Everyone who is anyone loved Sabrina the Teenage Witch back in the day; Melissa Joan Hart’s character was smart, she was savvy, and she had magical powers to boot.
Magical powers which, despite getting her into trouble on a near-constant basis, she could use to tidy her room in an instant, summon her favourite band to her house party, teach bullying Libby a number of important lessons, switch up her outfit with one point, and help her to achieve her dreams – no matter what they may be.
Case in point:
It seems almost impossible to believe that the last ever episode of Sabrina aired all the way back on 24 April 2003.
Yes, that really does mean it’s been almost 15 years since we watched Sabrina walk out on her wedding to Aaron (Dylan Neal) – and into the arms of her teenage sweetheart (and soulmate) Harvey Kinkle (Nate Richert).
In many ways, it was a fitting ending to the sweet and kooky show we’d loved for so many years. But, in so many other ways, we were desperate for more – more Sabrina, more magic, more #girlpower.
Which is why we were incredibly excited to hear that everyone’s favourite teenage witch is set to open the closet to the Other Realm and let us back into her magical life once more.
Well, sort of, anyway.
The first season of Riverdale – a TV show based on the iconic Archie comics – is set to premiere on The CW on 26 January.
And executive producer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, in a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, has made a big point of reminding us that Sabrina was actually an Archie comics creation too; she’s from Greendale (a town close to Riverdale).
“Some people don’t even know that Sabrina is in the Archie family,” he told them. “There is absolutely a universe where Sabrina pops up in Riverdale or one town over in Greendale. Certainly, the priority is launching Riverdale and making sure that show is as good as it can be and as embraced as we want it to be.”
And, as if that wasn’t obvious enough, he added: “I’ll just tease that Sabrina has potential with a capital P.”
Riverdale will follow the lives of the characters inspired by Archie, albeit in a far darker and edgier manner.
The titular character will be brought to life by KJ Apa, Betty will be played by Lili Reinhart, and Camila Mendes will star as Veronica.
The show’s official synopsis reads: “Welcome to a town where everything is perfect, but nothing is as it seems.”
And executive-producer Greg Berlanti has been singing the show’s praises to The Hollywood Reporter, revealing that Riverdale will tackle serious issues from the very first episode.
“There’s a gay character, a closeted character, a child on medication…” he said. “So, yeah, the seeds are there.”
Set in the present day, Riverdale is described as a subversive drama that takes a closer look at the surrealism of small-town life — the darkness and weirdness bubbling beneath Riverdale's wholesome exterior.
That façade slowly begins to crumble when one of Riverdale High's own is found dead — a mystery that runs through the entire series.
In short, it’s not so much a coming-of-age show as it is a loss-of-innocence series – and their plans for Sabrina are just as gritty.
“We've talked about Sabrina being something that's a bit darker, a bit Rosemary's Baby. It's not going to be the half-hour sitcom with Melissa Joan Hart, but it depends on the property,” said Aguirre-Sacasa.
Riverdale is set to premiere on 17 January on Netflix in the UK.
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