Kaley Cuoco: Before and After

[forbuss]

I thought I would create this post based on conversations around everyones favourite Charmed character...

People always ask me if I've watched The Big Bang Theory. Sure, I have saw the odd clip or episode but I have never intentionally watched the show, despite loving some other tv shows and movies the cast has been in (Blossom, The Boys in the Band). BBT was a wildly popular show and still is talked about today. I want to say that the purpose of this post is not to hate on Kaley in the BBT because I honestly have not saw the show enough to comment on her performance. But I will say that people do seem to like her in the show.

I didn't hate the character of Billie. I actually think she had potential as a character, but she was totally ruined by Christy and the awful plot that surrounded both of them. I think she would have been better as just a witch the sisters had taken under their wing (Paige being her whitelighter) who they taught and prepared for the next generation - but still keeping the season eight storyline focused on the sisters *without* the Ultimate Power concept being introduced.

So, when people ask me if I have saw the BBT, I say no. I can't watch it, because Kaley Cuoco ruined the last season of Charmed. I don't think she did personally but for some reason she is who I blame, as Christy was actually only in not that many episodes.

However, in fairness, I did watch "8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter" which Kaley starred in. I thought she was great in this show - she played her character well within the family dynamic and she made me laugh. But then Charmed season eight...

So, what is your experience discussing BBT/Kaley Cuoco/her appearance in Charmed? Like me, do you feel like you need to explain her appearance in Charmed? Or am I totally crazy? (haha).

[Prue's Feather]

I actually didn't hate Billie, either. She was a nice breath of fresh air when the sisters were at their worsts. (So happy Paige redeemed herself, at least.) When I first saw Season 8, I kind of thought Billie's introduction was meant to be a setup for a spinoff series of sorts, or at least an attempt of something like that. (This is before I'd learned that Season 8 more so came about because the WB needed to fill a timeslot with a popular show--I first saw Charmed in 2020 so I'm not really familiar with its history of the days and times it aired when the show was in its run). I agree with you that if she had just been a witch the sisters mentored for the purpose of preparing the next generation with a focus still on the sisters, it would have been much better. But as you said, The Ultimate Power storyline with Christy and then Billie turning on the sisters just ruined it for me.

I was actually surprised to see Kaley Cuoco in Charmed. I had only known her from The Big Bang Theory, though I, too, was not an avid watcher of the show. I’ve seen a few episodes here and there more so because my friends would have it on and I saw it with them. I actually thought BBT was Kaley’s first TV role, as I think I read or saw an interview somewhere that she said in the beginning of the show she couldn't even drink yet and for some reason, I must have equated that to meaning it was her first show (I don't know why, that doesn't necessarily make sense LOL). So I’m not really familiar with her filmography. Though The Flight Attendant, which came out last year, looks interesting and she’s in that. I’d like to give it a watch.

It's hard. Season 8 is my second least favorite season (with Season 6 being my least favorite), so I understand where you’re coming from. Really, I think if the writing had been done better (like with many other things in Charmed) I would have liked Billie more. Again, like you said, the sisters teaching her and Paige still being her guide as her whitelighter and helping her come into the role of being a witch would have made Season 8 better. Maybe not great great, but better than what it was.

I kind of felt, too, with Billie that she was too overpowered. Like she got a grip on her powers way faster than the sisters (Prue included) ever had.

And Christy could still be a thing, but maybe she just has no powers and we’d have a different storyline with her? Like maybe Billie had still gotten separated from her sister and she wanted to find her but don’t have it deal with demons and such? I don’t know. It may or may not have worked. I’m rambling now, LOL.

I think I'd give Kaley a chance in other things if they grabbed my attention and had an interesting premise to me, like The Flight Attendant. My opinion is a little different probably just because I saw her first in parts of BBT way before I saw Charmed. I’m still not sure I’d pick up the BBT because of her, but I think that’s more because I didn’t get too invested in the show I guess!

In regards to Charmed, the writing really just messed up a lot of it. It’s always hard to introduce a new main lead like that in an established show, especially one that had seven seasons prior and considering that a lot of the focus was on Billie and her story with Christy rather than her story being intermixed with the sisters still as the major focus. I actually just had a discussion in a different thread that kind of goes along with this idea with introducing new characters in Charmed. It was about one off plots you’d like to see and I'd mentioned wanting to have seen more of Paige’s backstory in the beginning of Season 4. Es had made a good point that had the beginning of Season 4 focused too much on Paige and who she was to the point where it overshadowed the sisters and Prue’s death and Phoebe and Cole’s storyline, people would probably similarly hate Paige in the way that many hate Billie, especially those who loved Prue.

