Charmed compared to the Buffyverse

[xfivebyfive]

Ok, so I'm nearly done with a rewatch of Charmed I've been doing and ever since I started posting on the boards I've wondered how many other Buffy fans watch/like the show. Since I joined the Buffy fandom two years ago I've seen mixed feelings from Buffy fans towards Charmed. It seems people either love it or hate it.

I watched Charmed before I saw Buffy or Angel and it's the reason I decided to give Angel a chance and in turn Buffy. Aside from them all being Supernatural type shows Charmed really isn't similar to Buffy or Angel. For one it doesn't take itself as seriously as Buffyverse, particularly in the later seasons. Its more about being a fun show then being a statement.

One thing I've noticed about some Whedon fans is that they can be a little snobby television wise (nobody get offended I haven't seen that here.) I'll admit after first watching Buffy and Angel I felt smarter lol because the show is deeper and more sophisticated then Charmed, to anyone who hadn't seen them they would probably think I'm nuts for saying this. Who would think a show called 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' was intellectual? But Joss is a very smart man and his shows and the mythology within them show that. I think it rubs off on the fans. Which is why a lot of fans tend to criticize and hate on Charmed. When I compare the three shows in my mind, Charmed certainly gets the short end of the stick. I love Charmed, but I love it for all the reasons that don't make it like Buffy and Angel.

So enough with my ranting. My questions are:

• Have you seen Charmed and do you like it?
• If you don't like it, why?
• If you do like it, why?
• Would you compare it to Buffy/Angel?
• Do you think it's fair to compare it to the Buffyverse?

 

[Abbeycat]

* Have you seen Charmed and do you like it?
* If you don't like it, why?
* If you do like it, why?
* Would you compare it to Buffy/Angel?
* Do you think it's fair to compare it to the Buffyverse?


I'm a fan of Charmed. Even when the last few seasons got really cheesy and kind of jumped the shark. I don't know in ways, I could relate to Piper Halliwell.😀 I wasn't the middle sister but I could relate to her.

I'm not sure I would quite compare it to Buffy/Angel. Especially when the differences are, that the sisters are witches. The Charmed ones.

I'm not sure about the last question either. I don't think it would be fair to compare it to the Buffyverse.

 

[Lyri]

Have you seen Charmed and do you like it?

I've seen every ep, and while I like it, I don't think it's anything to rave about. I find Charmed to be a very easy show to watch. What I mean by that is that you can just tune in, watch an ep from any season and completely know what's going on. It doesn't require a lot of concentration to watch. I find myself watch it when I really want something mind-numbing and simple to watch. Lol, it's my reality TV.

If you do like it, why?

I DO like the show, but I would never think of going out and buying the boxsets, it's not something I would consider must see TV. I liked the later seasons more than the first, I didn't like Prue, she always bugged me. I was more of a Paige fan, although Piper was my favorite.

Season 8 I think was when it all went down hill. The show would have been much better ending on S7, when the sisters were free to go off and lead normal, unassuming lives. Why they felt the need to bring it back after that, and to end on that God-awful ep is beyond me.

Would you compare it to Buffy/Angel?

No, absolutely not. Buffy and Angel were, and still are, a higher level of show. The story lines and characters were more intricate and three-dimensional compared to Charmed.

One thing that always bugged me about Charmed was their lack of attention to canon. More than once in Charmed something happened and then something else happened to contradict it. Like, at the end of S5 when Chris arrived from the future. He wasn't originally intended to be Piper and Leo's son, but then HMC got pregnant and they had to change the storyline, which meant that Chris originally split his parents up by sending Leo to Valhalla, and then had to race to get them back together on time otherwise he would never have been conceived.

Another instance is shown during the 1960's, when Leo lived at the manor with a young Grams and Patty, yet, in the future, both had to be introduced to him as they had no idea who he was.

Things like that just bothered me.


Do you think it's fair to compare it to the Buffyverse?

No, I don't think it's fair. The shows were completely different, their mythology was different, and there's nothing to really compare at all.

Although, I did like the little shout out to Buffy in S2, lol.

 

[Ollehh]

• Have you seen Charmed and do you like it?
• If you don't like it, why?
• If you do like it, why?
• Would you compare it to Buffy/Angel?
• Do you think it's fair to compare it to the Buffyverse?

Yes, and I love it! The character's are amazing, and it doesn't always take itself seriously.

I don't like it as much as Buffy/Angel, but it's one of my favourite shows.

No, because the shows are completely different.

