write it!

[Sasha]

Mar 26, 2018 22:33:54 GMT -5 nightowl said:

Mar 11, 2018 19:14:41 GMT -5 Sasha said:

That would have been great and made S5 so much better. But still, if Phoebe had taken time for herself after what she went through with Cole and Paige stayed a social worker. S5 would improve much more.

Actually what I find interesting to consider, if maybe Phoebe and Paige should have had a role reversal for S5. Phoebe quits her job to stay at home, take care of things and reflect on her life and get over Cole properly. Paige's job is promoted and she advances in it, with innocents and cases she has coming out of Social Services.

Phoebe can get back in touch with who she once was before Cole and get back in touch with her love of magic. It isn't so wrong for Phoebe to take a step back and do this. Maybe then she can go off and find what she really likes to do in her life career-wise.

Just a few writing changes to Paige and Phoebe and ditching Cole was needed in S5. Maybe then the season could focus more on the bond between the second set of sisters while preparing for the new addition to the family with Piper's baby.

This is very good. Please write it!

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it. If I had the time I would, but right now I'm just so busy. Might consider it for Summer, we'll see.

[rebooted]

I've recently been rewatching Season 5 and I must say in the past I have been overly critical of it.

A Witch's Tail was one episode I used to hate because for me it was the start of the fairy tale era but I really enjoyed rewatching it, moreso P2.

Siren Song, Witches in Tights, The Eyes that Have it, Sympathy, Sam I Am, Mummy, Importance and Centennial are pretty entertaining to watch.

House Call annoys me a little and after Coles death I feel there is no real direction up until Wyatt's Birth, and I still don't like how Wyatt is a Boy and TDTMDied isn't the best episode IMO.

Baby's first demon is good

Sensibility and Cat House a really good.

For me its OMGoddess and Nymphs and Lucky Charmed that get under my skin. Similar to Animal Pragmatism in Season 2.

Overall I think in the past I have been too highly critical of Seaosn 5.

[Esmeralda]

Yeah, maybe I've been too rough on S4-8. I might have to give them a rewatch. Although the ones I've watched for the 20th anniversary re-watch hasn't made me want to rewatch any of those seasons. I just can't stand watching Piper and Phoebe!

[fallingsnow6136]

Everyone's going to laugh at me for this - I laugh at myself, its fine. But I was a teenager, probably nearing around 15-16 when Charmed was on TV and it was the first episode of Season 5. As a child, I was a huge fan of The Little Mermaid and this was my first introduction to Charmed, so the two-parter beginning to the fifth season was literally one of my favourites, because of how nostalgic it is to me to this day. All the little mermaid references with Mylie as Ariel and the sea hag as Ursula. Granted, I didn't like the other demon and wished the focus had been the sea hag but still, yes I know its a very stupid reason to have a soft spot for this season. Go on, guys, laugh.

[Katie Warren]

Mar 16, 2020 3:01:52 GMT -5 fallingsnow6136 said:

Everyone's going to laugh at me for this - I laugh at myself, its fine. But I was a teenager, probably nearing around 15-16 when Charmed was on TV and it was the first episode of Season 5. As a child, I was a huge fan of The Little Mermaid and this was my first introduction to Charmed, so the two-parter beginning to the fifth season was literally one of my favourites, because of how nostalgic it is to me to this day. All the little mermaid references with Mylie as Ariel and the sea hag as Ursula. Granted, I didn't like the other demon and wished the focus had been the sea hag but still, yes I know its a very stupid reason to have a soft spot for this season. Go on, guys, laugh.

Nothing wrong with that, that was your first episode and introduction to Charmed, so it is very special to you. Many of us here, have those episodes, if we didn't watch it from the start. 

And you loving Little Mermaid, perfect reasons to love this episode. 

I wouldn't laugh at all. This all makes sense to why you love it. 

[Elle Em]

Mar 16, 2020 3:01:52 GMT -5 fallingsnow6136 said:

Everyone's going to laugh at me for this - I laugh at myself, its fine. But I was a teenager, probably nearing around 15-16 when Charmed was on TV and it was the first episode of Season 5. As a child, I was a huge fan of The Little Mermaid and this was my first introduction to Charmed, so the two-parter beginning to the fifth season was literally one of my favourites, because of how nostalgic it is to me to this day. All the little mermaid references with Mylie as Ariel and the sea hag as Ursula. Granted, I didn't like the other demon and wished the focus had been the sea hag but still, yes I know its a very stupid reason to have a soft spot for this season. Go on, guys, laugh.

I actually really like a lot of the Mermaid episode myself. I'm not a huge fan of season 5, and there was plenty about the episode I didn't like. 

