12 Reviews of Christmas - Chilling Adventures of Sabrina: A Midwinter's Tale (2018)
Hey guys, Chuck here, and welcome back to the 12 Reviews of Christmas. Today, I thought I'd take a look at something a little darker than yesterday's Jeff Dunham review. So, let's take a look at Chilling Adventures of Sabrina: A Midwinter's Tale.
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is a Netflix series based on the Archie comic book series of the same name. This is actually the latest TV version of the character of Sabrina, who was most popularly featured in a late 90's TGIF sitcom on ABC, and was portrayed by Melissa Joan Hart. However, this version of Sabrina, portrayed by Kiernan Shipka of Mad Men fame, is in a much darker world, that is tied in with the CW series Riverdale. While no cross-overs between Sabrina and Riverdale have happened yet, creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa has not ruled out the possibility yet, and has even suggested a stand-alone feature film featuring characters from both shows. What has since been labeled Part 1 of the series (really, just the first half of the first season) was released in October of 2018, and in between the releases of Part 1 and Part 2, Netflix announced that on December 14, a holiday special would be released for the series. So, let's take a look at that holiday special, titled A Midwinter's Tale.
It's the holiday season in Greendale, and in the Spellman house, they are getting ready to celebrate the Winter Solstice. They do this by lighting their annual Yule Log, which must be kept burning all day and all night to keep evil spirits out. Sabrina, meanwhile, recruits her friends to hold a séance to contact her mother's spirit, and heads to the home of her teacher, Ms. Wardwell, to get a copy of the Book of the Dead. The reason Sabrina wants to speak with her mother's spirit is to get some answers about what to do over her recent break-up with Harvey, her boyfriend. The séance doesn't go over well, as the fire on the Yule Log goes out, and the house becomes infested by a group of spirits called the Yule Lads. Sabrina's aunt Zelda, played by Miranda Otto, summons the Lads' mother, a witch named Gryla, who comes and takes her Lad's from the house. Gryla hears the cry of baby Leticia, who was placed in Zelda's care by Lady Blackwood, and attempts to claim the child. Gryla gets away with both her Lads and the baby, but it's revealed that the baby Gryla took was just a teddy bear that belonged to Sabrina's cousin Ambrose with a spell placed on it making it look like the baby.
Meanwhile, Sabrina's friend Susie, who is working as a Christmas Elf in a local shopping mall, when she discovers that Bartell, the shopping mall Santa, has been kidnapping children and trapping their souls inside of wax figures. Susie is taken by Bartell, who is a demon, and is tied up while Bartell prepares the wax Susie and Sabrina's freind Roz arrives at the Spellman house, and tells them what happened. Zelda recruits Gryla, who tears Bartell apart, and she lets Susie go, as she's not an orphaned child. Hilda, Zelda, and Sabrina take Susie home to her father, and leave for their own home. The episode ends with the Spellman's sitting around the fireplace, with Ambrose reading A Christmas Carol.
I felt that, as a stand-alone episode, A Midwinter's Tale was pretty good. While it didn't set up anything for Part 2, which Netflix would release a few months later in April 2019, it did reference thing that were already shown. Kiernan Shipka, Miranda Otto, Lucy Davis, and Chance Perdomo were terrific as Sabrina, Zelda, Hilda, and Ambrose Spellman in the series, and the storylines they were given in this episode were very engaging. The side story with Susie was a favorite of mine, and Lachlan Watson did a great job in selling Susie's fear of what was going to happen. Michelle Gomez, who I'm sure most of you will recognize for her role as Missy on Doctor Who, was terrific as Ms. Wardwell aka Madam Satan. I personally think her role on Doctor Who was just a warm-up act for this performance, but that's just me. Now, I will be the first to say that this isn't for everyone. If you're not into stories involving witchcraft and gothic horror, or you haven't watched the CW's Riverdale, then you're probably better off skipping this one. However, if, like me, you are fan of the CW's Riverdale, check out Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, and definitely give this episode a watch. I'm going to go ahead and give Chilling Adventures of Sabrina: A Midwinter's Tale a rating of 4.5/5. This is Chuck signing off. See you guys next time as we continue the 12 Reviews of Christmas.
