The magic of nostalgia is a powerful thing. We’re awash in a trend of TV reboots and revivals, and the latest property on the table is the late-90s/early-aughts fashion spectacular,Charmed. The CW is developing a new version of theAaron Spellingdrama, which ran for eight seasons on The WB and featured some of the most tragic early 21st Century outfits you’ve ever seen (see below).
The reboot hails from the team behind one of The CW’s big critical hits,Jane the Virginincluding creator/executive producerJennie Snyder Urman, executive producerBen Silverman, writers/co-executive producersJessica O’TooleandAmy Rardin, directorBrad Silberlingand CBS TV Studios. CBS TV, which owns the rights to Spelling’s library, has been working on the reboot for years, including aprevious incarnationplanned withParty of Fiveco-creatorChris Keyser.
The new incarnation ofCharmedwill reportedly veer away from recent revival trends and take place in 1976, following a trio of witches brought together in a small New England town to fight evil. It’s a very bare-bones concept, but it’s at face-value it’s a bit of a head-scratcher since so much of the original' was built on the spirit of sisterhood and family ties. The original series ran from 1998-2006 and starredShannen Doherty, Holly Marie Combs, Alyssa MilanoandRose McGowanas the Halliwell sisters, a powerful family of good witches discovering their destiny in San Francisco.
While the project is still in early development, so casting is a ways off, the original cast in not expected to be involved (you know, the whole 1970s thing), but it’sCharmed, so anything could happen.TVLinehas the unofficial character descriptions for the new trio of witches.
Tina:African American. Whip-smart, Tina is one dissertation (and one dissertation advisor) away from a PhD. She can be reserved, even standoffish, in uncomfortable situations, but she picks up on
everything and she’s definitely making quick, accurate judgments about you.
Paige:Caucasian Cheerful, curvy, wholesome and as all-American as the apple pie she can’t wait to serve to the husband she has yet to marry. Paige’s main goal in life is to marry a rich doctor and be a wife and mother.
Annie:Caucasian. Intense, smart, and quick to anger. She dresses neutrally, though she could give two s–ts if you like her outfit, so stop wondering what “neutral” means. But under that tough façade, well… there is a fragility. A person desperate to be loved, and love.
No word on a projected timeline for the project, but The CW’s TCA press day is just around the corner so there are bound to be some updates coming soon.
