Preston Smith
We at Fuzzable were excited the second we heard a new iteration of Sabrina was headed to our televisions, and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina did not disappoint. This Netflix original series is quirky, dark, and engrossing, and we couldn’t get enough of it.
Note: We will not be comparing it to the Sabrina the Teenage Witch due to their drastically different tones and premises. If you haven’t yet seen the new series, you can view a trailer here:
This series sees a fifteen-year old Sabrina Spellman (Kiernan Shipka) on the precipice of her sixteenth birthday – a day in which she is set to have her dark baptism, aka her full entry into her coven which also means committing to the Dark Lord. Half witch and half human, she remains torn between the two worlds, setting an interesting backdrop for the series.
Overall, the premise of the series is immensely intriguing. All of the characters work off of each other well, and their differing situations (Hilda’s excommunication, Ambrose’s punishment, etc.) add a nice variety to keep their character arcs fresh. The lore built around the city and the Spellman family was nice throughout, but at some points it did feel lacking. Sabrina’s parents are mentioned all the time, but what actually happened to them is never revealed. Perhaps this is a question they’re saving for the next season?
The magic explored throughout is interesting, but like the lore of the family it felt lacking at points. The series balances the characters and fantasy aspects well, but a little extra magical pizzazz at points would have been nice to see. This is a large reason why the season finale is our least favorite episode of the ten episode season. It was set up with high stakes and to be a magical duel, but we felt a little let down with its seemingly easy resolution.
Our favorite episode: “Chapter Three: The Trial of Sabrina Spellman.” This episode delivered character growth, built more of the lore for the series, and was gripping. In our opinion, this episode was perfection.
Our favorite character: Outside of Sabrina (who is a given), our favorite character is Harvey (Ross Lynch). Unlike his family and Father Blackwood (Richard Coyle), he does not rely on the idea of toxic masculinity. He learns to handle his emotions and is extremely loyal to Sabrina. Though he needs space at the end of the season, he is never outwardly rude or hateful to Sabrina, showing his true loving nature as a person.
What we’re looking forward to next season: Lady Blackwood’s children. Zelda (Miranda Otto) is an interesting character throughout the series, and her taking of Lady Blackwood’s daughter as her own was something we never expected to happen. We cannot wait to see how she raises this child after reflecting on her upbringing of Sabrina, and we also cannot wait to see Father Blackwood’s reaction upon learning of this daughter.
What are your opinions on The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina? Comment below and tweet us @Fuzzable with all of your thoughts!