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is a Netflix series based on the Archie comic book series of the same name. This is actually the latest TV version of the character of Sabrina, who was most popularly featured in a late 90's TGIF sitcom on ABC, and was portrayed by Melissa Joan Hart. However, this version of Sabrina, portrayed by Kiernan Shipka of Mad Men fame, is in a much darker world, that is tied in with the CW series Riverdale. While no cross-overs between Sabrina and Riverdale have happened yet, creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa has not ruled out the possibility yet, and has even suggested a stand-alone feature film featuring characters from both shows. What has since been labeled Part 1 of the series (really, just the first half of the first season) was released in October of 2018, and in between the releases of Part 1 and Part 2, Netflix announced that on December 14, a holiday special would be released for the series. So, let's take a look at that holiday special, titled A Midwinter's Tale.
It's the holiday season in Greendale, and in the Spellman house, they are getting ready to celebrate the Winter Solstice. They do this by lighting their annual Yule Log, which must be kept burning all day and all night to keep evil spirits out. Sabrina, meanwhile, recruits her friends to hold a séance to contact her mother's spirit, and heads to the home of her teacher, Ms. Wardwell, to get a copy of the Book of the Dead. The reason Sabrina wants to speak with her mother's spirit is to get some answers about what to do over her recent break-up with Harvey, her boyfriend. The séance doesn't go over well, as the fire on the Yule Log goes out, and the house becomes infested by a group of spirits called the Yule Lads. Sabrina's aunt Zelda, played by Miranda Otto, summons the Lads' mother, a witch named Gryla, who comes and takes her Lad's from the house. Gryla hears the cry of baby Leticia, who was placed in Zelda's care by Lady Blackwood, and attempts to claim the child. Gryla gets away with both her Lads and the baby, but it's revealed that the baby Gryla took was just a teddy bear that belonged to Sabrina's cousin Ambrose with a spell placed on it making it look like the baby.
Meanwhile, Sabrina's friend Susie, who is working as a Christmas Elf in a local shopping mall, when she discovers that Bartell, the shopping mall Santa, has been kidnapping children and trapping their souls inside of wax figures. Susie is taken by Bartell, who is a demon, and is tied up while Bartell prepares the wax Susie and Sabrina's freind Roz arrives at the Spellman house, and tells them what happened. Zelda recruits Gryla, who tears Bartell apart, and she lets Susie go, as she's not an orphaned child. Hilda, Zelda, and Sabrina take Susie home to her father, and leave for their own home. The episode ends with the Spellman's sitting around the fireplace, with Ambrose reading A Christmas Carol.
I felt that, as a stand-alone episode, A Midwinter's Tale was pretty good. While it didn't set up anything for Part 2, which Netflix would release a few months later in April 2019, it did reference thing that were already shown. Kiernan Shipka, Miranda Otto, Lucy Davis, and Chance Perdomo were terrific as Sabrina, Zelda, Hilda, and Ambrose Spellman in the series, and the storylines they were given in this episode were very engaging. The side story with Susie was a favorite of mine, and Lachlan Watson did a great job in selling Susie's fear of what was going to happen. Michelle Gomez, who I'm sure most of you will recognize for her role as Missy on Doctor Who, was terrific as Ms. Wardwell aka Madam Satan. I personally think her role on Doctor Who was just a warm-up act for this performance, but that's just me. Now, I will be the first to say that this isn't for everyone. If you're not into stories involving witchcraft and gothic horror, or you haven't watched the CW's Riverdale, then you're probably better off skipping this one. However, if, like me, you are fan of the CW's Riverdale, check out Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, and definitely give this episode a watch. I'm going to go ahead and give Chilling Adventures of Sabrina: A Midwinter's Tale a rating of 4.5/5. This is Chuck signing off. See you guys next time as we continue the 12 Reviews of Christmas.
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