Rumors of a Charmed revival first surfaced in 2013 and immediately led to criticism and debate, as reheated versions of beloved programs so often do. That’s probably why confirmation of the “feminist” reboot wasn’t realized until last year, when the CW promised to bring the show back as a “prequel, reimagining” featuring multiracial witches dedicated to “vanquishing supernatural demons, tearing down the patriarchy,” with Jennie Snyder Urman, executive producer of the wonderful Jane the Virgin, behind the reigns. Still, people were pissed—including actor Holly Marie Combs, who played Piper Halliwell in the previous version of the show. She criticized the remake for “taking shots” at the original Charmed.
That is all to say: CW chief Mark Pedowitz addressed the reboot controversy during a Q&A at the Television Critics Awards in Los Angeles this past weekend (via Deadline):
Asked why he decided Charmed was better as a reboot than a revival, he responded, “We wanted to take a different path with it” saying the show is set in a “more current time” and wanted Jennie Snyder Urman’s perspective, which he called “such a great perspective.”
“We wanted a different Charmed,” he said, calling the original “a great show for that time and place” but adding he hopes “people will come and watch [the reboot] and give a chance.”
When asked about Holly Marie Combs feelings on the reboot, specifically, he answered:
“Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I have great respect for them as actors. But give the show a shot. It’s different.”
Spoken like a true politician.
According to at least one journalist present at TCA, the show employed a Latinx woman to make this version work: