Thanks to Melissa Joan Hart, Sabrina the Teenage Witch isn’t exactly the show all of nerdkind wants to see. After all, Riverdale may be a big hit for the CW but it’s not exactly aimed at comic book fans (though it does liberally reference the source material). Because Riverdale has turned out to be a smash, it seems only natural that a spin-off would be in the works. Enter Sabrina the Teenage Witch.
I know what you’re thinking, and it’s probably along these lines:
Nope.
According to Netflix (that’s right, so long CW, hello people who just bought Ryan Murphy’s loyalty and don’t kowtow to sensors, which should make for some of the most delightfully bonkers content we’ve ever seen), The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina looks like it might be trying to give the show a real, legitimate try.
The show, which has a two season order and begins filming next month, is described as “a dark coming-of-age story that traffics in horror, the occult and, of course, witchcraft.” While the production staff includes Riverdale alums like Lee Toland Krieger (one of the directors for Riverdale, who takes up the mantle of director and producer on Sabrina) the chief writer and showrunner is Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, creative director for Archie Comics. It cites classic horror like Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist as influences. Given that Netflix knows how to spook a teen audience without alienating adults (Why hello there, Stranger Things), the show might not be a disturbingly peppy train wreck.
The proof might just be in the cast. Taking up the mantle of the teenage witch is Kiernan Shipka, otherwise known as Don Draper’s obnoxious daughter in Mad Men (she also appeared as Bette Davis’s obnoxious daughter in Feud).
Taking on the role of the aunts, Aunt Hilda is played by Lucy Davis — better known as Dawn from the UK’s Office and quippy sidekick Etta in Wonder Woman. Miranda Otto, aka not-a-man badass Eowyn from Lord of the Rings, will play Aunt Zelda. In the role of villain, Michelle Gomez, aka Doctor Who’s Missy, will play Mary Wardell. Richard Coyle, known for Amazon’s The Collection (and the British version of Coupling), will star as the antagonistic Father Blackwood.
As for talking cat Salem, well, we’ve got a picture but not much else. Lets hope animatronics stay far, far away from this cat.
Is the hype machine kicking in on the new Sabrina? While we’re not in full hype mode just yet, the makings are there. We could be looking at a new spooky show to keep you and your black cat from sleeping at night — or a new whatever this was:
