Old vs. New: The ‘Charmed’ original cast isn’t happy with the newbies
Charmed was a massive hit for WB in the 2000s, but ratings for the show were often overshadowed by cast drama. Alyssa Milano, Holly Marie Combs, and Rose McGowan were constantly fighting behind-the-scenes, and they seem to have carried this critical attitude over to the cast of the Charmed reboot.
Combs & McGowan dissed the reboot during a recent Q&A session on Instagram. One fan asked why the original Charmed had been taken off Netflix, and Combs stated that the platform wants to push the reboot without competition. “When you search for [it on Netflix], they want you to find the new Charmed and not the old people,” Combs stated.
McGowan chimed in, claiming that the Charmed reboot “sucked” in comparison to the original. “I haven’t seen it, I can’t say that. I’ve never seen it,” McGowan explained. “I’m happy that people have jobs. But it can still suck.” The actress can then be seen laughing throughout the rest of the video.
Generational feud
This is not the first time Combs & McGowan have criticized the Charmed reboot. When the show was announced in 2018, Combs made her displeasure crystal clear. “Charmed belongs to the four [main actresses], our vast amount of writers, crews & predominantly the fans,” she wrote on Twitter. “FYI you will not fool them by owning a title/stamp. So bye.”
Alyssa Milano has also voiced frustration with the reboot. She claimed the network “disrespected” the original cast during a chat with Us Weekly. “I think that ship has sailed,” she stated. “I think that they ruined the possibility of that by the way in which the reboot came down. Like, the fact that we weren’t included from the very beginning. It just felt really disrespectful, you know?”
Social media standoff
The critical words from the Charmed trio haven’t sat well with the cast of the reboot. Actress Sarah Jeffery recently hopped on Twitter to blast the actresses for their public pettiness. “I saw this earlier and refrained from saying anything,” she wrote. “I thought, better to just let them shout into the abyss. But I do want to say, I find it sad and frankly pathetic to see grown women behaving this way.”
Jeffery, who plays Maggie Vera on the current show, also took offense to criticisms of her acting as a woman of color. “I truly hope they find happiness elsewhere, and not in the form of putting down [women of color],” she added. “I’d be embarrassed to behave this way. Peace and love to y’all.” The actress then shared a GIF from The Wizard of Oz, in which Glinda asks Dorothy, “Are you a good witch or a bad witch?”
The exchange looked as though it was finished, with both sides staking their claim and leveling insults at one another. But McGowan decided to keep the ball rolling on social media. She responded to Jeffery’s tweets with an Instagram post that both clarified her remarks towards the actress and threw more digs at the show.
Damaging the legacy
McGowan maintained that she had no beef with Jeffery or women of color in general. “[My comments had] absolutely nothing to do with race, that’s quite a stretch you took,” she wrote. “I’m beyond glad any WOC has a well paying job. Hell yes to that. I’m sure you are a great actress.” She then turned her focus towards the Charmed reboot and why she feels offended by its production.
“My quibble (google it) is about the execs & producers & @wb network trading on years of my work & name in such a cynical & obvious way,” McGowan added. “[It’s] a money grab to cash in on the Charmed name. I do not care that they remade it, I have bigger things I’m dealing with. I do not nor will I watch a show I disagree with on principle. I care that Hollywood won’t stop making remakes that don’t need to be remade.”
Jeffery has not responded to McGowan’s Instagram post. Charmed was renewed for a third season by The CW, but the coronavirus pandemic has delayed the release of the season from 2020 to January 2021.
Donice
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CHARMED was Great i Still watch the Reruns i don’t Blame the Castro a point Miss Milano is Correct you could have had the original cast pass the torch some Cameos! The cast is not Racist So many episodes with Messages and Strong women nut showing weakness also. #AlyssaMilano
October 16, 2020Caz Cullum
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Loved the original. Have seen some of the reboot. It’s okay but it doesn’t attract me the way the original did, the acting is fine, it just doesn’t have the IT factor.
October 20, 2020I do think they should have asked the original actresses back for a cameo at the beginning. 6/10 for the reboot.
Chriss
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No offence to the new cast – the original cast is who really made the show.
I’d be upset also if I was in the original and wasn’t asked to be on the new show
This was years of their lives and I would be totally surprised if the rantings didn’t shoot through the roof if the original cast was in it
October 21, 2020Joydan69
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I’m going to be very honest, I don’t have a problem with the Reboot Charmed Girls, as they are good Actresses.
October 21, 2020What I have a beef over is the fact that the Special Effects for Whitelighters teleporting is so dark. I also think that the Storyline is either poorly written or poorly directed like most remakes.
Craig
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I too have no beef between the Original and the Reboot. #Charmed Reboot “I love it”
The Original was Amazing and Great, I miss #Charmed (original).
To #Charmed(original): Halliwell sisters, Grams, Penny, Leo; you were Awesome, you were my inspiration growing up..
To #Charmed Reboot: well done, the reboot is GREAT!!! And AWESOME
#Macy Vaughn, Melanie Vera, Margarita Emilia Vera; I love you guys. I can not wait for the next season!!!
October 21, 2020Chriss
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Same!
October 21, 2020The new reboot Charmed doesn’t attract me.
Margaret Devlin
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I actually dont think a new charmed will ever be the same as the first one should just leave it at that previous actresses did a great job there so not interested in a new one with different actresses
October 21, 2020Rhonda
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Well i for one will not be watching the reboot i totally loved the original charmed and that came with the original 4 characters (prue, piper, pheobe, paige ) why try and make things better when it was already the best tv show around i would what h the reboot if it had the original team playing their original parts
October 22, 2020Kimjebal
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For all the honest been spoken I don’t think a reboot will ever overcome the original. When I first heard of a reboot for Charmed I expect nothing out of it I wanted to give it a chance I do. But when I played the 1st episode they were not even sisters correct me if I am wrong. So after exactly five minutes of the 1st episode I shifted to the original one
October 22, 2020Kimjebal
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Honestly from time to time I used to do a Charmed marathon and it never get old just like friends
October 22, 2020Heather MARTIN
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I loved the original cant get into the reboot ,think it should have continued with original cast and see there children grow up and continue story line
October 22, 2020Patricia Lynn
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I Would Liked Holly Maire Coombs Alyssa Milano & Rose McGowan Back On Our Screes
October 22, 2020Ms. E
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In Love the original show. If it isn’t broke don’t try to fix it.
October 23, 2020Christian Weston Chandler
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Both shows suck. Only way watched it for the scantily clad ladies.
October 23, 2020danny
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the reboot is crap. plain and simple. i would love to see a crossover with the original charmed girls and the winchester brothers.
October 31, 2020Stephanie
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Love, love, love the original (real) Charmed. The reboot is trash!
February 7, 2021Lizzy
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I am going to say it everyone will probably bite my head off . I absolutely loved the original from start to finish. The new knock off is ok but l wouldn’t have called it charmed as for starters the cast are totally different nothing like the original the girls in anyway shape or form besides the obvious. They are supposedly sisters ?and a part demonic sister to boot ? It is insulting to change a show so dramatically and then have the audacity to use the name to cash in on the original they could of used another title since the show has no comparison ( There is no true bond or warmth , it doesn’t have family feel like the original and what l mean by that l used to snuggle up with my 3 daughters and watch it every week . Desperate to cash in on a title . And the producers have no respect or trust that your cast could get the ratings under another title. Shame on you 🤨😖
May 7, 2021