Chilling Adventures of Sabrina surprises NYCC with screening
At New York Comic Con, fans get to see the first episode of the spellbinding Netflix show.
The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina got the spotlight at New York Comic Con 2018.
The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina got its trailer debut earlier this week. And on Friday, Netflix debuted the first episode at its Netflix and Chills panel during New York Comic Con 2018.
We'll have a review of the episode later, but my immediate takeaway is that the show harkens back to horror-themed comedies of the '80s and '90s like Hocus Pocus and Beetlejuice. It absolutely has spooky moments, but it's not a dark and dreary story. And while the show is funny, the humor doesn't diminish the stakes.
During Friday's panel, the expanded cast of Sabrina got the most explanation, including Michelle Gomez's dual role of Miss Wardell, Sabrina's teacher, and Madam Satan -- something way more sinister. Gomez noted that it's a real challenge to not make the character just evil. But if you've seen Gomez portray the Master on Doctor Who, a complicated antagonist is absolutely something she pulls off.
Michelle Gomez plays Miss Wardell and Madam Satan.
Chance Perdomo plays Sabrina's cousin Ambrose, describing his role as "the Alfred to Sabrina's Batman." Perdomo also praised the show's writers for allowing his character to be both pansexual and a person of color, giving him lots of sides to explore as well as represent.
Mad Men's Kiernan Shipka, who plays Sabrina Spellman herself, said Salem the cat is being played by three cats, and noted the show is taking a new spin on the kitty.
"It's funny because the '90s sitcom Salem is so iconic," Shipka said.
And might Sabrina eventually cross over with Riverdale, the other Archie Comics-based show that Aguirre-Sacasa serves as a creator on? Maybe.
"I'm first and foremost a fan of these two worlds, Riverdale and Greendale. I love when comic book characters cross over," Aguirre-Sacasa said. "Right now we're focused on getting Sabrina out there and making sure Sabrina is as good as it can be but I'm hopeful."
Other stars of Sabrina include Miranda Otto as Zelda Spellman, Lucy Davis as Hilda Spellman, Ross Lynch as Sabrina's boyfriend Harvey Kinkle, Tati Gabrielle as Prudence and Bronson Pinchot as high school principal George Hawthorne.
The first season premieres on Netflix Oct. 26.
