The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Season 1

Sabrina Spellman is part of two worlds: the witch world and mortal world. As her sixteenth birthday nears, she has to decide if she sign her name in the Book of the Beast during her dark baptism which will mean she serves Satan and leaves her mortal life forever. Her home is steeped in magic with her aunts Zelda and Hilda, who have raised her since her parents died in a plane crash, and her cousin Ambrose being witches. Her best friends Susie and Roz plus her beloved boyfriend Harvey are part of her regular, mortal high school and in integral part of her life. How can she choose between two such integral parts of her life?

The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina started out as a pitch dark 60's style comic book reimagining of Sabrina the Teenage Witch. The adaptation to television changed quite a bit, making it more appropriate for teens, dialing back the horror elements, changing many characters entirely, and setting the show in present day with a retro flare. The show is a bit of a mixed bag with some unique elements and some that fall flat.

The world of witches is extremely entertaining with its over the top and dramatic nature, rituals, and long list of rules. They worship Satan and seem rather evil, but most situations with anything truly dark are played off comedically or pulled back before anything horrific happens. For instance, cannibalism seems to a typical part of their rituals and done just for fun, but it's either stopped before it happens (even though this particular ritual happens every year) or in a dream and so over the top it isn't taken seriously (even though the meal is a child). There is also an added element where the show says that witches can't love, but we see plenty of witch characters expressing love: Zelda and Hilda for Sabrina, Ambrose and his boyfriend, and the High Priest for his wife and child. I love the aesthetics and creepiness of this brand of fictional Satanism, but the tone is confused and doesn't seem to know if it's supposed to be evil, good, or somewhere in between.

Sabrina is a frustrating character who throws herself into dangerous situations without a thought to who might get hurt or what could go wrong. Her selfishness extends to how she treats her boyfriend and uses magic on him or around him to solve problems. She even goes as far as to commit murder as long is it can be magically reversed. Her main goal is to defeat Satan even while she draws power from him to do magic. Sabrina is more selfish and arrogant, thinking what she's doing is good even as it blows up in her face and hurts everyone around her. The worst instance is when she brings back Harvey's brother from the dead after he died in a mine accident. She didn't know that his soul has be brought back as well and doesn't want to take responsibility for her huge mistake. This chosen one story is a bit of a let down when the person is one of the worst on the show.

The best characters on the show are Zelda and Hilda. Zelda and Hilda are co-dependent and very different from each other. Zelda is completely devout in her faith and strives to be what Satan and the High Priest want her to be. At every turn, she panics that Sabrina is being led on the wrong path. She seems to hate and resent Hilda, but deep down she truly loves and depends on her. Her snarky comments, constant smoking, and fashionable black outfits improve every scene she's in. Hilda is the most sunny and cheerful of the whole show. She's completely supportive of Sabrina and doesn't let her church, her sister, or anything change her at her core. When she becomes excommunicated from the church, she goes on with her life and takes steps to become more independent. I'm eager to see more of these two in the next season.

Other favorites include Sabrina's cousin Ambrose and Madame Satan. Ambrose has so many more problems than Sabrina, but she can only come to him when she needs something instead of thinking of solutions for his house arrest or offering any help at all. His relationship with Luke is the most adorable of the show and the one I care the most about. He's one of the most intriguing characters of the show and he's criminally underutilized at this point. Madame Satan, on the other hand, is in almost every episode behind the scenes, pulling the strings to get Sabrina to turn towards Satan. She takes the form of Mrs. Wardwell, but killed her and essentially puppets her form. Madam Satan saves Sabrina at almost every turn, acting as one part fairy godmother, one part master manipulator. Michelle Gomez infuses the character with confidence, attitude, and a healthy dose of evil.

Sabrina, Susie, and Roz are best friends for years, but Sabrina has been keeping her witch background a secret. Her friends wouldn't really understand her background and make assumptions about it based on the whole Satan thing while her witch family and acquaintances don't understand why she can't let go entirely of her mortal life and friends. Susie and Roz have their own awakenings to latent abilities, but still treat Sabrina poorly when she finally tells them. Her boyfriend Harvery is the only one with a reasonable reaction of betrayal when he finds out how Sabrina continually manipulated him and made his problems worse with magic. Ross Lynch is an amazing actor and he hasn't really been able to show it on the show quite yet.

