Part 1 of Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina dropped viewers into the deep end of a very complex world of witches, warlocks, and unassuming mortals. Half-witch Sabrina Spellman (Kiernan Shipka) struggled to navigate both worlds; her love of her friends and boyfriend Harvey Kinkle (Ross Lynch) kept her on the moral path of righteousness that came in direct conflict with her rite of passage into the dark world of Satan worshipping witchcraft. It was further complicated by various demons, witches with grudges, and the general tribulations that comes with adolescence.
By the end of Part 1, Sabrina made the ultimate sacrifice to save those she loved by finally agreeing to sign the Book of the Beast, pledging herself irrevocably to the Dark Lord in exchange for power. That decision meant Sabrina finally chose a side (rather it was chosen for her), bringing a focus and more confident sense of identity to the series that wasn’t quite there before.
Fearful of how her pledge to the Dark Lord could affect her friends, Sabrina leaves her mortal high school behind and dedicates herself fully to her studies at the Academy of Unseen Arts. That’s not to say that her friends are forgotten – Roz, Susie, and Harvey are have storylines of their own as they try to discover who they are in Sabrina’s absence. That Mary Wardwell, revealed to be Madam Satan at the end of Part 1, remains the high school principal gives the needed link between worlds.
Still, the happenings in the mortal world is kept to a minimum as Sabrina further descends into darkness and temptation. Through her inexperience, we get to learn more about the ways of the world of witches, but this time it feels much more organic. There’s also a new budding relationship to explore between Sabrina and popular warlock Nick Scratch (Gavin Leatherwood), who brings unique challenges of his own. For those worried that this presents the tiresome love triangle storyline, fear not; both Harvey and Sabrina are actively trying to move on from one another. And Harvey still holds on to a lot of unresolved anger. So, for at least the first five episodes screened ahead of Part 2’s release, the cliché love triangle is nonexistent. At least now how you think.
The true triangle of the series is one that was hinted at in Part 1, though Sabrina herself remains unaware, between Madam Satan, Sabrina, and the Dark Lord. Sabrina’s pledge to him means he’s in the show much more than before, adding new layers to key characters, and driving forward the overarching mystery of why Sabrina is so important to him. This the through line of Part 2, and the writers effectively use this as a focal point from which to spin off character arcs in a much more assured way. Part 2 feels like one continuous story now, instead of a series built around monster-of-the-week type episodes. The downside is that the more the Dark Lord talks, the less dangerous he feels.
Everything you loved about Part 1 is still there. The homages and visual references to horror remain ever prevalent. Look for horror vets Veronica Cartwright (Alien, Invasion of the Body Snatchers) and Ray Wise (Reaper, Twin Peaks, Swamp Thing) in guest appearances, both delightfully reveling in the weird. The monsters, Goetic demons, and witchy takes on familiar holidays are all there, too. And the strange blurred focus camera tricks distracted in Part 1? They’ve been scaled way back.
With the introductions to both the characters and world out of the way, Part 2 is able to stretch its storytelling legs now. It’s not just the overall war for Sabrina’s soul that gives it focus, but that each character has their own respective journey that has something worthwhile to contribute. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is best when it focuses on story and character over detours into the ever-sprawling world of witches; the pacing and flow are near perfection until episode four halts progress for a wacky diversion that explores the main characters’ fears. The first five episodes of Part 2 reveal a much more confident series that’s getting comfortable in its dark, Satanic skin. The storylines have become more focused and streamlined as it hones in on its central themes. For everything it does well, the series still sadly neglects poor Salem. For those hoping for more on our favorite witch’s familiar, well, you’re still out of luck. While episode 5 ends on a note that dramatically changes course for Sabrina yet again, it’s clear Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is hitting its stride and it’ll be exciting to see how her story continues to unfold.
Part 2 of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina arrives on Netflix on April 5.
