Halloween may be over, but it’s not too late to have a spooky, chilling experience in the comfort of your own home. “The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” hit Netflix on Oct. 26 and has been a true delight to everyone that has watched it.
The show is an adaptation of “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” a dark comic published by Archie Horror starting in 2014 that follows the misadventures of the half-witch Sabrina Spellman. Sabrina is played by Kiernan Shipka, best known for her work in “Mad Men” as Sally Draper.
“I was super happy to see that Kiernan was the lead,” said viewer Athan Sessions. “I loved her work in ‘Mad Men’ and ‘The Legend of Korra.’”
The show begins shortly before Halloween, on the cusp of Sabrina’s sixteenth birthday. On that day she must choose between fully committing to becoming a witch, leaving her mortal life behind, and staying a mortal forever, losing her magical abilities. As the show progresses, the audience witnesses her struggle between leaving the people she loves and harnessing her power.
“I binge watched the entire show in a night, it’s just that good,” said viewer Janice Caldwell. “I really felt a connection to her struggle.”
The show’s visuals are stunning, often featuring intricately designed sets. One example is The Academy of Unseen Arts, the witch school where Sabrina hones her magical craft. The central area of the academy features a large statue of Baphomet, which caused the Satanic Temple to begin a lawsuit against Netflix for using the likeness without their permission. Despite the controversy, the statue’s design is visually amazing and is just one example of the show’s visual mastery.
“Honestly, the show is amazing,” said Conner Hatfield. “The only issue I had with it was that Sabrina’s cat, Salem, never really talked.”
While the show isn’t going to scare you to your core, it has its share of chilling moments. The show-runners pair top-notch costumes and make-up to produce monsters and demons that invoke a sense of fear, especially when Sabrina and her aunts face off against the sleep demon Batibat.
The show is far from perfect, and at times the suspense of the show is only held together by the immense amounts of dramatic irony utilized to showcase Sabrina’s inexperience within the finer points of the magical world. Overall, the story’s narrative focuses on empowerment, both in Sabrina’s skills and the social dynamics of being a teenager in high school. With a total runtime of just over 10 hours, “The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” is an excellent way to spend your week if you’re still not ready for the Halloween season to conclude. The show has already been confirmed for a second season, so there’s really only one question left about the show: To binge or not to binge.
