A spooky, enthralling, yet lighthearted Netflix original show, “The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” (CAOS) cultivates an interesting plot line with lovable characters. Sabrina Spellman, played by Kiernan Shipka, who is half-mortal and half-witch, is the center of the show. The show is introduced with Sabrina approaching her 16th birthday, and thus having to choose between the two lives- the life of being a witch or the life of being a mortal. Though as the show progresses the more involved Sabrina becomes in her life of witchcraft and the more she learns, the harder it becomes to deny her destiny. CAOS has numerous themes that make the show even more worth watching.
Female Empowerment:
Perhaps one of the most defined themes of the show, girl power and female empowerment is just one aspect of the show that I personally love. There are numerous female characters– all displaying smarts, strength and depth, all in their own individual way. Sabrina’s best friend, Roz (Jaz Sinclair), is compassionate, clever and kind. Just because she is mortal, doesn’t mean she’s downplayed or less significant. The iconic Aunt Zelda (Miranda Otto) and Aunt Hilda (Lucy Davis), Sabrina’s guardians, are juxtaposing characters offer a striking difference. While Zelda is frank, unapologetic and determined, Hilda is understanding, clever and comforting. The Weird Sisters, Sabrina’s frenemies, and Ms.Wardwell (Michelle Gomez), aka demon Lilith in disguise, are posed as Sabrina’s opponents. However, these women show great character development. The women on this show absolutely hold the house up, but that isn’t to say the men in this show aren’t great either. The four main boy characters, Nick, Harvey, Ambrose and Theo, are all supportive and respectful of the women in their lives. It’s refreshing to see male characters who aren’t threatened by strong female characters.
Sexuality and Gender Inclusivity:
The show also includes Sabrina’s mortal friend, Theo (Lachlan Watson), who was previously known as Susie. The show does a wonderful job of explaining what it means to be transgender. Susie, born as a female, identifies as a boy. Susie informs her friends and family that she would now be a boy and is now named Theo. CAOS breaks down how Theo feels navigating through this time in his life, and also shows how important it is to have supporting and accepting friends and family. Furthermore, numerous characters display the fluidity of sexuality. Representation like this is incredibly necessary and significant as it brings to light identities and concepts that are often neglected in society and popular culture.
The writers of CAOS balance thought-provoking, heartfelt and notable concepts, like good vs. evil, love and justice, with pockets of blunt, dark humor. The aesthetics of television shows can be hard to maintain. However, CAOS does an impressive job of incorporating vintage with modern. The dimly lit and murky colors of the show certainly add to the spooky and somber appeal of the show. If you’re a fan of grim humor, witches, cute boys, drama and powerful women, “The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” is definitely for you.