If Leo was written out when was the best time for him to go?

[Granny Charmed]

Out of the choices in this poll dears, which episode was the best spot for Leo to exit and never return after?

[sky1]

Personally I would have liked it to be in "Wicca Envy". The first time he shows powers, saves sisters by returning the powers to them. And then mysteriously disappears. We escape romance plot. Also it would fit with what he said to Phoebe when she discovered he has powers later this season. Whitelighters aren't supposed to reveal themselves to sisters. It would also take out magical taxi/pointless healing. Also hybrid stuff.

This would even leave options for him (or someone else) to return later in show.


Granny maybe you can add this episode in the poll as well?

[Esmeralda]

And I see she did. I chose 'Love Hurts'. If that was the last time we saw Leo, his and Piper's love story would be my favorite on the series rather than one of my least-favorites along with Phoebe and Cole's. Both would've been my favorites if 'Charmed' ended when it should've - with 'All Hell Breaks Loose'. It kept going due to Buffy jumping ship from The WB to UPN. Sounds like the same thing is happening with the reboot with it going to be produced because Sabrina jumped from The CW (the network that combined The WB and UPN...) to Netflix.

[Elle Em]

There are a lot of good options here. I'm tempted to say he should leave as early as possible, or not ever be included at all, at least not as a whitelighter. But if we needed to see for ourselves why it was a bad idea for especially Piper to be with someone magical, then we need more time with them together to demonstrate why it's no good.

I like the idea of Leo being taken away by the Elders and reassigned, perhaps so that there was no way he could contact them again. But this only works if he's able to explain why it's happening and they all accept it. Otherwise, it would just make the sisters angry and they'd never accept or move on from it.

If he died during Charmed and Dangerous and that was how he left the show, that makes a bit more sense. He would have left not because the Elders or anyone else made him, but just because he died.

Or if he left after becoming an Elder himself, it could be that he has some higher purpose and won't fulfill it if he stays on Earth with Piper. I can see this because he was always about the greater good, and Piper wouldn't want to hold him back from that, as hard as it would be.

I think it would have been too cruel to get rid of him after he became a mortal.

Ultimately I think it would be best if he left after Love Hurts. Piper learns that it's just too much to be involved with someone so magical, and she's not yet so attached to him that she can't move on. Either that or perhaps during P3 H2O when they're not together and she still wants to be with Dan. A relationship between them is set up as too complicated and they aren't yet seen as the couple of the show.

[davem]

I think either secrets and guys or love hurts. Because around that time he had already come there to do everything that needed to be done. Having finally revealed the mystery about himself to the sisters as to why he was there (not just to save them, but because he was in love) would have been a fine note to end on. Him respectfully bowing out because of the forbidden relationship would have been okay imo.

I think by the time season 3 came around he was too entwined with the plot/piper. Not that they couldn't have written him out later on, but it would have just been easier to nip it in the bud. What with the whole destiny thing holding him there in season 2/3, piper being pregnant in season 4, then Chris' arrival. I think it would have just been more complicated to do so in later seasons. 

[Ruth Marie]

Ultimately the earlier Leo leaves the better it is for the show and Piper's character. I was picking between Love Hurts and P3H20, But with P3H20 I can accept it if Morality Bites didn't exist, you still have that future influencing Piper going forward. Leo is already staying longer than needed, and best for Piper to have a clean slate with Dan in S2, with Leo having been gone the previous year.

I ended up picking Love Hurts, it works best to exit Leo and Piper and Leo's love story would be perfectly wrapped up.

[Esmeralda]

Just saw this in another thread:

Feb 2, 2018 6:18:31 GMT -5 Ruth Marie said:

Feb 1, 2018 17:32:25 GMT -5 gzv969 said:

I vote none ever have gotten married. That should have been what ended the series. With One of them getting married. They should have stuck with the theme of the halliwell sisters never being able to keep a man down and always ending up dating someone magical.

They should have still kept the relationships like piper/Leo , phoebe/cole or Paige/Richard etc but none of them would ever work out in the long run. This would have kept their focus on their charmed duties.

It would have been good if the elders told them from the beginning that it was a price for being a charmed one and until their destiny was fulfilled it was never going to happen or merely impossible to achieve. That it was a way the BOS protected the power of three bond from being corrupted. A defense mechanism That would be more motivation for the sisters to fulfill their destiny.

