Charmed better than BtVS and why:

[Chasing Cordy]

History:
Those that know Charmed know that the show features a family whose history is discussed quite often in the first few seasons. Heck, even the Halliwell house has a history with the nexus as a "character" in some episodes.
I don't sense much of a background/history during the BtVS series and most certainly not with any character other than Buffy herself. Perhaps an epsiode that dealt with the slayers of the past could have been helpful to some extent.

Characters, amount of:
BtVS has at most 11 characters of any signifigance. Charmed has at least 33 vital characters and that makes it 3 times more involved and in-depth than Buffy's series (Not counting the Angel series).
How do I know of the 33 characters? I wrote three songs that dealt with 10 characters in each of them (and the third song isn't even done yet!).

In the defense of the Buffy series, I do admit Charmed is rather lame on the consistency front. Although I don't really see what consistency Buffy's show had.

Debate:
Splashed through these boards, I have posted several questions that I have had regarding Buffy's show. I can't for the life of me come up with more than one problem with Charmed's series (The gap between Charmed's seasons 3-4 is the only issue that needs exlained but never was).

Those that believe Buffy's show is better are probably basing it on originality of a few episodes. To me, that's simply not enough to make it better. Original does not mean better.

Those are the ones I have right now. If I come up with more, I'll add on.

 

[Schillaci]

What did I tell you about eating crazy flakes in the morning?? You don't remember? Well, that's because you were high on the flakes.

History:
Those that know Charmed know that the show features a family whose history is discussed quite often in the first few seasons. Heck, even the Halliwell house has a history with the nexus as a "character" in some episodes.
I don't sense much of a background/history during the BtVS series and most certainly not with any character other than Buffy herself. Perhaps an epsiode that dealt with the slayers of the past could have been helpful to some extent.

Uhm.. have you actually watched all of Buffy? Because it doesn't seem like you have. Several of the characters had their history examined, but, I'm not sure what makes you think that exploring background is an example of better.

Characters, amount of:
BtVS has at most 11 characters of any signifigance. Charmed has at least 33 vital characters and that makes it 3 times more involved and in-depth than Buffy's series (Not counting the Angel series).
How do I know of the 33 characters? I wrote three songs that dealt with 10 characters in each of them (and the third song isn't even done yet!).

No show should have 33 "vital characters". That's not an attribute, that's something that would detract from the worth of the show, and make it way too stretched.

In the defense of the Buffy series, I do admit Charmed is rather lame on the consistency front. Although I don't really see what consistency Buffy's show had.

Debate:
Splashed through these boards, I have posted several questions that I have had regarding Buffy's show. I can't for the life of me come up with more than one problem with Charmed's series (The gap between Charmed's seasons 3-4 is the only issue that needs exlained but never was).

Well, wouldn't that be because Charmed is a very simple show, whereas Buffy is diverse and multilayered and needs deconstructing to full understand all it's little intricacies?

Those that believe Buffy's show is better are probably basing it on originality of a few episodes. To me, that's simply not enough to make it better. Original does not mean better.

Those are the ones I have right now. If I come up with more, I'll add on.

No, I don't base it on originality. I base it on it's ability to make me question.

And your "points" don't in any way make Charmed a better show, in fact some of your points do the opposite.

 

[Mesektet Ra]

Can we also add that the acting in Charmed is flat and lame, and storylines are the lamest excuses for 'ideas' I've ever seen?

In my mind, there's no contest. Buffy has better acting, better storylines, and you actually have to delve into it to understand it fully. The only thing Chamred ever made me do was roll my eyes and change the channel.

 

[Schillaci]

Thinking about it, Charmed did make me question if suicide was actually a bad thing. Then I found the remote, flipped over to a program about famine in third world countries, and everything was ok again. Balance restored!

 

[Chasing Cordy]

No show should have 33 "vital characters". That's not an attribute, that's something that would detract from the worth of the show, and make it way too stretched.


Well, wouldn't that be because Charmed is a very simple show, whereas Buffy is diverse and multilayered and needs deconstructing to full understand all it's little intricacies?

Notes:
I can agree with having an overload of characters is bad IF (and only IF) each of those characters had a 2-4 story arc involved.
With Charmed, it's not like that.
We have all those characters that are of importance to the series, but they don't have their own stories, they're just there for back-up! These charcaters--other than the family of the show--are important, but not the basis of the show. They're just there as friends or enemies.

Buffy is "multilayered"
Huh?

