The Picayune‘s first DVD review of a non-animated show would be a sitcom based upon a comic book. At least Sabrina the Teenage Witch worked out better than the horrendous version of The Tick on Fox. I also bought the set to keep around for my three nieces and maybe the daughters of my friends because it was nice to see a show with strong, developed (character wise, not physical!) female characters who aren’t caught up in the usual gender politics-issues practically every other program does. Many dismissed the show in the beginning as Bewitched in the Nineties, they were nowhere close. I also remember ABC originally having more faith in Clueless, the Series while Sabrina would only get an audience if it was too lazy to change the channel. By the second season, Clueless went to the lesser UPN and Sabrina kicked off ABC’s Family Fridays until Melissa Joan Hart appeared in Maxim.
The premise centers around Sabrina Spellman, a 16-year-old girl sent to live with her aunts Hilda and Zelda in Westbridge, MA (a fictional ‘burb outside Boston). The aunts’ primary goals are to show their niece the ropes on how to become a responsible witch, finish raising her through high school and keep her away from her mother for two years. Sounds harsh but Sabrina’s mother is a mortal and the rules state that after a witch’s powers first manifest, she can’t see her mortal parent in person for two years. As for her father (cameo of Robby Benson), he has huge responsibilities in the Other Realm which is why he asked his sisters to assist. It’s pretty much the explanation for TV since the comic book had Sabrina living with two “typical” (meaning pointy hats, warts, etc.) witch aunts and her parents were an enigma. Rounding out the Spellman family is one of my favorite touches, Salem, a talking cat with the voice of comedian-show writer Nick Bakay. Salem usually appears as a mediocre puppet and two different trained cats for movement sequences but it’s Bakay’s speaking that makes him funny.
Most of the episodes centered around Sabrina’s trials and tribulations in high school: her best friend Jenny (only in the first season), her eventual first boyfriend Harvey, the class bully Libby and how life is a constant crisis at 16. The premises have been covered to death by every teen-centered sitcom since The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis but the witch-magic angle and numerous guest appearances make it fresh. The first season had numerous casting coups: Penn & Teller as the high-ranking members of the witches council, Coolio, Randy Travis, the Violent Femmes, Deborah Harry, Chris Elliott, Ed Begley Jr., Raquel Welch and Sally Jesse Raphael…to name a few. Fans of older TV shows will recognize Alan Young from Mr. Ed, Beth Howland (Vera from Alice), Bill Fagerbakke from Coach (and the voice of Patrick on Spongebob Squarepants) and game show host Peter Marshall. I loved seeing comedians Dana Gould, Paul Provenza and Frank Conniff. Maybe I was oblivious to other shows doing such things yet it didn’t matter, everyone involved made the silly roles work, it didn’t feel forced, cheesy or lame to me. Lastly, Melissa Joan Hart had this air of sincerity and natural charisma to the role. Maybe one day I’ll get a chance to meet her, tell her how much I enjoyed the show and see if she’s as nice in person as the characters she plays. Quick disclaimer, yes, I think she’s pretty but I always had a bigger crush on the aunts, I would’ve loved having a kid sister like her.
The show seems a bit dated now: special effects through CG on a regular basis were still a few years away, the clothes, the musical tastes and the cultural references; but good, old movies and television programs survive the scrutiny of time when they’re executed well. I think it’s still early to say for Sabrina as it’s getting a small revival on The N, Family and other cable networks catering to tweeners.
Now as a DVD, Sabrina is just 24 episodes form the first season. There’s no extras on how the show was made, no retrospectives from lead actresses Hart, Rhea or Broderick nor the creator Nell Scovell. I don’t have the patience to hunt down Easter Eggs neither. It’s a shame but it does keep this DVD set at a nice price and prevents anyone from being disappointed with higher expectations.