Chilling Adventures of Sabrina: Season 1/ Episode 9 “Chapter 9: The Returned Man” – Recap/ Review (with Spoilers)
As it becomes clear why witches are supposed to separate themselves from mortals, Sabrina learns this the hard way. [adinserter name=”General Ads”] Network Netflix Director(s) Craig William Macneill Writer(s) Axelle Carolyn, Christina Ham Air Date 10/26/2018 Images and text in this post may contain affiliate links which, if a purchase is made from those sites,…
As it becomes clear why witches are supposed to separate themselves from mortals, Sabrina learns this the hard way.
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| Network | |
| Netflix | |
| Director(s) | Craig William Macneill |
| Writer(s) | Axelle Carolyn, Christina Ham |
| Air Date | 10/26/2018 |
Images and text in this post may contain affiliate links which, if a purchase is made from those sites, I may earn money or products from the company. Most affiliate links contain an upward facing, superscript, arrow.
Sabrina, We Have A Problem: Agatha, Nick, Tommy, Harvey, Sabrina
Well, Tommy is alive but unfortunately, he is also a zombie. Yet, despite how muted Tommy is, Harvey is ecstatic that his brother is back. But, with Sabrina trying to play death as she plays Father Blackwood, she learns she can’t get away with everything from everyone. Because Nick astro projects into her room and reveals Agatha is coughing up dirt and is looking absolutely awful.
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Commentary
With everyone and their cousin astro projecting, doesn’t it really make it seem less dangerous than it was originally touted? Granted, they wouldn’t have to do all that if more characters had a cell phone or computer, but you know this show limits technology quite a bit. Otherwise, it would probably make a lot of interactions less meaningful.
What Is It You See, Know, Hear?: Roz, Sabrina, Susie, Hilda, Dorothea, Ms. Wardwell
It isn’t clear how involved Ms. Wardwell is with what is going on with Roz, especially Susie and her seeing Dorothea, but it is clear that Roz’s powers will be useful. If just for Sabrina getting some kinds of heads up before she possibly does something stupid. Which increasingly is happening.
But, she isn’t the only one doing foolish things. Thanks to Dorothea’s influence, Susie decides to steal a book from the bookshop. Nothing special, just the kind of book you could get anywhere. Leading to her getting caught, and harassed, but the football players and Hilda coming to her aid. Also revealing one is queer and the other was possibly assaulted as a child. Thus ending that issue.
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Commentary
Is it wrong to say I feel underwhelmed by Roz and Susie? Yay for their female empowerment messages, and Susie possibly representing non-binary folks, if not queer women. But, outside of representation purposes, these characters don’t bring a whole lot to the table. Not to downplay Roz’s visions but while they are fairly consistent, it doesn’t really push you to want to see or learn more about her. She’s kind of like Salem, if he talked – and we was able to hear more than a “meow.” Helpful, but are you really trying to learn more about what they do when Sabrina isn’t around?
That especially goes for Susie for this Dorothea thing, whether a trick by Ms. Wardwell or not. Because, it was one thing when she was a ghost talking about the past but her now wanting Susie to steal books? A part of me thinks the reason Dorothea could have picked Virginia Woolf to steal, or get, might be because Woolf spoke about queer and feminist themes in her book. Though, at the same time, since Ms. Wardwell might be involved, she could very be pushing the girl to suicide as well.
The Recalcitrant: Sabrina, Harvey, Zelda, Nick, Prudence, Dorcas, Tommy, Father Blackwood, Ms. Wardwell, Diana, Agatha
Needless to say, Sabrina raising the dead is quite the scandal. Especially since she didn’t properly trade a life for a life and now Agatha is roaming about looking sickly. It gets even worse for Zelda since Father Blackwood finds out and while there is so much blackmail material Zelda has, it is coming to the point he could not care less. Her family, specifically Sabrina, continue to threaten their coven, if not witches in general, with her antics and she is getting on his last damn nerve.
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So, Zelda is tasked with dealing with Tommy. Father Blackwood also sends Prudence and Dorcas but, perhaps as a favor to Sabrina, Nick keeps them from doing as told. However, despite the opportunity to be named a godmother, with Sabrina being adamant about handling things, and throwing into Zelda’s face she is not her mother, Zelda decides to walk away. The baby she took in, selfishly she admits, since she looked so like her brother, now sees herself as grown enough to speak to her with a tone in her voice.