The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina isn't as chilling or horrific as I would like. However, it has an aesthetic and characters that keep me watching despite the very many flaws. Some have complained about the scenes with blurry edges, but I think it gives the show a distinctive style. The colors are absolutely beautiful and the fashions are on point. In every episode, numerous subtle horror film references are in character's clothing or the backgrounds or in set pieces, like the Suspiria skylight in the Spellman home. I hope further seasons will fix some of these problems and let characters shine that didn't get the opportunity quite yet.

My rating: 3.5/5 fishmuffins

Suspiria (2018)

In 1977, Susie Bannion travels from her Mennonite family in Ohio to West Berlin with practically nothing to audition for the Markos Dance Academy. The teachers are initially dubious since she's untrained and unknown, but she impresses Madame Blanc enough to be admitted to the company. The other dancers are still reeling from the sudden disappearancing of one of their own, Patricia, only to have Olga seemingly walk out as well. Dr. Klemperer, Patricia's therapist, investigates into the dance school after the police find nothing untoward. Patricia's notes detail the supposed mythology and powers of the women who run the school, but it could be the ravings of an unstable mind.

The original Suspiria film has grown on me with its striking visuals, neon colors, and wonderful soundtrack. This new Suspiria doesn't retread the same territory and is more of a reimagining of the same basic storyline. It has more of a sense of its time and cultural climate than the original as well on a focus on the witchcraft and dancing of the school, a different visual style, and an overall different story. Their world is in chaos in West Berlin as the RAF instigates bombings, hostage situations, and kidnappings. The dance school is never directly affected by the violence, but the stories are all over the news, newspapers, and bombings occur as close as a block away. The women in the school never talk of evacuation and they are never without resources. Dr. Klemperer's storyline of his missing wife also keeps the recent history of the Holocaust close at hand. I enjoyed this dose of a realism to such a fantastical story.

The Markos Dance Academy focuses on modern dance instead of the ballet of the original. Ballet is restrictive and fairly uniform while modern dance allows for more expressions of emotion and varied visuals that go outside of conventional beauty. There are long sequences of rehearsals, lessons, and performances as well as discussions on the theory, meaning, and intent behind the dance throughout the film. I absolutely loved this aspect because it captures the lives of women who live, eat, and breathe dance. The dance aspects are also completely entwined with witchcraft. The first scene like this has Susie trying a solo with Madame Blanc's "help." Every one of her movements hurts Olga in another room, twisting her body and breaking bones but not killing her. Another case is how Blanc steals a another woman's ability to jump, causing her to have a seizure. These events aren't explicitly explained, but happen with little comment from the characters. It feels like the audience is watching things they shouldn't and perhaps don't completely understand.

Despite the violence of the school, the women have a sense of sisterhood with each other. It feels like a family with their own conflicts and dark secrets. The dancers don't have competitive rivalries or try to cut each other down. Everyone is very welcoming to Susie with the only outlier being Olga. They all support each other and only ask for roles if they feel they are ready. The focus on their own journey and support of other dancers is such a departure from the usual narrative of dance films. The dance teachers also have a familial bond along with their witchcraft. Madame Blanc does challenge Markos' leadership, but when she loses the vote, life goes on as usual. Blanc doesn't seem to harbor hard feelings and only oversteps when she feels students are unnecessarily being put in danger. She is also a nurturing teacher to her students, not afraid to debate with them and talk out ideas. Seeing all of this female camraderie was wonderful despite the more insidious secrets the teachers hold. Those dark secrets victimize their students with injury and even death if they step out of line or defy the teachers. This proves to be the toxic element that undermines the otherwise positive relationship between teacher and students.

* spoilers ahead *

The truly surprisingly thing to me is the fate of Susie Bannion. Instead of the shrinking violet of the original who manages to kill the aged witch, this Susie is Mother Suspiriorum, one of the three mothers that predate Christianity, who has come to reclaim the coven as her own. It's so gratifying to see her rise in the ranks, discover who she really is, and ascend to essentially godhood. Markos falsely called herself one of the Mothers and only saw the students as a resource for her to stave off death. Susie summarily destroys the grotesque Markos, grown diseased and old yet unwilling to give power to a newer generation, and all of her followers. Klemperer is spared and given closure on his wife's disapppearance, showing how Susie can be compassionate as well as deadly. Blanc somehow survives a partial beheading, implying that she, Susie, and the remaining witches will rebuild the coven without the toxic influence of Markos.

Suspiria feels like an epic that delves deeply into both the real and fantasy world of the film. If it has any flaws, it's in Klemperer's storyline and in the music. It takes time that bloats the film and slows down the tempo. The casting of Tilda Swinton as the character is a bit distracting, but she acts it well. I like the symmetry of all the people trying to exert power over the coven being played by Swinton (in Markos, Klemperer, and Blanc) and having all the main characters played by women. However, lessening his role might have made the film move a bit better. Thom Yorke's music is good for mmost of the film except in the otherwise silent sequence at the end, where it seems too insubstantial for what's going onscreen. Otherwise, Suspiria gave me so much of what I wanted from the original film with a completely different style and more muted colors. It's one of the most unique horror films of the last few years. Some may find it too pretentious, but I found it delightful.

My rating: 4.5/5 fishmuffins

The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

Sabrina Spellman grows up without her parents with her aunts Zelda and Hilda. Her life is far from normal since her aunts along with the rest of her family (except her mother) are all witches. Her cat Salem talks and acts as her familiar. Sabrina doesn't have full fledged witch powers yet and has to partake in a grisly ceremony on her 16th birthday to accept these powers. She balances the magic world and the regular world of her town Greendale and her school. Her father's past actions come back to haunt her in the form of a jilted undead ex-lover dead set on ruining the entire Spellman family.

The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is a horror revitalization of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch. Instead of light hearted foibles, cheesy jokes, and zany family dynamics, this series has a completely different mood and genre. This is hardcore horror with casual cannibalism, Satan worship, and bloody rituals all grounded in 60's era aesthetics (which is also when the series takes place). These witches are evil and get their power by pledging themselves to Satan. Small references are peppered throughout each comic that include name drops like Dr. Saperstein (the Satan worshipping OBGYN from Rosemary's Baby) and Mrs. Lovett (the human-meat pie baker from Sweeney Todd). Sabrina balances the much darker magic world with the mortal world, shown as she grows up through the 50’s and 60’s.

As a character, Sabrina is a fairly typical teenager. She is torn between the power of Satan and the promise of a future with Harvey, her high school sweetheart. The Witches Council bans relationships between witches and mortals, although Sabrina is the product of one, a point of contention with other witches who call her half breed. Her aunts don’t hestitate to use their magic when their charge is threatened, like conjuring a giant spider to terrorize an arachnophobic classmate of Sabrina’s who made fun of her heritage. My favorite character is Madame Satan, formerly known as Iola. She committed suicide dramatically after Sabrina’s father left her for a mortal and returned after spending years in Gehenna, faceless and tortured. Her revenge on everyone involved isn’t swift or painless and works exceedingly well. I’m honestly kind of rooting for her because she’s so much more entertaining than the other characters.

The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is a delightfully dark comic (especially in comparison to the source material). The art is consistent with the era and beautifully done. The only real flaw of the story is the final installment focuses on the backstories of Sabrina and Ambrose’s familiars Salem, Nag, and Nagaina instead of continuing the crazy cliffhanger of the previous story. Other than that, I am excited for the continuation of the series and will be checking out other Archie Horror titles, including Afterlife with Archie, which crosses over with this story.

My rating: 4/5 fishmuffins

Born Wicked

The Brotherhood, a patriarchal religious group, rule Victorian era America with an iron fist. In the previous rule, witches were in power and women were revered, educated, and powerful. The Brotherhood is the opposite in every way: women are forced to be uneducated and oppressed or they are sent to prison or mental institutions. Cate Cahill and her sisters are considered eccentric because they don't involve themselves in the society and don't bother to try to fit in. Cate's first priority is to hide the fact that she and her sisters are all witches from the Brotherhood and keep them from using their powers frivolously. Her plan has worked so far, but soon she must either declare her intention to marry someone, become part of the Sisterhood (the weaker, feminine counterpart to the Brotherhood), or allow the Brotherhood to choose a husband for her. She despises the Sisterhood and would loathe any old man that would be chosen for her to marry. The boy she has feelings for is below her station and inappropriate to marry. With any of her choices, the separation from her sisters is inevitable, which puts them in danger and goes against her deceased mother's wishes for her to protect them. Can she conform to her society's rules and protect her sisters? Can she find happiness despite the control the Brotherhood has over her life?