I couldn't agree more, and that was what was more important. It's too bad Charmed couldn't follow other shows with a similar genre to it. Which some did make it a key part that the duties and job of being the chosen one or whatever the lead characters never were in a long-term relationship because the destiny or mission was more important than their own lives. 

If that happened then the focus will always be on the sisters. 

It's too bad Charmed didn't do it that way from the start. Maybe the reward at the end of the series being them being able to start a family or get married would make the entire journey of the show feel better.

I might have felt more for the sisters personally, and that would have been a better reward for completing their destiny in the end. 

well done GZV! This makes perfect sense!

Feb 2, 2018 12:17:06 GMT -5 gzv969 said:

A good time to have let them know about this would have been in the episode “Magic Hour” when Leo told piper the elders needed an answer about their relationship.

Piper: I believe the term he used was "unspeakable wrath, the likes of which you can't even imagine."

But instead of saying “Unspeakable Wrath” say “Unspeakable Consequences” and later tell them it would come from the BOS. Then we could watch phoebe freak out both about what pipers an Leo are planning to do and also about the future of her dating life.

I agree totally, so although I still would've preferred Leo leaving after 'Love Hurts', I chose 'Magic Hour' as my second choice.

[Granny Charmed]

I voted Love Hurt's dears, and Magic Hour was my second choice. Having Leo taken away by the Elders would make a great dramatic S2 final much more than just having Piper going 'up there' with Leo and being missing at the start of the next, but it sets up S3 well enough if it were to happen early in S3.

Leo leaving in Love Hurts would make Piper/Leo a very great couple, and a great one season love story. If only.

[Ruth Marie]

Not surprised most wouldn't keep Leo any further than the start of season 3. Still, votes are pretty close, but not surprised Magic Hour and Love Hurts are leading right now.

[West]

Love Hurts would be the best way for Leo to leave on. I see the appeal of Magic Hour, but I just think the sooner Leo is gone the better.

Then the Elders don't get more involved into the story the longer Leo is around and brings along with them Hybrids. Also easier to end the Piper/Leo romance faster, the more you keep them together, the worse it is for Piper.

Interesting that this may have led to Patty's affair being tied to a Warlock or something and not a whitelighter to create Paige's character when they no longer needed Patty/Sam to be used as a way to tie Piper/Leo in the present for P3H20.

Didn't That 70s Episode have Phoebe write a note warning Patty a warlock will drown her? Maybe they were unaware what it was, but who knows?

[Hexenwerk]

I'm of the opinion that Leo leaving after Love Hurts would provide both the most satisfaction and resolution to the characters and viewers alike. The viewers would get a taste of tragic, not-meant-to-be romance before it devolved into the whole mess with Dan in the second season. If the writers had known that Paige was going to get introduced in the fourth season, though, then the Dan subplot could have made an interesting mirror of Patty's relationship with Sam and Victor.

Piper, too, would both get the experience of how powerful love can be (both through the emotions she went through and also represented tangibly as the trigger to Leo's healing powers, which borderline brought him back from death), wouldn't be put through the Elders' cruelty so early into her life as a witch, and would come away with a better understanding of what she was looking for both in a relationship and a partner.

Furthermore, taking Leo away that early in the show could nip a lot of the Elders' tampering in the bud. They definitely started seriously interfering at the same time Piper and Leo became involved beyond their initial attraction. (Though I have to wonder why Leo slept with Piper and was so carefree about it earlier in the first season when he had to have known that it wasn't a good idea, but then again, the writers probably hadn't figured out his character and the Elders either at that point.) If the Elders became involved because they saw Piper and Leo's relationship and decided that the Charmed Ones couldn't be left to their own devices, or if their role just became more obvious with Leo as a liaison . . . that's a point for debate.

Also, it sometimes felt like sometimes issues became less pertinent for the Charmed Ones when they could be healed or orbed somewhere as necessary with just a call for Leo. Took out some of the tension.

Feb 12, 2018 0:49:49 GMT -5 West said:

Love Hurts would be the best way for Leo to leave on. I see the appeal of Magic Hour, but I just think the sooner Leo is gone the better.

Then the Elders don't get more involved into the story the longer Leo is around and brings along with them Hybrids. Also easier to end the Piper/Leo romance faster, the more you keep them together, the worse it is for Piper.

Interesting that this may have led to Patty's affair being tied to a Warlock or something and not a whitelighter to create Paige's character when they no longer needed Patty/Sam to be used as a way to tie Piper/Leo in the present for P3H20.

