The originalCharmed— starringAlyssa Milano,Holly Marie Combs,Rose McGowanandShannen Doherty— tackled a variety of stories as Phoebe, Piper, Paige, and Prue worked together to save the world (or, rather, San Francisco) from demons and warlocks on a weekly basis. However, despite their endless Wiccan duties, these women rarely failed to keep living their personal lives amidst the chaos of being a Charmed One, having a variety of quite unique relationships with different men explored throughout the show’s eight seasons. Whether these relationships lasted or not, those that made the list had a profound impact on one of the girls in the midst of the relationship (and some afterward, too).
Prue and Andy
The relationship between Prue (Doherty) and Andy (T.W. King) is a highlight of the first season. The childhood friends to lovers trope shines brightly here, and the connection that the two share is so deep from the very beginning. It’s heartbreaking to see how Prue continually feels forced to push Andy away after discovering that she’s a witch and getting involved with Andy’s so-called unsolved cases. It’s quite clear that she desperately wants to be with him (and be open with him). The first season ends with Andy’s death, as his love for Prue puts him in the line of fire when a demon attacks, which only emphasizes the love between Prue and Andy. Prue’s other relationships in the following two seasons (before she, too, meets her end) can’t compare asCharmeddepicted, without a shadow of a doubt, that Andy was her true love. This is confirmed in the Season 3 episode, “Primrose Empath,” when Prue temporarily gets the power of empathy, feels Cole’s deep feelings for Phoebe, and comments about how she hasn’t felt anything like that since Andy was alive. Prue and Andy feel like star-crossed lovers, unable to make things work. Though we never got confirmation of any kind, there’s a reason many like to theorize that Prue and Andy found each other again in the afterlife.
Paige and Henry
The love between Paige (McGowan) and Henry Mitchell (Ivan Sergei) is incredibly special, albeit a little rushed as their entire relationships from first meeting to post-honeymoon happened over the span of 12 episodes in the final season ofCharmed. However, that somehow adds to the relationship, too, as it shows that these two were just so perfect for one another that things instantly fell into place for them. Their love is believable, and it truly feels like the love Paige had spent her life waiting for. It was easy to be with Henry (for the most part), something she didn’t really have over the course of the series, and their best moments came when she decided to be spontaneous and simply be who she is. Paige and Henry actually had a lot in common as well, possibly more so than any of the other couples we saw over the eight seasons ofCharmed. Both grew up without their birth parents — Paige with her adoptive parents and Henry in foster homes — and decided to help people as adults. Henry became a parole officer, trying everything in his power to help people get on the right track, and well, we know that helping people was Paige’s first priority, even above her sisters at times.
Phoebe and Drake
Phoebe (Milano) and Drake (Billy Zane) may be considered a strange choice for this list, but their beautiful, short-lived, whirlwind romance was one of the best things to come out ofCharmedSeason 7. Coming into her life with only weeks left to live after making a deal with a sorcerer to live as a mortal for a year with a soul, Drake helped Phoebe learn how to love again after being left heartbroken so many times before. Their adventures over Drake’s brief three-episode stint put some joy and life back into Phoebe — both for the character and for the viewers, as Phoebe had taken quite a sad turn for most of Season 7 with her singular focus being on love or the lack thereof in her life. Of Phoebe’s many love interests, Drake’s definitely one of the most exciting ones to watch too… unlike Dex and Miles.
Paige and Glen
Paige and Glen (Jesse Woodrow) came to viewers inCharmedSeasons 4 and 5 as long-time best friends (like, since kindergarten) that, occasionally, became more than friends temporarily, but it never stuck. As one of the first people in Paige’s life that we meet (outside of work) in “A Knight to Remember,” this relationship gives us a very different perspective on Paige. Glen knew Paige intimately before her sisters came into the picture, so his apprehension to Paige’s acceptance of her new life with Piper and Phoebe really shows how deep their bond is and how well he knows her. He notices the difference in how she’s acting immediately, and begins to question what’s going on. It could come across as a bit overbearing, but doesn’t, as the connection between them is quite well done from the start. Glen wasn’t her perfect match (though he could have been), but the few times we saw their relationship remain enjoyable helped make Paige a well-rounded character so soon after being introduced following Prue’s death.
