Season Five: Your views, before and now

[zoeysmom]

The first time or two I watched the series, I liked Season 5 okay, but now I don't like it. I wouldn't necessarily say I hate it, but there's definitely a strong dislike for this season. The sisters are self-involved compared to earlier seasons (especially Phoebe), and I didn't like the outfits. Phoebe's behavior in the mermaid episodes at the beginning of the season and in Y Tu Mummy Tambien were particularly appalling to me, because she used to so caring towards innocents, and now she cares more about not being late to her pedicure appointments than helping the innocents. I also don't really care for how they turned the sisters into sex objects to bring in male viewers. I know Alyssa Milano said they needed the barely there outfits to make it work, but there's shows like Joan of Arcadia and Ghost Whisperer from circa 2000 to 2005 that didn't need to put their female leads in skimpy clothes to make it work.

[Aaeiyn]

Apr 19, 2022 14:33:30 GMT -5 zoeysmom said:

I also don't really care for how they turned the sisters into sex objects to bring in male viewers.

The only outfits/transformations I (personally) felt were too objectifying were Alyssa Milano's outfits. However, I still liked some of her look, in S5. If you see another sister, in the GIF, it's because I like their outfit, as well (it'll be mostly with Paige). Also, they can wear multiple outfits, in the same episode. Yes, I have worn similar things LOL:

S5E6 "The Eyes Have It"


S5E15 "The Day That Magic Died"


S5E3 "Happily Ever After"
(no, it's not the Cinderella dress)


S5E6 "The Eyes Have it"


S5E11 "The Importance of Being Phoebe"
(while this is a Phoebe shapeshifter, this was the best shot, I could get of the outfit, since it's the most important part)


S5E13 "House Call"
(unpopular opinion, but I've always been a fan of fishnet/slip on sleeves)

---

Then, there's Paige's S5 looks (some of it, I already posted, under Phoebe's):

S5E2 "A Witch's Tail, Pt 2"


S5E14 "Sand Francisco Dreamin'"


S5E18 "Cat House"
(I've definitely worn something similar LOL)


S5E19 "Nymphs Just Want to Have Fun"
(unpopular opinion)

---

Then, Piper's S5 looks:

S5E6 "The Eyes Have It"


S5E12 "Centennial Charmed"
(I've definitely worn something like this)


S5E17 "Lucky Charmed"


Before somebody gets mad that Piper looks all "oversexualized", in S5E17 "Lucky Charmed", I'd like to point out she wore something similar, back in S2E12 "Awakened", LONG before S5 was a thought:

---

I think the S5 fashion was on point, but I didn't care too much for its stories 🤷‍♀️

[rebooted]

Apr 20, 2022 23:39:27 GMT -5 Aaeiyn said:

Apr 19, 2022 14:33:30 GMT -5 zoeysmom said:

I also don't really care for how they turned the sisters into sex objects to bring in male viewers.

The only outfits/transformations I (personally) felt were too objectifying were Alyssa Milano's outfits. However, I still liked some of her look, in S5. If you see another sister, in the GIF, it's because I like their outfit, as well (it'll be mostly with Paige). Also, they can wear multiple outfits, in the same episode. Yes, I have worn similar things LOL:

---

I think the S5 fashion was on point, but I didn't care too much for its stories 🤷‍♀️

I think that's a personal thing that annoys me about Season 5. 

It becomes more unbelievable that the sisters have the time and money to have all these different outfits, shoes and hairstyles than it is believable that they are sisters who happen to be witches. 

In short, the outfits are a distraction to the magic and the sisterhood. 

I dont think they needed to turn them into sex objects to bring in males viewers. 

It just made the magical concept even more unrealistic after trying so hard over the last 4 years to make it compelling enough to believable.

