Netflix’s Most Underrated YA Horror Series — Scarier and Better Than Wednesday

Photo: Netflix

If you’re choosing a Netflix show adapted from an old comic about a teenage witch torn between two worlds, the viral hit Wednesday isn’t necessarily the best pick — Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, which ran from 2018 to 2020, is the stronger young-adult horror series.

The story begins on Sabrina Spellman’s sixteenth birthday, which falls on Halloween. Born of a witch and a mortal, she faces the classic crossroads: remain at Baxter High among her non-magical peers, or sign the Book of the Beast and commit to study at the Academy of Unseen Arts.

Sabrina attempts to live in both realms. At Baxter she channels her energy into activism—opposing book bans and helping a trans teammate gain access to the basketball court—while at the Academy she contends with petty hierarchies, rival witches, and the scheming, misogynistic Dean Faustus Blackwood (Richard Coyle). Romance complicates matters: she’s caught between the earnest Harvey Kinkle (Ross Lynch) and the more seductive warlock Nick Scratch (Gavin Leatherwood).

Sabrina isn’t always sympathetic: she can be headstrong, impulsive, and at times self-absorbed. Fortunately the series is anchored by a rich supporting cast — Miranda Otto’s imperious Aunt Zelda and Jaz Sinclair’s fiercely loyal Roz are particular standouts — though creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa sometimes lingers on secondary characters past their prime narrative function.

Tonally, the show leans far darker than the kooky vibe of Wednesday. It plunges into graphic territory—cannibalism, body horror, and ritual sacrifice recur—and engages with the politics of damnation as Sabrina becomes entangled with Lucifer, Lilith, and power-hungry demons. The series also flirts with folk-horror (a sinister carnival threatens Greendale) and culminates in a final season that veers into cosmic horror, even staging a playful parody of the 1990s sitcom Sabrina the Teenage Witch.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is explicitly queer and sexually frank, oscillating between sincere romance and scenes that explore desire and power with BDSM-adjacent imagery. The abrupt cancellation amid the COVID-19 pandemic left some plot threads unresolved, but the show remains a provocative, often unsettling ride with memorable characters.

Where to watch: Netflix

Polygon’s annual Halloween Countdown is a 31-day series of short picks spotlighting the best horror films, shows, episodes, and specials to stream for the season. You can view the full calendar here.

Source: Polygon