Greendale
Netflix has a reputation for being hit-and-miss with their original shows and films. For every Stranger Things there is a Gypsy and for every Bright there is a The Legacy of a Whitetail Deer Hunter. It was no surprise, then, that when Netflix announced they were handed the reins on a new series originally meant to be produced as a companion series to Riverdale on The CW, fans had their doubts. The show would be based on the comic series entitled Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and would follow the darker tone of the comic as opposed to the sometimes sugary sweet antics of the better known Sabrina The Teenage Witch comic.
Fans can rest easy. I watched the first few episodes of the new series over the weekend and I have to admit that I’m hooked pretty hard.
No spoilers ahead. Just a few general comments about the series.
The series opens just a few days before Sabrina’s sixteenth birthday on October 31st, which also happens to be the night of her dark baptism where she is expected to willingly giver herself over to the baddest baddie himself, Satan, in return for her magical powers and immortality. When she refuses to sign the Book of the Beast, Sabrina sets into motion a series of events that will affect her, her family and friends, and the rest of the mortal and witch community of Greendale.
The series moves at a slow but steady pace that builds both tension and horror with each episode. There’s also a lot of tongue-in-cheek humor that is delivered to varying degrees of success. The humor is much needed, as the horror can get quite heavy handed at times.
What makes this series so fun to watch is the cast. There isn’t a weak actor in the bunch, and the show managed to get quite a few well known character actors to take on some of the best roles in the series. I’ll get to Sabrina in a moment, but for now I want to focus on the supporting cast.
First up is Michelle Gomez as Mrs. Wardwell. While I was no fan of her over-the-top performance as Missy/The Master in Doctor Who, she has definitely won me over in this series. Gomez’ Wardwell has a major change of character early in the series and slinks her way in and out of every scene. She’s devilishly charming and sinfully dangerous all at the same time.
Next up are Sabrina’s mortal friends Roz and Susie (Jaz Sinclair and Lachlan Watson) and her human boyfriend, Harvey (Ross Lynch). Roz is an outspoken young woman who joins up with Sabrina in forming a young women’s support group at Baxter High School known as the Women’s Intersectional Cultural and Creative Association (W.I.C.C.A.) after Susie is repeatedly bullied by football players with no action taken against them by the school. Both characters become key players in the series as it develops.
Ross Lynch portrays Sabrina’s gullible, somewhat dimwitted boyfriend, Harvey Kinkle. His character has some strong development over the course of the series and he closes the season as a completely different person.
Chance Perdomo portrays Ambrose Spellman, Sabrina’s cousin who, luckily for Sabrina, is under house arrest for attempting to blow up the Vatican. He’s her primary source of incite, wisdom, and protection for her throughout most of the series.
Appearing as both adversaries and uneasy allies are the Weird Sisters. Prudence (Tati Gabrielle), Agatha (Adeline Rudolph), and Dorcas (Abigail Cowen) are a thorn in Sabrina’s side throughout the series. They don’t want her to sign the Book of the Beast because she is a half breed and they challenge her as often as possible at the Academy of Unseen Arts.
Some of the other standouts in the cast include Richard Coyle as Father Faustus Blackwood. He does a brilliant job as the sinister Head of the Academy and as a High Priest of the Church of Night. I must admit that it was hard to take him serious at first, though, as I loved him as the goofy Jeff in Coupling many years ago. Bronson Pinchot, yes, Balki from Perfect Strangers, is absolutely perfect as Principal Hawthorne. He’s one of Sabrina’s primary enemies in the mortal world.
Miranda Otto is excellent as Aunt Zelda, the most devout member of the Spellman family, who is a harsh ruler in Sabrina’s home. She’s cold, a tad cranky, and totally devoted to the Dark Lord. Sabrina’s other aunt, Hilda, is portrayed as extremely protective of Sabrina but willing to bend the rules for the betterment of her niece. She obviously loves Sabrina and her tender heart can quickly turn vicious when necessary.
As strong as the cast is, the entire series would fall to pieces without Kiernan Shipka as Sabrina. She carries the series throughout and her sunny disposition is a breath of fresh air in the otherwise dark and dull world of Greendale. Even her clothing (almost always red or trimmed in bright red) makes her stand out from the crowd. Much of her look is mirrored by her Aunt Hilda and it’s obvious that the pair have a strong bond. If Chilling Adventures is any indicator, Shipka has a solid career ahead of her.
The series is definitely a far cry from the much loved Sabrina The Teenage. Where that series was lighthearted and fun, this series is dark, Satanic at times, and pushes boundaries. I was never a big fan of the classic Melissa Joan Hart series, but I didn’t dislike it. It was a nice distraction every now and then, but I never got too involved with the show. Just know that the two series are entirely different creatures based on entirely different versions of Sabrina.
The series has already stirred some controversy as well. Oddly enough, I haven’t heard very much out of Christian groups talking about the celebration of Satan or witchcraft. Instead, I’ve heard on a local level that some practicing Wiccans have taken offense to the way that the series gives off the idea that Wiccans are Satan worshipers. Perhaps Christian groups haven’t said much because Sabrina denies the Dark Lord or they just haven’t had time to fully watch the series? I’m not sure.
In any case, I highly recommend watching Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. It is funny but extremely dark, and injects a little light into a very devilish subject. It isn’t perfect (I spotted one major mess up during Sabrina’s trial), but it’s still a fun ride.
As always, thanks for reading. I’ll see you again real soon.
Ken's Alternate Universe! 