Maybe somebody can explain to me what is so great about BtVS that I'm missing, 'cause I just don't get it.
I have seen every episode of the show by means of DVD and it doesn't grab me at all like it grabs other folks.
I will admit that it came out first, and therefore was able to test the waters by doing shows like "Hush" "The Body" and Once more with feeling" but these three are not enough to pull me in!
There are highlights during the epsiodes that are fun to watch, but overall, it's not much.

 

[FahrbotDrusilla]

Not to sound... mean... but you're fruit loops. Also, coming on a Buffyverse board with 'reasons' why another show is better is kinda troll like hahhaha!

 

[Xander]

33 vital characters in Charmed? Piper, Paige, Phoebe, Prue, Leo, Darryl, Grams, Patty, Victor, Cole....at a stretch Wyatt, Future Chris and who else? Maybe Elisee, but we don't know anything about her. The bit players such as the countless boyfriends Phoebe and Paige have had can't really count as they are pretty much the same person.

Plus the characters of Charmed are constantly repeating the same cycles. Prue: "I want to get a real life, I will cut down on my magical focus" must have been said in one way or another five times during her three years. Phoebe (and Paige since she has come back) has dated a guy, got kind of serious, told them about magic and it gone downhill several times.

Was watching it last night actually and I strongly believe the worse thing about Charmed is it tries to deal with the supernatural and its tripe, overdone and corny. The demonic plots often ruined some of its more dramatic episodes.

 

[drtroy]

Um..Charmed is cheesy. 'nuff said. Thank God it is going off..I did like it in the beginning though..Buffy was a lot more philosophical. It made you think.

 

[Schillaci]

Notes:
I can agree with having an overload of characters is bad IF (and only IF) each of those characters had a 2-4 story arc involved.
With Charmed, it's not like that.
We have all those characters that are of importance to the series, but they don't have their own stories, they're just there for back-up! These charcaters--other than the family of the show--are important, but not the basis of the show. They're just there as friends or enemies.

I kinda understand what you're saying, it's not necessarily true, but I get it about Buffy.

Buffy is "multilayered"
Huh?

Yeah, she got laid many times! ... Kidding! I meant multislayered! haha.. kidding again!

Maybe somebody can explain to me what is so great about BtVS that I'm missing, 'cause I just don't get it.
I have seen every episode of the show by means of DVD and it doesn't grab me at all like it grabs other folks.
I will admit that it came out first, and therefore was able to test the waters by doing shows like "Hush" "The Body" and Once more with feeling" but these three are not enough to pull me in!
There are highlights during the epsiodes that are fun to watch, but overall, it's not much.

Well, I try not to sound condascending to the little people, but it seems to me that you "don't get it".

Lets see, exploration of different philosophies, moral and ethical questions asked and by golly sometimes answered, brilliant commentary on modern life, and indeed factual historical references. Add that onto the sometimes terrific acting, splendid dialogue and well thought out story arcs and it gives you a show worthy of note.

 

[zombie.apparatus]

Don't get me wrong... I do like Charmed.... but Buffy had way better storylines and characters.... Charmed is more 'corny' and aimed at a younger audience even though it is based around the lives of adults.... Buffy on the other hand is aimed at teenagers - adults and as drtroy said Buffy is more
'philosophical'.... Buffy defentily makes you think...

 

[Chasing Cordy]

Vital characters of Charmed...and in no particular order

Piper, Prue, Darryl, Dan, Cole, Leo, Gideon, Chris, Wyatt, Phoebe, Barbas, Melinda, Andy, Grams, Odin, Sandra, Kira, Hannah, Rex, Victor, Paige, Zankou, Avatars, Angel of Death, Patty, Billie, Christy, Tempus, Sam...

Sorry.
No Elise in the list. Never will be. If you believe she is of major importance, you're not in tune with the series.

I have come to the conclusion that we'll never get a legitimate answer as to which show is better in a one-on-one basis. Seems like the creators, writers, and producers of BtVS blab constantly on how a specific scene or episode is a metaphor for something...and all the common folks are like "wow, man! these people are brilliant" all the while getting lost in the big words.

 

[Schillaci]

Vital characters of Charmed...and in no particular order

Piper, Prue, Darryl, Dan, Cole, Leo, Gideon, Chris, Wyatt, Phoebe, Barbas, Melinda, Andy, Grams, Odin, Sandra, Kira, Hannah, Rex, Victor, Paige, Zankou, Avatars, Angel of Death, Patty, Billie, Christy, Tempus, Sam...

Sorry.
No Elise in the list. Never will be. If you believe she is of major importance, you're not in tune with the series.

I have come to the conclusion that we'll never get a legitimate answer as to which show is better in a one-on-one basis. Seems like the creators, writers, and producers of BtVS blab constantly on how a specific scene or episode is a metaphor for something...and all the common folks are like "wow, man! these people are brilliant" all the while getting lost in the big words.

