Phoebe Halliwell is a fictional character from the American television series Charmed, played by Alyssa Milano from October 7, 1998, until May 21, 2006. The character was originally played by Lori Rom in the unaired pilot episode. However, Rom quit the series, and a new pilot was filmed with Milano in the role of Phoebe. The character was created by Constance M. Burge and is based on Burge herself. Phoebe is introduced into Charmed as the youngest sister to Prue (Shannen Doherty) and Piper Halliwell (Holly Marie Combs). She is one of the original featured leads and, more specifically, a Charmed Oneone of the most powerful witches of all time. Phoebe initially possesses the power of premonition, which enables her to see into the future and the past. To make up for initially only having a passive power, Phoebe develops martial arts skills in order to better assist her sisters when they fight evil beings. As the series progresses, she also gains the active powers of levitation and empathy.
Phoebe was originally portrayed as the "free-spirited", "carefree", and most rebellious sister. However, Phoebe's progression as a witch helps her become more responsible and grow as a person. She later becomes the middle sister from season four onwards, after Prue dies and the series introduces their younger half-sister Paige Matthews (Rose McGowan). Phoebe's various romantic relationships have been central to most of her storylines. Her longest on-screen relationship is with half-demon Cole Turner (Julian McMahon); they have a turbulent marriage in the fourth season, and in the fifth, following their divorce, she is compelled to vanquish him. In subsequent seasons, Phoebe has romantic relationships with her boss Jason Dean (Eric Dane), coworker Leslie St. Claire (Nick Lachey), and artist Dex Lawson (Jason Lewis). In the eighth and final season, she marries a cupid named Coop (Victor Webster).
The character was mostly well received by television critics, who praised Phoebe's comedic side and felt that Milano was a better fit for the role than Rom. They also commented on the outfits worn by Phoebe in the later seasons, with some critics describing them as "revealing and ridiculous costumes", "sexy" and "skimpy." Milano's portrayal of Phoebe earned her several awards and nominations; she was nominated for a Spacey Award, Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award, and a Teen Choice Award. In 2007 and 2008, AOL TV ranked Phoebe at number seven on their list of the Top TV Witches. In addition to the television series, the character has also appeared in numerous expanded universe material, such as the Charmed novels and its comic book adaptation.
Casting and development In 1998, The WB began searching for a drama series, and looked to Spelling Television, which had produced the network's most successful series 7th Heaven, to create it. Expanding on the popularity of supernatural-themed dramas, the production company explored forms of mythology to find mythological characters they could focus on with contemporary storytelling."Genesis" Documentary, Charmed: The Complete Final Season Region 1 DVD In order to create the series, Constance M. Burge was hired as the creator as she was under contract with 20th Century Fox and Spelling Television after conceiving the drama Savannah.
The character of Phoebe Halliwell was conceived by Burge, who wrote the pilot script for Charmed. The pilot script was based around three mismatched sisters who are initially based on Burge and her two older sisters, Laura and Edie Burge. Phoebe is based on Burge herself. On creating the Halliwell sisters, Burge stated "Phoebe was honestly the easiest. It just grew from within." Executive producer Brad Kern claimed Phoebe was written into the series as the classic younger sibling and stated that at the start of series Phoebe is "trying to find her own identity by living life large and not really having a care in the world."
When the series was in its first development stages, actress Lori Rom was cast in the role of Phoebe. Rom played the role in a 28-minute test pilot (the "unaired pilot" never aired on television) with which the series was picked up by The WB. Rom later pulled out from the series before a 45-minute version of the pilot could be filmed for proper network television, leaving the role of Phoebe vacant. Executive producer Aaron Spelling then turned to actress Alyssa Milano, who was previously cast in another television series produced by Spelling Television, Melrose Place. While Milano was in Hawaii shooting an episode for Fantasy Island, Spelling phoned Milano and asked her to consider joining the series. After receiving a copy of the original pilot and the script, five days later Milano began shooting the re-shot pilot episode.
Appearances
Television Season 1 Phoebe enters the series as the youngest Halliwell sister. She was first portrayed by Lori Rom in the unaired pilot, which the role was later given and portrayed by Alyssa Milano in all of the show's aired 178 episodes. At the start of season one (1998–99), six months have passed since the death of her Grams, Penny Halliwell (Jennifer Rhodes). A jobless Phoebe returns from New York City and moves back to San Francisco into her family's Victorian Manor with her two sisters Prue (Shannen Doherty) and Piper (Holly Marie Combs). On the night of Phoebe's return, she finds a book called the Book of Shadows within the Manor's attic. After Phoebe unknowingly recites aloud what turns out to be an incantation from the book, the three sisters each receive a magical power and discover their destiny as The Charmed Ones – the most powerful good witches the world has ever known. Phoebe obtains the power to "see the future" which contrasts with her known reckless persona. Because of her free-spirited nature, Phoebe often brings conflict into the Halliwell Manor, more often with Prue during the first season — this is especially in regards to their witchcraft. Initially drawn apart due to Prue's speculation of Phoebe being the cause of her failed engagement to Roger (Matthew Ashford), the two sisters mend their relationship over the course of the season.
