Chilling Adventures of Sabrina brought a new dark twist to the famous 1996 teenage witch, Sabrina Spellman. Viewers who were a fan of the show were used to a more light-hearted version of magic. The Netflix show took the character and storyline down a path of darkness, magic, and Satan himself.
This is due to the fact that the Netflix show is based on the comic book series of the same name by Archie Horror. The comic book is more of a horror comic, allowing the show free reign to up the ante on the dark and spooky elements. Some key details were left the same, while others were radically different, like the (taking place in Greendale, for instance). The show shares traits but is also vastly different from its predecessor, Sabrina the Teenage Witch.
Same: Sabrina Defying The Rules
This is a mild similarity that plays into Sabrina's character in both shows. The 1996 version is very rebellious when it comes to how to properly use her magic. She's still a bit naive to how magic works and its effect in the universe. She would often use magic to get her way, for it to only backfire.
The Netflix version also has this sense of rebellion, but in a different way. Sabrina uses her magic to try and create a new reform in the Church of Night. She sees the rules of the Church and magic to be barbaric and outdated.
Difference: Sabrina Doesn't Attend A Magic School
The beginning of the Netflix show is solely based on Sabrina having to make the decision to abandon her human life to attend the Academy of the Unseen Arts. This becomes a huge moment for Sabrina, seeing as she's lived her formative years in the human world.
The decision isn't easy for her, seeing as her parents were also a witch/human couple and Sabrina can't understand why she has to leave her human life behind. In the 1996 show, Sabrina never attends a school dedicated to magic. Nor is she forced to accept her witch nature and commit to the dark lord.
Same: The Witches Council
The Witches Council is a difference and a similarity all in one. Sabrina in the 1996 version does often have to answer to the Witches Council for any wrong use of magic. She also answers to them when it comes to her passing her witches exam. In the Netflix show, the council follows the same guidelines, but is instead seen as a church.
They try and judge any witch who defies the Church of Night or who uses their magic in a way that is deemed unfit. Both councils do have a superior hierarchy. In the Church of Night, each chapter has its High Priest or Priestess. The Witches Council has their head witch.
Difference: Salem Isn't A Familiar
Salem is often remembered for being one of the more famous talking animals to appear on television. His origin story in both shows are entirely different. In the 1996 show, Salem is a 500-year-old witch who was sentenced to spend a 100 years as a cat. He did wrong by the Witches Council and was sent to live with Hilda. This idea was recreated with Sabrina's cousin, Ambrose.
Salem in the Netflix show has no real backstory. He doesn't talk either. When Sabrina comes of age, she must summon a familiar. She at first believes the spell didn't work, but Salem soon appears a short while after.
Same: Harvey And Sabrina's Relationship
A big part of Sabrina's choices when it comes to being a witch is the fact that she lives in the mortal world and has lived a majority of her life around humans. An aspect of Sabrina's story that was kept the same was Harvey. Harvey was Sabrina's first love and in the 1996 version, he ends up being the one.
In the Netflix show, audiences are introduced to Sabrina and Harvey's relationship. Fans were happy to see this story continue, but it takes a turn when they ultimately break up. This storyline detail also happens in the 1996 show.
Difference: The Dark Lord
The whole premise of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is Sabrina coming of age to write her name in the book pledging herself to the Dark Lord, AKA the devil himself. This is a vital character to the show. He is the root of the Church of Night.
He is the idol of magic itself. The Dark Lord also plays a vital role in Sabrina's overall storyline, who she really is, and her importance in the world of magic.
Same: Sabrina Living With Hilda And Zelda
It's unlikely that this aspect of Sabrina's story wasn't kept the same in both versions. Sabrina living with her aunts plays a big role in how Sabrina comes into her powers and how she decides to use them.
In both versions, each aunt has their own way of looking at responsibility when it comes to Sabrina. Hilda is more carefree and not opposed to a little fun. Zelda is more of a stickler for responsibility and maturity when it comes to her niece and her use of magic. In both, Sabrina's aunts are her advisor's when it comes to her screw ups or the rules of magic.
Different: Sabrina's Parents Aren't Dead
A huge difference between both shows is how Sabrina came to live with her aunts. In the Netflix show, Sabrina's parents tragically died in a car crash. Its later revealed that there was a much larger story at play that Sabrina was unaware of. Aunt Zelda tells the story that Sabrina's parents were traveling to Italy to give a lecture at the Vatican when the plane crashed.
In the 1996 show, Sabrina's parents are alive and well. Viewers will only see them a handful of times though. As the story goes, Sabrina's father is a witch who is summoned by the Other Realm Foreign Services. The Witches Council forbid Sabrina's mortal mother from seeing her daughter for two years. Hence, why Sabrina went to live with her aunts.
Same: Sabrina's Different Loves
Both versions of Sabrina includes her famous love, Harvey. They date and are known as a cute couple who fall in love, but they break up in both shows for different reasons. An interesting aspect that the Netflix show kept that's similar to the 1996 version is Sabrina's love life.
After Harvey, Sabrina does go on to date other people. One in particular was a slightly older man named Josh. In this show, fans even got to see Sabrina grow up, get engaged and almost get married to Aaron Jacobs. The Netflix show also shows Sabrina falling in love with someone new, Nick Scratch. Fans are uncertain of where they're relationship will ultimately end up.
Difference: Sabrina Has No Greater Purpose In 1996
As the first season of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina progressed, audiences came to realize that Sabrina isn't a normal witch. Her father was a High Priest of the Church of Night who was chastised for marrying a mortal. But Sabrina's story is much more complex.
There is an urgent need for Sabrina to sign the book dedicating herself to the Dark Lord. It's revealed that Sabrina is in fact the daughter of Satan himself. Her parents were unable to conceive and asked the Dark Lord for help. Sabrina holds immense powers and was even able to summon Hellfire, which was only done by three other witches in history. The 1996 version has no real greater power or intense backstory.