Customer Reviews

Sabrina, The Teenage Witch - The First Season

5 star:		(45)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I used to watch this show when I was younger and I remember being really into it, which is why I bought the first season. It was way better than I remembered. Each episode is so hilareous due to clevar writing and a witty cast. Libby, the mean popular girl, is by far one of the funniest characters and the things Sabrina does to get back at her are hugely entertaining. The Aunts are some of the best supporting characters in sitcom history. My family and I watched the whole sitting in three days. We became semi-addicted to it, plus it flys by so fast. Each episode is paced so well that it's not to fast, but it never gets boring. It's a perfect blend of everything you could want in a family friendly sitcom. This is not just for kids or teens, it's for everyone. I can't wait until Season 2 gets released in July and I hope Paramount eventually releases the entire series.

The worst thing about this release is that there are no bonus features. Not even a commentary or a cast retrospective. I still give it 5 stars because the complete series was what I bought it for, but it would have been nice to have Melissa Joan Hart come back and talk a little bit about the show. I mean, it was such a big part of her life. As other people have pointed out, some of the music isn't original due to copyright issues. I can't remember any of the original music from when I used to watch the show, but I didn't think any of the songs sounded out of place, so for the average viewer like me, it shouldn't distract from your enjoyment of the DVDs.

One of the best things about this season set besides the show itself is the case. I have run out of room for big season box sets. Even though this is a 4-disc set, it comes in a standard DVD case. The case is like your standard 2-disc case, but there is a DVD on each side of the physical case and a hinged plastic flap holds the other two discs very nicely. I shook it around and none of the discs flew off their hinges. Very nice packaging.

I highly reccomend this season to everyone. No matter who you are (guy, girl, old, young) you are sure to find something entertaining in "Sabrina The Teenage Witch."

Sabrina has been a great success in syndication, so much so that it probably delayed its DVD release. It has circulated through the cable networks constantly since before the series finished its original network run, often on more than one cable oulet at a time. I hope this long exposure does not suppress DVD sales and discourage future releases. The show was great in the first season, but really hit its stride in season 2. DVDs for the second (and third) season should follow quickly this release.

While one cannot fault the brilliance that is "Sabrina The Teenage Witch", one can also not help but be disappointed that these episodes are EDITED versions. Please don't call something "complete" when it isn't. Hopefully season 2 will have COMPLETE, UNEDITED episodes. Is that so hard?

Oh, man, I'd been hoping and hoping for this first season set to find its way to DVD for a while now, and it is finally here!

I know that my age group or gender probably was not the intended audience for this series, but it captured me after a few episodes in its original run on TV. it works on the level it is supposed to work, but there are so many sly representations of golden age TV in this series that I just could not pull myself away--there is even an appearance by my generation's favorite kids' show host, Chuck McCann in a cameo on what is one of my favorite episodes of the first season, in which Sabrina's best friend, Jenny Kelly, stays with Sabrina for a weekend and curiously finds her way into that closet that sends her, a mortal, into the Other Realm where she meets up with the wonderfully smug and nasty Head of the Witches' Council, played with just the right amount of grease by Penn Gillette, and his secretary who, I believe, is actually played by Debra Harrie of Blondie!!

And this brings up how much I adored the character of Jenny Kelly, a nonconformist free spirit who stands out as a great supporting player in this first season and, if such things are truly important, a good role model to the intended audience! If only Sabrina, herself, listened carefully to Jenny's philosophy, she'd have gotten through her realization that she is "different" so much easier. Jenny is played so enjoyably by Michelle Beaudoin and helps make this first season well worth the money.

My only real complaint about the package, here, as it appears on DVD for the first time, is that all original pop songs have been removed from the key episodes, even though, thankfully enough, the appearance of the Violent Fems remains intact on yet another wonderful episode in which Aunts Hilda and Zelda become teen-agers again to escort Sabrina on a trip with an unlikely bunch of schoolmates to meet and greet their favorite band at a local record shop. The impressions of the aunts as angst-ridden teens, having to go through the trials and tribulations, first hand all over again is utterly hilarious! Don't overlook this series' first season as just kids' media. Those writing the scripts were truly writing from memories of their own younger days, as evidenced in the afore-mentioned episode, and not only is Michelle Beaudoin as jenny (who only appeared in this season) a breath of fresh air here, but it is also fun to watch jenna Leigh Green as smarmy Libby Chessler; in fact, there are times when she is almost a bit lovable. There is an episode in which Miss Green has to play Sabrina disguised as Libby as well as Libby herself and she comes close to stealing the spotlight away from Melissa Joan Hart who plays the title character.