Eh, no. I'm the first person to say the greatness of Buffy is exaggerated. But it's not comparable to a shit show like Charmed.

Critics mock it, fans of other shows mock it, and the kicker, it's own fans mock it.

 

[Edmund Blackadder]

and all the common folks are like "wow, man! these people are brilliant" all the while getting lost in the big words

That comment right there makes me think you should leave this board.

By all means come and question whether Charmed is better or not than Buffy, but the second you have to make an attack on the intelligence of the Buffy fans, which is what you are doing, then you have lost your argument.

Onto the actual point of this thread.

History:
Those that know Charmed know that the show features a family whose history is discussed quite often in the first few seasons. Heck, even the Halliwell house has a history with the nexus as a "character" in some episodes.
I don't sense much of a background/history during the BtVS series and most certainly not with any character other than Buffy herself. Perhaps an epsiode that dealt with the slayers of the past could have been helpful to some extent.

Wow, Charmed explores the history and even sometimes has the house as a 'character'....thats it convert me, i really need to re-watch the show now.
Sarcasm Hun!
The Buffyverse may not delve into a rich history with some of its lead characters, instead it gives us a rich tapestry of their lives as we see them unfold....not everything is about the history of a character.
BUT when we are faced with a character WITH history, the show perfectly entwines that fully developing these characters to become more then we see,
The 4 main ones being Angel, Dru, Spike and Darla.
BEFORE you suggest that Angel and Darla are developed more in Angel the Series, so what. This show is an extention of Buffy, dealing with separate characters(and same characters) allowing the verse to fully explore the true range of impact these sociological issues impact in different environments.

Characters, amount of:
BtVS has at most 11 characters of any signifigance. Charmed has at least 33 vital characters and that makes it 3 times more involved and in-depth than Buffy's series (Not counting the Angel series).
How do I know of the 33 characters? I wrote three songs that dealt with 10 characters in each of them (and the third song isn't even done yet!).

11 perfectly formed, well established characters thyat people can name off the top of their head.
IF you include Angel, which is a must as i said before its an extention more then a spin off, you see this by how these shows interact with each other constantly, you are looking at 13 significant characters from Buffy, just the 'good guys', a further 14 main 'bad guys' not including Faith of major significance to the story, on top of that a few smaller characters who are as important to an arc as some of the leads....and thats JUST Buffy
Angel has 8 main characters NOT including Angel and Cordelia as they appear in the Buffy tally, include to that the W&H characters, the kep players with smaller roles, but powerful arcs, asnd i think you will find not only does that piss all over your '33 characters' it also pisses all over the amount of time on air.
How do I know about THESE characters, ok I didnt write a song about them, but i did watch the show and understand the nature of their involvement in it.

In the defense of the Buffy series, I do admit Charmed is rather lame on the consistency front. Although I don't really see what consistency Buffy's show had.

You don't have to defend the show because you will find enough learned people defending it for you.
The consistency of Buffy/Angel is that with minor flaws, for the most part these characters are as true in the end as to what we first noticed in them when they arrived on our screens, only developed. Yes i have issue with one or two characters but on the whole they are so very rarley contradicting the canon they have established, its only worth mentioning as a funny comment.
Unlike Charmed, where the lack of consistency, the total contradiction of character is so well displayed, the show itself is just a funny comment!.

Debate:
Splashed through these boards, I have posted several questions that I have had regarding Buffy's show. I can't for the life of me come up with more than one problem with Charmed's series (The gap between Charmed's seasons 3-4 is the only issue that needs exlained but never was).

Those that believe Buffy's show is better are probably basing it on originality of a few episodes. To me, that's simply not enough to make it better. Original does not mean better.

The questions you have had, have shown a fundemental flaw in your reasoning(this is probably because Charmed deprived your senses that you can't understand anything of real intelligence), understanding and exceptance of the information provided.
Fact is, this comment shows that you have not truly understood Charmed either, if you only found one problem, you have only said it to provoke a response.
Buffy is not original because of just a few episodes, its broke the mold on different levels.
IF you believe this show is only original because of a few episodes, then i would suggest you gp back and watch them again, but honestly, your comments through out the board and here only prove to me that you have very little chance of understanding all this a second time.
Your lack of understanding of the show was evident in the 'Fic' that you wrote.
It was poor in characterization, story was ok, but poorly developed. You had very little in way of making it fit with the show, i think thats one of the reasons you have yet to further the exploits of 'A Renewel of Faith'.