Didn't That 70s Episode have Phoebe write a note warning Patty a warlock will drown her? Maybe they were unaware what it was, but who knows?

That's an interesting thought! Warlock affair instead of Whitelighter affair. We already saw in When Good Warlocks Go Bad that heritage plays a role on if one becomes a witch or warlock; Brendan was half warlock and half mortal, but it was clear that his mortal side and upbringing influenced him enough to resist the side of evil. How would a half witch and half warlock Paige have fared similarly, I wonder, particularly if she were raised as mortal?

And yeah, I think it that did happen in That 70s Episode. I'm willing to give the characters and writers the benefit of the doubt and believe that Phoebe didn't know that it was a demon that drowned Patty.

[West]

Feb 12, 2018 0:54:57 GMT -5 Hexenwerk said:

I'm of the opinion that Leo leaving after Love Hurts would provide both the most satisfaction and resolution to the characters and viewers alike. The viewers would get a taste of tragic, not-meant-to-be romance before it devolved into the whole mess with Dan in the second season. If the writers had known that Paige was going to get introduced in the fourth season, though, then the Dan subplot could have made an interesting mirror of Patty's relationship with Sam and Victor.

Piper, too, would both get the experience of how powerful love can be (both through the emotions she went through and also represented tangibly as the trigger to Leo's healing powers, which borderline brought him back from death), wouldn't be put through the Elders' cruelty so early into her life as a witch, and would come away with a better understanding of what she was looking for both in a relationship and a partner.

Furthermore, taking Leo away that early in the show could nip a lot of the Elders' tampering in the bud. They definitely started seriously interfering at the same time Piper and Leo became involved beyond their initial attraction. (Though I have to wonder why Leo slept with Piper and was so carefree about it earlier in the first season when he had to have known that it wasn't a good idea, but then again, the writers probably hadn't figured out his character and the Elders either at that point.) If the Elders became involved because they saw Piper and Leo's relationship and decided that the Charmed Ones couldn't be left to their own devices, or if their role just became more obvious with Leo as a liaison . . . that's a point for debate.

Also, it sometimes felt like sometimes issues became less pertinent for the Charmed Ones when they could be healed or orbed somewhere as necessary with just a call for Leo. Took out some of the tension.

Yep couldn't agree more. The Piper/Leo love story of the first season is so much more satisfying if it ended here, and like you 

I always felt like Piper just didn't know what she was looking for in a relationship and always wanted a normal life - yet Leo wasn't normal. Then she went to the future and seen that she and Leo were together with a daughter, even though divorced and then she ran into the arms of Dan. Only later does she end up back with Leo, and Leo proposes to her all because they thought they were destined to be together because they saw they did get married in that future. She just didn't know what she wanted.

Piper really was better off with going through the experience with Leo in Love Hurts, and him going like you said would give her a better understanding of what she was looking for in a relationship. 

It seemed like the Elders did get more involved because of Piper/Leo's relationship. But at times they did use Leo as a liaison like in Wicca Envy giving their powers back or teaching them a lesson in Morality Bites. But took Leo's powers away and then gave them back in Murphys Luck. Then took Leo away in Magic Hour and then gave him back the next episode. It isn't until Blinded By the Whitelighter that they allow them to get married when they saved their own butts. 

Feb 12, 2018 0:54:57 GMT -5 Hexenwerk said:

Feb 12, 2018 0:49:49 GMT -5 West said:

Love Hurts would be the best way for Leo to leave on. I see the appeal of Magic Hour, but I just think the sooner Leo is gone the better.

Then the Elders don't get more involved into the story the longer Leo is around and brings along with them Hybrids. Also easier to end the Piper/Leo romance faster, the more you keep them together, the worse it is for Piper.

Interesting that this may have led to Patty's affair being tied to a Warlock or something and not a whitelighter to create Paige's character when they no longer needed Patty/Sam to be used as a way to tie Piper/Leo in the present for P3H20.

Didn't That 70s Episode have Phoebe write a note warning Patty a warlock will drown her? Maybe they were unaware what it was, but who knows?

That's an interesting thought! Warlock affair instead of Whitelighter affair. We already saw in When Good Warlocks Go Bad that heritage plays a role on if one becomes a witch or warlock; Brendan was half warlock and half mortal, but it was clear that his mortal side and upbringing influenced him enough to resist the side of evil. How would a half witch and half warlock Paige have fared similarly, I wonder, particularly if she were raised as mortal?

And yeah, I think it that did happen in That 70s Episode. I'm willing to give the characters and writers the benefit of the doubt and believe that Phoebe didn't know that it was a demon that drowned Patty.

Who knows, maybe the reboot will do this with the half sister's mother being involved with a warlock and not a whitelighter. 

I think that is the case, Phoebe most likely didn't know. Especially because at that point warlocks were the most common enemy they faced in S1. They didn't see too many demons. 

[lordumbrex]

Honestly, I think if not after Love Hurts, Murphy's Luck would be the best spot. Have him go out with "nope, sorry Piper, I thought my love for you was strong enough, but this is my calling. Sometimes love isn't in the cards." Have Leo go away and give them a new whitelighter.

Why this time? It makes Leo a stronger character. He leaves on his own accord, realizing that his destiny is to serve the greater good. Additionally, I think it sets up a great storyline in the future, with Piper being freer (I wouldn't have her stay together with Dan for long).

[West]

Feb 12, 2018 1:25:56 GMT -5 lordumbrex said:

Honestly, I think if not after Love Hurts, Murphy's Luck would be the best spot. Have him go out with "nope, sorry Piper, I thought my love for you was strong enough, but this is my calling. Sometimes love isn't in the cards." Have Leo go away and give them a new whitelighter.

Why this time? It makes Leo a stronger character. He leaves on his own accord, realizing that his destiny is to serve the greater good. Additionally, I think it sets up a great storyline in the future, with Piper being freer (I wouldn't have her stay together with Dan for long).

I never thought about that episode as an option, but if it happened here, I think Piper would break up with Dan too. That way going through what she went through with Leo and Dan, she would just be better off on her own and figuring out what she wants. I wouldn't push her into anything new after this for a while.

[Hexenwerk]

Definitely agree. The problem with time travel is when one goes to the future and thinks that's the way things have to be, instead of actually processing what they see and realizing that, maybe, certain things can be avoided. Yes, they tried to get back on the right track with their moral compass, and Piper tried not to let her relationship with Leo devolve to the point it was presented in Morality Bites' future, but honestly? She should've thought more into if the relationship was sustainable in the first place.

Feb 12, 2018 1:29:31 GMT -5 West said:

Feb 12, 2018 1:25:56 GMT -5 lordumbrex said:

Honestly, I think if not after Love Hurts, Murphy's Luck would be the best spot. Have him go out with "nope, sorry Piper, I thought my love for you was strong enough, but this is my calling. Sometimes love isn't in the cards." Have Leo go away and give them a new whitelighter.

Why this time? It makes Leo a stronger character. He leaves on his own accord, realizing that his destiny is to serve the greater good. Additionally, I think it sets up a great storyline in the future, with Piper being freer (I wouldn't have her stay together with Dan for long).

I never thought about that episode as an option, but if it happened here, I think Piper would break up with Dan too. That way going through what she went through with Leo and Dan, she would just be better off on her own and figuring out what she wants. I wouldn't push her into anything new after this for a while.

I would have immensely enjoyed seeing something like that play out. It would've been realistic and could have really strengthened Piper's character. I actually thought that was the way the writers were going when I first saw that episode, and I had respect for Leo for realizing that his duty of helping witches took precedence over his romantic aspirations. I don't think there's anything wrong with him wanting a relationship, but he was selected as a Whitelighter specifically because the Elders saw the good he did in life and the potential to continue doing good after his death. That's a pretty noble calling.

[rebooted]

Feb 12, 2018 2:11:30 GMT -5 Hexenwerk said:

Definitely agree. The problem with time travel is when one goes to the future and thinks that's the way things have to be, instead of actually processing what they see and realizing that, maybe, certain things can be avoided. Yes, they tried to get back on the right track with their moral compass, and Piper tried not to let her relationship with Leo devolve to the point it was presented in Morality Bites' future, but honestly? She should've thought more into if the relationship was sustainable in the first place.

Feb 12, 2018 1:29:31 GMT -5 West said:

I never thought about that episode as an option, but if it happened here, I think Piper would break up with Dan too. That way going through what she went through with Leo and Dan, she would just be better off on her own and figuring out what she wants. I wouldn't push her into anything new after this for a while.