But, again, why remove those pop songs? usually, I'm screaming about how great musicians often see their good songs misused in bad TV sitcoms, but the songs used for this season were not intended to delegitimize the tune. In an episode about a day when Sabrina's mood grew darker, it was fun to hear REM's "Shiny, Happy People" since I always thought that Michael Stipe was writing with his tongue somewhat in his cheek, or Liz Phair's song used on the Violent Fems episode as Sabrina takes off into the air on her first vehicle, a flying vacuum cleaner. Since Ms. Phair writes with a spikey sense of humor, I would have thought that she would not have minded the inclusion of her song here! The music substituted was okay, but I'm a stickler for keeping things the way they were when we first were introduced to the show in question, and the inclusion of the afore-mentioned tunes and others were what gave this season of this series a hint of real coolness above other shows aimed at the same core audience on those Friday nights.

But all the great scenes are here and I urge those of you, like me, who called this show their guilty pleasure to check this out.

next time, though, leave the music be, and please give us some great special features! Didn't anybody connected with this series have the occasional fond memory to share? Give yourselves a big hand, here. It worked and this is the best representation of it all!!

WoW, what took so long?? I have been waiting for the DVD release of Sabrina for years. I am so tired of watching the re-runs on ABC Family and they would get so annoying with the repeating of the sames ones that they have just shown just a couple weeks before. I was 16 when the show started and watched it until the end, but my favorite years were 1996-2000 [basically the high school years] and then I got a little bored with the college years, but still...I am so excited for its arrival!! It wil be one of the only shows that I will keep the DVD's for.

This is one of the best TV shows around for young girls or just girls in general. It was "the show" when I was in middle school and I know all my friends have been waiting for it to come out on DVD for years. I think the plot is pretty self explanatory, but its an amazing series that tackles a lot of problems girls face in adolescence while adding a magical hint of humor into it. This is a must see for any one.

I loved this show so much! Developed from a high-rating Showtime Network telemovie, SABRINA: THE TEENAGE WITCH was one of the most popular sitcoms of the late-90's, starring Melissa Joan Hart in the title role. Based around the Archie Comics spin-off, Sabrina Spellman lives with her two wacky aunts Hilda and Zelda in the tight-knit town of Westbridge. Sixteen years old and about to start a new school, Sabrina's life is complicated enough, until Hilda and Zelda reveal that her father is a warlock and, as such, Sabrina too has magical powers. Life as a half-mortal doesn't come easily (for most of the first episode, all Sabrina can conjure is pineapples!), but gradually she learns the "tricks" of her trade.

Melissa Joan Hart is a perky and appealing heroine; her performance as Sabrina glues the whole premise together and gives believability to even the most outlandish plot. Co-starring as Sabrina's well-meaning aunts, Caroline Rhea (Hilda) and Beth Broderick (Zelda) are total scene-stealers with their comic "odd couple" dynamic. Nate Richert plays Sabrina's faithful boyfriend Harvey, and Michelle Beaudoin is her best friend Jenny. Jenna Leigh Green is snooty arch-rival Libby. Nick Bakay provides the voice of Salem, the Spellman family cat, who is actually a warlock forced to spend 100 years as a feline after his attempt at global conquest!

The first season of SABRINA: THE TEENAGE WITCH was marked by top performances from a well-picked ensemble cast, witty scripts and imaginative scenarios. Gradually, as with any top-rating show, the quality seemed to degrade over subsequent seasons (and died a slow death as Sabrina moved on to college 6 years later--without most of the main cast and completely devoid of charm). Happily, now fans can relish this show when it was at it's freshest and most appealing, with this set of the complete first season.

COMPLETE EPISODE LISTING:

"Pilot" - Meet Sabrina Spellman. She's your average sixteen-year-old girl, about to start at a new highschool. The only trouble is that she's a witch! Sabrina quickly makes friends with feisty outsider Jenny, but also locks horns with teen queen supreme Libby Chessler.

"Bundt Friday" - Fed up with Libby's taunts, Sabrina wants to discover the real truth behind the lies, so she brings a batch of "Truth Sprinkles" into school...causing chaos when they fall into the wrong hands.

"The True Adventures of Rudy Kazootie" - Discovering that her magical powers can't conjure up brand-name merchandise and desperate for a pair of rollerblades, Sabrina takes an innocent little babysitting job that soon dissolves into pandemonium.

"Terrible Things" - After granting good deeds for Mr Poole, Harvey and Jenny, Sabrina's best efforts at making life more bearable for her friends soon backfires.

"A Halloween Story" - In order to attend a family gathering and Harvey's party--at the same time--Sabrina creates a lifelike double. Guest-starring Diane McBain, Robin Riker and Emily Hart.

"Dream Date" - Something handsome is cookin' in the Spellman kitchen! Hilda and Zelda conjure up a great big hunk of man for Sabrina's school dance. Guest starring Eddie Cibrian and Brian Austin Green.

"Third Aunt from the Sun" - Sabrina's flamboyant Aunt Vesta whisks her away from the stress of school...but the strain of leaving her friends in the lurch soon gets the better of her. Guest-starring Raquel Welch.