[Melinda Halliwell]

Apr 21, 2022 1:06:54 GMT -5 rebooted said:

Apr 20, 2022 23:39:27 GMT -5 Aaeiyn said:

The only outfits/transformations I (personally) felt were too objectifying were Alyssa Milano's outfits. However, I still liked some of her look, in S5. If you see another sister, in the GIF, it's because I like their outfit, as well (it'll be mostly with Paige). Also, they can wear multiple outfits, in the same episode. Yes, I have worn similar things LOL:

---

I think the S5 fashion was on point, but I didn't care too much for its stories 🤷‍♀️

I think that's a personal thing that annoys me about Season 5. 

It becomes more unbelievable that the sisters have the time and money to have all these different outfits, shoes and hairstyles than it is believable that they are sisters who happen to be witches. 

In short, the outfits are a distraction to the magic and the sisterhood. 

I dont think they needed to turn them into sex objects to bring in males viewers. 

It just made the magical concept even more unrealistic after trying so hard over the last 4 years to make it compelling enough to believable.

Agreed, I much preferred watching the show for the storylines and characters in season 5 like helping Katrina formally Kit the cat and the Nicoli gypsies than what outfit each sister wore week after week. 

I used to think how could they afford to wear different things all the time although some could argue like shoes and trainers clothes also got damaged from supernatural fights which the sisters unfortunately had to replace obviously although more Phoebe been in physical fights naturally. But then why couldn't they have just used the unseen spell to repair those which wouldn't have been seen as personal gain but helped save the pennies that either went on bills or ingredients for potions and things.

I never understood why producers felt Rose, Alyssa, and Holly needed to dress sexy either to pull in male viewers and things when I'm sure there were other ways to do that probably. 

Yes Alyssa and Holly were producers then but it's a shame unlike season 8 they and Rose couldn't put their foots down here in terms of what they thought their characters should wear at the time then. 

[Elle Em]

The clothes are definitely a part of what keeps me from connecting to the later seasons, even if they're a small thing compared to, say, an unrealistic job. The fact that they're witches is enough to separate them from everyone else, so for balance, I think everything else should be a lot more realistic.

I know we live in a world where this would never happen on a popular TV show, but it's fun to think about each sister having a set wardrobe of more normal clothes that she wears over and over. I don't remember them repeating outfits very often, but I think it could have added a lot to the show if the fans could recognize the different things they wore. They could update the clothes every season or two, but have a few pieces that stayed the entire length of the show, or at least kept the styles somewhat the same without too much changing.

Rewatching the show, it's obvious when the network stepped in and told them to dress the sisters in more revealing outfits. I don't mind so much if it's a particular sister's style to begin with, but especially considering how they dressed through the first season, it doesn't feel like an organic change. 

[Aaeiyn]

I don't quite stress about their clothes, too much.  That's too much nitpicking, for me especially a show about witches and magic, I can't be bothered to stop my suspension of disbelief with their clothes.  That being said, even though, I do think they look great, that's not enough for me to like S5.  I'm not a big fan of S5's episodes.  And, I'm not one of those that hates the fairy tales, either.  In fact, the mermaid episode and fairy tale episodes are some of my favorites.  It's mainly the leprechaun episode and nymphs episode, that I have a problem with.  It's way too much silliness, even for me (who likes camp), for me to deal with.  The only thing that saves S5E17 "Lucky Charmed", for me, is Pat Benatar.  She's the only "Saving Grace", of the episode.  And, I really didn't care for the anti-Cole episodes, in between, either.

