“Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” review

Netflix’s upcoming series, “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,” is not your mother’s Sabrina.

You’re probably used to seeing Sabrina Spellman in the 90s classic sitcom, “Sabrina The Teenage Witch.” And the fundamentals are still the same. Half witch, half mortal turns 16. But everything else that could be different, is.

The new series is written by the creator of Riverdale.  And just down the road from Riverdale, the show takes place in Greendale. Almost more like a movie than a series, that’s exactly where the series starts: at the movies. And like Riverdale, the movie theater has a vintage feel.

CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA

The first moment we meet Sabrina, she’s already setting herself apart from the crowd. Fans of Betty Cooper will love Sabrina, because they’re both adorable leads who have a sinister dark side.

The series starts out just days before Sabrina’s birthday which (no surprise) falls on Halloween. And while the show has elements of a teen soap, it’s based in horror through and through.

Aunt Hilda and Aunt Zelda are very different in this interpretation, with a few character trait that remains the same: Zelda is the more graceful one, while Hilda is lighthearted and here for laughs. Unlike the Zelda viewers may be used to, this Aunt Zelda is rather course, and her compassion is minimal.

CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA

And of course, what would Sabrina be without Salem? Don’t worry, the black cat is back. Not as verbal as you remember him, but still a loyal companion.

The show introduces a new character named Ambrose, Sabrina’s cousin. He’s mysterious and almost scary at times, but it is nice to see Sabrina interact with a family member that is closer to her age. And everything that Sabrina is going through, Ambrose has gone though. He’s family, but he’s also like a mentor to Sabrina. And in this show, she’ll need all the mentoring she can get.

The show crosses back and fourth between Sabrina’s home life and school life. (Gotta warn you: Sabrina’s teacher, Miss Wardwell, unfortunately, has some serious Grundy vibes). Her friends are a unique bunch, but what fans will love the most is Sabrina’s love, Harvey.  Ross Lynch is a perfect leading man, and the chemistry between these leads is unreal. The very first scene with just the two of them is a scene that you’ll be replaying over and over again.

CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA

Just in time for Halloween, this show will be your new horror obsession. Look forward to watching it every year in October, it’ll be a new classic. The show is PG but it definitely has its scary moments down to the magic, the gore, and the Latin chants.

From the start, “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” is a unique show. The cast is diverse, and the topics are relevant. The soundtrack is great, and the outfits are hot just like on Riverdale. Even the set looks a bit like the set of the movie Casper. It has moments of classic horror, teen drama, and some vintage feels. There are a lot of aspects to this show, and no matter what you like, there’s surely something that you’ll enjoy about “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.”

(No spoilers, but just a fair warning: if you’re afraid of spiders, be careful watching episode one.)

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina premieres this Friday, October 26 on Netflix.

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