Riverdale: Kiernan Shipka Teases Sabrina’s Long-Awaited Crossover (and Explains Her Resurrection)
Do you feel a chill in the air? Something very witchy is making its way to Riverdale.
After years of rumors and countless pleas from fans, Kiernan Shipka is finally bringing teenage witch Sabrina Spellman to the CW drama this Tuesday (9/8c). Shipka played Sabrina for three seasons on Netflix’s Riverdale spinoff Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, and her making an appearance on the mothership had been “a conversation for a really long time,” she tells TVLine, but “the stars never really quite aligned for it.” Better late than never, though: “It was just a matter of all the elements coming together, finally. It was always a no-brainer in my mind that I would do it.”
Sabrina’s arrival coincides with the five-episode “Rivervale” event that kicks off Season 6, and its creepy supernatural overtones make it a perfect match. “It made sense that she would come in as a witch with a more fantastical waft in the air, if you will,” Shipka notes. “I think it was a justifiable arrival, given the fact that she died. I know anything can happen, but the more magic involved, the better.”
Yeah, about that: Sabrina actually died and went to the Sweet Hereafter in Sabrina‘s series finale — so how is she back again, exactly? Shipka says her death wasn’t the end of the story: “It’s very unlike Sabrina to just kind of chill in the Sweet Hereafter. I think she would get bored and want to find her way back to her friends and her family, and vice versa. Her aunties and her friends and Ambrose would do anything for her, so to me, it makes sense that her death wasn’t a forever death.”
So what brings Sabrina to Riverdale… sorry, Rivervale? “We learn that Cheryl and Sabrina have been friends,” Shipka explains, “and I think it should come as no surprise that those two characters are friends.” When a passing comet inspires Cheryl to look back on the tragic stories of her Blossom family ancestors, she “is in need of some extra horsepower and some extra witch power, and who better to call than Sabrina?”
Sabrina’s return “came together in a beautiful way, and it made my heart feel very full,” Shipka shares, adding that “it was lovely to step back into her shoes.” But could she step back into them again? “I hope it’s not the last we see of her in Riverdale,” she says. “I certainly would love it.” But this week’s appearance, she notes, is “also a thank you” to Sabrina‘s loyal fan base “for supporting us. This is for the fans, in many ways. It’s been a long time coming.”
They must have killer hair stylists/colorists in the “hereafter” because her hair looks so much better than it ever did on TCAOS. Also, poor Nick. Topped himself for no good reason I guess.
I think it’s pretty much agreed across the universe that the Sabrina ending was one of the worst in the history of TV shows. But if Dallas back in the ’80s can have an it was all a dream resurrection, anything is acceptable to me as long as they bring Sabrina back and bring the show back please but not on Netflix because Netflix end of the show prematurely to say the least. Netflix is famous for having great TV shows that only last two or three seasons and then they get the ax. Enjoying Sabrina’s visit to Riverdale and hoping that greendale adventures are coming to CW sometime in the future.
Sorry for the bad grammar lol talking into my phone. But you get the gist
Sabrina unalived herself so Nick wouldn’t be alone and then just “got bored” and left to be with her friends and family? ummm sure okay let’s go with that. Just say you want to retcon that stupid ending and be done with it.
It’s not like she writes the damn show
Maybe she commutes back and forth. It’s magic: we don’t know how it works.
So glad our beloved teen witch is coming back. Hopefully, this won’t be the last time we see Sabrina either.
Considering RiverVale is a somewhat fake or alternate reality,I guess Sabrina’s death really doesn’t need to be explained. I still think this is Jughead’s next book.
Still waiting for the reveal that Riverdale is one of the alternate Earths in the Arrowverse.
That’s a pretty good idea.
I think it’s an alternate reality & since Sabrina is one of the most powerful witches ever, not to mention Satan’s Daughter & the Queen of Hell, it would be logical that she is aware of alternate dimensions/universes & has access to them. As for the whole thing being Jughead’s next book, how do we know he is not being inspired by otherworldly forces to write about this alternate reality, which he thinks is just a figment of his imagination, when it is, in fact real?
I agreed with NaNa when she said, “she’s finally here”. I was hoping for more from Sabrina then a cameo. Plus, who was Nana then if they switched her with Abigail? Plus, Cheryl had a twin brother…so Roseanne did not really have this brother? Confusing.
So Nick did not have to drown himself in the Seas of Sorrows or whatever to be with Sabrina? So is Sabrina Morningstar live then too? Or any witch that died in Chilling Adventures? Please tell me Dorcas is alive! I mean once death is not a plot point, it becomes like superheroes who cannot die…so where are the stakes?
I agree with others this is Jughead’s book. He mentioned writing about people he knew changing it a tiny bit since he is not that creative? Wasn’t he supposed to be a world famous novelist? This show confuses me.
I wish Sabrina would be on longer. All I know is that witches do not die in Rivervale which I guess is more like Afterlife with Archie? Someone help me here? I like the idea of an all coven softball league?
I wish Ambrose would have showed up too.
Man come on people… lol #1 its a fantasy tv series… Invincible Archie.. Jughead the Telepath… Veronica the REAL Black Widow… Betty the Soothseer.. and Percival the Almighty Living Embodiment of Lucifer! Can we all agree that Sabrina can only be a GOOD addition to the show. There has already been resurrections in Riverdale anyways… or did you all forget? Archie and Betty BLEW UP!, and Jughead somehow manifested the ability to rewrite reality and rewind time… WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES!! (The core feature that was ever established in the Fantasy world of magic, was that when you attempt to change the past, by cheating fate from an already claimed death, the toll will be paid by someone else close to you or them! “To save a life, will cost another, for Death will NEVER be cheated of what it is owed!”). So lets lighten up and welcome Sabrina back, cuz at least she is a powerful witch, trained and PROVEN in the skill of Magic, and not some Wiccan mortal who dares deal with arts they cannot control! I end with this note: I GUARANTEE that in Sabrina’s hands, Percival Picken’s would NOT have survived the attempt on his life that Cheryl and her little friend FUMBLED like Tony Romo on a game winning drive! Bet that! Welcome to the CW Sabrina… cant wait for you to show the mortals what REAL MAGICK is capable of!