 

[Misty]

Have you seen Charmed and do you like it?
Yes, I love Charmed and it's definately one of my favorite shows.
If you don't like it, why?
Well obviously I can't answer this question lol
If you do like it, why?
I like it because the episodes are interesting and fun to watch, and I've always liked shows about witches saving the world by fighting demons. Also, Pheobe's my favorite sister and my favorite seasons are the first three because I'm also a Prue fan, but I do like Paige too.
Would you compare it to Buffy/Angel?
I'm not sure because like Abby said, it's about 3 witches using magical spells to defend themselves instead of a slayer staking vampires. However, I do agree that the shows are similar in many ways, like the fighting demons part and being the chosen one/ones to save the world.
Do you think it's fair to compare it to the Buffyverse?
I don't think so, but I'm not sure because they're similar and very different. But as much as I love Charmed, I think the Buffy/Angel series is alittle more mature and I like it better too.

 

[charmedones193]

* Have you seen Charmed and do you like it? Yes, I Love Charmed 😀
* If you do like it, why? It's My Favorite Show 😀
* Would you compare it to Buffy/Angel? No

 

[Mumrik]

I think I've seen pretty much every episode of the first five or so seasons save for ten. I like it fair enough. You don't have to overthink anything and can have it on as background noise without missing anything crucial. I couldn't watch it with all of my attention turned to it though, I'd get bored.

I did like Paige a lot more than the other sisters though, which apparently is a very bad thing.

 

[VisionGirl]

Yes, I've seen Charmed (DH used to watch it a lot, liked watching "his girls" LOL), but I'm sure I haven't seen every episode. It was OK, fun to watch, but not enthralling or anything, I wouldn't put it on par with Buffy/Angel at all. I did like the Phoebe/Cole pairing, but I love Julian McMahon. (Big Nip/Tuck fan here)

 

[GrrArghx]

• Have you seen Charmed and do you like it?
• If you don't like it, why?
• If you do like it, why?
• Would you compare it to Buffy/Angel?
• Do you think it's fair to compare it to the Buffyverse?

Yes, I've seen Charmed. Millions and millions of times. I love that show. I kept watching it long after I stopped watching Buffy when I was little.

I don't know why I love Charmed, lol. It just stuck with me. I think it's a really entertaining show.

I wouldn't compare it and to answer the next question, no, I don't think it's fair. They're two entirely different shows that just share a supernatural element.

 

[sisterofmercy]

I used to watch Charmed back when I still had Living TV. I never really thought of comparing it to Buffy as there's so much sci-fi about these days. I do appreciate the whole 'girl power' vibe to it though, which is obviously present in Buffy. I loved the characterisation in Charmed, though I hated Prue and was glad she was killed off (Paige is so much better). I also liked how they presented the demons and monsters, it was nice to see them being a bit different to the Buffy demons.

 

[AustCF]

I'm mostly a fan of Seasons 1-4 Charmed. After that it became way TOOOO Magical. It was like they got a bigger budget and decided good storylines didn't matter anymore. I do like the series finale though and the episode before it. actually i like a good portion of season 8, but season 5-7 was horrid in my opinion. But at the time seasons 5-7 were airing i was such a HUGGGE fan I tried not to notice how bad the seasons were, but now I can say it without caring because they truly were bad compared to the amazing first few seasons. Prue was my favorite.

 

[AtVS]

* Have you seen Charmed and do you like it? Yes, and yes, I like Charmed.

* If you do like it, why? It's a light hearted show. I almost have no reason to watch it and be sad. Plus, I really like the characters.

* Would you compare it to Buffy/Angel? They're similar in Supernatural theory, but very different. I take it less seriously than Whedonverse.

* Do you think it's fair to compare it to the Buffyverse? Not sure how to answer this, but no. It's not as involved. But I do like the show a lot.


I did not like the last Season either. The whole Billy thing was just ugh.

 

[frankie]

I really liked charmed but lost interest after season 6. I thought the Chris storyline was great. Phoebe was my favorite character in the first two seasons but the Cole storyline wrecked her for me, was glad to see him go. Piper became my fave then and remained. Paige's introduction worked surprisingly well, their moms affair was mentioned before, so no biggie that the power of three could still continue.
The WB were obviously trying to follow Buffy's popularity but for me they were very different shows.
I had a lot of problems with Charmed in the latter seasons though. Season 2's Morality Bites was a great episode, the downside to using powers for personal gain. That was forgotten about completely later on. Also they all became too powerful, a simple rhyme could kill a demon. " You're kinda mean - there goes your spleen ". Ok, not that bad but kinda 😀. I really think it should have ended after 6 - the last episode was nice though 🙂.