"Magic Joel" - Sabrina lands a job as an assistant to a talented teenage magician...but she soon ruins the act by causing him to become invisible!

"Geek Like Me" - Fed up with Libby's taunts, Sabrina transforms her into a geek to point out how much she hurts their feelings. Instead, Libby thrives and slowly turns the tables yet again.

"Sweet and Sour Victory" - Sabrina becomes a kung fu student...but first she must master her new craft without the aid of her magic.

"A Girl and Her Cat" - Fed up with Salem constantly interfering in her life, Sabrina has a change of conscience when he suddenly disappears on Christmas Eve. Guest-starring Seth Adkins.

"Trial By Fury" - Sabrina and her aunts cook up some sweet revenge for her cranky math teacher...who soon gets his comeuppance in traffic-court! Guest-starring Ed Begley Jr., and Henry Gibson.

"Jenny's Non-Dream" - During a sleepover at Sabrina's house, Jenny accidentally walks through the linen closet and into the Other Realm! Sabrina is then faced with trying to convince her that it was only a dream.

"Sabrina Through the Looking Glass" - Hoping to escape her life, Sabrina instead becomes trapped in a negative universe of her own bad mood.

"Hilda and Zelda: The Teenage Years" - Wanting to attend a late-night autograph session with the Violent Femmes, Sabrina is forced to take along her aunts...who have both transformed into teenage versions of themselves.

"Mars Attracts" - During a ski trip on Mars, Sabrina almost forgets about her burgeoning relationship with Harvey when she meets a hunky ski instructor.

"First Kiss" - Due to a stange witch rule, Harvey turns into a frog when Sabrina kisses him on Valentine's Day. She must go through a dangerous series of tests to get him back to human form.

"Sweet Charity" - Sabrina, Jenny and Harvey volunteer their services at a retirement home, but Sabrina realises that to draw more attention to their cause, they need a big name. She transforms herself into Libby... Guest-starring Karen Morrow.

"Cat Showdown" - Salem gets entered into a prestigious cat show, but soon realises that sinister motives are working to rig the winner. Guest-starring Beth Howland, Linda Kash, Ally Holmes and Dann Florek.

"Meeting Dad's Girlfriend" - Sabrina's father visits with his new girlfriend, stirring up lots of feelings for Sabrina and memories of her parents' divorce. Guest-starring Robby Benson and Charlene Fernetz. (Trivia: Ms Fernetz played Aunt Zelda in the original Showtime movie pilot).

"As Westbridge Turns" - Bored with her life, Hilda gives Sabrina a taste of the fantastic when she opens a magical can of worms and transforms Westbridge High into the setting for a real-life soap opera!

"The Great Mistake" - In order to help Sabrina when she is grounded, Hilda and Zelda reveal some of their own painful adolescent memories.

"The Crucible" - During a schooltrip to the historic village of Salem, Sabrina's worst fears are realised when Libby accuses her of being a witch!

"Troll Bride" - Sabrina is courted by a troll named Roland. Despite being in a relationship with Harvey, Roland refuses to accept that Sabrina will never love him...so he kidnaps her! Guest-starring Phil Fondacaro and Bryan Cranston.

finally, Sabrina is back! the complete first season of Sabrina the Teenage Witch is finally on DVD. i think this is such a great show, and Sabrina is such a great character. she's like a pre-Harry Potter for the teens, except she's a girl and she dosent go to a magic school and she has a talking cat. the show has a simple concept, Sabrina wakes up on her 16th birthday to find out she is a witch. now she not only has to survive school but also the hassels of being a witch. i really hope that they realease the other seasons. i have to agree that the high school years were the best of the show, i thought it got a bit loopy in the college years, sure there was some nice episodes but it didn't have the same feel as the high school years. the last season was an improvement on the college years. anyway, all 24 episodes are here but my one complaint, no extras! i hope theres extras on the next season. so a great show and i hope the rest will soon follow.

This show is definately one of the greatest. I always watched the show (yeah TGIF!) during its original airing, and I still catch a re-run now and again; I still love the it even though I'm not a teenager anymore. The first few seasons while Sabrina is in high school are definately the best; the later seasons while she's in college kinda fall apart as various cast memebers drop out of the picture.

The greatest thing about the early seasons of the show: what happens to Sabrina/her friends are exactly the things that most teenagers go through--well, with the exception of being witches--but it's really easy to connect with the issues such as feeling like an outsider, dealing with bullying, etc. The show is packed with humor and life lessons (even though sometimes they're reached in cheesy ways), and it's just a great production overall (except for the fact that robotic Salem looks really awful in the first season :P).

I'm glad it's finally made its way to DVD!

I have been waiting for them to release Sabring the Teenage Witch on DVD for years and I finally get my wish! I cannot wait to get this in my hands. I watched this show as a kid and teen, and I still love it and I am now in college. Hope they release all of them. I have heard that they are planning to release the second season as well. Salem is the best!