Author: Yana Grebenyuk / Source: TV Fanatic
The witching hour is upon us, and if possible, it is even more enchanting than promised.
Getting a glimpse into Sabrina Spellman’s world means getting to explore a spooky, sinister, and satisfying adventure along the way.
It is unpredictable in the very best ways, raising the stakes for the show within the first ten minutes as if making it clear that you shouldn’t have any expectations because there will always be another chilling twist waiting to be revealed.
During Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Season 1 Episode 1 Sabrina and her life is introduced to us when her sixteenth birthday forces her to really wonder whether she wants to take part in the dark baptism. Giving herself to the Dark Lord and having to leave every human in her life makes Sabrina reconsider what was set in stone for her.
Meanwhile, there is a small hint about a possible witch hunter in Greendale passed between Ambrose, Aunt Hilda, and Aunt Zelda.
“Chapter One: October Country,” written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, is a thorough introduction to the town of Greendale and the journey on which Sabrina Spellman has found herself.
Watching it during the Netflix and Chills panel at New York Comic Con meant questioning how it was possible that the pilot episode explored such a variety of subjects right off the bat.
There is groundwork laid out for the show’s future mythology, yet there is also enough room to solidify main characters and the lasting bonds that they share.
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The Spellcasting Characters
The people of Greendale have already managed to really come alive in the few scenes that we got to spend with all of them.
Sabrina is the key to the story, and she is a multilayered protagonist that exudes strength and courage. While it is questionable why Sabrina is only now realizing that she is going to lose her boyfriend and her friends by choosing her witch side, that can be overlooked when you follow her further.
She might have been ignoring the inevitable, hoping it wouldn’t come to this and then not having much time to prepare everyone for it when the time finally came.
You’re only supposed to start missing things after you’ve said goodbye to them, right?
But even then, there is a clear need within her to put her friends first instead of dwelling on herself in this situation.
Her priorities are relatable; the need to protect your loved ones is all too familiar. This makes it easier to trust Sabrina, and that is if we ignore that she is so lovable. Her obsession with horror movies, the way she has a solution to most problems, her stubborn approach to all things.
Those are just a few traits that have been established in one introductory episode to the show.
Then there is Salem; it is an understatement to say that he is a popular addition to the cast.
He was iconic in the original TV series, so the pressure had to be on when it came to representing him again in a new way.
As Kiernan Shipka mentioned at New York Comic Con, Sassy Salem is a meme that the entire internet knows about. Living up to that would have been a death sentence, and it wouldn’t have worked in the context of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.
Salem as simple black cat wins the audience over when he purrs and acts all cute. It establishes a sweet exterior that makes it even more hilarious when he protects Sabrina.
There is nothing more adorable than a cat cuddling up to Sabrina one second and then happily devouring a possessed scarecrow the next.
That was a creative take on a legendary character, and there won’t be that constant pressure to on up a separate entity from another project.
The intrigue has been created, and now it is necessary to build on that looking ahead at the full season.
Every character stands on their own because of their traits that the pilot made sure to slip in. It is easier to form a picture of who someone might be, which is where the show can come in and play around with our expectations vs. the reality of what they may have in mind.
I have reservations about saving myself for the Dark Lord. Why does he get to decide what I do or don’t do with my body?
Overall, the pilot worked on a few levels, but the characterization aspect was at the top of the list. It was evident that work was put into differentiating the characters from one another at the very beginning.
The dialogue assigned to the characters placed them in specific spaces, with Harvey fitting more into the relaxed observer role compared to Ambrose who takes on more action from the start.
Then there is Susie who is battling for a place to survive high school and Roz who pushes for change to happen in Sabrina’s place.
Aunt Zelda is more no-nonsense; she is intense but entertaining at the same time. Aunt Hilda is softer around the edges, and yet all she wants is to keep her niece safe.
All this is successfully demonstrated through the way that the exposition flows seamlessly in the dialogue, building on who the characters are and adding more reference on where they fit in.
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The Spellbinding Relationships
Creating strong bonds in a pilot episode is challenging, and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina steps up significantly.
Not every relationship is laid out for us, but the groundwork is there, and it is growing successfully.
There are lingering questions about how some people fit in with one another, which adds to the addicting nature of the show.
You want to come back and see how Sabrina and Harvey continue to date when things get complicated. You want to continue to be invested in the organic back and forth that Sabrina has with Ambrose.
Sabrina and Harvey have plenty working against them, specifically that she might have to leave and the fact that they are an established couple. There’s nothing wrong with the fact that they are already dating and being super cute about it, but the odds aren’t working in their favor.
Established couples are always at risk because it’s easier to throw obstacles at their relationship. We didn’t spend too much time with them yet, so if trouble strikes it is easier to believe.
You can’t make as many claims about something being out of character or untrue when it comes to their relationship, as the audience we are still only getting to know them, and anything goes.
Still, so far they have been adorable and angsty at the same time which looks promising. They have a lot working against them, but there is still the nostalgia factor to consider.
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina isn’t going to…
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