7 Things We Liked (and 4 We Didn’t) AboutChilling Adventures of Sabrina’sFinal Season

Chilling Adventures of Sabrinais finally close down the spellbook . Part 4of the Netflix horror serial has the Fright Club battling the long - awaitedEldritch Terrorsas Sabrina Spellman deals with the consequences of create a twofold identity . It ’s a solid way to go , but that does n’t think it ’s perfect .

Part 3ended with Sabrina ( Kiernan Shipka ) deciding she could rightfully have it all , get her time paradox opposite number take her property as Queen of Hell so she could uphold being a normal teen at Baxter High . It reverse out that this may have outcome — but single she ’ll have to deal with at a later clock time , as Father Blackwood ( Richard Coyle ) succeeded in come up the dreaded Eldritch Terrors from the edges of the cosmos .

Much of the time of year is focused on Sabrina battling this new menace , alongside her aunt and friend , while examine to figure out whether she made a mistake in letting Sabrina Morningstar take over Hell and coming to terms with how she feels about Nicholas Scratch ( Gavin Leatherwood ) . There ’s also a Battle of the Bands where we get word that Lucifer was once an unholy talent scout and an episode that may haverestored my faithin humanity .

Apparently they’re “endgame.”

Apparently they’re “endgame.”Image: Netflix

https://gizmodo.com/sabrinas-stars-didnt-know-this-would-be-the-end-but-th-1845862006

We Liked:

Sabrina Spellman

This was the consequence Kiernan Shipka at long last came into her own — it ’s just too bad it consider so long to get here . Her portraiture of Sabrina Spellman has been a motley handbag through the former episode of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina , but in Part 4 it matte up like she finally got a handle on who she wanted the character to be . Sabrina came across as way-out , impetuous , and confident — even , or perhaps especially , during her bad moments . In Part 4 premiere “ The Eldritch Dark , ” Sabrina tricked her friends into suppose their school was being infest by Bloody Mary so they ’d pass metre with her . in spades reprehensible , but it actually made me like her more . It felt like something this Sabrina would do .

Unlike previous seasons , where the game was steering Sabrina most of the time , this season it felt like she had a bit more mastery ( ironic , count this season ’s game was more all - encompassing than ever ) . And even though I was shy about the Dual Sabrinas turn from last season , I have to say it worked out for the best . take two Sabrinas meant we got to move forth from the “ Satanic witch or everyday teen ” thing that had been played to death in former episodes . Shipka did n’t give the two ‘ Brinas too much variety , but there was enough to tell a difference . It was refreshful to see Sabrina branch out and care about something else besides her own intragroup battle for a modification — like the end of the humanity .

Monster of the Week

Another thing long delinquent in the world of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina : get a “ Monster of the Week ” secret plan . This season bring out the Eldritch Terrors , which ( for the most part ) arrived one - by - one to stake their claim on an episode and force our heroes to come up with a clever way to stop them . Nowadays , prestige fantasy show — specially those with aggregate episode releases , like on Netflix — tend to bank less on “ Monster of the Week ” material in favour of complect , over - arching narratives . That can be exciting ! But it ’s fun to harken back to the days of Buffy the Vampire Slayer when each workweek gave you something fresh and unique .

The Aunts (All of Them)

Will there ever be a season of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina where the auntie are n’t the shining stars ? Now that we ’re at the conclusion , I can severalize you the definitive answer is “ no . ”

They will always be splendid — even if these net episodes , sadly , did n’t give them much to do . Previously Aunt Zelda ( Miranda Otto ) was race the coven under the protection of Hecate , while Aunt Hilda ( Lucy Davis ) was in use contrive her spirit and future tense with her fiancé - turn - married man . With their bragging difference behind them , Part 4 notice Zelda and Hilda step more into the purpose of defender and guides for Sabrina and the coven . It seemed fitting . The two of them have been through so much over the course of their time on the show , so it did n’t discommode me much that they were mostly there to oppose to the Eldritch Terrors and Sabrina ’s choices .

The other bonus : They were n’t the only aunts we got this time of year . Beth Broderick and Caroline Rhea reprised their depiction of Aunts Zelda and Hilda from Sabrina the Teenage Witch , in an episode that is getting its own section below because it was 100 % a series highlight .

Graphic: Jim Cooke

Sabrina (Kiernan Shipka) battles one of the Eldritch Terrors.Image: Netflix

‘The Endless’ Episode

When I insure Broderick and Rhea at the ending of “ Deus Ex Machina , ” I shrieked in pleasure … but I was not train for what Chilling Adventures of Sabrina had in memory . Instead of being a small end - of - episode cameo , we got “ The Endless”—one of the most - delicious ( and delightfully wicked ) episode we ’ve ever bring forth on the show . It centre around Sabrina Morningstar as she found herself trapped in an Eldritch Terror creating a idiot box show about her own life .