That being said, I don't agree that the network decided to meddle in, during S5.  I think the network began meddling in back in S2.  It's what forced Burge out of the series.  Her name is only credited as "created by" for S3-S8.  Doherty tried to keep S3, in Burge's vision but ultimately was no longer a part of the series.  Whether she quit 'cause she got fed up or fired 'cause she kept voicing how the direction of the show was not authentic, who knows?  But, I definitely feel like the Network began their rain of terror back in S2.  S2 began the "sexy" outfits (I already showed one of Piper's, back in S2E12 "Awakened").  I mean, S2E1 "Witch Trial" (the opening episode, for S2) had stripped down both Piper & Phoebe to be nude.  Phoebe began wearing more shirts that exposed her belly, more.  Don't even get me started on that borderline pornagraphic scene in S2E14 "Pardon My Past".  I just think this whole "oversexualization of the girls" blame is on the wrong season.  It didn't start in S5.  It started before Krista Vernoff (who began writing for the series in S3) began noticing it.  It's just, in S5, the network wasn't holding back, anymore.  Even back in S2, the network wanted to push band promotions that's why Piper didn't open up her restaurant like she was supposed to and instead was written to open up a club, for these band promotions, to appease the network's viewerships.  It's kind of why I don't like S2, too much, and I think Burge tried to keep it as authentic as S1, but the network wouldn't let her and ultimately bullied her off her own creation.

[Ruth Marie]

Feb 16, 2018 17:44:08 GMT -5 Ruth Marie said:

I see people either like it or disliked it now hate it. It's one or the other with opinions.

I don't hate Season 5 like I do Season 4, 6 & 8. I voted still like it, but it has been a while since I've seen it. So it might change in the future.

And it HAS changed after the re-watch:

Liked it, now dislike it.

[Esmeralda]

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 (I think 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, my least-favorite storyline.

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 spot this from a number of years ago, but my reactions hasn't changed any - I'd still do it as "Still Like it" as long as "Oh, My Goddess" is counted as part of S6 and if Cole had stayed in S4 where I still think he belonged - or better - if he'd stayed in S3 where I think he REALLY belongs!

Here's the signature that I mention:

I miss our snarky Piper who cared about innocents more than herself,
our smart Paige who had graduated from college and should've been a social worker
and our sweet Phoebs who loved magic more than sex!
Did they ever miss Prue!
Me, too!

[zoeysmom]

Apr 21, 2022 1:06:54 GMT -5 rebooted said:

Apr 20, 2022 23:39:27 GMT -5 Aaeiyn said:

The only outfits/transformations I (personally) felt were too objectifying were Alyssa Milano's outfits. However, I still liked some of her look, in S5. If you see another sister, in the GIF, it's because I like their outfit, as well (it'll be mostly with Paige). Also, they can wear multiple outfits, in the same episode. Yes, I have worn similar things LOL:

---

I think the S5 fashion was on point, but I didn't care too much for its stories 🤷‍♀️

I think that's a personal thing that annoys me about Season 5. 

It becomes more unbelievable that the sisters have the time and money to have all these different outfits, shoes and hairstyles than it is believable that they are sisters who happen to be witches. 

In short, the outfits are a distraction to the magic and the sisterhood. 

I dont think they needed to turn them into sex objects to bring in males viewers. 

It just made the magical concept even more unrealistic after trying so hard over the last 4 years to make it compelling enough to believable.

Yeah, the money thing bugs me, too.

[rebooted]

Jun 12, 2023 19:10:56 GMT -5 zoeysmom said:

Apr 21, 2022 1:06:54 GMT -5 rebooted said:

I think that's a personal thing that annoys me about Season 5. 

It becomes more unbelievable that the sisters have the time and money to have all these different outfits, shoes and hairstyles than it is believable that they are sisters who happen to be witches. 

In short, the outfits are a distraction to the magic and the sisterhood. 

I dont think they needed to turn them into sex objects to bring in males viewers. 

It just made the magical concept even more unrealistic after trying so hard over the last 4 years to make it compelling enough to believable.

Yeah, the money thing bugs me, too.

If they had written in something like Phoebe getting free clothes as part of her job that she shares with her sisters or even free make up artists etc or Paige being a part time make up artist? I do like the clothes. It just makes the show less believable

[zoeysmom]

Apr 21, 2022 1:06:54 GMT -5 rebooted said:

Apr 20, 2022 23:39:27 GMT -5 Aaeiyn said:

The only outfits/transformations I (personally) felt were too objectifying were Alyssa Milano's outfits. However, I still liked some of her look, in S5. If you see another sister, in the GIF, it's because I like their outfit, as well (it'll be mostly with Paige). Also, they can wear multiple outfits, in the same episode. Yes, I have worn similar things LOL:

---

I think the S5 fashion was on point, but I didn't care too much for its stories 🤷‍♀️

I think that's a personal thing that annoys me about Season 5. 

