CBS would like to capitalize on the current popularity of supernatural and fantastical dramas. Instead of coming up with a brand new concept, CBS is considering rebooting Aaron Spelling’s popular magic-oriented drama from the late nineties and early 21st century, Charmed. The network has ordered a script for the project.
We don’t know a ton about what the Charmed reboot would entail, mostly because the idea is still really in its infancy. We do know that Party of Five co-creator Chris Keyser and his writing partner Sydney Sidner are signed on to co-write the script for the project. Additionally, Vulture is reporting that if the project moves forward, it will be a “reimagining” of the original series, which stopped airing back in 2006.
The original drama followed three sisters known as “the charmed ones.” Each week the sisters encountered supernatural problems and characters, all while attempting to maintain their identities as regular women in San Francisco. As the series ran for quite a while, a long-lost fourth sister was also introduced. The show was a big ratings bringer when it initially aired on the WB and in recent years, it has also done well via the streaming service, Netflix. Additionally, reruns of the series have been running on cable for years and years.
Since the series only ended a few years ago, there are numerous ways the series could be rebooted. It could be a totally new story following three sisters/witches. Or it could be a companion series to Charmed featuring guest appearances from the original cast members. The word “re-imagining” tells me that this won’t be an Arrested Development-type of reboot, but there are plenty of ways to re-invision an idea without changing the reasons the show was popular in the first place. If the Charmed project moves forward at the network, we’ll just have to wait and see whether its storyline and message will translate well into this decade.
Plenty of ideas don’t make it past the early stages, but the good news is that CBS TV Studios (which is producing alongside Tannenbaum Company) already has access to Spelling’s body of work and the timing seems right for a reboot of this sort. It’s pretty early in the season for a network as conservative as CBS to make some calls about next season, but keep your eyes peeled for news of a pilot moving forward and maybe even a series order farther down the road.
Until then, here are some amusing moments from the WB series.
