Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina Season 1 Review: These Witches Are Not To Be Trifled With

Just finished all 10 episodes of NetFlix's "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina". I gotta say, I (surprisingly) like it. I initially thought the show would be geared more towards the teen crowd and not hard core enough for me. But they really brought it.

"Sabrina" is a spinoff of the Archie Comics series (see also CW's "Riverdale"). It couldnt be further away from the 1990s G rated "Sabrina The Teenage Witch" (starring Melissa Joan Hart).

When we first meet Sabrina Spellman (Kiernan Shipka) she is living the life of a normal teen (except maybe for the fact that she lives in a mortuary). She likes to hang out with her boyfriend Harvey and besties Roz and Susie. We also meet her kindly teacher Mrs Wardwell (Michelle Gomez) who will play a pivotal part later episodes.

Sabrina's Aunties Hilda (Lucy Davis) and Zelda (Miranda Otto) say her 16th birthday is quickly approaching. It's time for her "Dark Baptism". She must sign her name in the Book Of The Beast and pledge her allegiance to "our Dark Lord". Basically she's selling her soul to the Devil. He, in exchange, will give her special powers and slow down the aging process. The aunties say its just something everyone in their family does. Sabrina isnt so sure.

Sabrina eventually heads to the Academy Of Unseen Arts on the weekends. Father Blackwood (Richard Coyle) is dean there. He also moonlights as High Priest of the Church Of Night. There a group of witches called The Weird Sisters (Agatha, Dorcus, and Prudence) who try to bully Sabrina. They dont like she's half human. The girls are a great addition. I get a very "The Craft" vibe from them.

Cousin Ambrose (Chance Perdomo) also lives with the Spellman ladies. He's under house arrest (apparently for all eternity) but manages to still get into trouble. He's also much older than his sculptured bod would have you believe. And let's not forget Salem the cat. I was hoping he would talk. Alas, he is just a cat...not that there's anything wrong with that.

Over the course of season 1, Sabrina tries to straddle her two worlds with varying levels of success. She has conflicts with her aunties. They say she's making the family look bad. Sabrina is young and think she knows everything. But despite their differences, there's never any doubt that this family truly loves each other. Will Sabrina live life on her own terms or will she be forced to get the Satanic program? And if she joins the Devil, will she give into her darker side entirely or maintain some of her humanity? You'll have to watch to find out.

Grade: 4 1/2 Monsters (out of 5). "Sabrina" is an entertaining series that's not just for the teen crowd. The show doesnt shy away from the fact that these witches worship Satan and have all pledged allegiance to him. The special effects and cinematography on "Sabrina" are top notch. I dig the 1950s aesthetic. All the actors are great. I especially enjoyed Michelle Gomez (Mary Wardwell) and Miranda Otto (Zelda Spellman). They both terrify me. I think I might be in love. The show has a lot to say about feminism and controlling your own destiny. Will there be a season 2? I hope so. I think "Sabrina" has lots more stories to tell (including the mystery surrounding her parents deaths).