It becomes more unbelievable that the sisters have the time and money to have all these different outfits, shoes and hairstyles than it is believable that they are sisters who happen to be witches. 

In short, the outfits are a distraction to the magic and the sisterhood. 

I dont think they needed to turn them into sex objects to bring in males viewers. 

It just made the magical concept even more unrealistic after trying so hard over the last 4 years to make it compelling enough to believable.

True. I agree, I think the outfits were a distraction, and I don't think they needed to turn the sisters into sex objects to lure men in.

[Aaeiyn]

Jun 22, 2023 9:19:04 GMT -5 zoeysmom said:

True. I agree, I think the outfits were a distraction, and I don't think they needed to turn the sisters into sex objects to lure men in.

As much as I hate S5, I'm tired of S5 taking credit for the "sexy" outfits. No, no, no, no, no, we can thank S2 for that. MAYBE S1B but S2, for sure.

[zoeysmom]

Jun 22, 2023 11:48:09 GMT -5 Aaeiyn said:

Jun 22, 2023 9:19:04 GMT -5 zoeysmom said:

True. I agree, I think the outfits were a distraction, and I don't think they needed to turn the sisters into sex objects to lure men in.

As much as I hate S5, I'm tired of S5 taking credit for the "sexy" outfits. No, no, no, no, no, we can thank S2 for that. MAYBE S1B but S2, for sure.

Good point. You definitely see some overtly sexy outfits in Season 2. Prue wore a little red halter top to Buckland's at one point; I remember Jack waiting in her office and making a comment about it, and he was only there for part of Season 2.

[Aaeiyn]

Changing my mind from "Hate it to Dislike it".

I'm still not a fan of the episode stories. They're really bad and not interesting, at all. BUT, I can give props to it balancing out the powers compared to most of the S5-S8 bracket seasons. We have more Phoebe premonitions, in this season, but I wished not all of them were in like 1-2 episodes. I wish it was more spread out.

In fact, I didn't realize this, but I may need to cross off S5E6 "The Eyes Have it" because only Phoebe is using her basic power. Meanwhile, Piper attempted to blow up the bad guy, but he didn't actually explode, and she was mad about it, too. And, I guess because her power wasn't working, is when they shifted to exploding potions, instead? 'Cause they were using potions, after the fact, but I digress.

And, Paige is just the cosmic taxi, in this episode -_-

Only S5E8 "Witch in Time" & S5E17 "Lucky Charmed" seem to remember their basic powers, and S5E17 "Lucky Charmed" is just a terrible episode. IK I'm in the minority, when it comes to S5E8 "Witch in Time" because I just don't enjoy the episode, as much as other people do. It's just S8E22 "Forever Charmed" but using their basic powers unlike S8E22 "Forever Charmed" did. I HATE "turning back time" to fix a problem ending. It's so cheap!

That being said, I have to go for episodes where they use ANY of their abilities, at all, to enjoy this season, at all. Which would be S5E6 "The Eyes Have it" & S5E16 "Baby's First Demon". The rest is just Piper cheaply exploding the baddies, and Paige being the cosmic taxi. On the occasion moving things around. Where Paige really shines is in the premiere, since she's down two sisters via one is a mermaid and the other is having panic attacks.

But again, I can appreciate this season attempting to balance out their abilities.

[rebooted]

After doing a rewatch with my niece - watching it for the first time -

I have to give Season 5 some credit.

Especially when you watched remastered episodes on good screens - you can tell that's where they were putting more emphasis in the show.

The openers and closers are quite strange for Charmed

Yes the magical community is bought in but they are tolerable and you can skip past them.

The outfits are still nice.

Pipers pregnancy is played out well.

