If Riverdale isn’t enough drama for you, fear not, the brains behind Riverdale, have a new show hitting Netflix on October 26.
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, starring Kiernan Shipka (Mad Men) and Ross Lynch (Austin and Ally, My Friend Dahmer), is a spookily updated version of the classic character, Sabrina the Teenage Witch. On the eve of her 16th birthday, Sabrina must choose between becoming a witch (for real) or spending eternity with her boyfriend—and she also has to deal with an evil being known as Madam Satan (sounds spooky).
Given that they share a creator, and the characters both occupy the Archie universe, it seems likely that there may be a few connections between Riverdale and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, guaranteed to thrill dedicated fans of the shows. Here are some of the biggest clues about how the shows may be connected
The Farm feels very spooky.
The Farm could just be a cult, but…it could also be a coven. Everyone knows that witches operate in covens, and if The Farm originates in Greendale (Sabrina’s home), it’s a real possibility that the members of The Farm are simply witches that are using their powers to help the citizens of Riverdale cope with the intense events that have plagued their town (i.e. Jason Blossom’s death, The Black Hood, whatever this Griffins and Gargoyles nonsense is). This theory seems even more plausible when you consider the fact that both Polly and Alice Cooper, as well as Ethel, found solace with The Farm after experiencing significant trauma. Also, Sabrina’s father, a powerful warlock, is named Edward. The head of The Farm is named Edgar. Edward and Edgar sound awfully similar. I’m just throwing that out there…
Rituals have been prominently featured in the episodes leading up to Sabrina’s premiere.
Spells and ritual-like scenarios have been featured very prominently in previous iterations of Sabrina, so when spooky things started happening in the Riverdale season premiere, that was a good indicator that a connection to Chilling Adventures of Sabrina was forthcoming. Floating babies, large demonic beings, peculiar anti-seizure drugs… these could be the result of drugs or contamination of some sort, but since they coincide with the arrival of The Farm in Riverdale, there is a large possibility that they are connected.
Evelyn’s entire vibe feels very retro… kind of like Sabrina.
If you have read the source material or watched the trailer for Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, it’s clear that there is a distinct vintage vibe (1950s-1960s) to be exact. Riverdale also has a vintage feel at times, but it’s not as consistent as Sabrina. And when Evelyn, a member of The Farm, made her first appearance, it was clear that she had a vintage vibe similar to that of Sabrina. If she is connected to the cult/coven that is The Farm, she may lead the teens of Riverdale to Greendale.
The Archie characters make multiple appearances in the comic that Sabrina is based on.
If you have read the comic version of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (and you definitely should), you will know that Betty and Veronica make appearances in Sabrina’s story. And while their appearances are brief, they play an important role in the plot of Sabrina comic. Given that Sabrina was originally supposed to be a guest arc on Riverdale, it will be interesting to see how the overlap of characters is handled.
Before you get all excited, take a breath. In a recent interview with Collider, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa said that while he’s open to it, we may have to wait for that Riverdale/Sabrina crossover. “I’m a big fan of cross-overs,” he said. “So, I feel like, where there’s a will, there’s a way. I think it would probably be easier if maybe the Riverdale kids go to Greendale. On a dare, they could go spend the night in a haunted house.”
Aguirre-Sacasa also said he could see Sabrina going to Riverdale to learn what it’s like to be a mortal teenager.
“I definitely think there is a way to do it, and my hope is that one day we get a chance to do it.”
I will definitely be counting down the days until the crossover.
The third season of Riverdale is airing now on The CW. The first season of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina will be available to stream on Netflix starting October 26.