Not Your Average Teenage Witch

Article first published as TV Review: CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA on Seat42F.

Netflix released the first season of the highly anticipated CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA last week. Based on the recent Archie comic series of the same name, the titular character is a half mortal, half witch teenager who has come of age and is asked to sign her soul over to the Dark Lord. But Sabrina has doubts, especially when she is lied to about free will and told she must give up her human friends and boyfriend. Does she really have a choice, and why is Sabrina so important to the witch world?

This is not your (parents’?) Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Although fans of the 90s sitcom will recognize character names and broad-stroke personalities from CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA, that is pretty much where the similarities end. This is a dark, creepy, macabre version of the tale. Followers of the Dark Lord call themselves a church, but they’re closer to a cult. Actual teen witches might kill mortals for fun. Blood is used in rituals. And Satan is involved. So don’t expect to sit down with your family to watch this.

CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA looks almost flawless. Its design and setting are very artistically done, visually stunning. Special effects are top-notch. This all contributes to the purposely dreary tone. There is also a sense of fun, whimsy, and magic injected in, lest you think it’s just a dark drama. Costumes, props, the Spellman house… it is all excellently done.

My complaint here is that the picture far too often goes blurry on the edges. This is a great effect when used sparingly, but SABRINA uses it constantly. It becomes distracting and confusing. The show would play much better of 95% of this was taken out.

For tone, I recommend looking to the CW’s Riverdale, which may or may not be set in the same universe. (There is no crossover in season one, although Riverdale is mentioned as a place.) Both share a sense of sexiness and danger. Though SABRINA is louder and more extreme, with the magical element kicking things up a notch.

Most of the characters are equally good. Miranda Otto (24: Legancy) and Lucy Davis (the original The Office) are fantastic as aunties Zelda and Hilda, respectively, updating the stern and goofy bases into complex and surprising characters. Ross Lynch (Austin & Ally) plays perfect puppy dog Harvey Kinkle. Chance Perdomo (Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators) is very interesting as Sabrina’s ‘cousin’ Ambrose, confined to house arrest. Tati Gabrielle (The 100) is perfect as Prudence, leader of the Weird Sisters. Michelle Gomez, memorable in her run on Doctor Who, brings a similar performance to the teacher who inadvertently gets involved. Richard Coyle (Coupling) is awesome as high priest Father Faustus Blackwood.

Less satisfying is Kiernan Shipka (Mad Men) as Sabrina. Shipka is a talented young actress, as proven by past work, but I’m not certain her performance matches the rest of the show. At times, she feels like the strong young woman she is, standing up to authority, even her aunts, protecting her friends, and making her own way. This put-together sixteen-year-old is where Shikpa shines. But she seems less comfortable with the strange and weird. And this may be mainly a writing issue, but it’s completely strange that Sabrina doesn’t notice massive changes in her favorite teacher. I do think Shipka can grow into this role, or some adjusted direction may help. But at least initially, she’s unfortunately not as good as the show itself, not something you want from the lead.

Which is not to say that I don’t recommend CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA. It’s a compelling, creative story that is mostly well executed. I had planned to watch just one episode for this review, but felt like I had to go straight into the second. Once I submit this article, I do plan to watch the rest. There are just a few things to work on for season two for the program to make full use of its potential.

The CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA is available now on Netflix.

Yo Ho CROSSBONES

Article first published as CROSSBONES Review on Seat42F.

NBC’s CROSSBONES is pure summertime popcorn fun. It features the noble hero, Tom Lowe (Richard Coyle, Covert Affairs), going undercover as a doctor in an attempt to get close to and assassinate the notorious pirate, Blackbeard (the great John Malkovich). It’s a swashbuckling action adventure, a bit cheesy, a tad unrealistic, but thoroughly enjoyable.

Because CROSSBONES airs on NBC, it is at a disadvantage to its Starz competitor, Black Sails, which can show more blood, violence, and nudity. After all, this is a series about pirates, and unless one makes outlaws of the cartoonish variety, one is going to want to see some of that gritty reality, even if there’s a light spirit about. That’s just the nature of the show, and CROSSBONES has to keep these things toned down, hinting at much more than showing such elements, not getting anywhere near as bloody as the boundary-pushing NBC series Hannibal.

Yet, even so, I enjoy CROSSBONES. It could be the simplistic hero story, one that inspires and excites in the right hands. We know who is on the side of good, and we cheer for them to succeed, even if we want it drawn out a bit to enjoy the villain a little longer. Or it could be the excellent Malkovich, playing Blackbeard as an odd, thoughtful, intelligent commodore ruling an island in a way that only Malkovich can. Whatever it is, the show draws one in and captures the imagination.

Malkovich helps set the tone for the piece, distinguishing it from its peers somewhat. Because of who the actor is, Blackbeard is someone viewers are likely to feel sympathy towards, and with the uneven balance of power in a land run by those against institutions, his position is precarious and likely to change. Alliances will be formed and broken, and one is never quite sure what Blackbeard will do, his unpredictability being a positive.

