On July 13, 2024, Shannen Doherty died at the age of 53, following a battle with breast cancer that began with a diagnosis in 2015. With the passing of Doherty, the world has lost one of its most talented television icons, who started early with shows like the short-lived ‘80s drama series Our House before going on to star on hit series like Beverly Hills, 90210 and Charmed. Of course, her work on the big screen should not be ignored, which is why we have also included it in our following compilation of Shannen Doherty movies and TV show to watch in her honor.
Little House On The Prairie (1974-1983)
The experiences of nineteenth-century America, as seen through the eyes of a family living on a farm in the Midwest.
Why it is one of the best Shannen Doherty TV shows: One of Doherty’s earliest gigs was joining the Little House on the Prairie cast in the ninth and final season of the period drama — based on Laura Ingalls Wilder’s autobiographical novels — as Jenny Wilder, whom she would reprise in multiple feature-length, made-for-TV spin-offs the are also available with a Peacock subscription.
Stream Little House On The Prairie on Amazon Prime.
Stream Little House On The Prairie on Peacock.
Buy Little House On The Prairie on DVD on Amazon.
The Secret Of NIMH (1982)
A widowed field mouse (voiced by Elizabeth Hartman) enlists the aid of a colony of rats and others as she embarks on a dangerous journey to find a cure for her young son’s illness.
Why it is one of the best Shannen Doherty movies: Doherty made her feature film debut at 11 years old in Don Bluth’s underrated animated ’80 movie, The Secret of NIMH, by lending her voice to the role of Mrs. Brisby’s eldest child, Teresa, in the wondrous adventure film.
Stream The Secret of NIMH on Tubi.
Stream The Secret of NIMH on Pluto TV.
Rent or buy The Secret of NIMH on Amazon.
Buy title The Secret of NIMH Blu-ray on Amazon.
Girls Just Want To Have Fun (1985)
After her military family relocates to Chicago, a Catholic, all-girls high school student (played by Sarah Jessica Parker) becomes friends with a rebellious classmate (played by Helen Hunt) who inspires her to defy her strict father’s expectations and pursue her passion for dancing.
Why it is one of the best Shannen Doherty movies: Sharing its name with a hit Cyndi Lauper song, Girls Just Want to Have Fun is, indeed, a fun coming-of-age rom-com that also stars a 14-year-old Doherty as Maggie Malene, who is the younger sister of protagonist Janey’s love interest, Jeff (Lee Montgomery).
Stream Girls Just Want To Have Fun on Amazon Prime.
Stream Girls Just Want To Have Fun on Tubi.
Buy Girls Just Want To Have Fun on Blu-ray on Amazon.
Heathers (1988)
A teenage girl (played by Winona Ryder) comes to realize that her high school clique is not worth being a part of and teams up with an outsider (played by Christian Slater) to exact her revenge against them.
Why it is one of the best Shannen Doherty movies: Doherty starred in one of the best high school movies of all time, the darkly comic Heathers, as one of the title characters — specifically Heather Duke, the actor lovingly described in an oral history with EW as the clique’s weak link who goes on to become a “megabitch.”
Stream Heathers on Amazon Prime.
Stream Heathers on Tubi.
Buy Heathers on Blu-ray on Amazon.
Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990-2000)
The premise of this popular '90s drama series begins with a Minnesota family relocating to Beverly Hills, California and trying to fit in among the rich and glamorous. Over the years, the series showcases twins Brenda and Brandon as they navigate high school and young adulthood among their close-knit group of friends.
Why it is one of the best Shannen Doherty TV shows: The moment that Shannen Doherty became one of the most popular TV icons of her generation was when she led the Beverly Hills, 90210 cast in its first four seasons as the smart and outgoing Brenda Walsh, whom she would later reprise on the 2008 reboot, 90210.
Stream Beverly Hills, 90210 on Paramount+.
Stream Beverly Hills, 90210 on Pluto TV.
Buy Beverly Hills, 90210 on Amazon.
Buy Beverly Hills, 90210 on DVD on Amazon.
Mallrats (1995)
After each getting dumped by their girlfriends, an obsessed comic book fan (played by Jason Lee) and his best friend (played by Jeremy London) spend the day at their local shopping center, where they encounter a few unusual circumstances.
Why it is one of the best Shannen Doherty movies: Doherty starred in one of the best Kevin Smith movies, Mallrats, as Rene Mosier, who dumps Lee’s Brodie for Ben Affleck’s Shannon Hamilton.
Rent or buy Mallrats on Amazon.
Buy Mallrats on Blu-ray on Amazon.
Charmed (1998-2006)
The Halliwell Sisters (played by Shannen Doherty, Alyssa Milano, and Holly Marie Combs) learn that a history of witchcraft in their family tree has destined them to use their combined power to fight dark forces.
Why it is one of the best Shannen Doherty TV shows: For the first three seasons of Charmed — a hit supernatural drama from creator Constance M. Burge and Beverly Hills, 90210 producer Aaron Spelling — Doherty starred as Prue Halliwell, until on-set circumstances (per Variety) led to her exit and the character’s death.
Stream Charmed on Amazon Prime.
Stream Charmed on Peacock.
Buy Charmed on Blu-ray on Amazon.
Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back (2001)
When they discover that a film adaptation of their own comic book, “Bluntman and Chronic,” is being made without their consent, a motor-mouth stoner (played by Jason Mewes) and his mostly non-speaking buddy (played by Kevin Smith) set out to sabotage the production.
Why it is one of the best Shannen Doherty movies: Doherty would make her return to Smith’s “View Askewniverse” in Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back, only not as Rene, but as herself being directed Wes Craven (also playing himself) on the set of a fake Scream sequel.
Stream Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back on Pluto TV.
Rent or buy Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back on Amazon.
Buy Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back on Blu-ray on Amazon.
Scare Tactics (2003-2013)
Unsuspecting people get to be the stars of their own horror movies thanks to highly elaborate — and highly terrifying — pranks.
Why it is one of the best Shannen Doherty TV shows: Doherty became the first host of the hit hidden camera show Scare Tactics and remained in the position for one and a half seasons, before she was succeeded by Stephen Baldwin and later, Tracy Morgan.
Burning Palms (2010)
Among the bizarre Los Angeles-set stories featured in this film is one about a woman disturbed by her fiancé’s close relationship with his daughter, and another about a gay couple who begin to regret their decision to adopt a seven-year-old from Africa, along with other tales.
Why it is one of the best Shannen Doherty movies: Doherty stars as a therapist named Dr. Shelly in Burning Palms — a darkly comic anthology film from writer and director Christopher Landon, whose father, Michael Landon, worked with Doherty on Little House on the Prairie.
Stream Burning Palms on Freevee through Amazon.
Stream Burning Palms on Tubi.
Buy Burning Palms on Blu-ray on Amazon.
Doherty leaves behind a very eclectic and esteemed legacy on the big and small screen. She will be missed.
