Possible Spoiler Warning: Parts of this rantwill mention plot points from both shows.

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Does it seem to anyone else like these two shows are shooting from the same scripts this season? I mean, todays Buffy featured Xander, who's engaged to an ex-demon meeting his future self (sort of), and getting major cold feet, and Anya, the ex-demon possibly getting her powers back. The last episode of Charmed featured Phoebe, who's engaged to an ex-demon, getting major cold feet and meeting her future self, and Cole, the ex-demon getting his powers back.

Next week Buffy is in an insane assylum, where the doctors try to convince her that Sunnydale and being the Slayer are not real. Sounds like what happened to Piper not too long ago.

I don't know about the second one, but you could see the wedding episode coming since last season's finale--heck, given Xander's personality and Anya's past, way before then!

I would guess that you do not watch Charmed, since your response focuses on the outcome of Xander's doubts, which I did not bring up because Phoebe made the opposite decision.

My point was that, although because of the similarity between their missions (both Buffy and the Halliwell sisters are "the Chosen One[s]" who must defend mankind from demons) there must inevitably be some overlap in both style and content, this does not require wholesale lifting of entire plot arcs. One might wonder if before the season end, Paige will accidently wipe everyone's memories (as Willow did in Tabula Rasa) or if Faith and Buffy will switch bodies, like Phoebe and Paige (Oh wait, they already did, last year.)

Two seasons ago, not last season.

I know, but the sarcasm flows more smoothly with the slight exaggeration.

Yeah, but leaving off a whole year is kind of important. The sarcasm's only effective because what you're saying is basically true; however, saying that they did it "a year ago" when it was really *two* years ago is an important distinction, as it means that Gilmore Girls would have copied Buffy rather than the other way around.

And I meant Charmed, of course.

Well, now that they've aired Phoebe's and Cole's wedding on Charmed, there are two more "similarities:

1) The wedding guests went home disappointed due to either (depending on you point of view) the actions of the groom, or those of a demon pretending to be someone else.

2) There is a major, dire prophesy concerning the the son of the handsome, dark, brooding, anti-hero fighting the demon within (literally). (OK Angel is on a different program, but he still is part of the Buffyverse.)

A new similarity has raised its ugly head: an unpleasant little man played by Armin Shimmerman, who has been a thorn in the side of the Chosen One/Charmed Ones (Granted it was 2½ years on Buffy and only ¾ hour on Charmed, but hey), Is present at the Ascension/Coronation of a big bad demon and gets himself killed.

[Yes, Matthew, Buffy had it almost three years ago, and so it it clear who is copying in this case, but the point is that both have bee using many of the same story arcs, or recycling one another's old ones, all season. But I will give you that Charmed seems to be more guilty of the second than Buffy.]