However, this episode helped me through a really tough time. At the end of Part 1 when Phoebe says "I just want to be free," it was exactly how I felt during what I was going through. I watched the first half of this episode on the morning of the first day of a tough year, and the last half on the last day of that time. It made me feel not so alone and upset. 

So I have the episodes that I think are good and that I like, and then ones that simply make me feel better when I need it. I may not agree with some of the opinions, but I wouldn't laugh at anyone for any episode they like that resonates with them. 

[Ruth Marie]

I don't hate this episode as much as other season 5 episodes, it's not the best, but I don't have a strong dislike like some other ones. I think coming off S4, a dark season. It was fine to have a lighter season opener.

But, I do REALLY hate what they set up the season here. With Paige quitting her job, and Phoebe. But in another thread, I loved the ideas members gave for how to fix them.

And I don't get why they got rid of the Sea Hag and introduce another demon in part 2. But much like all their two-part openers, they all seem to follow the same trend, a sister runs away from her sisters ending the episode on a cliffhanger, with a vanquish of one in part 1 and a different demon/villain in part 2.

And like others, I'd never laugh at anyone for liking an episode or having an opinion that isn't the same as mine. Much like our re-watches, we all have very different opinons on which ones we liked/dislike, following a re-watch.

[gzv969]

There were some great moments in this episode. it gave us a great ending song “blame it on the rain”. Which I still play till this day a lot. A great moment with patty and grams signing pipers baby book and for a moment some hope for Cole and phoebe in that last moment on the beach. And not to forget one of my best performances I had seen from piper, who rarely makes me laugh but in this episode she did a lot with the effects the freedom spell had on her.

[Katie Warren]

Mar 16, 2020 19:28:56 GMT -5 gzv969 said:

There were some great moments in this episode. it gave us a great ending song “blame it on the rain”. Which I still play till this day a lot. A great moment with patty and grams signing pipers baby book and for a moment some hope for Cole and phoebe in that last moment on the beach. And not to forget one of my best performances I had seen from piper, who rarely makes me laugh but in this episode she did a lot with the effects the freedom spell had on her.

I really love that song too. It's one I love too.

Someone should make a poll or thread on what ending songs we love from Charmed.

[Esmeralda]

Oh, that would be great! Especially if you post the link to that song on Youtube!

Can we do the songs they play during the guest credits, too?

[Katie Warren]

Mar 17, 2020 8:03:14 GMT -5 Esmeralda said:

Oh, that would be great! Especially if you post the link to that song on Youtube!

Can we do the songs they play during the guest credits, too?

I love that idea Es.

Maybe we can create two threads for ending songs and ones played during for guest credits.

I know most of our rewatches we've enjoyed the songs in the guest credits.

[codebox]

Removing the whole tonal shift debacle aside, (which is a problem) honestly going back to watch this season it's even worse than what I remembered before and tbh felt like a waste of time. It certainly isn't as bad as Seasons 6 or 8 persay, but you don't miss anything watching it which I feel is a HUGE problem and brings this entire season down. Really when it boils down to it what do you gain from this season? Every prior season had something to do or add.

Season 1: Obviously the beginning and starting point. The sisters learn the ropes and explore their double lives, it's the starting ground for the show.

Season 2: The season of transition and identity, transition because the actresses clearly gelled more and the show seemed to be content with itself and its plots. Identity because of how each sister struggles with finding their own path at some point and how they come to transition from Season 1.

Season 3: More action oriented added excuses for the sisters to be more involved outside of just using their powers, you get to see more involved scenes and the fact the show wanted an attempt at a more story driven experience.

Season 4: Changed the dynamic with the addition of a new character transitioning from losing a regular. It feels like its beginning again, but through the experience of said new character (Paige) plus it continued an ongoing storyline.

Season 5? Just introduces Fairytales, Leprechauns, Nymphs, skimpy outfits and Greek gods.. Outside of that you get Grams becoming corporeal at will, killing the intention of her suppose to be dead. Yeah the tone is different in that its lighter, but that's not a bad thing, the problem is it doesn't feel different in being just a tone itself, its different in that it feels like a new show altogether. Even as soon as the Season begins both Piper and Phoebe are completely dismissive of their innocent and focusing on themselves. And while I can get behind Piper's baby journey (I partciularly liked the ending scene of A Witch's Tail with her looking at the baby book and being saved by Patty), some of the things she still does contradicts that and once Wyatt is born the entire point of them being the Charmed Ones becomes less important as well as Piper's main focus being Leo and her children.