 

[Schillaci]

Wasn't Charmed the replacement for Baywatch? Ya know, a much needed tits an' ass show?

 

[+ Matt +]

Piper, Prue, Darryl, Dan, Cole, Leo, Gideon, Chris, Wyatt, Phoebe, Barbas, Melinda, Andy, Grams, Odin, Sandra, Kira, Hannah, Rex, Victor, Paige, Zankou, Avatars, Angel of Death, Patty, Billie, Christy, Tempus, Sam...

I can't remember the majority of Charmed so if I sound retarded here, I'm sorry lol...

Vital characters? The majority of these characters have only been in like one season and that's it. Those who haven't, have only been in around ten episodes maximum (of course this is excluding main characters).

If we had to bring up 'vital' Buffy characters, based on your reasoning we could have:

Buffy, Willow, Oz, Faith, Riley, Xander, Giles, Anya, Tara, Glory, Ethan Rayne, Hank, Angel, Spike, Drusilla, Joyce, The Master, Kennedy, Wood, Cordelia, Dawn, The Mayor, Jenny Calendar, Amy, Kendra, Wesley, Harmony, Warren, Andrew, The First...(Off the top of my head)

These characters all had much more depth than the majority of those on your list...

Many of the characters I have mentioned in my list have either been signifcant in the whole of one season (like your list), or have been used as a link to develop big storylines within the show (such as Harmony being made to push Cordelia as a more likeable character). You can say my list is crap, but it's as equally as crap as yours lol, imo.

 

[Frenchy Faith]

Oh man how can you even say that on a BtVS board? lol Sorry but you are bound to lose this argument if you post it here... asking btvs fans who (for many of them) have been pondering and reflecting over the show and its aims.... just take a look at all the threads for every season and every character & you'll see that there is so much to debate about BtVS... all the questions it raises clearly prove the show's wit...
I really dont see how having LOADS character making a show more interesting... and "vital" is a big word for characters who didnt even appear before S3 or S4.... now I dont mind Charmed and watched it for a long time... but it never really made me question... where btvs did.
In S1 and 2 for instance... every Charmed epi had the same plot... something happens.... the sis get in trouble... they gather in the attic... Prue got in charge and made the decision... they struggle a bit to find how to defeat the demon or solve the problem... then everything was dandy again. What did I got out of the show? Well I was kinda entertained for a while... and after I switched the TV off and maybe thought for a minute about how I would like to have Prue's powers... not much was left.
I'm not saying that every single btvs epi is astounding... but most are... they all have another dimension than the matter-of-factly stary of bad vs evil... and you can just relate to btvs so much... I personally never could with charmed

 

[+ Matt +]

What did I got out of the show? Well I was kinda entertained for a while... and after I switched the TV off and maybe thought for a minute about how I would like to have Prue's powers... not much was left.

I used to do that too, only with Piper's powers...Freezing time would help me so much lol - extra time to sleep on a school morning, more time for last-minute revision in the actual exam lol, freezing people in mid-sentence when they annoy me lol...

I agreed with all of your post I just thought I'd pick that out lol.

 

[nerd4hire]

This is cute. I haven't seen one of these for a long time. During the run of BTVS though, you used to see Buffy-envy from Charmed fans all the time. I remember on the WB boards they used to almost go to war, because Charmed fans were always dropping in on the Buffy board with troll posts.

So a Charmed fan doesn't get Buffy. Why doesn't that surprise. Am I going to try to explain it to her? Not likely. It's like trying to explain Shakespeare to a Dora the explorer fan.

 

[Black Eye Guy]

I honestly don't get how people can compare Charmed to Buffy, Buffy surpasses it in so many ways!
All of those characters that have been listed as being really important don't compare to, even some of the characters that weren't that important, in Buffy.
And if the charmed house can be a character, why cant the hellmouth be? It's such a cooler character as well!
Plus charmed just refuses to stick to a standard mythology, it seems it gets changed around to suit with each episode, if you want an example: The first few years of the show we are told The Charmed ones are the strongest witch's to ever live, then Whytt is born and he is the strongest, Then in this season this Randomer Billie (Who I actually like better then some of the other characters) comes into the game as the latest most powerful witch ever.

Personally I think Charmed insults it's fans by refusing to stick to a mythology, by constantly repeating its story lines, and by cutting long term characters to replace them with "Celebrity guests"

 

[Chasing Cordy]

I'm curious to see how many of the folks here have watched all the episodes from both series all the way through.
I'm not counting Angel's show since I have not seen the whole thing.

I sounds to me like you guys watched one episode of the sister witches show and discounted it without knowing about it.