CW chief Mark Pedowitz defended his Charmed reboot against backlash by original cast members, during his Q&A at TCA.

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.”

Asked if he was surprised by original cast member Holly Marie Combs’ unfavorable reaction, Pedowitz responded smoothly, “everyone is entitled to their opinion. I have great respect for them as actors. But give the show a shot. It’s different.”



Back in January, Combs took to Twitter to blast the reboot, writing, “Here’s the thing…Until you ask us to rewrite it like [exec producer] Brad Kern did weekly don’t even think of capitalizing on our hard work.” The franchise “belongs to the four of us” she insisted, referencing fellow former stars Alyssa Milano, Shannen Doherty and Rose McGowan, as well as “our vast amount of writers, crews and predominantly the fans.”

Combs weighed in again in May, tweeting, “I will never understand what is fierce, funny, or feminist in creating a show that basically says the original actresses are too old to do a job they did 12 years ago.”

CW’s new version is set in a college town and follows the sisters who, after the tragic death of their mother, are stunned to discover they are witches. Soon this powerful threesome must stand together to fight the everyday and supernatural battles that all modern witches must face: from vanquishing powerful demons to toppling the patriarchy.