YMMV / Charmed S2E14 Pardon My Past

• Fan Fic Fuel:
  • How the sisters' past lives had such radically different powers from the Charmed line - P. Bowen for example is An Ice Person - and whether they could manifest in the present.
  • Going from cousins to sisters between lifetimes is presented as an upgrade, raising the question of where Paige fits into that dynamic, although that's a retroactive question since Paige was never supposed to exist before the cast changes.
  • Witches being around during The Roaring '20s is an interesting enough premise for a fan fic on its own. Indeed, a fan made spin-off trailer that went viral in 2022 was focusing on these cousins.
• Fanon:
  • Fans explain how P. Baxter could have had a romance with Leo's past life by saying that he died soon after the events or was already dead and P. Baxter didn't know it - as Leo himself was born not too long after. This is just about plausible since P. Russell's death happens in February 1924.
  • P Bowen's first name is imagined to be either Phoebe (as Patty says she named Phoebe after an aunt) or Pearl (Phoebe references "Aunt Pearl's couch" in another episode). P Baxter's is often thought to be Priscilla, while P Russell's is sometimes Patience.
• Fridge Brilliance: Neither Prue nor Phoebe has the same power as their past lives. Leo in fact says that if they abuse their powers they're punished by regressing. Phoebe was obviously punished for being evil. But then you realise that Prue's past life cast the spell that cursed Phoebe's soul - and that nearly results in present Phoebe dying. So what may have been seen as a necessary evil back in the 20s was really not much better than P. Russell's actions.
• Harsher in Hindsight: Phoebe discovers her past life fell in love with a warlock and underwent a Face–Heel Turn to turn on her family. Sadly prophetic of what happens with Cole in the next two seasons. The similarity is lampshaded when Phoebe gains fire powers thanks to her demon baby - and she's reminded of P. Russell's past power.
• Heartwarming in Hindsight: If you look at the family tree, it's P. Baxter (Piper's past life) who carried on the Charmed line - and the Halliwells are descended directly from her. This adds more meaning to Season 3 where Patty tells Piper "you're the heart of this family".
• Hilarious in Hindsight: Phoebe's line to Leo "you're mortal now, you'll get wrinkles" is amusing to fans who note that despite Leo being immortal (he gains his powers back a few episodes later) Brian Krause would very visibly age over the course of the series.
• Narm: Some of Alyssa Milano's acting as P. Russell is very forced.
• Retroactive Recognition: Daveigh Chase - best known as Samara from The Ring, Chihiro in the English dub of Spirited Away and Rhonda in Big Love - plays Christina Larson as a child.
• Special Effects Failure: When P. Russell uses her fire power on P. Bowen for the first time, the flame disappears briefly before the latter retaliates.