This was the installment Sabrina the Teenage Witch fans have need . It was a loving but twisted testimonial to the absurdness of the original series , feature Sabrina as a giant roach , laugh rail , and a talking Salem Saberhagen with a dark side who ( woefully ) was not voiced by Nick Bakay . I was likewise bummed that Melissa Joan Hart did n’t show up , especially seeing as how the instalment suggested we ’d get something along those lines . But even without cameo , it was a play , wild ride .

The Uninvited and the Darkness

One of the strengths and impuissance of doing a Monster of the Week time of year is some of the monsters are go to reflect brighter than others . For the Eldritch Terrors , the first two terrors were by far the most interesting . We started off with the Darkness in a boding and claustrophobic installment that stress me out from beginning to terminate . Then there was the Uninvited , which was an familiar , personal , and ( dare I say ) more harmonic terror . Combined , they set the scene for a season filled with horrors . Not all of them were grand slams but they worked . The most mixed one for me was the Weird , which was the close matter to a traditional Lovecraftian puppet but also reminded me too much of that Buffy episode where the bather turn into Pisces monsters .

Filter’s “Welcome to the Fold” Cameo

The worst sequence of the season was “ The Returned , ” about a bunch of zombie spirit come back to spirit and wreaking havoc on the living . It have a punk rock isthmus call off Satanic Panic who challenge the Fright Club to an diabolic Battle of the Bands . That whole subplot was stupid and I detest it , except for one thing : every time Satanic Panic testify up , an instrumental riff from Filter ’s “ Welcome to the Fold ” would meet . It did n’t make any sentiency — the set was from the 1980s and Filter released Title of Record in 1999 — but I did n’t wish . I have it off that call and I will always be happy when someone else recognize its splendour . This was a present tense for Beth and credibly no one else .

Lilith

Out of all the theatrical role electric arc in the last episodes of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina , Lilith ’s ( Michelle Gomez ) was the one that stayed close to its seed material . Over the path of the past 30 - plus episodes , the series has cut away from its fucked - up origins in party favour of something a flake more PG-13 ( thankfully we were spar from a storyline where Sabrina ’s founding father disguised himself as her fellow Harvey ) . But Lilith ’s plot line was still messed up as ever .

After a graphic birth fit that still gives me nightmares , Lilith spent most of the season keeping her son Adam forth from Lucifer , who want to control him ( and her ) . But that could only ferment for so long , and finally Lilith found herself with her back against the wall . The new Chilling Adventures of Sabrina would ’ve had her hide the baby from their prying optic , like baby Zeus when Cronus was threatening to eat him . But CAOS wanted to give us one more WTF moment … by giving Lucifer , our modernistic - day Cronus , precisely what he wanted . That ’s correct : She feeds Lucifer the sister as a repast — just like he did to her with her fellow , also mention Adam . It ’s not graphic ( for those like me with sensitive belly ) but it is alarm in a direction the show has stopped being for the most part . If that ’s not your cup of tea , I totally get it . But as someone who ’s a fan of the original in writing novels , it was disgustingly refreshing to see the show give us one more genuinely terrible fright .

We Loathed:

Father Blackwood

This is nothing against Richard Coyle . He ’s a fantastic actor and he brings a bunch of dark , sinister Department of Energy into the character of Father Blackwood . The trouble was the serial has spent so long building up to Blackwood ’s Eldritch Terrors … only to pull up stakes him , as a reference , behind . Father Blackwood did n’t feel like an dynamic participant in his own tale , to the point where I often bury he was even part of the whole thing , permit alone the instigator . It would ’ve been one thing if that had been part of his narrative — that the Eldritch Terrors had used Father Blackwood to achieve their own final stage , leaving him in the detritus just like everyone else had . But that was n’t what was happening . Father Blackwood got the ballock roll , came back once to give himself an alternative reality where he was Supreme Leader of the World , and then ceased to matter to the plot until the somewhat lackluster finale .

The Fright Club

This critique kind of applies to most of the side graphic symbol , unfortunately : They just did n’t get a wad to do . This is thanks to the show ’s unusual obsession with the often shirtless Nicholas Scratch , as well as Caliban ( Sam Corlett ) , neither of whom are as interesting as the serial publication seems to think they are . Harvey ( Ross Lynch ) , Theo ( Lachlan Watson ) , and Prudence ( Tati Gabrielle ) were the most noticeable omissions . Prudence spend most of her time connect at the rose hip to whatever was die on with Father Blackwood . Considering his tale arc was n’t interesting , it mean hers was n’t either . Theo ’s main subplot surrounded his relationship with Robin . And Harvey was , well , kind of around .

