Sabrina Spellman takes a dark turn in ‘Chilling Adventures of Sabrina’

Everyone’s favorite teenage witch, Sabrina Spellman has made a comeback in the new Netflix series “The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.” Based off the ’90s TV show “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” “Chilling Adventures” takes a fun, comedic plot-line that many people love and turns it into a darker, spookier story.

Although centered on the same characters and general idea, the twos shows could not be more different when it comes to genre and audience appeal.  In “Chilling Adventures,” Sabrina Spellman is a half-witch, half-mortal, and when her 16th birthday rolls around, she must decide if she wants to become a full-witch, gaining power and glory, or stay a mortal, able to keep her relationships with her mortal friends and boyfriend. She must fight back against evil threats, such as demons, the devil and evil witches. Meanwhile,  “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” is a comedy and details the life of adventures of Sabrina in a fun and lighthearted manner. It appeals to people who like light, easy-to watch comedies, unlike “Chilling Adventures.”

The deeper and dark plot of “Chilling Adventures” is just the basis of how different the new series is from the original “Sabrina the Teenage Witch.” Although both shows tell the story of Sabrina and include all of the same characters and basic premise, several details are quite different.

The first difference between the shows are  Sabrina’s parents. In the original show, Sabrina’s parents are alive and well, but live far away. In “Chilling Adventures” however, Sabrina’s parents were mysteriously  killed and it plagues Sabrina throughout the entire series. Another difference is the town that the story takes place in. In “The Teenage Witch”, the story takes place in Westbridge, Boston and in Chilling Adventures takes place in Greendale, a fictional, comic book town.

The “Chilling Adventures” also takes place in the same same world as the TV show “Riverdale.” There are many references to the neighboring town of Riverdale throughout the show.

The complicated plot is confusing, but in a good way. The psychological scares and the cliffhangers at the end of each episode get viewers thinking. There are many different aspects to the plot, making every second exhilarating to watch. Although the story centers on a witch, many of the ideas and messages are relevant to today’s teens. Throughout the show, Sabrina battles rage and confusion when she must choose between friends and glory. The idea of tackling rage and sacrifice are very prevalent in young adult life today. The color palette and lighting of the show also parallel with the show’s scary , yet sometimes exciting tone. The aesthetic and well-roundedness of the show make it a hit for those with a mildly twisted mind who still want a story to relate to.

“The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” is the perfect show for people who like moderate horror, yet still want to see some typical teenage struggle. With a second season planned, it is clear that Sabrina’s adventures aren’t close to over.