Television

What Do THE CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA’s Script Pages Tell Us About the Show?

by Rosie Knight
Oct 4 2017 • 11:30 AM

Warning: MAJOR Spoilers for the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina follow!

It was just over a week ago that The CW announced it would be creating a brand new show based on the awesome Archie Horror comic, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina! We adore Riverdale and all the creepy comics that it is inspired by, so we’ve been waiting with bated breath for any updates until now. At last, Archie Comics has tweeted a picture of the first script for the show.

So what can we glean from this quick glimpse we’ve been given of the script? A surprising amount, actually! We put on our Jughead beanies and did our best detective work to discover exactly what this one page can tell us about where the show might be headed…

First off, a little background. The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is the second series from the Archie Horror imprint, and the inspiration for the new CW show. The series tells the story of Sabrina, a 16-year-old witch growing up in 1960s suburbia, and struggling with the choice between her normal life with her loving boyfriend or embracing her truly dark destiny. The comic is written by Riverdale showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and drawn by artist Robert Hack.

Much like Melissa Joan Hart’s incarnation of the teen witch, this Sabrina is a powerful witch raised by two aunts who train her in the ways of the occult, and who is constantly toggling between her teenage life and her family’s haunted path. Unlike Melissa Joan Hart’s Sabrina, this version of the character is steeped in Lovecraftian horror and gothic storytelling. (Those same two aunts? These versions eat human flesh.)

Born to a warlock father and a mortal mother, Sabrina is just your average sweet, teenage girl who sometimes comes across as a little naive for someone so well-versed in blood magic, goat sacrifice and necromancy! The new script describes a scene featuring Sabrina and her boyfriend Harvey, something that’s especially exciting to fans of the book and gives us a big hint at the route the show may take.

Which leads us to Harvey. In the comics, Harvey is an integral part of Sabrina’s journey, playing the role of her beloved boyfriend who becomes a symbol for all the normal things she will have to leave behind if she signs the devil’s book and becomes a bride of Satan. Harvey is a kindhearted Jock who is completely unaware that his first love also happens to be a witch. In the comics he has a very interesting story arc that includes him dying, then being resurrected by Sabrina, only to be inhabited by the spirit of Sabrina’s very own deceased and evil dad. In the script, we see a description of Sabrina leading her boyfriend Harvey into a dark glade, which suggests that the new show may indeed be exploring the above arc.

Whereas Riverdale takes the tone and feel of the Archie Horror comics and reimagines them, this new show is likely sticking with the dark heart of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Case in point: This first page of script depicting Sabrina and Harvey entering the forest where she was born, which is torn straight from the book’s pages. It looks like we’ll be focusing on the relationship between the teenage witch and her football star beau, hence the epic arc involving Harvey’s death and rebirth.

Could we see Sabrina and Harvey fighting for their relationship and souls against a court of witches? Will we see Harvey not only die but also be resurrected? Sticking this close to the comic would be a brave and bleak direction for the CW Archie-verse, but Riverdale has already shown us they aren’t afraid to take risks when it comes to this property, especially with comics creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa at the helm of the show. Plus, Betty and Veronica play a big part in Sabrina’s story, so perhaps a Riverdale crossover is in order!

What do you think of our theoretical musings? Are you a huge Sabrina fan and think we’re dead wrong? Do you have an idea who you want to see play the titular teenage witch? Let us know in the comments!

Images: Archie Comics, CW

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