Post by ~*~Kit_The_Kat~*~ on Oct 2, 2004 10:13:31 GMT -5
Kern Keeps 'Charmed's' Magic Grounded ~ article Zap2it
Kern Keeps 'Charmed's' Magic Grounded
By Kate O'Hare
Brad Kern, executive producer of The WB's "Charmed," which launched its seventh season on Sunday, Sept. 12, began his practical tutelage in TV writing while working on "Hill Street Blues." There, he learned from such writers as Steven Bochco and David Milch, who later partnered on ABC's long-running "NYPD Blue."
Although this early start in hard-hitting cop drama may not seem applicable to "Charmed" -- the story of the Halliwells, three sisters who are evil-fighting good witches -- Kern says the basics are the basics, no matter the genre.
"Everything I've done informs 'Charmed' on some level," he says. "I personally try to make the show the most structured and textured I possibly can, and in no small part that's because of my training, and guys like David Milch, who were some of my early teachers.
"It's all about character at the beginning and end of the day. I've been asked the question, 'Why is "Charmed" still on the air after seven years, while other genre series have gone away?' I don't have the silver bullet, I don't know the answer, but my instinct is, we're a show about sisters first and witches second. Television's about character first and genre second.
"If we were a genre-driven show, I don't think we'd still be on the air."
Kern also points to what he believes is the solid core of his show.
"'Charmed' definitely has a moral center, for better or worse," he says, "and it has a sense of good overcoming evil and the struggles therein. Our show is really about women, sisters, their struggles and family. I just have to believe that's one of the reasons we're still on the air."
Of course, with any show going into its seventh season (and nobody ruling out an eighth), you've got to shake up the status quo. In this, Kern took the counsel of WB executives and got a pleasant surprise.
Nick Lachey, who stars in the MTV reality series "Newlyweds" with wife Jessica Simpson, joins the cast for a six-episode arc, playing a columnist hired to take over middle-sister witch Phoebe's (Alyssa Milano) advice column while she is on leave. He's also set to be her latest love interest.
"In the seventh season," Kern says, "we're trying to look for somebody who can help promote the show, bring some eyeballs to the screen. Once we get those eyeballs on the screen, we hope we can make them glad they're there and remind them it's just as fresh and interesting as it always was.
"The surprise to me was that, not knowing whether Nick was going to be able to act or not, that he and Alyssa would end up having chemistry together. Nick has such a natural quality about him that he's not trying to act, if you will, which is when a lot of people have trouble.
"He has a center; he has an authenticity; he has a charm; and he's natural. Every day he improves, so I'm very happy with him, and I'm thrilled with he and Alyssa's relationship. What was, from my point of view, mostly promotable, turns out to be a blessing in disguise."
More of a known quantity is former "Dawson's Creek" regular Kerr Smith, who takes on a recurring role as a member of the Dark Operatives Unit, a government group that investigates supernatural events. He's bound to cause trouble for the sisters' long-suffering cop pal, Darryl Morris (Dorian Gregory).
"Darryl's caught between a rock and a hard place," Kern says. "He's going to continue to get squeezed, and in episode four, he gets even more squeezed because we bring in a federal agent who's been watching from afar, who has some severe suspicions about the girls. He's going to use Darryl to prove his point.
"That's what I love about Darryl. He's been around since day one. It's like 'The Godfather,' every time he tries to get out, he gets pulled back in."
One of the biggest changes for season seven is one viewers may not notice, but it makes a huge difference behind the scenes. After several years shooting at a small studio in the San Fernando Valley, "Charmed" has now set up shop on the venerable Paramount Studios lot in Hollywood, also home to "Angel," "Star Trek: Enterprise," "Nip/Tuck" and NBC's new "Medical Investigation."
"I said, 'If we want an eighth season, we want to make the actors, first, and the crew, second, feel like it's a reward to make it this long,'" Kern says. "The Powers That Be were able to make the numbers work, and here we are on the lot. I'm very excited. We've got New York Street; we've got so many things. We're going to shoot most of the show on the lot this year, because there's so much to shoot."
While "Nip/Tuck" was still in production, one of its stars, Julian McMahon, who plays Miami plastic surgeon Dr. Christian Troy, dropped by to see his former co-workers on "Charmed," where he played Cole, a roguish half-demon who romanced and wed Phoebe.
"He came by to say hello to everybody on the set," Kern says. "Were trying to get Rose ['Charmed' star Rose McGowan] on a 'Nip/Tuck' episode. Julian's just the best."