The only takeaway I can get from this season is Paige's arc of focusing on magic because it feels to be the only one that's progressive. Even if I don't like her quitting her job. PhoeMe and Cole just dragged on for way to long, did it seriously need to be half of the season? I feel because the Phoebe/Cole drama lasted to long and how the first 12 episodes began to feel the same because of how it was all about blaming him it killed 12 episodes that could've been spent focusing on other things. Because of this you really only get half of a season to even experience the new additions, all of which aren't that noteworthy.

I liked the idea of adding a community the girls are apart of being magical, so that it gives them allies. But it feels to silly, Leprechauns, seriously? Even the ideas that were good like the Crone and the Demon Market never get expanded upon, I felt using the demon market itself and have that be an alternate inhabitance of demons could've filled the season itself, with how it could've served to characterize them an all. I also dislike how it feels more like a sitcom than a fantasy show. That's also not mentioning the finale which featured Poor Pitiful Piper as a Goddess.

I can see people enjoying the lighter tone and stuff like Piper's motherhood or Paige's magic journey, but for me I can't go back to this season that much. Obviously I voted disliked it then, but hate it now. But I'm interested to seeing other perspectives and hopefully upon re-watches I can get a perspective change.

[Esmeralda]

codebox

Since you asked for different perspectives, here's a couple from the first page.

Sept 9, 2016 1:07:33 GMT -5 sol said:

When I watched for the first time I was annoyed by the presence of the magical community

The season was in my eyes redeemed by Centennial Charmed and the birth of Wyatt, an episode all tied to magic and full of humor

I keep my negative view on the magical community, but also keep a great fascination with Wyatt's story and above all I reconsidered Cole's story

Decline and Fall of Cole Turner: I had always thought that the love for a person'ld not be enough to change the entire your own world, your own value system

When Cole loses all hope with Phoebe, he is in total vacuum, with nothing to go back, this story is worth a season

Not sure how Sol voted, but I voted "Still Like". Here's why:

Sept 15, 2016 14:15:33 GMT -5 Esmeralda said:

And, as usual, Sol, I'm the other way around. The first time I watched this season, I preferred the presence of the magical community over Cole's story (he should've remained in Season Four, never to be seen again, where he belonged) because Charmed needed the lightness of Season Five after the darkness of Season Four in order to go back to being Charmed rather than Buffy Lite. And much as I felt that Charmed had permanently jumped the shark when we found out that Prudence Melinda was actually Wyatt Matthew (with all the crap about his own prophecy), I definitely preferred it over the horror of the last half of Season Four.

The more I watch this season on TNT (no way I'd own the DVD, just like I'd never own S4-S8 - already have S1-3) I particularly like Piper in this season, when usually I don't like her once she decides that her heart belongs to Leo in S2. PhoeME is simply unwatchable in this season. I also like Paige in this season, even as I hate watching the assistant social worker turn into a ditzy Valley Girl.

This is the season when they all start turning into the ones in my signature, especially if you include Ms. Whinealot in 'Oh, My Goddess' - aka Poor, Poor, Pitiful Piper (Barf!)

But if 'Something Wicca This Way Goes?' had replaced 'Oh, My Goddess!' as the season finale and instead be the series finale, I'd still love all of Charmed, so I voted I still like it.

I probably should add that I now DO own S4, S5 and S8, but only because my friend StoryGirl83 let me have her copies after she got the Book of Shadows version. She never got S7 which I want for the second half and no way I want S6!

[Aaeiyn]

I used to like it, now I'm indifferent to it. Even though, I selected "Liked it but now dislike it", I wouldn't say I dislike it, though because I dislike S2 and S4. At least with S5, there's some re-watchable episodes compared to the likes of S2 and S4 (for me, personally). I still think S6 and S7 are better than S5, though.

[Aaeiyn]

Aug 22, 2021 4:28:27 GMT -5 Aaeiyn said:

I used to like it, now I'm indifferent to it. Even though, I selected "Liked it but now dislike it", I wouldn't say I dislike it, though because I dislike S2 and S4. At least with S5, there's some re-watchable episodes compared to the likes of S2 and S4 (for me, personally). I still think S6 and S7 are better than S5, though.

I've changed my mind to "Liked it but now hate it". S5 is easily the worst season of the series. The extent of my love for this season, is the following:

S5E1 "A Witch's Tail, Pt 1"
S5E3 "Happily Ever After"
S5E6 "The Eyes Have It"
S5E15 "The Day That Magic Died"
S5E16 "Baby's First Demon"
S5E20 "Sense and Sense Ability"

I hate everything else about this season. Absolute garbage season.  I'd rather suffer through Season 2 than watch Season 5.

