Before many confuse this as satanic propaganda, this series was based off of a popular comic run from 2014. Fans of the ABC series from the late 1990’s will likely recoil in horror once they notice “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” is nothing like the old comedy show.
Comprised of 10 episodes, the Netflix original takes a more sinister approach to the famed Archie comics character. Putting it mildly, this series is upbeat horror, akin to that of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Evil Dead 2” and “Supernatural.”
“Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” was produced as a companion series to “Riverdale,” the popular CW show. It showcases precisely what separates the Netflix platform from what is allowed on network TV.
This series is everything “Riverdale” wishes it could be. It features a brilliant use of side characters, an easily-followed plot and includes less padded fluff, making this show vastly superior. 
Centered around Sabrina Spellman, viewers get an interesting interpretation of what half-witches tend to deal with. Balancing relationships with her friends while also avoiding signing her soul away, this show gets absolutely nuts. 
Frequent screaming and squeaking at the monitor ensued, as this series jumps from sappy romance to cannibalistic horror on a dime. It ultimately culminates into a genre blend far spookier than average, but oh-so good.
Featuring Kiernan Shipka as Sabrina Spellman and Ross Lynch as Harvey Kinkle, this series allows every member of its dedicated cast to shine. Other notable cast members include Lucy Davis, Miranda Otto, Chance Perdomo, Michelle Gomez, Tati Gabrielle and Richard Coyle.
Sabrina’s friends do not experience the typical romantic drivel associated with teenagers. There is a swath of fascinating side-stories, all molding the cast into a variable powerhouse of emotion.
Taking place entirely in the background, a character named Roz begins having visions, a non-binary character named Susie gets haunted and a ton of other supernatural shenanigans spoilers occur. 
Side characters like Ms. Wardwell and Ambrose steal scenes immediately with their delightful charisma and cheeky dialogue. Villains in this series are perfectly ambiguous, never fully showing what they have planed for the poor town of Greendale.
The writers relish in their horror-based inspiration. With numerous callbacks to horror classics and the occasional “Riverdale” mention, this series knows what its going for. While labeled as TV-14, do not let it fool you. The show pushes that boundary in every possible way.
The series really hits its stride around the fifth episode. Paying homage to “Nightmare on Elm Street,” Sabrina’s family is trapped in their house with a dream demon. What follows is the greatest introduction to how the characters work in this series.
Every character fills a specific role, beautifully balancing between character motivation and development. Minor spoilers ensue, but even newcomers can enjoy this episode as a standalone. If you can only watch one, this is by far the best example of what to expect.
Had this series been on the CW as originally intended, there would be far less to enjoy. It could have ended up just as absurd as its predecessor, discussing drugs like Jingle-Jangle and warping characters into lampooned caricatures. 
Instead, this series savors the chance to prove Gothic horror can confidently meet a satisfying romance. There is so much to take from this show, all of which is sure to please fans of “Supernatural” and even “Riverdale.”
“Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” is not without faults. It takes a few episodes for the pace to settle down from pure exposition and likes, to rely on shocking imagery. It also tends to feature awful cinematography in the earlier episodes, with numerous shots utilizing a terrible blurring effect. Thankfully, the experience is so fascinating that it keeps viewers binging every episode.
While a touch too risqué for the religious, “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” lives up to the title. It makes no compromises, and expects you to buckle down and deal with some uncomfortable scenes. With some occasional humor and an abundance of heart, this series is sure to become much more than a cult-classic.
If you want to get spooky while also enjoying a satisfying story-line, “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” is currently available to stream on Netflix.