Kern Keeps 'Charmed's' Magic Grounded
By Kate O'Hare
Brad Kern, executive producer of The WB's "Charmed," which launched its seventh season on Sunday, Sept. 12, began his practical tutelage in TV writing while working on "Hill Street Blues." There, he learned from such writers as Steven Bochco and David Milch, who later partnered on ABC's long-running "NYPD Blue."
Although this early start in hard-hitting cop drama may not seem applicable to "Charmed" -- the story of the Halliwells, three sisters who are evil-fighting good witches -- Kern says the basics are the basics, no matter the genre.
"Everything I've done informs 'Charmed' on some level," he says. "I personally try to make the show the most structured and textured I possibly can, and in no small part that's because of my training, and guys like David Milch, who were some of my early teachers.
"It's all about character at the beginning and end of the day. I've been asked the question, 'Why is "Charmed" still on the air after seven years, while other genre series have gone away?' I don't have the silver bullet, I don't know the answer, but my instinct is, we're a show about sisters first and witches second. Television's about character first and genre second.
"If we were a genre-driven show, I don't think we'd still be on the air."
Kern also points to what he believes is the solid core of his show.
"'Charmed' definitely has a moral center, for better or worse," he says, "and it has a sense of good overcoming evil and the struggles therein. Our show is really about women, sisters, their struggles and family. I just have to believe that's one of the reasons we're still on the air."
Of course, with any show going into its seventh season (and nobody ruling out an eighth), you've got to shake up the status quo. In this, Kern took the counsel of WB executives and got a pleasant surprise.
Nick Lachey, who stars in the MTV reality series "Newlyweds" with wife Jessica Simpson, joins the cast for a six-episode arc, playing a columnist hired to take over middle-sister witch Phoebe's (Alyssa Milano) advice column while she is on leave. He's also set to be her latest love interest.
"In the seventh season," Kern says, "we're trying to look for somebody who can help promote the show, bring some eyeballs to the screen. Once we get those eyeballs on the screen, we hope we can make them glad they're there and remind them it's just as fresh and interesting as it always was.
"The surprise to me was that, not knowing whether Nick was going to be able to act or not, that he and Alyssa would end up having chemistry together. Nick has such a natural quality about him that he's not trying to act, if you will, which is when a lot of people have trouble.
"He has a center; he has an authenticity; he has a charm; and he's natural. Every day he improves, so I'm very happy with him, and I'm thrilled with he and Alyssa's relationship. What was, from my point of view, mostly promotable, turns out to be a blessing in disguise."
More of a known quantity is former "Dawson's Creek" regular Kerr Smith, who takes on a recurring role as a member of the Dark Operatives Unit, a government group that investigates supernatural events. He's bound to cause trouble for the sisters' long-suffering cop pal, Darryl Morris (Dorian Gregory).
"Darryl's caught between a rock and a hard place," Kern says. "He's going to continue to get squeezed, and in episode four, he gets even more squeezed because we bring in a federal agent who's been watching from afar, who has some severe suspicions about the girls. He's going to use Darryl to prove his point.
"That's what I love about Darryl. He's been around since day one. It's like 'The Godfather,' every time he tries to get out, he gets pulled back in."
One of the biggest changes for season seven is one viewers may not notice, but it makes a huge difference behind the scenes. After several years shooting at a small studio in the San Fernando Valley, "Charmed" has now set up shop on the venerable Paramount Studios lot in Hollywood, also home to "Angel," "Star Trek: Enterprise," "Nip/Tuck" and NBC's new "Medical Investigation."
"I said, 'If we want an eighth season, we want to make the actors, first, and the crew, second, feel like it's a reward to make it this long,'" Kern says. "The Powers That Be were able to make the numbers work, and here we are on the lot. I'm very excited. We've got New York Street; we've got so many things. We're going to shoot most of the show on the lot this year, because there's so much to shoot."
While "Nip/Tuck" was still in production, one of its stars, Julian McMahon, who plays Miami plastic surgeon Dr. Christian Troy, dropped by to see his former co-workers on "Charmed," where he played Cole, a roguish half-demon who romanced and wed Phoebe.
"He came by to say hello to everybody on the set," Kern says. "Were trying to get Rose ['Charmed' star Rose McGowan] on a 'Nip/Tuck' episode. Julian's just the best."
. also, love that they are on the same lot at nip/tuck.... who knows, maybe julian will be able to pop in on an eppy one day!!! (hopeful me) and rose on nip/tuck? HECK YEA! maybe as one of his gf's......that would be a hoot to see! 