I do like Coles final send off and tribute in Centennial Charmed esp as Belthazor.

The bad guys are great in Season 5. Crone.

You can skip through Season 5 and enjoy it for the most part.

It's also nice to see Phoebe with a rebound love Myles followed by Jason Deen. They were cute together.

Its worth skipping some non landmark filler episodes.

But I can buy both the mermaid, fairytales and the reason for Leo leaving to become an elder. It still feels really believable at this point.

Dont hate hair colour changes as much as I used to.

Overall - better to rewatch remastered on a nice screen to appreciate better effects and camerawork.

Sisterly conflict with Paige wanting more independence was a great storyline too. As well as Pipers Pregnancy and Phoebe with a grown up skepticism.

[Aaeiyn]

Apr 16, 2024 8:22:06 GMT -5 rebooted said:

Especially when you watched remastered episodes on good screens - you can tell that's where they were putting more emphasis in the show.

Dont hate hair colour changes as much as I used to.

Overall - better to rewatch remastered on a nice screen to appreciate better effects and camerawork.

That's pretty much where the show was emphasizing for sure is the nice flashy explosions. Which is why both Paige & Piper were utilizing their powers more than Phoebe. And why, hate to say it, potion vanquishes started becoming more common 'cause it's all flashy and stuff than trying to waste time making up spells for the show.

Nice to not hate on Paige's red hair LOL I'm still not a huge fan of her strawberry blonde, in S6a but meh. I'm slowly starting to appreciate S5, myself.

[rebooted]

Apr 16, 2024 8:27:45 GMT -5 Aaeiyn said:

Apr 16, 2024 8:22:06 GMT -5 rebooted said:

Especially when you watched remastered episodes on good screens - you can tell that's where they were putting more emphasis in the show.

Dont hate hair colour changes as much as I used to.

Overall - better to rewatch remastered on a nice screen to appreciate better effects and camerawork.

That's pretty much where the show was emphasizing for sure is the nice flashy explosions. Which is why both Paige & Piper were utilizing their powers more than Phoebe. And why, hate to say it, potion vanquishes started becoming more common 'cause it's all flashy and stuff than trying to waste time making up spells for the show.

Nice to not hate on Paige's red hair LOL I'm still not a huge fan of her strawberry blonde, in S6a but meh. I'm slowly starting to appreciate S5, myself.

This season is where as a young person I learned tolerance on this board. I hated Season 5 when it came out. The fairytales, the lack of a storyline and Prue or life with Prue in it had dissapeared completely. Phoebe had become PhoeMe by now. Piper progresses with motherhood which is done quite nicely I must say from conception to birth and Paige feels like a supporting character to Alyssa Milano. Its probably the way she would have wanted it. 

Still, I learned that other people saw the world differently to me. And like how I was a Season 3 and 4 fan, I have now become a Season 1 and 2 fan and also changed my perception of Season 5 as that's the season my 12 year old niece liked watching most recently. 

Although I dislike it over-all, I think the episodes stick to having a mix of the demon of the week with the over all story arc which i do like and I have to smile at the fairytales too!

[Aaeiyn]

Aug 4, 2024 1:51:41 GMT -5 rebooted said:

I hated Season 5 when it came out.

I'm the opposite. I actually used to really love S5. In fact, I was more of a S1, S3 & S5-S7 fan, back in the day. As I got older, I realized how lackluster the S5 storylines really were regardless of power balance. And, S6 was the opposite problem, great stories terrible power balance.

Aug 4, 2024 1:51:41 GMT -5 rebooted said:

Prue or life with Prue in it had dissapeared completely.

I'm going to push back on this narrative because there still were episodes with Prue mentions, even in S5. It may not have been as abundant as S4, but I don't think it failed to remember her, either. Also, when can a show be able to move on from such tragedies? How often must the show remind us about Prue? I don't mean to sound so harsh considering the real world news about Shannen's passing, but there does come a point, when it's just not healthy to constantly dwell on things. Even the Angel of Death expresses this in S3E16 "Death Takes a Halliwell". "You grieve and then you move on".