Season 2 In season two (1999–2000), Phoebe is seen re-entering college and majoring in psychology. She continues to embrace her destiny as a witch and is noted by her sisters as being the best at writing new spells. In the absence of an active power, Phoebe becomes progressively adept at martial arts in order to better fight demons and warlocks. Throughout the season, Phoebe struggles to open herself up to love and attempts to find a love interest who can live up to her "ideal guy" as portrayed in her favorite in-verse movie, Kill It Before It Dies by the character Billy (Chris Payne Gilbert). In the season two finale, Phoebe and her sisters discover that the many attacks on their lives by evil beings have been orchestrated by a demonic force known as The Council.
Season 3 In the show's third season (2000–01), Phoebe receives the active power of levitation and enters a relationship with charismatic District Attorney Cole Turner (Julian McMahon), who is actually the demon mercenary Belthazor that was sent by The Triad (who have replaced The Council) to get close to and kill The Charmed Ones. Upon this discovery, Phoebe struggles between her loyalty to her sisters and her love for Cole. After a tumultuous love affair, often deterred due to Cole's frequent struggle between good and evil, Phoebe manages to graduate from college. Phoebe and her sisters eventually learn that The Triad work for an even greater evil, The Source of All Evil who is the leader of the demonic realm known as The Underworld. In the season three finale, Phoebe ventures into The Underworld to save Cole from his dark side, while her sisters face dire consequences in the world above. Prue and Piper unwittingly expose themselves as witches to the world after being caught on camera by a local news crew fighting with The Source's personal assassin Shax. This results in Piper's catastrophic death in the arms of Prue, and Phoebe unable to help them. In order to save Piper's life, Prue orders Leo Wyatt (Brian Krause) to find Phoebe and pass on a deal to The Source to turn back time. The Source agrees, knowing that he plans to double cross her in the end as Phoebe will be immune to the time reset while in The Underworld. Time is reversed to the sisters' first encounter with Shax, however Phoebe no longer answers when Prue calls for help, as she was never sent back. The season ends on a cliffhanger with Piper and Prue left for dead after losing in the fight against Shax. Meanwhile, Phoebe remains trapped in The Underworld.
Season 4 The opening episode of the fourth season (2001–02), "Charmed Again (Part 1)", reveals that Phoebe was rescued from The Underworld by Leo and Cole. However, because of this they arrived too late and were only able to heal Piper of her injuries from the season three finale. Prue's injuries from Shax were too severe and was unable to be saved. Later in the episode, while attending Prue's funeral, Phoebe meets Paige Matthews (Rose McGowan) and receives a premonition of the woman being attacked by Shax. This incident leads to Phoebe and Piper discovering that Paige is their younger half-sister. By the end of the season premiere, Paige helps to restore the Power of Three and avenge Prue's death in vanquishing her murderer Shax. During this season, Phoebe finds herself forced into the role of the middle sister as she attempts to play mediator between Piper and Paige, much like Piper was once for her and Prue. Alongside continuing her Charmed role, Phoebe receives a marriage proposal from Cole, accepting after he becomes stripped of his demon half. Phoebe eventually pens the spell to vanquish The Source, whom escapes a final vanquish by possessing the now human Cole. For the remainder of the season, Phoebe plans to marry Cole unaware that he has become the new Source of All Evil and ruler of The Underworld. After being tricked by Cole and The Seer (Debbie Morgan) into participating in a dark marriage ceremony, Phoebe lands a job as an advice columnist for the newspaper The Bay Mirror. Soon after she discovers that she is pregnant and subsequently chooses to join Cole as his queen in The Underworld.
As season four draws to a close, Phoebe is forced to choose between her husband and her sisters. She mournfully sides with her sisters to vanquish Cole. Later, her unborn child is magically stolen by The Seer who claims that the child is rightfully hers and was never Phoebe's. About to be sacrificed as human offerings during The Seer's coronation as the new Source, Phoebe and her sisters tap into "The Power of Three" and vanquish The Seer and the entire Underworld council. In the season finale, the Angel of Destiny (Dakin Matthews) visits and gives the sisters an offer to live a normal life without magical powers or the threat of demons. After some contemplation Phoebe declines alongside her sisters, but the Angel of Destiny is not done with the sisters' and makes hints about Piper's pregnancy, which only Phoebe takes the hint and announces it.
Season 5 For season five (2002–03), Phoebe attempts to live a life without Cole where she can focus on her career. This plan is stunted when a resurrected Cole returns to San Francisco eager to reconcile with Phoebe. After a series of attempts to win back Phoebe's affections, even trying to seduce her to evil once again, Cole is vanquished in the 100th episode of the series, "Centennial Charmed". Later in the season, Phoebe helps to deliver Piper and Leo's first child, Wyatt Matthew Halliwell. Soon after she begins a romantic relationship with her new boss, multi-millionaire Jason Dean (Eric Dane).
Season 6