The character who got the most betterment this season was Roz ( Jaz Sinclair ) , whose clever ability was retconned into being magical index her family had suppressed for generation . That ’s correct : Roz is a witch too ! I did n’t mind this development , as it gave her something more substantial to diddle with , but I feel like she should ’ve been a far - more crucial part of the plot than she ended up being . If they ’d put her in Nicholas ’ place for some of Sabrina ’s more intense moments , I think it would ’ve improved the show greatly .

The Baron Samedi Reveal

This may be one of the most incomprehensible and infuriate thing that Chilling Adventures of Sabrina has ever done . Part 3 end with Aunt Zelda originate a relationship with Mambo Marie LeFleur ( Skye Marshall ) , a Haitian Voodoo Priestess whose character , storyline , and inauthentic representation of Caribbean religious traditions have already beencalled into head . Well , now it ’s time to append some unwelcome fuel to that fire .

“ The Returned ” ended with Marie say Zelda that she had to leave so she could guide the souls of the departed back to the Underworld . That ’s because she was n’t a Voodoo Priestess : She was Baron Samedi , a married and male - identifying loa of life and death . In their final second together , we even see the character ’s true form — play by a male actor . It is possible the writer were devote their own interpretation by making Baron Samedi gender - fluid , but that ’s not the most reverential affair to do to a name who ’s part of a still - practiced religion . Besides , it ’s impossible to get it on if that was their intent because the character reveal is never explained . It just take place , and then she ’s gone constantly .

The fashion it stands , it amount across like Marie was a male - identifying god during their intact family relationship and kept it from Zelda for reasons she never bothers explaining . Not only does that do a ill turn to Zelda ’s nance human relationship , it does n’t go with the character . Baron Samedi is ( among many things ) a wild , boisterous , and fun - loving loa , timber that never showed up in Marie . It was rushed , unwished-for , and a unsound selection . I have no idea why Chilling Adventures of Sabrina ’s author decide to go this route , but it was a fault .

Sabrina (Kiernan Shipka) battles one of the Eldritch Terrors.

Sabrina (Kiernan Shipka) battles one of the Eldritch Terrors.Image: Netflix

The Void

Part 4 spent every episode building up to the arrival of the Void in the series close , “ At the Mountains of Madness , ” so lease ’s just say I was less - than - thrilled at what the Void in reality turned out to be . It was an empty soundstage with outsized inscription , a bland voiceover , and planetal property recycle from an early episode . Then , it was transferred inside Sabrina so we would n’t have to look at it anymore . It all seemed so empty , and not in the elbow room that the show wanted it to be . Part 4 ’s premiere about the dark ended in a obscure , creepy cave and it was extremely resonant . I did n’t get the same vibe here .

This was a letdown after so much build - up . Nothing about the Void carry through the promise Chilling Adventures of Sabrina had pass several episodes fix us for . There ’s also the way it reason out , which is something I ’m still not sure about … partially because I know how much it ’s going to split consultation .

[ Additional spoiler warning for the very remainder of the season . ]

Something fishy is going on with the Weird.

Something fishy is going on with the Weird.Image: Netflix

We’re Still Unsure About

So, Umm, Sabrina Dies

During a press roundtable that io9 enter in , Shipka and Leatherwood shared that theyinitially did n’t knowPart 4 was going to be the final ravel of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina . It ’s got to be why this ending feels as tack - on as it does . The series stop with Sabrina ’s expiry , having sacrifice herself to keep the Void at bay long enough to save her friend and the universe . You ’d think that this would be something they would undo at the last moment , give how often type have been resurrected on this serial ( including Sabrina herself ! ) , but they do n’t . It ’s a fairly gutsy move , one I ’ve flummox sundry flavor about . On one hand , I ’ve got ta respect the show ’s gusto for not take a “ make it easy ” road , alternatively letting Sabrina ’s sacrifice be the show ’s swan song . On the other , it ’s done so quickly that you ’re left reeling , without enough clip to mourn her loss alongside the other characters .

I also really did n’t like that it finish with Nicholas Scratch at her side after he swam in the “ Sea of Sorrows . ” The show never explains how or why , other than him saying there was a “ repellent sea-purse ” that presumably killed him , but the conditional relation feels to me like he died by suicide to unite her , without Chilling Adventures actually showing him do so . I do n’t care how they choose to give voice it — the lack of clarification still ship a very bad message . This is n’t Romeo and Juliet . It ’s a forward-looking show with a adolescent audience , and I ’d wish to think topics like self-annihilation would be come near a slew more respectfully than this . give the fact that Netflix has already been in hot body of water with 13 Reasons Why ’s own recent approach to treat suicide , this seems extra careless and thoughtless .

( And yes , I realize that I praised the show for the WTF Lilith and baby Adam thing , which is way more horrible and yucky on its face . But there ’s a magnanimous difference between portraying the cannibalism of Satan ’s boy and romanticizing teen self-destruction . One is far more likely than the other ! )

Too much awesomeness for one picture.