[CharmedFaith]

Reposting my rewatch thoughts from another board

After finishing S4....I dont plan on buying S5+ individually on blu-ray and waiting for the German complete series to come in....its actually kind of perfect to watch S5 on Peacock. The lack of theme song really helps drive home that from this point, Charmed is now Charmed 2.0. The writers are barely trying to create a good show, they have no idea what they want to do with Phoebe/Cole and just repeat their storyline in every.single.episode. "Phoebe, I'm not evil" "you are evil Cole, stay away from me!" It's pretty bad when your actor asks to be killed off because he's so tired of paper thing storylines.

Paige spends her first season with a very steady job and she gets a promotion in 5x01 and then by the end of 5x02..."I'm quitting so I can be a witch full time" such a shame. Unlike Prue who fully embraces her witchyness in S3 to a very dangerous degree and pushing her sisters to be at their best so they can survive the big fight....Paige fully embraces her witchyness and its puppy dogs and fairy tales. But she is essentially the only witch in the family since Phoebe is more about her work and Piper is focused on her magical baby that is already super powerful in the womb and of course..not Melinda.

Thus far there are some good moments that you have to grab on and hold onto, most notably Paige meeting Grams in the flesh and the awkwardness of it for the both of them. Little moments like that remind us that Paige isnt a Halliwell even though the writers dont want you to remember that 99% of the time.

I hate The Bay Mirror and Phoebe becoming this uber successful local celebrity of an advice columnist. S1-4.5 Phoebe would've probably balked at the idea and would've chosen a different job. And its just ridiculous that Phoebe would want any type of limelight after AHBL.

I'm currently on the Superhero Episode and if Shannen wanted to quit during S3 for various reasons...she would've walked out after reading the script for this episode. This also introduces The Elders...in person...ugh. Why the hell does a DEAD person need to retire? And why would a 13 year old become an Elder? It was such a stupid storyline that of course went nowhere and had zero impact to the show.

The Eyes Have It is one of the best episodes of the season (that I can remember going based off of memory), its old school Charmed and this could've been a glorified backdoor pilot if I didnt know any better. Shame the writers drop everything after the episode as if it never happened.

I rewatched Centennial Charmed earlier today and as the big 100 I just felt like they did a half-assed job on it.

The premise of "what if TCO were never re-constituted" is fairly interesting but they didn't go full throttle with it. It's the big 100 and the only return from the past is The Seer? Piper is hunting down Shax, why not bring back one of the shows most prominent demons? Cole is Belthazor again but...we never get to see the big B.

They continue the "Phoebe hates Cole" storyline no matter the reality which was redundant after 12 episodes. It just didn't really celebrate the show properly.

Now...Cat House felt more like a 100th episode since it celebrated the shows history (or well...Piper/Leo), brought back Kit (still dont know how I feel about that after a decade), goes back to the past. Of course both episodes feel a sense of emptiness due to no Prue (the ony time you shelve out big bucks, its for the 100th episode and to use clips of Shannen) but they could have gotten around that with having a young Prue appear played by OG child Prue.

I still cant believe that the writers put us through HALF A SEASON of Cole "I'm a good guy but im also a bad guy and I am going insane" with Phoebes "You're evil. You're evil. You cant be good because you're evil. I'm going to kill you. I'm not going to help you commit suicide" in S5. Prue would've been so annoyed that Phoebe put them through all this drama in S3 only to just give up on him and act like it was all for nothing.

I love Grams and how she channeled her TK. Her big episode was a fun one.


Of course we know that Wyatt turns evil in the future but I think they should've taken Grams whole spiel about not having males in the last 300 years as something more serious in the storyline.

I don't even know what their endgame was with all of this. What if Julien hadnt requested he be let out of his contract? Would they have just gone the rest of the season/series with this?

The writers wanting to make Paige into Ms.Superwitch really got in the way of Phoebe being a decent witch. Paige having all those dreams or whatever of the Titans really should've been Phoebes subplot. The woman with the premintions couldn't even see or feel them coming...it's almost as like:


Making Phoebe into the Goddess of Love is of course within her character even though it was less love and more lust. It's something the writers really like to drive home about Phoebe. She gets hit by the sin of Lust, is psychically connected to the succubus, Goddess of love, picks up on everyone's horniness as an empath...but if one thing is for certain, if we got all these characters in present day, Phoebe would certainly be bisexual lol.



I know the actresses/Kern were rarely happy with how TheWB promoted the show but Its interesting that starting with S5, WB starts coming out with posters for specific episodes

[rebooted]

I think like with most seasons there is a good half and bad half.

The beginning half of Season 5 if you can tolerate the mermaid thing is pretty good. Even one of the bad episode Witches in Tights is entertaining.

The middle of Seaosn 5 isn't so bad either. But the last half isn't the greatest especially the finale and the nymphs. However Sense and Sensibility is a great episode.