Leaving Sabrina to rely on Ms. Wardwell who helps her walk into limbo in hopes of recovering Tommy’s soul. But, while on that path, she ends up coming across her mom. Someone stuck in mortal limbo, since you know witches and mortals are segregated, since she wasn’t baptized. That isn’t the only notable thing about Diana’s appearance. Her speaking about Sabrina being snatched from her after her baptism also raises an eyebrow. However, with the soul eater of limbo stomping about, Sabrina doesn’t have time to figure out what her mom means.
Instead, she quickly finds Tommy but no sooner than she is nearly out with him, the soul eater consumes all but Tommy’s arm. Leaving her to realize, thanks to Ms. Wardwell, she has to tell Harvey the truth – no matter how hard that might be. Leading to her revealing to him she is a witch and what she did to Tommy. Leading to him not saying he is breaking up with her, but definitely doesn’t want to talk to her for a while. Especially since she has now forced him to kill his brother and bury him – alone.
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Commentary
So, this whole seeing Diana thing better get picked up. For her being in limbo, and her talking about Sabrina being snatched from her, that was a big deal. Also, considering there is a need to question if there was foul play in her and Edward’s death, I fully expect Sabrina to go back to limbo. After all, if the astral plane is treated as it is, what’s going to limbo and a soul eater?
The random Diana sighting aside, I was sobbing when Zelda was crying over the way Sabrina spoke to her. It made me flashback to the episode Batibat was in and it reminded me how lonely Zelda must be. I mean, for god sakes, she is a mistress to a man she knows is a whore for sex and companionship of some kind. Never mind, as strong-willed as she seems, she is clearly a softy in need of validation and who is quite insecure.
Though, it has to be noted, like with Diana’s little tidbit, Zelda mentioning how there was a lesson she and Edward had to learn, when Sabrina was going off, raised an eyebrow. For while we can assume, when it comes to Edward, she is referring to marrying a mortal, what lesson did Zelda have to learn? Is it something we saw this season or does it have to deal with her youth?
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Leaving one last thing: Considering Harvey knows Sabrina is a witch now, and Roz and Susie suspect it, what will be done with that?
Question(s) Left Unanswered
- What is the relationship between demons and otherworldly beings with witches?
- Is Father Blackwood aware of the apocalypse the Dark Lord and Ms. Wardwell or planning or does he have something else planned between him, Luke, and Ambrose?
- Why did Hilda and Zelda decide to run a mortuary? Considering how much Hilda enjoys the bookstore and Zelda teaching choir, were they both simply trapped into the family business?
- How long will it take Nick to make his move? I bet you he is stalking her with some kind of spell or agent. I doubt during that orgy he didn’t put something in that house to keep an eye on Sabrina. Creep.
- How lenient are the beings that are supposed to watch the astral plane? Do they just not care as long as you aren’t doing something you aren’t supposed to? The way they were painted to be, you’d think they would tell on a witch on sight.
- Acknowledging familiars protect a witch, what does Father Blackwood think will now happen to Ambrose to the point of giving him a familiar?
- How is Mr. Kinkel going to react to the blood which likely came from Harvey killing Tommy? They live in a wooden house. I don’t think Harvey is going to be able to really get that stain out.
- Can Zelda get pregnant?
- Where has Diana’s family been while Sabrina was growing up?
- If Sabrina took her mom’s soul out of limbo, would it go to heaven? Also, is her father in limbo?
- Is Hilda’s love potion still working on Luke?
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Highlights
- Sabrina finally experienced a loss she couldn’t talk her way out of or get someone else to solve.
- Anytime we get to see Zelda emotional and vulnerable is a good day.
Low Point
- I’m starting to feel like this show oversells how dangerous doing anything is. Yeah, Tommy got eaten but did you ever feel Sabrina was in any real danger? Even of getting scratched or a little sweaty? The same goes for the astral plane and how dangerous that supposedly was. So many characters have used that now, and were supported by others, it just seems like an explanation as to why witches don’t have cell phones when they can just pop up.
On The Fence
- As seen, this episode leads to a lot of questions. Some which might have been answered, but with one episode left, if the show addresses half of the list I’d be surprised.
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