Can a show about three witches that just happen to be sisters be a hit? The premise was a little tough to swallow, but then many of us grew up with Samantha on Bewitched, so maybe it was time to see witches weekly on our TV screens again, with the introduction of Charmed.
In the late 90s, we saw many similar shows hit TV that dealt with the supernatural, like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Legacies, Angel, Roswell, and Supernatural. Many of the shows, including Charmed, have become favourites and can be enjoyed by existing fans and draw in new fans.
Many of the accolades for the success of the show Charmed belong to the actors and actresses as well as the team behind the scenes.
Drawing from Popular TV:
Some of the popularity of Charmed goes to the actresses that already had a fan base because of their previous work.
Shannon Doherty was probably the largest star at the time having spent time on the wildly-popular 90210 and the movie, The Heathers. Alyssa Milano was a young star in Who’s the Boss. Holly Marie Combs had previously been on the show, Picket Fences, and was probably the least known of the three actresses. She is, however, the only actress to be in each episode, including the pilot.
After the third season, Shannon Doherty left the show, but the writing team was able to transition Rose McGowan into the cast while bringing new, fresh storylines into the fourth season.
The behind-the-scenes crew was equally as talented with exemplary backgrounds. The show was created by Ally McBeal alum Constance Burge and was produced by Aaron Spelling, the guru that had hit over hit for much of his career. The showrunner was Brad Kern.
Eight Years of Going Strong:
Charmed began its run on The WB for eight seasons. The show revolved around the three Halliwell sisters, who had superpowers and gained great popularity. Throughout the supernatural community, fans called the three sister witches the “charmed ones.”
Many also wished they had the powers possessed by the Halliwell sisters, who use them to ward off demons, warlocks, and other evil sources. Charmed paved the way for many other shows and movies that feature supernatural powers that use their powers in positive ways. Setting positive examples for the legion of fans that watched the show religiously every week.
Charmed, was a big hit throughout their run and continues to gain new fans via reruns. Sales of recordings are also available through retail outlets.