I would have immensely enjoyed seeing something like that play out. It would've been realistic and could have really strengthened Piper's character. I actually thought that was the way the writers were going when I first saw that episode, and I had respect for Leo for realizing that his duty of helping witches took precedence over his romantic aspirations. I don't think there's anything wrong with him wanting a relationship, but he was selected as a Whitelighter specifically because the Elders saw the good he did in life and the potential to continue doing good after his death. That's a pretty noble calling.

Murphy's Luck would have been a great cue for Leo to leave.

I am one of the few Dan supporters and liked how his character never was the lead in any sort of way, he was just an add on - kind of like the unknowing neighbour, they could have scheduled him on business trips to have him away from the sisters in the 3rd season as well.

[Granny Charmed]

Feb 12, 2018 5:09:35 GMT -5 rebooted said:

Feb 12, 2018 2:11:30 GMT -5 Hexenwerk said:

Definitely agree. The problem with time travel is when one goes to the future and thinks that's the way things have to be, instead of actually processing what they see and realizing that, maybe, certain things can be avoided. Yes, they tried to get back on the right track with their moral compass, and Piper tried not to let her relationship with Leo devolve to the point it was presented in Morality Bites' future, but honestly? She should've thought more into if the relationship was sustainable in the first place.

I would have immensely enjoyed seeing something like that play out. It would've been realistic and could have really strengthened Piper's character. I actually thought that was the way the writers were going when I first saw that episode, and I had respect for Leo for realizing that his duty of helping witches took precedence over his romantic aspirations. I don't think there's anything wrong with him wanting a relationship, but he was selected as a Whitelighter specifically because the Elders saw the good he did in life and the potential to continue doing good after his death. That's a pretty noble calling.

Murphy's Luck would have been a great cue for Leo to leave.

I am one of the few Dan supporters and liked how his character never was the lead in any sort of way, he was just an add on - kind of like the unknowing neighbour, they could have scheduled him on business trips to have him away from the sisters in the 3rd season as well.

I can see what you mean dear, especially with how Cole, Leo, and Chris were used. It's too bad it wasn't Dan who made a one-off appearance in season 8 instead of Greg the fireman, whom Piper bumps into. Would have been a nice little call-back to the earlier seasons.  

[Elle Em]

Feb 12, 2018 0:54:57 GMT -5 Hexenwerk said:

Also, it sometimes felt like sometimes issues became less pertinent for the Charmed Ones when they could be healed or orbed somewhere as necessary with just a call for Leo. Took out some of the tension.

Yes. It made it far too easy for them to solve problems. It stopped feeling like three normal women having to deal with magic, and changed to three magical women dealing with magic, which took away a lot of the real-world appeal that the first few seasons had: having to drive places, arguing over the car and their schedules, rushing to not be late for work, etc. Things that make them human.

It's the same thing with Piper having the power to explode just about anything by herself. It would be like if Prue's telekinesis had always been able to vanquish demons and warlocks, and Piper and Phoebe were just there on the sides. It's such an imbalance. 

And about Leo: them seeing a possible future in Morality Bites really, really messed some things up. It was especially unfair that Piper saw she and Leo had a daughter. Even though Piper was from a time long before that girl was born, what kind of person could see that and not feel love and attachment to their possible future kid? I think Piper would have risked everything to get that little girl, even knowing that a possible divorce from Leo and a potential dangerous future for witches were possible. I think it would have gone against Piper's innermost instincts to choose not to try to have that kid, as it would for many people.

If they hadn't had kids in the future, and Piper just saw that they were divorced, I think she might have chosen Dan instead, or at least not chosen Leo. But seeing Melinda made it feel to Piper like she'd otherwise be abandoning her child, which shouldn't be that way because Melinda was no more real than anything else they saw. She was just one of the many possibilities of the future.

And I agree that Leo was just meant to be a whitelighter. He even chose to get his powers back himself in Murphy's Luck. He said himself that the cost was too high if he couldn't do his job and protect those he cared about. It made no sense that they kept forcing their relationship to work when Leo valued his work more than his relationship with Piper, as we saw again when he agreed to be an Elder. 

[West]

Feb 12, 2018 8:17:46 GMT -5 Elle Em said:

Feb 12, 2018 0:54:57 GMT -5 Hexenwerk said:

Also, it sometimes felt like sometimes issues became less pertinent for the Charmed Ones when they could be healed or orbed somewhere as necessary with just a call for Leo. Took out some of the tension.

Yes. It made it far too easy for them to solve problems. It stopped feeling like three normal women having to deal with magic, and changed to three magical women dealing with magic, which took away a lot of the real-world appeal that the first few seasons had: having to drive places, arguing over the car and their schedules, rushing to not be late for work, etc. Things that make them human.

It's the same thing with Piper having the power to explode just about anything by herself. It would be like if Prue's telekinesis had always been able to vanquish demons and warlocks, and Piper and Phoebe were just there on the sides. It's such an imbalance. 

And about Leo: them seeing a possible future in Morality Bites really, really messed some things up. It was especially unfair that Piper saw she and Leo had a daughter. Even though Piper was from a time long before that girl was born, what kind of person could see that and not feel love and attachment to their possible future kid? I think Piper would have risked everything to get that little girl, even knowing that a possible divorce from Leo and a potential dangerous future for witches were possible. I think it would have gone against Piper's innermost instincts to choose not to try to have that kid, as it would for many people.

If they hadn't had kids in the future, and Piper just saw that they were divorced, I think she might have chosen Dan instead, or at least not chosen Leo. But seeing Melinda made it feel to Piper like she'd otherwise be abandoning her child, which shouldn't be that way because Melinda was no more real than anything else they saw. She was just one of the many possibilities of the future.

And I agree that Leo was just meant to be a whitelighter. He even chose to get his powers back himself in Murphy's Luck. He said himself that the cost was too high if he couldn't do his job and protect those he cared about. It made no sense that they kept forcing their relationship to work when Leo valued his work more than his relationship with Piper, as we saw again when he agreed to be an Elder. 

Yep it took away from what made the power of three special and important.

I think seeing that future child did seem to change Piper. And like you say, if they were just divorced then she may have settled for Dan. That future really messed with Piper's mind and didn't allow her to have a natural relationship that wasn't influenced by what she saw. 

[Esmeralda]

Feb 12, 2018 8:17:46 GMT -5 Elle Em said:

Feb 12, 2018 0:54:57 GMT -5 Hexenwerk said:

Also, it sometimes felt like sometimes issues became less pertinent for the Charmed Ones when they could be healed or orbed somewhere as necessary with just a call for Leo. Took out some of the tension.

Yes. It made it far too easy for them to solve problems. It stopped feeling like three normal women having to deal with magic, and changed to three magical women dealing with magic, which took away a lot of the real-world appeal that the first few seasons had: having to drive places, arguing over the car and their schedules, rushing to not be late for work, etc. Things that make them human.

It's the same thing with Piper having the power to explode just about anything by herself. It would be like if Prue's telekinesis had always been able to vanquish demons and warlocks, and Piper and Phoebe were just there on the sides. It's such an imbalance. 

And about Leo: them seeing a possible future in Morality Bites really, really messed some things up. It was especially unfair that Piper saw she and Leo had a daughter. Even though Piper was from a time long before that girl was born, what kind of person could see that and not feel love and attachment to their possible future kid? I think Piper would have risked everything to get that little girl, even knowing that a possible divorce from Leo and a potential dangerous future for witches were possible. I think it would have gone against Piper's innermost instincts to choose not to try to have that kid, as it would for many people.

If they hadn't had kids in the future, and Piper just saw that they were divorced, I think she might have chosen Dan instead, or at least not chosen Leo. But seeing Melinda made it feel to Piper like she'd otherwise be abandoning her child, which shouldn't be that way because Melinda was no more real than anything else they saw. She was just one of the many possibilities of the future.

And I agree that Leo was just meant to be a whitelighter. He even chose to get his powers back himself in Murphy's Luck. He said himself that the cost was too high if he couldn't do his job and protect those he cared about. It made no sense that they kept forcing their relationship to work when Leo valued his work more than his relationship with Piper, as we saw again when he agreed to be an Elder. 

I keep saying it. Although 'Morality Bites' will always be my favorite episode, I often wish it had never aired for how it ruined Piper. But as you suggested, if they'd left Melinda out the way they should've left kids out until the last episode when one of the sisters announces she's pregnant, then they could've kept it while letting it still remain my favorite episode. I would've preferred seeing Prue as a photographer in *this* episode and Piper as the one who owns a bunch of restaurants. It would've set them up for what happens later much better.

Speaking of Prue, I always wonder if had Leo left in 'Love Hurts' as was previously planned, would Prue and Andy been the divorced couple in 'Morality Bites' and how would that have worked out.