As season five of
Charmed begins, Piper's sister Phoebe (
Alyssa Milano) has at last landed a steady job as a newspaper advice columnist (with Rebecca Balding joining the cast in the recurring role of Phoebe's boss, Elise), and has started divorce proceeding against her husband, Cole (
Julian McMahon), whom she suspects is still a malevolent demon despite his protestations of turning over a new leaf. And the girls' telekinetic half sister Paige (
Rose McGowan) is being kept busy with her new responsibilities as a social worker. Meanwhile, Phoebe and Cole's baby, whom some believe is slated to be ruler of the Underworld, has been kidnapped by The Seer, a female demon who in the previous season had briefly taken Cole's human form and trapped Phoebe into marriage. Informed by a fellow demon that the baby is destined to become the new Source (a powerful demonic entity who caused all sorts of trouble for the Halliwells in earlier episodes), the conscience-stricken Cole begs "Charmed Ones" Piper, Phoebe, and Paige to help him exorcise all the evil within him -- and, remarkably, they succeed in this endeavor as season five reaches its halfway point. Later on, Piper gives birth to baby son Wyatt, who even in infancy possesses the power to create a force field that will deflect all demonic activity (no wonder Piper was impervious to injury during her pregnancy!). Meanwhile, Paige finds her job too confining, and becomes a freelance do-gooder, determined to use her witches' powers for the benefit rather than the detriment of humankind. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide