Sabrina Spellman is, in most ways, a completely normal teenage girl. She attends the local high school in her town, Greendale; she has a boyfriend and a close-knit group of friends; and she’s about to celebrate her 16th birthday with her family. But those normalities are not what they seem: Sabrina will soon be leaving Baxter High and attending the Academy of the Unseen Arts; she’s going to cut off all ties with her friends and boyfriend after her birthday; and, as a half-witch and half-mortal, her 16th birthday celebration is a “Dark Baptism,” where she’ll sign Satan’s book and pledge her loyalty to him in order to become a full witch.
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, released on October 26th, is a new show on Netflix based on the comic book series of the same name. Kiernan Shipka stars as Sabrina, a spirited half-witch who must choose between her mortal life, with her friends Roz and Susie (played by Jaz Sinclair and Lachlan Watson, respectively) and her boyfriend Harvey (Ross Lynch), and the Path of Night, in which she will have full witch powers and attend the Academy of Unseen Arts, where she will learn witchcraft, but be under the dominion of Satan.
With a 90 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is the perfect show to binge-watch this fall. The ten one-hour episodes will put you on the edge of your seat, whether that is due to suspense, excitement, or Sabrina and Harvey’s adorable relationship. The spooky special effects, cozy autumn vibe, and fascinating story are leading Chilling Adventures of Sabrina to become a quintessential Halloween hit.
While viewers will enjoy the show because of its supernatural aspect, the symbolism and underlying messages will leave watchers thinking about more than just the surface-level story about witches, demons, and humans. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina addresses issues of sexuality, bullying, patriarchal society, morality, and the struggle to maintain individuality.
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is already set to have a second season and its filming is almost over. While we can expect that, in classic Netflix fashion, it won’t be released until next Halloween, fans should have hope: since the show is set in the same universe as Riverdale (Greendale is only across Sweetwater river from the town of Riverdale), the possibility of a crossover event hangs in the air. Watch Chilling Adventures of Sabrina with caution; once you start the first episode, the show’s addictive nature may enchant you into watching the whole season in one sitting.