In the name of fairness to the fairer sex, CROSSBONES, like Black Sails, makes sure to include plenty of women in its ensemble. There’s Selima El Sharad (Yasmine Al Massri, Carmel), who Blackbeard tasks with decoding the plans for technology captured along with Lowe, and who thinks that she knows better than the commodore. Kate (Claire Foy, White Heat) is the wife of the man Blackbeard asks to build the machine, and an obvious love interest for Lowe. And Nenna (Tracy Ifeachor, Doctor Who “The End of Time”) is a pirate henchman, pretty much on equal footing with the other pirate in the show, Charles (David Hoflin, Neighbours), both of which are not completely loyal to Blackbeard.

Should there be so many strong females in this series? Well, that’s debatable. Black Sails adds females through the inclusion of prostitutes and the capable daughter of an important man, while CROSSBONES makes the girls more part of the action. In the name of historical accuracy, the balance probably should be more male-heavy. Yet, these actresses do a fine job, and a little political correctness, as long as it doesn’t take away from the story, never hurt anything.

There’s also the obligatory scenes showing that Lowe’s boss, Governor William Jagger of Jamaica (Julian Sands (24, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), is not on the up-and-up. This will provide opportunity for Lowe to work with Blackbeard down the line, possibly even setting up Lowe and Blackbeard to be the only characters we really get behind, them against the world. Yet, it’s unlikely fans will care about such predictability because they will enjoy the results of the structure.

CROSSBONES is confined by limitations and light on continuity and believability. Somehow, though, it’s highly entertaining anyway, and that’s important for a network summer series. There’s enough good stuff here to make it watchable and fun, a break from the dark drama filling the airwaves September through May. That’s why it works.

CROSSBONES premieres Friday at 10 p.m. ET on NBC.

"Let's Dance" with Covert Affairs

USA's Covert Affairs sort of reaches their mid-season finale this week, with three weeks off before returning to finish up the third year. The episode is called "Let's Dance," and takes place a significant amount of time after the previous installment, with Annie (Piper Perabo) somewhat healed from her gunshot wounds. Filled with rage at Nina Lena (Sarah Clarke) because Lena not only shot Annie, but killed Jack's Annie's love, Terri Simon (Richard Coyle), Annie takes off for Russia, where Lena is holed up.

I almost wish the previous week had been the mid-season finale. It would have been a neat ending, with Annie unconscious, dream-like sequences, and Auggie (Christopher Gorham) wrestling with his feelings by her bedside, while the CIA hunted an elusive Lena. Instead, "Let's Dance," which feels like a premiere, adds a coda with a different tone.

"Let's Dance" is a revenge story, pure and simple. Annie is filled with some dark emotions, and wants to make the woman who caused them pay dearly. This isn't a good idea, as is obvious to viewers. Auggie and Joan (Kari Matchett) tell her so. Heck, even the Russian named Dmitri, who she asks for help, tries to talk Annie out of her mission when he realizes how much hate she has flowing through her. Bottom line, if you can't turn off your emotions enough to keep a cool head, you will make a mistake that will likely cost you your life.

But Annie doesn't make a mistake. Our super hero spy not only finds Lena, despite Dmitri's betrayal (he falls in love with Lena... again), but shoots her dead. This is only slightly disappointing. After all, it feels good to watch Nina Lena be killed again. No one can argue that she didn't deserve it.

The lingering thought remains, though. What kind of episode would this be if it stayed more realistic, and Annie had screwed up? Not that Annie could be killed off; she's the main character. But there are other ways to show how everyone else is right in this situation, and Annie is wrong. Not only would that reveal a vulnerability that I'd really like to see in Annie, it could also keep Lena as a foe for, say, two more seasons (OK, I'm done with the 24 references)?

We also see that Annie can play the piano in "Let's Dance." This seems to stretch believability just a little too far. Annie has never been seen playing an instrument before, and she is supposed to be good enough to convince Dmitri to help her? Maybe she studied just for this trip, but come on! Even Annie can't learn that fast. It doesn't gel with what we know about the character.

That being said, despite a few things I would have liked to see changed, "Let's Dance" is a great episode. It's exciting, there are a couple of twists, plenty of action, some tender moments between Annie and Simon's old flame, and we get to see Annie being totally bad ass, which is never completely a bad thing.

At first, it seems odd that Auggie would choose now to try to tell Annie about his feelings for her, which he seems ready to do in this episode. However, upon reflection, this might be an OK time. True, both are still smarting over losing someone they loved, which might not leave them ready to start a new relationship. However, this is also the type of thing that can bond them, as they each understand how the other one is feeling. And fans are ready for Auggie and Annie as a couple to happen.

Joan has great moments, too. Even though Annie has requested a transfer from her department, and things have been strained between them lately, Joan sticks her neck out for Annie. She can't allow official CIA assistance to Annie's mission, of course, but she does offer some help and tries to convince Annie only to take a picture (which, admit it, is never going to happen), rather than risk her life. Joan is accused of favoritism for this, and the charge is probably accurate. That doesn't stop me from rooting for Joan anyway.

