 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Sabrina's Secret Life
- CBS
- Genre: Kids' Animation
Common Sense Media says
Third magical incarnation has good messages for kids.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this animated series makes a real attempt to illustrate positive themes like taking responsibility for your actions, fulfilling promises, and being a good friend. Despite the magical spin, the stories touch on issues kids can relate to, so there’s plenty to talk about after the show’s end. Sabrina and Cassandra’s tug-of-war for Harvey’s affections plays a role in many of the episodes, and in some cases Cassandra manipulates or lies to get his attention. Sabrina’s plans often go awry and land her in hot water, but she’s smart enough to know when she needs help from her aunts, teachers, or feline mentor, and she always learns a lesson from the mishap.
What's the story?
SABRINA’S SECRET LIFE picks up one year after Sabrina: The Animated Series ends, with now-14-year-old Sabrina (voiced by Britt McKillip) as a student at Greendale High and secretly attending witchcraft lessons beneath the school. Much remains the same -- Sabrina’s still head over heels for class cutie Harvey (Bill Switzer); she hits plenty of pitfalls in navigating teen life while keeping her powers under wraps; and her faithful feline adviser, Salem (Maurice LaMarche), is still around to help her out of scrapes. Add to that her new best friend named Maritza (Vanesa Tomasino) and a social nemesis (and fellow clandestine witch) Cassandra (Tifanie Christun), and the magical mayhem is sure to heat up.
Is it any good?
This cartoon, which originally aired from 2003-2004, follows both its animated predecessor and the popular original series, Sabrina, The Teenage Witch, and it blends returning and new characters with ease. It’s hardly a commentary on real teen life, but for its intended audience of kids, it touches on real issues like jealousy, social uncertainty, and shirking responsibility in a respectable way and offers some feel-good lessons about each episode’s theme.
Sabrina and Cassandra’s contentious relationship leads to some malicious behavior (at times both girls lie and cheat to upstage the other, especially when Harvey’s around), but Sabrina usually learns from her mistakes and eventually takes the high moral ground, making her a viable role model. She’s also good at knowing when her magical mishaps require professional help and turns to the authority figures in her life when she’s in trouble, even though she usually faces a consequence of some kind.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the show’s theme. What lesson(s) did Sabrina learn through her actions? How did her experiences relate to some you’ve had? Do you think her predicament and resolution were oversimplified for the show? What other factors might affect you in a similar scenario?
Kids: Why is it important to respect people’s differences? In what ways do our individual talents and traits set us apart from others? How are some people’s talents more obvious than others’? Are there any traits that society is generally intolerant of? What special qualities do you have?
Does watching this series make you want to see the two shows that preceded it? Why or why not? If you have seen one or both of them, how does this one compare?
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- All members
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- Teens & kids
AGE
i thing its 4 17 and a up
i thing its a book.... that is perrty
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Kid, 10 years old
May 12, 2012
AGE
Not So Hot
For me, it was hard to watch without doing something else. It's actually not that bad. I mean, its just an animated version of Melisa Joan Hart's version of the show. Except THIS sabrina sounds like she's 8, is 13 instead of 16 when she finds out she's a witch. Hilda and Zelda look nothing like the sitcom version, instead of libby its jem, instead of jenny or valerie, she hangs out with chloe, and instead of that nerd who is like 14 (gordy) its this egg head tattle tale clumsy kid who sounds like a 4 year old named bernard. Otherwise, this is a pretty good show, for kids and teens alike.
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| Topics: | magic and fantasy, friendship, high school |
| TV rating: | TV-Y7 |
| Network: | CBS |
| Cast: | Britt McKillip, Maurice LaMarche, Vanessa Tomasino |
| Genre: | Kids' Animation |
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