Charmed 6.05 'Love's a Witch'

Love’s a Witch is a rare later years Charmed episode that tackles something new and fresh, using a seemingly tired filler plot for Paige, and creating something unique and different from it. Familial discord is at this show’s heart, and this episode had that theme running through its veins from the beginning.

Paige becomes involved in a feud between two witch families while on a new temp job in ‘Love’s a Witch’. After sensing how worried she is with her new power, Phoebe tries to help, but ends up causing a row between herself and Paige. Piper has her first date after her and Leo’s separation.

Among other things, the reason I like this episode so much is how much attention is placed on the sisters’ relationship and how damaging Phoebe’s power has become to that relationship. It’s hard enough living with your siblings who want to know every little detail of your life, but to have them know every last emotion is even more degrading. Paige’s desperate quest for independence gets taken a bit too far in episodes to come, but Love’s a Witch is an instance where it felt right, and didn’t make Paige come across as a selfish dimwit.

Piper’s struggles to start a new dating life are hard to watch, given the stupidity of the separation storyline, but it’s nice to see her character getting to do something different for a change. Leo’s presence during the whole ordeal is more than a little frustrating though. Wasn’t the whole idea of their separation because he was leaving and they couldn’t be together? It seems lately that he’s around more than he was when they were married. There was never really a hint of marital discord between them until late last season, so this separation is still bogus and lame so far.

Though the feud itself isn’t really given enough back story, which could have proven far more engrossing, it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the plot too much. Richard’s introduction to the series didn’t really herald anything of import, but his role here makes sense, his role later on is something I’ll be discussing in the coming weeks. Here he’s likable enough, playing the mediator as well as he can, desperately trying to bring peace between these two families.

Love’s a Witch is a nice change of pace, and despite a few little annoyances, it’s a strong episode, even by Charmed’s higher standards of yesteryear.

8/10