STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

document.write(getElapsed("20060707T120000Z"));
Fri Jul 7, 8:00 AMUPDATED 1 DAY 1 HOUR 29 MINUTES AGO

In the wake of Star Jones Reynold's abrupt decampment from The View last week, the powers-that-be at the ABC chatfest are looking to steer clear of cohost drama. Accordingly, they've gone and hired Shannen Doherty.

Yes, that Shannen Doherty.

The Barbara Walters-led talk show has unveiled a slate of upcoming guest hosts to temporarily fill the vacated fourth seat, with Doherty, Katherine McPhee, Dancing with the Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba and champ Kelly Monaco tag-teaming.

At first blush, Doherty, 35, seems the most unexpected option to sub in on The View, considering a history of diva-like behavior that led to her exits from Beverly Hills, 90210 and Charmed, among other offscreen troubles. Then again, Doherty's antics could be considered small beans when compared to a certain ex-lawyer and former talk show host.

The day after Walters' on-air confirmation that Reynolds would not be returning to the chatfest, One Life to Live's Renee Goldsberry sat with the remaining three yappers. While Goldsberry had previously acted as a guest cohost, her position as first out of the gate in the new wave of contenders was particularly noteworthy for her almost eerie resemblance to Reynolds.

Goldsberry also plays a lawyer on the soap, making it appear that Walters & Co. were seeking a very specific type to fill the Star gap.

America's Got Talent judge Brandy then logged time at the table last week and again on Friday's show, even receiving an on-air kudos from Walters for a job well done. Meanwhile, All My Children's Susan Lucci joined the hijinks on Wednesday.

When it comes to Inaba and Monaco, it would seem the folks at The View clearly have a penchant for dancing...or maybe just ABC synergy.

Inaba, a choreographer who has appeared as a judge on the Alphabet net's reality competition for each of its two seasons, will fill in on Monday. Monaco was the winner of Dancing's first season and is a regular on another ABC soap, General Hospital. The 30-year-old actress, who has appeared on The View several times, takes the seat next Tuesday.

American Idol runner-up McPhee, meanwhile, is also scheduled to squeeze in some small-screen time in between dates for the American Idol summer tour, joining Walters, Joy Behar and fellow reality TV vet Elisabeth Hasselbeck for some small talk July 19.

The 22-year-old songbird, unlike some of the other revolving-door candidates, is likely not using her guest stint as an audition for the permanent gig, instead making it another promotional pit stop. Of course, all is dependent on her laryngitis clearing up.

Doherty, whose new reality show, Breaking Up with Shannen Doherty, premieres on the Oxygen network next month, is penciled in on The View for July 31 and Aug. 1.

There appears to be a method to The View brain trust's mining of soap operas and reality TV for cohosts. See: Kelly Ripa, who graduated from All My Children to Regis sidekick; and The View's own Hasselbeck, a former Survivor castaway.

In any case, The View is running out of time if it wants a permanent Star sub. The show will go on hiatus Aug. 4 and returns Sept. 5, with another new face as Rosie O'Donnell's takes over for the Today show-bound Meredith Vieira.