‘Chilling Adventures of Sabrina’ Creator Teases Salem Could Talk in the Future

Netflix’s The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina has received quite a bit of praise from critics and fans alike, but there is one small detail that has troubled viewers. Salem the cat doesn’t speak during the show’s first season, but according to Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, that may change in the future.

Speaking with IndieWire the series creator, who is also behind the comic book the series is adapted from, revealed that there was a reason Salem doesn’t talk in the show as he does in the comics, at least for now.

“It felt like if you have a talking cat, it would almost inherently be funny and be a comedy,” Aguirre-Sacasa said. “As I was writing the comic book, I realized that when you read a comic book, you just read the words. You don’t necessarily see any characters’ lips move. ‘Oh, of course Salem should talk. It’s going to be like anyone else talking.’”

That doesn’t translate quite the same way to television.

“When we did the show, [he doesn’t speak] partly to project the horror tone,” he explained. “That isn’t to say that Salem won’t talk in the future.”

Salem having a speaking role is notable to fans for more than just the comic book, though. In the 1990s sitcom Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Salem as a wisecracking cat who frequently stole the show and to this day lives on in many, many GIFs and memes. But just because the new Salem isn’t quite as sassy and sarcastic as his predecessor, series star Kiernan Shipka — who is actually allergic to her feline costars — says there was no way to live up to that take.

“It’s nothing like the ’90s sassy, mean Salem at all,” Shipka said. “That’s its own thing that we’re not going to try to compete with or be in the slightest because you can’t live up to that in any way. This is more of a subtle sort of nod, I would say, to the old show.”

And even though Salem doesn’t currently speak, he’s still an important part of the series. When the show held its red carpet premiere the show made sure to include Sabrina’s iconic companion by having a black cat — complete with dapper tuft of white fur on his chest — walk the red carpet like a star.

Do you want Salem to speak? Let us know in the comments!

The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is now streaming on Netflix.