Aug 4, 2024 1:51:41 GMT -5 rebooted said:

Phoebe had become PhoeMe by now!

I disagree. I think at this point Phoebe became less selfish compared to her old self. Later seasons prove her selflessness. What I didn't like was the return of Cole, and what it turned Phoebe into, but I get why she reacted the way she did.

Aug 4, 2024 1:51:41 GMT -5 rebooted said:

Paige feels like a supporting character to Alyssa Milano.

It feels like Rose was just a "supporting character", in general. S5 really picked up her speed in trying to find her character's voice.

Aug 4, 2024 1:51:41 GMT -5 rebooted said:

I was a Season 3 and 4 fan, I have now become a Season 1 and 2 fan

I thought you were just a S1-S4 fan, in general?

Aug 4, 2024 1:51:41 GMT -5 rebooted said:

Although I dislike it over-all, I think the episodes stick to having a mix of the demon of the week with the over all story arc which i do like and I have to smile at the fairytales too!

I still don't think S5 is all that flushed out with any good "one-time" villain of the week, as you put it.

It's only good with sticking with some of the original powers, that's about it.

---

Again, I used to love S5, but I ended up being disappointed how lackluster of a season it really was. Which is why I like S6 better despite the power balance struggle. S6 just had the better stories. Just depends on what we value. And, I'm sorry, story is always going to win me over, every time than a stat count.

[zoeysmom]

Apr 21, 2022 6:24:59 GMT -5 Elle Em said:

The clothes are definitely a part of what keeps me from connecting to the later seasons, even if they're a small thing compared to, say, an unrealistic job. The fact that they're witches is enough to separate them from everyone else, so for balance, I think everything else should be a lot more realistic.

I know we live in a world where this would never happen on a popular TV show, but it's fun to think about each sister having a set wardrobe of more normal clothes that she wears over and over. I don't remember them repeating outfits very often, but I think it could have added a lot to the show if the fans could recognize the different things they wore. They could update the clothes every season or two, but have a few pieces that stayed the entire length of the show, or at least kept the styles somewhat the same without too much changing.

Rewatching the show, it's obvious when the network stepped in and told them to dress the sisters in more revealing outfits. I don't mind so much if it's a particular sister's style to begin with, but especially considering how they dressed through the first season, it doesn't feel like an organic change. 

Same. It doesn't feel organic to me.

[Sandra]

Aug 5, 2024 8:30:41 GMT -5 zoeysmom said:

Apr 21, 2022 6:24:59 GMT -5 Elle Em said:

The clothes are definitely a part of what keeps me from connecting to the later seasons, even if they're a small thing compared to, say, an unrealistic job. The fact that they're witches is enough to separate them from everyone else, so for balance, I think everything else should be a lot more realistic.

I know we live in a world where this would never happen on a popular TV show, but it's fun to think about each sister having a set wardrobe of more normal clothes that she wears over and over. I don't remember them repeating outfits very often, but I think it could have added a lot to the show if the fans could recognize the different things they wore. They could update the clothes every season or two, but have a few pieces that stayed the entire length of the show, or at least kept the styles somewhat the same without too much changing.

Rewatching the show, it's obvious when the network stepped in and told them to dress the sisters in more revealing outfits. I don't mind so much if it's a particular sister's style to begin with, but especially considering how they dressed through the first season, it doesn't feel like an organic change. 

Same. It doesn't feel organic to me.

It would've been nice if they recycled outfits. I mean it wasn't organic for me and unrealistic they'd be in different outfits every episode. Unless you are super rich and can afford to wear something totally different daily. But with Charmed I rarely noticed clothes being worn again outside of jackets.

I do wonder how much input the actresses had. It sounds to me from what I heard from the podcast, S1 is the one they barely had much say and just did what they were told. It's from S2 and beyond they were more vocal with scripts and clothing I think.