Sabrina the Teenage Witch

This may have not been the greatest show ever on television, but it wasn't the worst either. The funniest character was probably the cat, but everyone played a good part. So, although it was lame at times, it was OK if nothing else was on.

Released to TV in spring 1996, "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" was the pilot movie for the series that ran for seven years from 1996-2003. The plot revolves around Sabrina (Melissa Joan Hart) having to move from Massachusetts to live with her two eccentric aunts in Rockland County, New York, where she starts attending Riverdale High, becomes besties with Marnie (Michelle Beaudoin) and contends with requisite mean girl, Katy Lemore (Lalainia Lindbjerg). After her 16th birthday, Sabrina learns she's a witch and grapples with the morality of having powers other mortals don't.

The tone of the production is decidedly pedestrian in a mid-90's TV manner, but the cast brightens things up with their energy and a decent script. (It was amusing to learn why Salem can talk and other cats can't). I've probably watched a dozen episodes of the subsequent series and the main draw was always Melissa's winsomeness. She was 19 years-old when this pilot was shot and just got more beautiful over the course of the series. For those interested, Ryan Reynolds has a significant role; he was 18-19 during filming.

The movie runs 1 hour, 31 minutes and was shot in British Columbia with some establishing shots done in Brookline, Massachusetts (or so IMDb says).

GRADE: B-

I am a huge fan of the TV show, but this movie was not exactly like it. I thought that the movie would be like the beginning of the TV series, and have the same cast and set as before. It didn't.

There is no humor in this one, and the aunts seem almost spooky. They're funny in the real show, but in this movie how they shut their eyes and mumble is almost creepy. They seem pretty cool in the show, but in this, they seem hopelessly old-fashioned and eccentric. I also think that this should have had something more to do with the Other Realm and being a witch than popularity and crushes. Also, Salem's voice in this is British, and he doesn't even make one funny remark.

Even though this was far from the quality of the TV series, I am very glad that it aired. If it weren't for this, the show might not have existed! Overall, I'm glad that this movie exists, but I wish it had been like the TV show.

I do think the the TV series based on this TV flick is better, but this movie did set the course for laugh-out-loud comedy series. Most of the casting is messed up, except for Michelle Beaudoin as Marny, Sabrina's best friend. Michelle went on to play Sabrina's best friend Jenny for a season, which was good. However, the voice of Salem in this one was all wrong! The voice in the show is much better.

I'm afraid to say that the TV-series has a much higher production value. This is basically a cheap TV movie with a very thin plot. Sabrina fights with the high school's ice queen over a boy and Sabrina uses some magic to win his heart. Maybe that's enough for an episode in the series, but not for an entire movie.