The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina set the stage for Sabrina taking on Hell and delivered on a season three unlike any other we’ve seen from this Spellman. From time travel to possessed boyfriends, Sabrina had so many unlikely things to deal with while trying to save the world with her family and friends by her side. What we’re left with is a solid season that pays tribute to who and what we love about Sabrina Spellman while setting up what’s to come in part 4 of the chilling series. Join us in breaking down the good, the bad, and the ugly of part 3 of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.
The Good
Sabrina Having Her Family’s Back
Sabrina might be many things; annoying AF in her conviction that everything bend to her will and that she can fix everything with magic. But there’s one undeniable thing that Sabrina holds dear to her heart: her family. No matter what came her way in Part 3, her family was first and foremost and the reason why two Sabrinas ended up being a thing.
Which….I kind of don’t believe that Hell Sabrina is going to forsake her family just because she wants the crown as well. Earth Sabrina might think she has it all figured out and she’s never going to see Hell Sabrina again but she totally is. Both Sabrinas care for Zelda, Hilda, Salem, and their Earth friends. There’s no way Hell Sabrina not going to have her family’s back.
But since we’re still in the good of the review, let’s save this bit for later.
Sabrina loves strongly and doesn’t let her family or friends deal with the forces around them all by themselves. Sometimes she might not be the fastest, especially with their powers depleted, but she tries and comes through, no matter how big, scary, or out there the challenge they are facing looks like.
Hilda’s Character Development
My baby Hilda went through a rollercoaster of an adventure in part 3 of the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. She’s always been the wallflower in comparison to her sister Zelda but this season saw her taking chances in her home life, work life and her love life. Even her magic was tested in part 3 and I’m so proud of her.
In particular her love life left me feeling like I was floating. This is what Hilda deserves. Not turning into a spider and possibly killing her loved one. I mean, she deserves the love of a person who sees how bright, beautiful, and vibrant she is when she’s just being herself. And I think she’s found the right man for that.
Hilda’s magic and the lengths she’s willing to go to get revenge…well, I love that too. That hippie took Hilda’s abilities for granted and thought she was a mediocre witch. Jokes on the hippie because Hilda is a weaver of many sorts that can take you down, one doll at a time, and I am so here for her defending her family and way of life.
All the Gay
If there’s anything I will always back it’s the gay. Whether it’s in my books or on my shows and movies, if you give it to me, I’m there. And I’m so there for Theo Putnam getting a relationship and Zelda showing off her queer side with Mambo Marie. It’s the representation we deserve and what I hope continues to develop into season 4 of the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.
Theo Putnam and his romance with Robin was just as sweet and cheesy as Harvey/Sabrina in season one and I’m ok with that. We deserve the cheese as queer people and I demand more in season 4, especially if important markers like coming out or having sex as a trans person for the first time are of continued importance.
Same thing goes for Zelda and Mambo Marie. That didn’t come out of nowhere. There was a tension from the first moment they met and the dedication that Marie had over protecting Zelda’s body was a clear sign that she cared. And I demand to see more of them as a couple, especially because Zelda is Directrix and Marie a badass priestess.
Queer content like that on the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina normalizes our lives and makes us feel seen. From the middle aged woman making a queer change in her life to the young trans person experiencing their first love, that normatlization reaches far and wide and opens people’s mind to the other. And that alone is more than worth it.
The Bad
Time Travel Though?
I love time travel shows. Timeless, am I right? But this time travel on the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, well…it felt cheap. I knew something of the sort was coming as soon as they killed Harvey. You don’t kill someone that big within the story of Sabrina Spellman for him to bite the bullet. Then Zelda was shot, a banshee was chilling outside, and Hilda hadn’t risen yet.
All of these events or clearing of the board is something that Game of Thrones would’ve done but thank god that show has nothing to do with this one. That’s how I knew that time travel was on the horizon for everyone on the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. And while everything worked out for the best, I can’t help but feel cheated and lied to.
It was the final episode and we just so happened to miss the apocalypse and the end of the human race thanks to the Green Man pollinating everyone? And we missed Caliban, the lame clay prince of Hell, losing like he deserved? I’m telling you, robbed of great material that I really would’ve liked to live through instead of told about.
Roz/Harvey? How About No!
Ughhh if there’s one pairing I hated seeing on my screen it’s Roz and Harvey. Two episodes started with them together and I couldn’t but mumble, “Lammmme.” First of all, not a lot of time has passed between all the seasons. Sabrina is still 16 and she just broke up with Harvey. Roz sliding into Harvey’s DM’s feels skeevy and leaves me wondering if she had feelings for Harvey way before they got together. Which, again, skeevy AF.
