The reason I find the sister witches to have a better show is due to the simple aspect of back story involved.
Although I have watched BtVS in three months, I still have watched what you have and can find no back story to the series at all. Since you guys know Buffy more than me, perhaps you can point me in the right direction for this.
I honestly can't believe that you don't think there is a back story to Buffy, To point out a bit:
Vampires: We see a load of flash backs involving Darla, Drusilla, Spike and Angel which puts them into events in history, it also creates a huge dept to the show. It creates numerous back story bits, like in Fool for Love, we get to see how Spike gets all his little scars and stuff, we see how he got his coat, we get to see two other Slayers in history one in the Boxer rebellion who says something to Spike, which is then repeated in season 5 of Angel, Fans of the shows notice this and remember back to that episode - Back story! Also we get to see Nikki who we later learn is the mother of Wood.
Slayer and Watchers: The back story for this is incredible! The history of the slayer, The power of the Slayer, The Origin, all of this has been explored, and they have done a good job at sticking to their mythology(Unlike Charmed) This paints a very vivid back story to the Both Slayers and Watcher which help us to understand Buffy and Giles and all the rest better!
The Hellmouth: This speaks for it's self, it is like a character on the show, with a history.
The Characters: All of the characters are given huge back storys, Buffy turning from bibca to hero, or Giles huge transformation. But the best part of the back story happens on the show, The characters in season 1 are completly different to those in season 7, we get to see all those layers built up to make them who they are! That does not happen much on Charmed the characters have remained pretty much the same for the last 8 years
Next, I think folks that like Buffy are drawn in by the technical terminology given by the Buffy writers.
Example: When Spike gets chip-in-the-head, he tries to bite Willow but can't. Now I took that at face value, but according to the writers, Spike's inability to bite is a metaphor for either sexual frustration or impotence.
WTF!!!!??????
Are you honestly telling me you thought of that yourself without Whedon and his merry men sticking it in your head?
Unfortunately you have picked one of the most obvious metaphors in the entire 7 years of Buffy, as soon as Spike gets the Chip he try's to Kill Willow and he can't, leading to dialog like "This shouldn't happen to me I'm only 120" or Willow: "It's me isn't it?" Spike "No, If I could I'd bite you right now!" - It's one of the most obvious metaphors in the show! But I think most people would have gotten allot of the others (My fav is the description of the show, Kids preparing for battle in a library) But of course there are ones that you wont pick up on.
And not all metaphors are supposed to work in your face, allot of them are ones you recognize subconsciously!
Charmed doesn't try to do that and it's thought of as being less of a show because there's no metaphors?
We study poetry in school because of there use of metaphors and abilities to reflect huge issues in a small amount of time by using metaphor, so in school we look for the metaphors, we look deep into the poem to see it's core, we can do this with Buffy as well, when you do it to Charmed you just get a sore nose because it's shallow, there is no metaphors everything is at face value. Its the type of show people watch just to watch, they don't think about it when it ends!
And yes, Charmed is not what it used to be. Buffy's show at least stayed somewhat respectable and the writers ended before they ruined it.
Just thought this should be said again
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To restate from above, if there are indeed true history episodes of BtVS let me know what they are, 'cause I have not found them. I want to at least know where Buffy came from and what her life was like pre-slayer. What was Giles like as "Ripper"...we don't get this as much as I would have liked.
Once again, not a lot of back story involved...and if there is, then tell me where it is.
I'll just give a list of a few important ones.
Welcome to the hellmouth: History of demons.
The Witch: Back story for mythology of Witch's, used for Willow.
Out of Mind out of sight: The governments involvement in the Supernatural, used again in season 4. and we get to learn a bit about Buffy pre-slayer.
Prophecy Girl: Buffys death brings about the change in the slayer line, which effects every season after 2.
The Dark Age: Ripper
Becoming pt1: Buffy pre-slayer. History of Angelus, Origin of Drusilla.
Hush: Olivia tells us some stuff about Giles as Ripper.
That Spell Tara messes up, the one to find demons, a year later we find out it's cuz she thinks she's a demon.
Fool for Love: Spike back story, Slayer back story.
Get it done: Origin of the Slayer
End of Days: History of the Slayer, and History of the Scythe used in Fray(The comic)
I'm gonna stop there(And I have skipped loads, and thats all off the top of my head), But just wanted to say that Buffys back story is way better done, I personally much rather see the characters built up slowly and learn about the characters bit by bit, instead of in one big lump like in Charmed. It's up to the viewer to remember the bits of the characters history, and to put it all together, The viewer is more involved in the show, the creators know the views will remember bits and put them together to build up a complete picture, The creators of Charmed don't have that kind of belief in their audience, they know they wont be watching as hard, or looking for little bits!
