Sabrina The Teenage Witch: The Complete Animated Series (1971)

Sabrina The Teenage Witch: The Complete Animated Series (1971), which was aired by CBS, remains a vibrant part of early multi-genre children and young adult programming. A portion of Saturday morning cartoon mania and teenager's fantasy, the animation series is a defining classic from the early 1970's, adapted from the Archie Comics series "Sabrina the Teenage Witch". The popularity of the comic book series was the biggest reason why the show came into existence.

Over multiple episodes, the series introduces us to Sabrina, a lively and kind-hearted high school girl leading an ordinary teenage life, with a magical twist. She is not just a normal teenage girl, but a witch-in-training managing to balance her personal life, school life and untamed care-free magical adventures. She shares a home with her enchanting aunts, Hilda and Zelda, both full-fledged witches themselves, and is continually guided under their cautious yet affectionate supervision.

Sabrina’s aunts are not the only magical creatures accompanying her. She also shares her home with Salem, an eccentric and wise-cracking black cat. Salem was once a warlock who was transformed into a cat as punishment for attempting to take over the world. Despite that, Salem has a strong bonding with Sabrina and he uses his cunning whimsical wisdom to guide her, often landing himself and Sabrina into peculiar and intriguing situations.

The animated series insightfully uses humor, fantasy, and adventure to portray Sabrina's double life as she explores her magical abilities while also grappling with the everyday challenges of adolescent life – including a spunky attitude, school dramas, friendships, rivalries, and teen romance. Moreover, each episode often presents Sabrina with an issue or problem that she must resolve using her magical powers, intelligent wit, and innate goodness.

Her life turns upside down when she turns sixteen and her aunts introduce her to magic, revealing her supernatural side. This marks the beginning of her magical journey, where she uses her powers -- under guidance from her aunts – to solve problems, help others, and often, bring a lesson home to its viewers.

What sets this series on the high entertaining factor is the fun elements brought by the magic. With her magic, Sabrina can zap open her locker, finish chores instantly, or fly from one location to another, among many other enjoyable things. However, she must be careful and secret about her powers because if any mortal witnesses a witch use her powers, the witch may lose her magic ability. This consequence leads to many comedic situations throughout the series.

Apart from focusing on Sabrina's witchcraft, the series also showcases the fundamental aspects of her regular life. Sabrina’s mortal friends, like Harvey Kinkle, jalopy junkie and Sabrina's love interest, and loyal and intelligent friend Chloe, play a significant role, complementing the magical aspects of the series with the warm, genuine human emotions of trust, friendship, and solidarity.

The animated series leans into magical realism that weaves fantastical elements into a real-world setting, providing a sense of wonder and joy to the young viewers. Moreover, the show educates its audience on basic life lessons and moral values, promoting the idea of 'doing the right thing', while also giving a resounding message that 'magic or no magic, what matters most are kindness and good values'.

Sabrina The Teenage Witch: The Complete Animated Series (1971) preserves the charm of Sabrina's magical life painted in retro animation style. Her character embodies the regular teenager's dilemmas and dreams, which makes it more relatable to young viewers, while the magical elements keep the interest piqued with continuous surprises.

Exuding a strong nostalgic appeal and bridging the gap between ordinary teenage life and the magical world, the series has charmed audiences of all ages over decades. The series seamlessly blends Sabrina's dual world of magic and ordinary very effectively, leaving its viewers amused and eagerly waiting for the next adventures of Sabrina in the non-stop magical fun ride.

This series provides captivating visuals, well-timed humor, notable life lessons, and a fascinating peek into the supernatural world of witches, thus making Sabrina The Teenage Witch: The Complete Animated Series (1971) one of CBS's most memorable shows that continues to enchant its audience even today.