Same thing goes for Harvey. He’s just as skeevy as Roz is. You just broke up with your long term girlfriend who you dropped “I love you’s” with and now you’ve got feelings for Roz? Sounds weird AF and the kind of content that I do not want to consume, especially with how “in love” they are with each other, considering it’s been like two seconds since they got together.
And then there were those hints that Harvey still harbors feelings for Sabrina. No duh, he’s going to have feelings for Sabrina still. They just broke up and we can’t forget they’re melodramatic teenagers. But go on with your bad selves and stay together aka out of Sabrina’s way and her full potential as a badass witch/ruler of hell. Sabrina doesn’t need that drama and deserves better.
Breaking up Prudence/Ambrose
THIS WAS MY OTP. The way that these two have come together is a thing of beauty. So breaking them up…THAT BROKE ME! They’ve fought together, grown together, and changed as people together. And breaking them up feels cheap and disingenuous to the journey that they had at each other’s side.
Ambrose finally had the freedom he’s been waiting for and he was lucky enough to have Prudence by his side. With her he learned the value of patience, anger, and companionship. And he great as a warlock and man into someone who didn’t feel so alone in this big bad world we call Earth.
Same thing goes for Prudence even though she’s a tougher nut to crack and the one who initiated the break up. With Ambrose she learned that she didn’t need to take on the world all by herself or with her twisted sisters. She had someone she could depend on, no matter what came her way or what Faustus threw at them.
That’s why their breakup hurt so much and why I want to forget about the breakup ASAP!
The Ugly
NABRINA CRASHING AND BURNING
This is the part of the review WHERE CAPS LOCK IS ESSENTIAL! BECAUSE WHAT IN THE EVER LOVING HELL HAPPENED TO NABRINA?! I’ll tell you: trauma and a lack of forgiveness. Let’s back track. Nicky was going through some hard stuff, no denying that. He was Lucifer’s cage and we all know how that can twist you up. So when Nick returned, I expected their to be trauma. I just didn’t expect Nick to be an utter jerk.
Seriously, I found myself questioning why I even liked Sabrina and Nick together after the way that he treated her in Part 3 of the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. And again, I know he was going through trauma. He was hurting and like any addict, he took it out on those around him aka Sabrina Spellman. But he went to far and was so cruel that I barely recognized him.
My Nabrina heart is broken, not just because Part 3 trashed my ship but because all Sabrina was trying to do is help someone that was hurting her while hurting themselves. It’s twisted, sad, and a clear sign that these two need a break from each other. MEGA BREAK! I also need Nabrina to sit down and talk. Nick needs to ask for forgiveness and make reparations for those he hurt.
Apologizing is part of recovery and here’s hoping in Part 4 we get to see that. That’s the only way I could possibly think about Sabrina and Nick ever being together once again.
Two Sabrinas? Really?
Why do both Sabrinas think they’re above the law of magic? Part of it is due to the fact that everytime something bad happens, magic fixes the way. It is a show about witches after all but Sabrina feels like she’s above everything.
And at some point or another all of that is going to come crashing down all around her and there will be no magical outlet. Personally, I can’t wait. Sabrina has been living on the edge of her seat for seasons on end, barely coming through but coming through. What Sabrina needs is consequences aka she needs someone to die on her and know that there is no way to bring them back.
Narrative wise…that means Theo or Roz are going to die. Soon. Harvey is safe because he’s the possible love interest alongside Nick. But the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina needs something to divide the witch and the hunter. What better way then accidentally killing Theo or Roz and then failing to bring them back via magic? I’m not saying it’s perfect. Just saying it’s gonna happen.
Just you wait. Especially because Sabrina thinks she’s got it all figured out. She doesn’t.
Caliban. Just in General.
First of all, Caliban isn’t hot. Not one bit. I don’t care if he’s got a shirt on or not. Not hot. Not worthy of Sabrina Spellman. Which, super surprised that people would actually ship these two together. He helped her ONCE and then left her trapped in a circle of hell while he tried to conquer Earth before being taken down by the pagans. Not worthy of shipping and a pain in the ass when it came to everything and anything that Sabrina was doing in hell.
Also, how loyal are the demons of hell to Lucifer that as soon as he disappeared for a hot spell they had a Prince they wanted to rule instead of a Morningstar? Speaks to what they really think of Lucifer despite the fact that he’s been ruling since time began. Hopefully Lucy, who I don’t like at all, teaches them a lesson on what it means to be loyal to your king. They need it.
But maybe now that Hell Sabrina is down there…maybe she’ll do it.
All hail Queen Sabrina!
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is now available on Netflix.
Nabrina crashing and burning was one of the best things of part 3, but that’s all I have to disagree with.