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The streaming era has had the curious side effect of making TV truly timeless. Shows that have been off the air for decades can suddenly spring back into the spotlight, as new generations discover them via Netflix or other streaming platforms. We’ve seen it happen with major hit series like Seinfeld, Friends, or The Office, but now even cult hits from the ’90s are apparently making a big splash with modern audiences.
One ’90s series is now breaking into the streaming charts, and it’s not one that we ever expected to see gaining this kind of success, this late in the game. Then again, considering how much ’90s kids loved it, we’re not actually all that surprised that it still resonates.
Sabrina Is Still Working Her Magic, 20 Years Later
According to Paramount+ streaming charts, Sabrina the Teenage Witch has cracked the Top 10 for TV Shows on Paramount+. At the time of writing this, it sits in the No. 8 position, which may seem low, but again, remember, it’s been 30 years since Sabrina first premiered, and over 20 years since its series finale aired. Just making it onto the charts is a feat.
Sabrina the Teenage Witch first premiered on September 27, 1996, following a successful TV movie pilot that had been released in April of 1996. Starring Melissa Joan Hart, the series was based on the classic Archie Comics series, which was launched in 1971, featuring the titular character who was first introduced in Archie’s Madhouse comic, back in 1962. It follows “Sabrina Spellman, an American teenage half-witch who, on her sixteenth birthday, discovers she has magical powers.” In the show, Sabrina lived with her 600-year-old aunts, two European witches named Hilda and Zelda, as well as their magical talking cat, Salem.
The ’90s TV adaptation became one of the more iconic ’90s sitcoms for the YA crowd. Hart had already become a teen icon thanks to her lead role in Nickelodeon’s hit series, Clarissa Explains It All, and Sabrina the Teenage Witch took her to the next level, as it aired on network TV (ABC), as opposed to on cable. At its height, Sabrina the Teenage Witch was averaging over 10 million viewers per episode and was one of the most popular shows in its demographic.
Sabrina the Teenage Witch aired its finale on April 24, 2003. While seasons 1-4 aired on ABC, the network cancelled the series after Season 4. The WB (which later became The CW) picked up the show and aired it for three more seasons (5-7) before ending it for good. The network commanded a much smaller audience, but Sabrina helped establish it as a bastion for cult-hit shows and their fandoms.
Sabrina’s legacy was magical enough to inspire a reboot series, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, which streamed on Netflix for two seasons (four parts) from 2018-2020. Kiernan Shipka (Mad Men) played the role of Sabrina in that series.
You can stream Sabrina the Teenage Witch on Paramount+.
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