I do a lot of commuting to and from work and developed the habit of downloading various shows to watch on iPad on the bus. Having started an Angel/Buffy rewatch at home I thought maybe another supernatural show could be fun so I've started watching the original Charmed. I'm not very impressed by the first three episodes. The effects look dated, and the plot doesn't interest me much yet. The girls argue about their dates and boyfriends and then a 10 minutes in something mysterious happens. At least on Buffy you usually started right on the action and there were often some humor thrown in. Does it get better? Should I try a few more episodes or find something else?
Charmed..the original.
- Thread starter Heljar
- Start date
I think it's easy viewing, but it hasn't aged that well. I preferred the first 3(?) Seasons to the later ones.
Hunga Munga
Scooby
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Apparent the Bluray cut is excellent, will probably try the first season when the price is right .
I had a similar experience with Charmed recently . I did the first few episodes , wasn't loving it either .
I had a similar experience with Charmed recently . I did the first few episodes , wasn't loving it either .
The Bronze
Rogue Demon Hunter
Ethan Reigns
Scooby
I used to watch Charmed on occasion but the formula was always the same:
1. Romantic angst
2. Bad guy arrives and does something.
3. The girls go up to the attic, read a spell from the old Grimoire and by the "power of three" dispatch the bad guy.
Lather, rinse, repeat. I was never impressed by the writing, the acting or the limited sets.
1. Romantic angst
2. Bad guy arrives and does something.
3. The girls go up to the attic, read a spell from the old Grimoire and by the "power of three" dispatch the bad guy.
Lather, rinse, repeat. I was never impressed by the writing, the acting or the limited sets.
Kratos
Scooby
Pretty much what I think of the show now, though I used to enjoy it a lot. Started watching it from season 4 which was the best season imo. Loved Paige. Didn’t realize how bad it was as a teenager. To be fair, though, that applies to other shows I watched back then too and there was nothing else supernatural on Irish tv at the time (BtVS was only on in the summer and AtS had been cancelled after season two). Only had 2-3 channels.
Cohen
Hellhound
The show was initially concieved as very formulaic and monster-of-the-week with no continuing plot lines. The major plot line that continued throughout the first 2 seasons was small mentions of the Source of all evil and how some of the demons and warlocks sent after the sisters were directed to. Season 3 dives further into that plot, with many episodes having small threads woven in. Season 4 finishes this story and begins another one that will ultimately wrap up by the 100th episode of season 5. The latter half of season five goes back to the monster-of-the-week ideas. The majority of season 6 follows one entire plot line intertwined into the monster stories. Season 7 had 3 different plots connected and season 8 wrapped up the story with the worst actress to ever have a recurring role in Christy Jenkins. Brad Kern had an obsession with putting the main actresses in the skimpiest costumes ever, culminating with the three girls writing a clause in their season 8 contract stating no costumes for them. He was able to write in Alyssa Milano riding a horse naked in homage to Lady Godiva in season 6. Shannen Doherty saw the direction of the show tanking with the departure of original series creator, Constance Burge, in season 3, and left between seasons—though at the time most media outlets reported it had to do with a tiff between her and Alyssa. While the show remained on the air through season 8, and while Shannens departure brought an arguably creative resurgence to season 4, the latter 4 seasons were nowhere near the quality of the first 4, and were heavily influenced by greco-Roman legends, while the first 4 borrowed legends from around the globe. Constance’s idea of sister-witches instead of witches that were sisters kept the show grounded the first 3 seasons, while after that there was a larger focus on the supernatural aspect of the family, which hurt the quality of the show.
I've always loved Charmed. I think that the comparisons to BtVS are unfair; Charmed never pretended to be anything other than what it was and never tried to compete with BtVS in any way. It was never going to reach the heights that BtVS did and it never tried to. It was always just a cute, enjoyable and mostly light story about three sisters who happened to be witches. It's easy viewing, with fun and engaging characters, some very solid characterisation and deep and organic sisterly bonds/relationships at its core. I think that if one goes into watching it with no expectation other than to be entertained, they'll be happy.
Not every show has to be some existential, deep, theme-based, intellectual series which provokes meta and analysis - sometimes we just need shows like Charmed, which are fun, harmless, vastly entertaining and something to watch when we want to relax.