 

[SupportOGal]

Have you seen Charmed and do you like it? I have seen most of Charmed, courtesy of TNT's "Prime time in the day time," and I think it's OK.
Why? Something just doesn't sit right with me about it. I'm not sure I can put my finger on it, but I think I was mostly unable to feel for any of the characters. That being said, it's a fine lighthearted show and I found myself watching it anyway!
Would you compare it to Buffy/Angel? Nope, they're on entirely different levels. Which I guess means I just compared them, and Buffy totally won! 😀
Do you think it's fair to compare it to the Buffyverse? I think it's a pretty fair comparison to try to make (it's better than comparing Charmed to Wheel of Fortune, anyway!) - it has a similar message, it's an hour-long supernatural drama.

 

[NY State of Mind]

I didn't mind it when it first came out with that bitch on the show...can't think of her name?...anyways lol it got stupid later on...i'd hit those witches though 😛

 

[Abbeycat]

I didn't mind it when it first came out with that bitch on the show...can't think of her name?...anyways lol it got stupid later on...i'd hit those witches though 😛

You mean Shannen Doherty?

---------- Post added at 12:43 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:38 AM ----------

NY State of Mind agrees: YEP! LOL that's her...ms. 90210

I figured that's the actress that you meant. Since she is known as one. You know. Bitca.

 

[Marisa]

I have seen charmed.
I did like it but it was so long ago, I was thinking of getting it if I see it on sale.
From what I remember I would not compare it to Buffy.
Do i think it is fair yes because it is a supernatural show.

 

[Spikefan31]

I love Charmed!!! Started watching it years before Buffy. I mean, I'd seen Buffy DVDs at the video shop, but I thought it was really dark and gothic, so I remained in my happy world of Charmed. I adore season 6, and used to have a MAJOR crush on Chris/Drew Fuller. I wasn't aware they didn't originally intend to have him be Piper and Leo's son. Interesting...Still, I love that storyline. I liked Cole, too, though I haven't watched the first 4 seasons in a long while. I only own 5, 6 and 7 on DVD. I think season 8 was a bit pointless, but as someone else said, the last episode was nice.

I'll probably always have a soft spot for Charmed because it's the first supernatural show I ever watched. Buffy and Angel definitely are a step up, though. And now I'm on to Supernatural. Only three more episodes of season 2 to go. Then I have to go and buy season 3. 😀

 

[Taake]

* Have you seen Charmed and do you like it?
I have seen Charmed and I find it enjoyable to a certain extent. It's not a show that I take seriously though

* If you don't like it, why?
I don't like certain aspects of the show - how it turned into a showcase of what actress could wear the skimpiest clothes around s3 and after that just a showcase of Alyssa Milano's body. Better plot/dialogue or more cleavage? Easy to see which way they went...

I also think that a lot of the storylines/writing were quite trite but that the show remained highly enjoyable until they over-ran with the "Cole and Phoebe" plot line (at which the show started dwindling in my eyes... did he have to keep coming back?) I forget what seasons these were but I can hardly stand to see Julian McMahon after them.

For me the last season was what killed all of the enjoyment I'd once had in Charmed. It was... atrocious. From Billie the incredibly annoying to the ever increasingly annoying sisters. Phoebe was my favorite in s1-2 but she quickly fell from that.

And don't get me started on the "magic school" thing... of and again - Billie. Gah! Perhaps the most annoying character ever.



* If you do like it, why?

In the start I really liked the sisters relationship and obviously the magical aspect.

I thought Phoebe was a great character but she got over-the-top real fast once Alyssa Milano became a producer.

I liked the Piper and Leo story

I liked Prue.

Paige was a great installation to the show, that could have gone so badly but they pulled it off. And yay, Rose McGowan!

Chris was another great character in my eyes. he was an interesting gray area for a while.


* Would you compare it to Buffy/Angel?
No, their only touch point is a supernatural theme. Beyond that the shows are incredibly different and have too little in common for me, quality and agenda wise, to be compared.

Buffy and Angel to me always had more depth. But I don't think Charmed ever intended to have depth. It was meant to be an entertaining and fun hour for the viewer, and that's what it was.


* Do you think it's fair to compare it to the Buffyverse?

Not really for the reasons stated above. Charmed is a different animal so to speak.

 

[Tasha]

God, this was one of these shows that really pissed me off. It's so frustrating, because only if they had good enough writers, this show would have been amazing!!
Yes ohso frustrating. :[

I'll come back later and rant maybe. 😛p