Shannen Doherty's departure from WB's Charmed in 2001 could have been a curse. Instead, the show, about a triumvirate of witch siblings who fight evil while sporting killer wardrobes (this is an Aaron Spelling show, after all) has continued to work its magic without her.

So what kind of spell keeps the long-running supernatural soap, starring Alyssa Milano, Holly Marie Combs and newest recruit Rose McGowan, bubbling? "I've been trying to figure that out myself," says executive producer Spelling. "I honestly didn't think it had much chance of lasting five episodes, let alone five years."

No doubt helped by a move to Sundays from a fiercely competitive Thursday-night time slot, Charmed also features lighter episodes this season, with the sexy sisters temporarily assuming the identities of everything from scantily clad superheroes to, well, scantily clad fairy tale characters. However, the show's 100th episode, set to air January 19, will take on a slightly more sober tone, posing the question: What would the world be like if the Charmed ones had never met one another?

Probably not nearly as spellbinding.

Alyssa Milano
To hear Alyssa Milano tell it, turning 30 can be downright bewitching, so long as you havenít been a procrastinator. ìI think people freak out about it when they don't feel like they've accomplished what they need to by then," says the actress, who marked the milestone earlier this month. "I wasnít freaked at all. Just excited."

And why not? Milano had already starred in two hit series before joining Charmed as premonition-prone Phoebe: As a little girl, she won over audiences on ABC's Who's the Boss?, then later took up residence on Foxís Melrose Place. Somewhere in between, she became a bona fide sex symbol,once even posing for steamy Bikini magazine photos clad only in mud.

These days, everybody wants the dirt on Milano's fledgling romance with pop star Justin Timberlake, 21. According to tabloids, the couple who met two years ago through mutual friends and reportedly began dating last summer are headed to the altar. This elicits a hearty laugh from Milano, now lounging on the Charmed set in a silk robe.

"I'm not getting married," says the actress, who was wed for 11 months to rocker Cinjun Tate in 1999. "Our relationship is so new we don't even really know what it is yet. But I definitely care about [Timberlake] tremendously. He's one of those guys that won't stop until he feels like he's fulfilled creatively, which is inspiring."

Expect some inspired twists for Phoebe's on-screen love life as well, after the character's devilish ex-hubby, Cole, departs in January. "We want to free up Phoebe and let her date around," explains executive producer Brad Kern.

Hmmm, any chance the sexy witch could get in sync with a certain blond pop idol? Donít hold your breath. "Knowing Brad," says Milano with a laugh, "he'd make him a demon, and I think Phoebe's had her fill of those."

Holly Marie Combs When Charmed first cast its spell in 1997 and its trio of comely crime fighters were compared to Charlie's Angels, Holly Marie Combs was pegged as ìthe Kate Jackson one.î In other words, pretty and smart but not as sexy as the other two. The sight, then, of Combs topless (covered only by her long locks) on a recent cover of Stuff magazine was quite a surprise, even to Combs.

"There were definitely a couple of wows that came to mind," says the 29-year-old actress, now sporting a pregnancy pad under her shirt (her character, Piper, will give birth in February). "They made some additions to my chest, which was disturbing. They gave me Alyssa's boobs. I didn't even have to get a boob job."

Such frankness is pure Combs. When David E. Kelley told the auditioning actress she didn't have a big enough heart" to play earnest teen Kimberly on his '90s drama Picket Fences, she shot back, "If you're looking for someone with a big heart, what are you doing in New York?" (She ultimately landed the role.) Likewise, Combs, who lives with boyfriend David Donoho, 37, formerly a key grip on Charmed--doesn't have much patience for Hollywood pretension. She drives a pickup and spends the bulk of her free time caring for a plethora of pets, including five rabbits, four horses and six dogs.

Well, make that seven. Though she's only supposed to be dog-sitting the white shih tzu-poodle mix that's currently curled on her lap, she's already admitting reluctance to return the pooch to her dad.

"My boyfriend would rather I didn't bring any more animals home," she says. "But I'm like, 'Aw, come on, honey. She only weighs 3 pounds. She can't count as a whole dog.'"

Spoken like someone used to casting a spell or two.

Rose McGowan Rose McGowan is running on 90 minutes of sleep, but that's not why she's in a daze. "I just bought these in New York," she says, running her hands over a pair of Alexander McQueen heels. "Aren't they gorgeous?" Despite a dangerously high heel, they are surprisingly dainty. "Size 5 1/2," says the 5-foot-4 actress.

Not nearly so big as the shoes she had to fill when she joined Charmed last season after Shannen Doherty's tumultuous exit. Executive producer Kern says "it was crucial we not try to replace Shannen in casting new witch Paige. "We needed someone with a different personality, and Rose is certainly unique."

Take, for example, the way in which the 28-year-old actress psyched herself up for the showís current season: by dyeing her dark chocolate locks red and seeking out a hypnotist. "You can have a bit of a 'Groundhog Day' scenario doing this job," explains McGowan, who broke off an engagement with shock rocker Marilyn Manson in 2001 and now dates Menís Health editor-in-chief Dave Zinczenko, 33. "I was having a hard time with the idea of doing something every day again and again for nine months. It sounds bizarre, but hypnosis really wound up helping."

Not that the role of TV star will quite a perfect fit. When Charmed ends, "I'll go back to making movies," says McGowan, who starred in 'Scream' (1996) and the indie film 'The Doom Generation' (1995).

"I'm just more suited to that gypsy lifestyle," she says of the feature-film world. She reaches for her heels, which she plans to wear out later that night. "But hey, I wouldn't have known that had I not done this, and that's something."

Webs of Desire

Charmed has bewitched more than a few cyber-fans, as evidenced by the numerous Web shrines devoted to the show. Here are some of our favorites.

After declaring war against thousands of X-rated rogue sites, Alyssa Milano founded SafeSearching.com, a portal for official (and tame) celebrity pages. Too bad her own Alyssa.com is rather slim on content, with a bio, article reprints, photos and an archive of messages from Alyssa, which she stopped writing in March 2001. To access outdated video clips of her at some photo shoots, you'll have to fork over $9.99. At the unofficial (but more fun) CharmingAlyssa.com, peruse contemporary photos (including her tattoos) or enjoy the fashions from Milano's days on Who's the Boss?

Rose McGowan had quite a Web following long before she became a cast member. For plenty of biographical goodies, the Realm of Rose, RoseMcgowan.8m.com, has articles, movie trailers and, of course, photos. There's also a whole page chronicling her long-defunct relationship with rock star Marilyn Manson. If it's late-breaking news you crave, you must tolerate the badly designed RosesPaige.com.

With a less headline-making past than her costars, Holly Marie Combs has a much smaller online fan base. Find Combs-themed puzzles and games at Charming Holly (http://www.geocities.com/wodeck08/CharmingHolly.html). Get your fill of pre-Charmed Combs at the Unofficial Holly Marie Combs Website (http://members.aol.com/ScoF/mw1/page1.htm).