Not every show has to be some existential, deep, theme-based, intellectual series which provokes meta and analysis - sometimes we just need shows like Charmed, which are fun, harmless, vastly entertaining and something to watch when we want to relax.
ILLYRIAN
Druish Pervonian Wizard
I found it to be entertaining as long as I ignored the blatant stupidity of the production crew the biggest was the set. They could have made a series on the life of the house.
In the first episode right near the end the girl went into the house as friends, Prue closed the door by thought, thing is the wall behind her meant she had to go to the right once inside the door yet at the start of that episode when Phoebe entered the house she walked straight in and into the hall! And that door to the attic, go up some stairs along the floor to the door: it kept altering.
They were of the belief they were Wicca, but Wiccan witches would not harm the environment at all. What Prue did in the pharmacy, that was not a friendly act towards the people who work at the pharmacy, a good witch would have put the stuff back on the shelves.
But when they went back in time and learnt the old ways, jeez what crappy witches not to know that stuff. But ignoring that crap it was the sort of show you could just sit and relax to. Just don't mention Phoebe's 'running' style.
In the first episode right near the end the girl went into the house as friends, Prue closed the door by thought, thing is the wall behind her meant she had to go to the right once inside the door yet at the start of that episode when Phoebe entered the house she walked straight in and into the hall! And that door to the attic, go up some stairs along the floor to the door: it kept altering.
They were of the belief they were Wicca, but Wiccan witches would not harm the environment at all. What Prue did in the pharmacy, that was not a friendly act towards the people who work at the pharmacy, a good witch would have put the stuff back on the shelves.
But when they went back in time and learnt the old ways, jeez what crappy witches not to know that stuff. But ignoring that crap it was the sort of show you could just sit and relax to. Just don't mention Phoebe's 'running' style.
This is due to the exterior shots of the house being shot with the real house, whereas any interior shots were filmed on set on a sound stage. When Prue closes the door at the end of the Pilot (and again in the finale) it's on location at the real house, hence the wall behind her.
They def could have made more of an effort to conceal this, but it only happens a few times over the series, and a lot of shows have set issues. The Summers house, for example, makes no sense, especially the upstairs area, with the main bathroom somehow connecting to Joyce's room, despite the stairwell being in between the two.
ILLYRIAN
Druish Pervonian Wizard
Ah yes @RachM, I think that most shows had a proper sound stage and built rooms so they could have proper continuity, and a fixed exterior of an actual house but the crew do try to get it them to match. Obviously the house wasn't charmed.
On BTVS, because of space restrictions all interior walls were partition boards on lockable wheels. The downstairs rooms could also be the upstairs rooms, the garden might be a graveyard if required.
Continuity was a dirty word on BTVS with blame being flung all over. That became noticeable when some folk like to look for errors, you know, err me.
The best on I found was when Buffy saw Flutie (when she first joined Sunnydale School) going into the hall I counted up to 16 continuity errors for just those few hall scenes.
On BTVS, because of space restrictions all interior walls were partition boards on lockable wheels. The downstairs rooms could also be the upstairs rooms, the garden might be a graveyard if required.
Continuity was a dirty word on BTVS with blame being flung all over. That became noticeable when some folk like to look for errors, you know, err me.
The best on I found was when Buffy saw Flutie (when she first joined Sunnydale School) going into the hall I counted up to 16 continuity errors for just those few hall scenes.
Yay! Supernatural season 1 is a bit darker than the other seasons, more monster of the week style too. However you do have 14 seasons to catch up on!
Anyanka Bunny Slayer
✨ Hail Hydra ✨
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Definitely try more episodes! Things get really interesting when Cole keeps popping up, Piper develops the ability to blow things up, Phoebe becomes the Queen of Evil...trust me. It's quite entertaining.
(Don't go beyond S5 because it kinda sucks)
Honestly, I’m not sure it is a show that grows on you so giving it up might be a smart choice. I love it for its cheesy fun/easy watchableness though, so that said...
^^ Good points.
I can imagine that if you start the show now the first season especially is a little bit rough, but by the 2-3rd season it has found it's footing a bit more! 🙂
^^ Good points.
I can imagine that if you start the show now the first season especially is a little bit rough, but by the 2-3rd season it has found it's footing a bit more! 🙂
That was kinda what I was asking about. So I appreciate it. I've but Charmed on hold for now and watching Supernatural on my commute.