Picture it: New Years Night, 1989. I was a seven year old second grader. My mom and I just rang in the last year to one of the best decades ever, and to my joy, she let me stay up past 12:00 AM to watch a movie with her. Cinemax decided to debut a new film for the new year (they used to do stuff like that back in the day; believe it or not, Cinemax is more than just a soft core porn channel), and lo and behold, the new film was Heathers.

I know it sounds weird—especially to you young bucks—that once upon a time a major cult classic like Heathers was a brand new film, but in Jan. 1989, it just hit cable TV. Mom and I had to watch it, seeing as Christian Slater was in it. I loved it. Despite the dark subject matter, the movie cracked me up, which boggles my mind today, seeing as all the adult humor went over my head when I was seven. Now I’ll be honest, Heathers was my big introduction to Winona Ryder, but little did I realize, it was also my big introduction to Shannen Doherty.

Shannen played the role of Heather Duke, the seemingly quiet member of the popular clique that soon showed her true evil nature once Heather Chandler, the head of the group, was murdered by JD (Christian Slater). Although I focused more on Winona, Shannen killed her role as well, and little did I realize, I was watching a pop culture icon in the making. I’d learn that in a few more years.

Fast forward to 1993. By this time, I was an 11 year old sixth grader and Beverly Hills, 90210 was the shit! What got me hooked on the show was the whole Brenda/Dylan/Kelly saga. I hated it…but it kept my ass entertained. Brenda and Dylan were the couple, dammit. Years later, when 90210 became syndicated and I went back and watched all the episodes I missed, I saw just how adorable Brenda and Dylan were when they were together. I loved them almost as much as I loved David and Donna…almost.

My mom wasn’t crazy about Brenda (she later admitted that it had a lot with Shannen’s previously role as the low-key evil Heather Duke), but I loved her. She told it like it was and went hard for her friends. She was a bit too harsh when it came to Emily Valentine (except when Emily drugged Brandon and low key started stalking him…Brenda didn’t play about her twin brother), but other than that, she was a cool chick. Not only that, but it was a trip how Brenda was a sort of wild-ish child compared to her more straight-laced twin brother, Brandon.

Unfortunately, Shannen wasn’t the easiest actress to work with back in her younger years and she ended up leaving 90210. Without Ms. Brenda Walsh, the show wasn’t quite the same (it eventually got much better after a few years, but when Brenda first left the series, it kind of sucked). I remember all those magazine articles from the early ’90s talking about how much of wild child Shannen was in real life, as well as an absolute terror to work with. Shannen later admitted to that she was somewhat difficult in her younger years and she chalked it up to immaturity. Many of the people she worked with agreed that she mellowed out as she became older.

After Shannen’s departure from Beverly Hills, 90210, she starred in Mallrats, one of the flicks from the View Askewuniverse (you know, Jay and Silent Bob and all them). A lot of folks put this movie down and say it’s one of the worst films in Kevin Smith’s universe, but me personally, I always loved it, and as usual, Shannen hit her role out of the park. My sister and I used to have a good ol’ funky time laughing at this movie.

A few years later, Shannen starred in the hit TV show Charmed, as Prue Halliwell. I must admit, I didn’t watch Charmed that often (that was my mom’s TV show), but when I did tune in, I loved seeing Shannen do her thing once again. Unfortunately, she ended up leaving Charmed sometime in 2001, thanks to her attitude at work. I’m so glad she grew out of that later.

Even though I didn’t watch Charmed, I’ll tell you what I did watch a lot of during my college years…Lifetime movies. I never cared for Lifetime movies in high school, but I lived for those bad boys in college and during my 20s and early 30s (I still watch them every now and again, but they’re not as good as they used to be. I have the Lifetime Movie Club service mainly to watch my favorite old school Lifetime flicks). My favorite Lifetime movies were the ones with—you guessed it—the 90210 alums. Brian Austin Green, Tiffani Amber Thiessen, Tori Spelling, Jennie Garth, and Vanessa Marcil made some killer Lifetime films! And of course, I greatly enjoyed the ones with Shannen Doherty. Her Lifetime movies made my Saturdays and Sundays hella fun.

I remember hearing about Shannen being diagnosed with breast cancer a few years back, and I felt so sad upon hearing the news. I hoped to God she’d make it through, and when I heard that she was in remission, I was so relieved. Unfortunately, her cancer returned, and it was a slap in the face, especially after losing Luke Perry about a year prior. Shannen fought the good fight, and I hoped once again that she’d make it in the end, but sadly, she lost her battle with cancer. My heart goes out to her family and friends that she left behind. She may have been thought of as the “wild child” of Hollywood once upon a time, but you can’t deny her immense talent and the joy she brought to so many people through her TV shows and movies. Thank you, Ms. Doherty, for making my childhood and adolescent years just a little bit more entertaining. Now Brenda and Dylan can be reunited once again.

Shannen Maria Doherty: April 12, 1971 – July 13, 2024

—Written by Nadiya