SABRINA'S SECRET LIFE

 

SABRINA’S SECRET LIFE
(Syndication, November 10, 2003-February 3, 2004)
 
Archie Comics Entertainment LLC, Les Studios Tex SARL, DiC Entertainment

  

 

            Following the conclusion of Sabrina: The Animated Series, DiC Entertainment regained their independence from Disney after falling under their ownership with their purchase of ABC. Still possessing the Sabrina license from Archie Comics, DiC produced a follow-up movie called Friends Forever!, utilizing the same designs as The Animated Series but featuring an all-new voice cast with no connection to the live-action sitcom that inspired it. Sabrina (Britt McKillip), having turned 13, received a magic wand from queen witch Enchantra (Jane Mortifee) and was allowed to enroll in the Witch Academy. There, she met and befriended a fellow half-human named Nicole (Alexandra Carter) and they endeavored to make themselves into full witches so that they would fit in with the other students.

Harvey Kinkle: smitten by Sabrina, or under a spell?

            This led into a new series: Sabrina’s Secret Life. Sabrina was now 14 and attending Greendale High School. While she still lived with her aunts Hilda (Moneca Stori) and Zelda (Bettina Bush) and warlock-turned-cat Salem (Maurice LaMarche), and continued to have a crush on her friend, Harvey Kinkle (Michael Monroe Heyward), they were the only returning characters. He best friend Chloe was said to have moved away, and rival Gem Stone went to attend a private school out of town. Uncle Quigly, Pi and the Spooky Jar just disappeared without a mention or trace. Newly added was Sabrina’s new human best friend, Maritza (Vanesa Tomasino), who was unaware of her powers; Sabrina’s best-friend-turned-enemy and Enchantra’s niece, Cassandra (Tifanie Christun); and teachers Ms. Magrooney and Mr. Snipe (Christopher Gaze), who taught classes in both the Human World and Netherworld. While the series continued the theme of Sabrina balancing the two halves of her heritage, her powers were considerably weaker than the other versions; relying on her wand to cast spells rather than hand waves and incantations.

Sabrina and Cassandra square off.

            Sabrina’s Secret Life debuted on November 10, 2003 in syndication as part of the DiC Kids Network programming block. It was developed by DiC founder Jean Chalopin, who also served as head writer and wrote half of the episodes. Jean-Michel Guirao was the series’ composer. It would be the last show produced by French animation studio Les Studio Tex, which shut down shortly after its conclusion. Unlike its predecessor, Secret Life only ran for a single season of 26 episodes. Disney would purchase the international rights to air it on their channels alongside The Animated Series in international markets in a package called Totally Sabrina (although in Germany it aired simply as a third season to The Animated Series), and would be rerun on Toon Disney and Disney Channel in the United States until 2005. It made its way to CBS as part of the KOL Secret Slumber Party programming block from 2006-07, and later as part of their successor Cookie Jar Entertainment’s Cookie Jar TV block from 2010-11.