Covert Affairs will return in four weeks to USA.

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Terry Pratchett's Going Postal on DVD

     While Going Postal is an adaptation of the thirty-third book in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, it is not necessary to have any background going in. The books cover a wide variety of characters, and there aren't filmed adaptations of most of them, so Going Postal is approached as a completely stand alone story. Considering that Pratchett's books sell second only to J.K. Rowling in the UK, and that this film is a fairly faithful version, it would be advisable to watch it. 

     Going Postal centers on Moist von Lipwig (Richard Coyle, Coupling, The Whistleblowers), a con man who is finally caught by the law. After a (purposely) failed hanging, Lipwig is brought before Lord Vetinari (Charles Dance, Game of Thrones, Bleak House), who gives him a choice: fall to his death, or reopen the defunct postal service. Lipwig chooses the latter, assuming he can easily make some money, then escape again to further his various schemes.

     What Lipwig doesn't realize is that the post office seems to have a life of itself. Millions of undelivered letters fill the halls, and the letters on the letters have the ability to come alive, showing Lipwig the consequences of his past mistakes. You see, while Lipwig thought forging bonds and such were victimless crimes, he has actually destroyed many families. Faced with what he has done, Lipwig has a serious crisis of faith in who he is, and must decide whether he even wants to continue with his bad habits.

     Not that he has much choice. To ensure that Lipwig doesn't take off, Vetinari gives him a golem named Mr. Pump (voiced by Nicholas Farrell, Torchwood) as a parole officer. Mr. Pump knows where Lipwig is at all times, and trying to escape is ineffective.

     To make matters worse, there are those who don't want to see the post office reopen and be restored to its former glory. Namely, Reacher Gilt (David Suchet, Agatha Christie's Poirot), who runs the Clacks, a message service using light signals. Gilt has paid an assassin to take out the past four postmasters, and has similar plans for Lipwig.

     Lipwig is aided in his task by not just Pump, but the old Junior Postman Groat (Andrew Sachs, Fawlty Towers) and young Stanley Howler (Ian Bonar, Hotel Babylon). Promoting Groat, and using Stanley's obsessive knowledge of pins to invent and revolutionize stamps, Lipwig wins them over. He also hires an army of golems to assist, and soon, business is thriving.

     Of course, not everything is smooth sailing. Lipwig falls for a golem-rights activist named Adora Belle Dearheart (Claire Foy, Little Dorrit). Adora is an attractive, but cold, woman, whose father invented the Clacks, but lost them after one of Lipwig's schemes caused the bank to recall its loan to him. Lipwig realizes he must tell her the truth, but that makes winning her over even harder than before. But Adora holds the key, not just to Lipwig's heart, but also to beating Gilt and running a great postal service. So try he must.

     Going Postal is set in a fantasy world, with werewolves and wizards and trolls. Yet, magic isn't an essential element to the plot of this story specifically, and more informs the tone, then sets the pace. This is a welcome, novel idea in an age where boy wizards and hunky teen vamps rule the movie theaters and television screens. The characters are unique and interesting, and many have multiple layers. While there are static villains, others, like Lipwig and Vetinari, aren't so easy to figure out. It makes for a fascinating tale, and keeps one guessing what will come next.

     The world created for Going Postal looks amazing, on the whole. The golems may not be the most advanced tech, but the buildings, technology, such as the Clacks,, and other characters who inhabit create in an environment rich in things to see, and with a complete, authentic feel. The attention to detail, from posters on the sides of buildings, to the elaborate costumes, really takes viewers into another world completely. Combining drama, mystery, and humor, it's hard to believe anyone who watches Going Postal will not be taken in by what Pratchett has created.

     The film itself was made for television, and aired in two parts. The total story length is about three hours, easily digestible in one sitting. Also included on the two disc set is over an hour of bonus features, including bloopers, a commentary by director Jon Jones, a five minute introduction by Terry Pratchett, which kind of rambles, deleted scenes, and image galleries.

     The best part of the extras are probably the interviews. Cast, crew, and, surprisingly, even fans are filmed speaking about the production, and cover a wide variety of the elements involved. Some are concerned with the design; some with how closely this adaptation sticks to a beloved book. There's plenty to sift through here, and while not nearly as interesting as the film, a nice companion to view on a separate day.


     All in all, Going Postal is sure to leave quite an impression, especially for those brand new to Pratchett's world. Acorn Media will release this DVD set this Tuesday, September 20th, and I highly recommend checking it out. Terry Pratchett's Going Postal is also available on Blu-ray, and while I have not gotten the opportunity to examine that edition, would imagine it's even better.

     Click here to pre-order Terry Pratchett's Going Postal on DVD.

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Article first published as DVD Review: Terry Pratchett's Going Postal on Blogcritics.