[forbuss]

Jun 15, 2021 18:03:20 GMT -5 Prue's Feather said:

I actually didn't hate Billie, either. She was a nice breath of fresh air when the sisters were at their worsts. (So happy Paige redeemed herself, at least.) When I first saw Season 8, I kind of thought Billie's introduction was meant to be a setup for a spinoff series of sorts, or at least an attempt of something like that. (This is before I'd learned that Season 8 more so came about because the WB needed to fill a timeslot with a popular show--I first saw Charmed in 2020 so I'm not really familiar with its history of the days and times it aired when the show was in its run). I agree with you that if she had just been a witch the sisters mentored for the purpose of preparing the next generation with a focus still on the sisters, it would have been much better. But as you said, The Ultimate Power storyline with Christy and then Billie turning on the sisters just ruined it for me.

I was actually surprised to see Kaley Cuoco in Charmed. I had only known her from The Big Bang Theory, though I, too, was not an avid watcher of the show. I’ve seen a few episodes here and there more so because my friends would have it on and I saw it with them. I actually thought BBT was Kaley’s first TV role, as I think I read or saw an interview somewhere that she said in the beginning of the show she couldn't even drink yet and for some reason, I must have equated that to meaning it was her first show (I don't know why, that doesn't necessarily make sense LOL). So I’m not really familiar with her filmography. Though The Flight Attendant, which came out last year, looks interesting and she’s in that. I’d like to give it a watch.

It's hard. Season 8 is my second least favorite season (with Season 6 being my least favorite), so I understand where you’re coming from. Really, I think if the writing had been done better (like with many other things in Charmed) I would have liked Billie more. Again, like you said, the sisters teaching her and Paige still being her guide as her whitelighter and helping her come into the role of being a witch would have made Season 8 better. Maybe not great great, but better than what it was.

I kind of felt, too, with Billie that she was too overpowered. Like she got a grip on her powers way faster than the sisters (Prue included) ever had.

And Christy could still be a thing, but maybe she just has no powers and we’d have a different storyline with her? Like maybe Billie had still gotten separated from her sister and she wanted to find her but don’t have it deal with demons and such? I don’t know. It may or may not have worked. I’m rambling now, LOL.

I think I'd give Kaley a chance in other things if they grabbed my attention and had an interesting premise to me, like The Flight Attendant. My opinion is a little different probably just because I saw her first in parts of BBT way before I saw Charmed. I’m still not sure I’d pick up the BBT because of her, but I think that’s more because I didn’t get too invested in the show I guess!

In regards to Charmed, the writing really just messed up a lot of it. It’s always hard to introduce a new main lead like that in an established show, especially one that had seven seasons prior and considering that a lot of the focus was on Billie and her story with Christy rather than her story being intermixed with the sisters still as the major focus. I actually just had a discussion in a different thread that kind of goes along with this idea with introducing new characters in Charmed. It was about one off plots you’d like to see and I'd mentioned wanting to have seen more of Paige’s backstory in the beginning of Season 4. Es had made a good point that had the beginning of Season 4 focused too much on Paige and who she was to the point where it overshadowed the sisters and Prue’s death and Phoebe and Cole’s storyline, people would probably similarly hate Paige in the way that many hate Billie, especially those who loved Prue.

Thanks for your response!

In terms of the Flight Attendant, I have heard from several friends who I consider having good taste in TV say that the show is great and she is great in it. I have not watched it as I usually don't love shows that are on either side of the comedy/drama spectrum. I like shows like Buffy, Charmed, Desperate Housewives, Drop Dead Diva, etc - shows that have lots of comedy and drama.

In terms of season four, it isn't how they introduced Paige that bothered me. I did like it, but honestly - after the trauma of losing Prue it was difficult to introduce any new-sister character. I think the two part season premiere was great, and thought Hall Hath No Fury was great. After that, the other characters became a big stagnant - Phoebe/Cole and Piper/Leo were pretty much put on hold and remained un-dynamic, as the show focused on Paige learning to be a new witch, screwing up, learning to balance life, etc. It got back to the sisters (and even Prue I think) in the second half of the season.

I do want to say I agree Paige completely was the best part of season eight. I also feel like Paige was the saving grace of season six - although I hated Richard, I actually loved her temp jobs and her quest for a life outside magic. I think she also saved season seven, although I do enjoy Phoebe and Piper in season seven as well (except for "A Call To Arms" - the worst episode ever).

[zoeysmom]

I liked her better in The Big Bang Theory than in Charmed. Part of it is that in Charmed, her character seems kind of immature, and in The Big Bang Theory, her character seems a bit more mature. I think part of it was the way Charmed did certain characters; Paige seemed kind of immature initially, too, and Phoebe grew more selfish and self-absorbed as the show went on.

[Assassin Witch]

She never fit in on a show like Charmed. Whether it was the genre or the writing.

I've enjoyed her on 8 Simple Rules & The Big Bang Theory. Comedy suits her. But Charmed never did.

[Melinda Halliwell]

True. Some actresses are good at some things whilst others are good at different things like in the case with Kaley and comedy.

Had she gone from 8 Simple rules into a comedy show before the Big Bang Theory Kaley probably would've been liked more around the age she joined Charmed obviously.