TV Rewind: Rose McGowan Conquered Impossible Odds on Charmed

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Major cast shake-ups are always a struggle, leaving both fans and writers reeling, attempting to adjust to this new normal. One of the most infamous swaps in television history is the untimely firing of the late Shannen Doherty from The WB’s Charmed, leaving the series one Halliwell sister short. Doherty’s exit promised almost certain collapse for Charmed, as the trio the series was built upon no longer existed. However, against all odds, Rose McGowan stepped in as Paige, the secret love child that the sisters knew nothing about, and brought a new energy to the show, through Paige’s dynamics with Piper (Holly Marie Combs) and Phoebe (Alyssa Milano), that kept it on the air for another five seasons.

Perhaps what helped to make this cast change so successful was the decision, both in the writing and in McGowan’s performance, to make Paige completely different from the others, especially Prue (Doherty). To explain why the sisters knew nothing about Paige, it was revealed that their mother Patty (Finola Hughes) gave Paige up for adoption just after she was born (and the other girls were too young to recognize she was pregnant). Due to Patty’s forbidden romance with her Whitelighter, they were fearful for Paige’s safety, so it was best to give her up to a normal couple and hope she would be happy.

And that’s exactly what happened. Paige had two loving parents who died in a car accident when she was a teenager, living a life of normalcy until Phoebe and Piper came knocking to reconstitute the Charmed Ones. Despite not knowing that another sister would be needed down the line, it seemed almost destined to happen from early on; the set-up for this secret sibling was lined up in early Season 2 when the sisters learned of their mother’s affair that played a part in her untimely death. So, while it was tough to watch, the story of Paige’s birth was incredibly interesting and well-written, feeling like it was always in the cards.

Most importantly, living as an only child for 20-something years made Paige fundamentally different from the others (which ultimately created quite a bit of conflict throughout her time). Creative, independent, and recklessly fun, Paige is who Phoebe desperately wanted to be before becoming a witch, but couldn’t ever become because of her history and her sisters. This severe degree of separation allowed Paige to create a space in the viewers’ hearts removed from their love of Prue, and created a new trio filled with unique attributes that completely differentiated it from what came before.

Love her or hate her, Prue was the central character of the show before her death, leaving McGowan enormous shoes to fill. Prue was the eldest, the leader, and the most powerful of the sisters. Additionally, so much of the show’s marketing, especially in the beginning, revolved around Doherty and her return to television after being fired from hit series Beverly Hills, 90210. To this day, it’s unbelievable that the series survived, much less that it lasted even longer without her, and McGowan deserves major credit for that miracle.

What McGowan managed to do on Charmed is nothing short of impressive, for a variety of reasons. Though she was a well-known movie star before her time on the WB drama, her résumé did not include much television—according to IMDB, she had only appeared in two episodes. Stepping into a series like this, one which relied heavily on the three stars and didn’t have a large ensemble cast to help carry the burden, was an incredible challenge, as McGowan detailed in her book, Brave. The long hours took a toll on her mental and physical health, but she still managed to help create a character that fans quickly grew to love and deliver outstanding, emotional performances on the regular.

Additionally, much has been said by the four leading ladies over the years about the hostile work environment behind the scenes on Charmed, which was confirmed to play a part in Doherty’s firing (as she discusses in an episode of her podcast, Let’s Be Clear). To step into an environment where hostility and tension had already been building for years prior yet still managing to do her job so fantastically is quite remarkable.

In particular, McGowan’s so-called feud with Milano continues to make headlines whenever new comments surface, brought on by issues festering since their time on the show, which was somewhat of a surprise because of the beautiful relationship that Paige and Phoebe have. (Though, as any diehard fan knows, that relationship definitely becomes conspicuously absent toward the end of the series’ run, as Phoebe and Paige are often paired up with Piper and/or Billie [Kaley Cuoco] and not each other.)

Nonetheless, despite everything working against her, McGowan managed to deliver. She brought life to this beautifully quirky and independent character, often being the highlight of any given episode during her tenure. Paige became so much more than Prue’s replacement; she was truly the piece of the puzzle that was always missing. 

Jay Snow is a freelance writer. He has published many places on the internet. For more of his thoughts on television and to see his other work (or to simply watch him gush again and again over his love for the original Charmed) follow him @snowyjay.

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