Born Wicked is a wonderful blend of science fiction and fantasy that weaves together themes of love, duty, religion, magic, and feminism. It took me a little while to get acclimated to the changes in history. I had a clear idea of the historical events and climate in the real world, so it blew my mind a little that the alternate history was so complete and hugely world changing. The Victorian era is even more oppressive and misogynistic than it was in real life, which is no small feat. Not only can women not pursue any sort of education beyond the home-making arts at any age, but if they do anything subversive or offend the wrong person, they can be imprisoned in a mental institution or sent to a prison labor camp indefinitely. It isn't uncommon to be condemned without so much as the smallest opportunity to prove one's innocence. Women are expected to act vapid and shallow and have no other ambition than to serve their husband, who in turn may treat them as an object. They can't hold jobs or positions of power and alternative lifestyles are also not tolerated. This is a frightening society that is based enough on real events that it's complete believable.

On top of the well written setting and dystopia, I really connected with the characters. Cate and her sisters had their own interests and their own viewpoints about life. Cate is a strong character that puts the safety of her sisters above her own wants and needs. The pressure on her to choose a path that will inevitably end in both her separation from her family and her own unhappiness is astronomical, but she continues to soldier on. It's also nice to see a YA heroine think of someone else for a change instead of putting their own selfish needs in front of everyone and everything else. Her sisters had a few surprises up their sleeves, but I didn't like them as much as Cate because they didn't really appreciate the sacrifices she made for them and mostly treat her badly.

I was very impressed with Jessica Spotswood's debut novel Born Wicked. Despite my own misgivings about its genre, the book greatly surprised me and proved to be attention grabbing and interesting. It bypassed all the typical YA tropes in favor of rich story telling and realistic characters. I am very sad I read this so early because I will have to wait even longer to find out what happens next.

My rating: 5/5 fishmuffins

** Born Wicked is released on February 7, 2012. Check it out here. **

Witches of East End

Freya, Ingrid, and their mother, Joanna Beauchamp, have all tried to live uneventful lives and try to to draw attention to themselves. They are all powerful witches who are forbidden to use magic by decree of the witches' council. Freya can create potions for love or heartache. Ingrid can see the future and weave knots to cure practically anything. Joanna can resurrect the dead and heal injuries. It has been so long since the ruling that the women decide to stop hiding their true selves and start practicing magic again. Freya mixes potions in the bar where she works to help her customers. Ingrid gives remedies to local women at the library on her lunch break. Joanna saves a man from death. When people start disappearing and being subject to violent attacks, the people of the town turn on the Beauchamp women and accuse them of these horrific acts. Can Freya, Ingrid, and Joanna find who the real culprit is before they relive the witch burnings of the past?

I haven't read anything else by Melissa de la Cruz, so I didn't really know what to expect when I started reading this. I really couldn't be happier with this book. The language is fluid and really sucks the reader in. The pages and time passing by are barely noticeable because I was so absorbed with the story and the characters. The beginning is fairly slow, but I don't mind this at all. The world is fully realized. The lyrical language made the beautiful setting easy to visualize. I enjoyed really getting to know the characters before the plot really took off. The three women are all strong in their own different ways and practice their own brand of magic. Freya is the most extroverted and is a big focus of the book. She is led primarily by her emotions. Her impulsive nature is shown especially when she is the first one to break the rules barring their magic use. However, Ingrid has a more quiet confidence that grows throughout the book as she regains a part of her life that she thought was lost forever. Joanna is also much more quiet, but I view her power being the greatest and most difficult to perform. These women are engaging and act as the driving force of the novel. Even though these ladies have lived for centuries, the language and their lives are entirely modern and fresh.

The only criticism I have is the ending. After everything is resolved, the conflict for the next book is already introduced. It seems really out of the blue and much different than the beautiful descriptions and slow exposition of the beginning of the novel. It really felt like an afterthought and would have been better off in the next book.

I really loved this book and I want to read the Blue Bloods series now. This novel had just the right amount of romance, mystery, magic, and mythology. I would highly recommend this to urban fantasy fans.

My rating: 4.5/5