Given the trend of nostalgia, it seems that just about any beloved property could return. For TV, there have been revival like Will & Grace and Roseanne, as well as reboots like Netflix's new version of Queer Eye. One beloved 90s property that is getting an entirely different adaptation is Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Rather than a campy sitcom starring Melissa Joan Hart, the upcoming Netflix series will be darker and more in line with the comics and The CW's Riverdale. So what does the OG Sabrina think about this news? When asked how she felt about The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Hart claims she is,
Indifferent, really. People kept asking for it, and they were already doing Riverdale, so I guess it made sense. I think they're doing it in a smart way --- change it up, don't make it the same. If you're going to do the same show, it probably would fall on its face, but I think what they're doing is probably the smartest way to reboot something.
Well, that was honest. It looks like the OG Sabrina doesn't care one way or another about the new, darker incarnation of the character. And considering its the project that Melissa Joan Hart is best known for, it certainly proves how mature the actress is about the entire situation.
Melissa Joan Hart is the only actress to have portrayed Archie Comics' Sabrina in live action. It first began with the 1996 movie of the same name. And when the show was adapted into a 30 minute sitcom, Hart was once again brought on to star as the magical teen. She would go on to star as Sabrina for a whopping seven seasons across both The WB and ABC. Given her long tenure as the Archie Comics character, it would make sense if Hart wasn't too thrilled about someone else playing the role. Yet she's handling it all with grace.
As Melissa Joan Hart said to EW, the new Sabrina show is going to be nothing like the original. The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina has already been given a two season deal at Netflix, and will once again star the character Sabrina Spellman. Played by Mad Men alum Kiernan Shipka, the series will be a dark coming of age tale. Instead of Sabrina's powers being hilariously used through the use of an index finger, the new Sabrina will feature the teenage heroine as a true practitioner of the occult.
All that said, it would be nice if The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina gave Melissa Joan Hart some type of cameo or character. Riverdale is known for casting former teen actors as adults, and it would be great to see Hart given a nod with the new series.
CinemaBlend will be sure to update you on the new Sabrina series as details become public. In the meantime, check out our midseason premiere list to plan your next binge watch, and our cancellation list to see if your favorite show got the chop last year.