Piper and Dan
Piper (Combs) and Dan (Greg Vaughan), despite being so short-lived inCharmedSeason 2, actually make an excellent pair. It may not be a popular opinion, but Piper and Dan make a lot more sense than Piper and Leo most of the time. The one thing that stays constant in the show is Piper’s desperation to live a normal life, free from the impact of magic and Charmed One duties. Dan is unfortunately not television material, so even though his relationship with Piper is great, normal and healthy, it seems clear from how things play out that it just wasn’t providing enough drama for the story, unlike her forbidden love affair with Leo. (Don’t worry, Piper and Leo are on the list, too.)
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Phoebe and Jason
Phoebe and Jason Dean (Eric Dane) had an intriguing relationship, as it seemed that this one had the potential to last. But by all accounts, this relationship seemed destined to fail from the reveal that this man who mesmerized her with his beauty was her new boss. The romance eventually did end, but the writers ended up fooling most of the viewers. Starting things off as her arrogant boss definitely didn’t get people on Jason’s side from the get go, but his affection for Phoebe became palpable quickly. The two were sailing along just fine until their relationship abruptly ended in “Used Karma” when Jason discovers Phoebe is a witch in a veryCharmedmanner, as Phoebe is possessed by the spirit of Mata Hari. After Cole (Julian McMahon), it’s refreshing to see Phoebe in a relatively normal romance with someone that gets her. He allows Phoebe to focus more on herself, her career, and romance after she has devoted so much of her adult life to helping others — as a witch and in her new job as an advice columnist.
Piper and Leo
Piper and Leo (Brian Krause) are unarguablythecouple of the show, but that comes with a lot of pressure, too. They are the show’s main source of romance and domesticity, especially when it comes to how that impacts Piper’s relationship with her sisters and the dynamic in the manor. Their love is what the show defines as perfect, but that doesn’t stop the plenty of marital spats we see them work through. Piper and Leo put in the work to make their romance thrive, which is inspiring, but sometimes it’s a bit of a drag to watch them have to face yet another obstacle, especially in the latter half of the series. Leo’s transformation from Whitelighter, to Elder, to Avatar, to mortal is simply exhausting, so his absence in the latter half ofCharmedSeason 8 is actually quite welcome. Piper and Leo are a great romantic pairing when they’re allowed to be, but it’s a shame that isn’t the side of them we see the most.
Honorable mention: Phoebe and Cole
Phoebe and Cole have quite a tumultuous relationship. Cole’s first introduction sees him trying to destroy the Charmed Ones, using Phoebe as his way into their world. But, they find real love, even with the Source of All Evil breathing down their necks. At their best, Phoebe and Cole are potentially the best couple we see on the show. The enemies to lovers trope is at its best with Phoebe and Cole early on. When the writers are devoted to moving this couple forward and having them work through their fundamental differences, it’s outstanding. However, they fall to an honorable mention because there’s more bad than good between them on the show. Cole’s becoming the Source destroyed their relationship, especially because it never seemed like the writers decided whether it was actually Cole or if Cole was being manipulated by the Source’s magic. Phoebe and Cole’s relationship in Season 5 is just tragic, as Cole is pathetically trying to win Phoebe back while doing everything wrong as an invincible demon. By the time the character meets his end (in the alternate universe he conjured where Piper and Phoebe didn’t meet Paige after Prue’s death), it’s generally a good thing to be rid of him as his story had become a mess. Phoebe and Cole’s blossoming love is one of the highlights of the entire show, it’s just sad that it was for nothing in the end. (At least we knew Cole was looking out for Phoebe in the afterlife, like when he sent Drake to help Phoebe find love again, right?)
All eight seasons ofCharmedare streaming on Peacock.
