Remembering Shannen Doherty: 5 of her best moments as Prue Halliwell on Charmed
On July 13, 2024, we lost a very special soul. And that's actress Shannen Doherty. At the age of 53 and after battling cancer for almost 10 years, the star passed away, per PEOPLE. She's known for Beverly Hills 90210, the movie Heathers, and so much more. She's truly an icon. For me as a fan of Doherty, I remember her the best on Charmed.
On the fantasy series, she played Prue Halliwell, the oldest of three sisters. She was the most powerful witch compared to Piper and Phoebe with her powers including telekinesis and astral projection. The Charmed Ones were a part of my childhood (even though this is not a kids show!), and Prue was definitely my favorite character. As the oldest of two sisters as well, I could relate to her many times.
Prue was strong, loved fiercely, and had so many other great attributes. And it's thanks to Doherty's portrayal of the character that we have such fond memories that stand out. There's so many standout moments, but here are 5 of Doherty's best moments as Prue on Charmed.
Which Prue is it Anyway?
Season 1 episode 16, "Which Prue is it Anyway?"
Playing another version of yourself or a twin character on a television show and movie is definitely not easy for an actor. There's a lot of work that goes into it, especially mentally when getting into character. But Doherty was able to do that so seamlessly in this episode. And this was the first season! But the actress was already a pro at this point so I'm not surprised she did it so flawlessly.
Phoebe has a premonition that Prue was stabbed to death, so Prue says a spell that ends up making not one, but two others of herself. That's right! In this episode Doherty certainly had a lot to do as she played three versions of her character. She's amazing. That's a lot to do in one, 40-ish minute episode.
Prue turns into a man
Season 2 episode 5, "She's a Man, Baby, a Man!"
When the latest demon the sisters face is a succubus, Prue turns into a man so that the trio can track her down and stop her. Though Prue didn't know that's what was going to happen when they cast the spell. Embarrased at first, she lements how "I look ridiculous. I'm wearing clothes from the ex-boyfriends pile, I have hair in strange places, and I have a [redacted]. I think you know what that last word is. Let's say a certain part of a man's anatomy.
This definitely made for some funny moments in the episode, and it was all because of Doherty's delivery. And the fact that she was up to doing that. She had the wig, facial hair, and voice all down to a T as well. And it's definitely one of the best scenes that manage to make me laugh.
Everything about Ms. Hellfire
Season 2 episode 9, "Ms. Hellfire"
One of my favorite episodes from the series, not just when it comes to Prue, is definitely "Ms. Hellfire." I think the story was so interesting in that the sisters accidentally killed a human hit woman thinking she's a demon. Prue decides to go undercover and pretend she's Ms. Hellfire to find out who hired her to kill the Halliwell sisters. Through it all one of the best demons from the show, Barbas, was behind the supernatural aspect of the story.
I just love how badass Prue is in this episode, a little more than she usually already is. It's also sexy, there's a romance aspect, and of course saving her sister Phoebe at the end. This episode and the persona she takes on allowed Doherty to showcase her talent and show the multiple facets of Prue. Truly a gem!
Prue becomes an empath
Season 3 episode 6, "Primrose Empath"
When Prue is tricked into becoming an empath, she doesn't know the consequences of not being able to control it. She becomes overwhelmed by everyone's emotions and it's enough to destroy her if she can't control it. There's a very emotional and moving scene where she's breaking down and Doherty's acting is just so on point here. It's amazing.
Then, Prue is the badass that we know she is and does a sequence of fighting/kickboxing. I don't know what you want to call it. But it's so cool as she fights the demon. This is one of the reasons why Prue was my favorite sister. She could do it all. Check out the scene uploaded to YouTube here.
The final episode
Season 3 episode 22, "All Hell Breaks Loose"
Even though this episode is so sad because Prue unfortunately dies, due to Doherty exiting the show, it's literally one of the best Charmed episodes made. The story was written so well and there were so many elements to it that just made it a success. One of those is of course Doherty herself, especially when Piper was shot and she was breaking down trying to get her to the hospital. Prue snaps and starts using her magic on the people outside when they won't let them through.
This is a very emotional episode and one that was hard for us fans. It's crazy how things played out behind-the-scenes, but there's one thing that's for sure. And it's that Doherty and Prue Halliwell were the heart of the show. Yes, the series was able to go on successfully after the third season. And as a fan, I'm so happy for that. But there's no doubt that there's something so special and magical about the first three seasons, and Doherty was a huge part of that.