RIVERDALE

 

If you like the Archie comics and cartoons, an exciting new live action teen drama called RIVERDALE is based on adaptations of those characters.  This 2017 show originally aired on the CW Television Network and is now available with thirteen episodes on Netflix, with a new season expected in October.  Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead all appear for this murder mystery, but not in the fun and innocent child friendly manner created by comics and cartoons of the past.   Like most modern adaptations of classic children’s entertainment, this show is sexually charged.  While I found the main storyline to be the greatest in teen drama television history, the writers tainted the show's quality by trying to subconsciously indoctrinate impressionable minds with the writers' dangerous political views, through some scenes and some characters that were unnecessary to the central plot.  The main storyline is so captivating, and the acting of the main characters so superb, however, that I highly recommend RIVERDALE, but strictly to mature adults who would not be swayed by the Hollywood worldview reflected by the less significant characters and scenes.

 

As someone born in 1975, I can vividly remember being entertained by Luke Perry, Skeet Ulrich, Molly Ringwald, Robin Givens, and Marisol Nichols, who played teenagers during my teenage and young adult years.  In RIVERDALE, my generation gets to experience these familiar faces enthralling us yet again, expanding their acting versatility in their fitting new roles as parents of modern teenagers.  Unfortunately, in RIVERDALE, none of the parents of the main characters come across as strong positive role models for their children.  No exemplary examples of loving romantic relationships are provided to the teens, by their parents. 

 

The show's finest acting comes from Cole Sprouse, who (with his twin) portrayed Julian in Adam Sandler’s 1999 movie, “Big Daddy.”  He has now grown up as an extremely talented actor in the role of teenage Jughead.  A promising new group of up and coming actors and actresses rounds out the cast, featuring New Zealand’s KJ Apa as Archie, Camila Mendes as Veronica, Ross Butler (Zack from 13 Reasons Why) as Reggie, and Lili Reinhart as the show’s most likeable major character, Betty.

 

(L-R) Jughead, Veronica, Archie, Betty, Cheryl

The central plot involves the death of teenager Jason Blossom, a death that is soon ruled a homicide.  The town is loaded with possible suspects, including Jason’s twin sister Cheryl, played by Madelaine Petsch, who is excellent at deliberately keeping her character mysterious and difficult to figure out.  More secrets unravel throughout the thirteen episodes, creating varying levels of suspicion by and towards the different major characters, many of whom have a potential motive.  By the end of the thirteen episodes, the perpetrator(s) of the murder is/are revealed.  I will give no hints, other than to reassure everyone that the killer(s) is/are not anyone’s evil British twin sister who no one knew existed.  Rather, the viewing audience’s fun conjectures as personal sleuths are not in vain.


Archie and his friends’ love lives provide subplots that are almost on par with the murder mystery.  At the start of the season, Betty has a crush on life-long friend Archie, but feels threatened by the arrival of Veronica,  Riverdale's new girl whose charm clearly captures Archie's attention, despite Archie being in an illicit secret sexual relationship with his young female music teacher.


Veronica initially comes across as very likeable, taking a stand for her friend Betty, during cheerleader tryouts, telling the student coach (Cheryl Blossom) that if she wants Veronica on the squad, she needs to take Betty, too.  Veronica's devotion to her friendship with Betty, however, soon gets challenged as Veronica also becomes attracted to Archie.  During a moment of weakness, Veronica acts on her attraction to Archie, nearly destroying her friendship with Betty.  This issue, however, is soon resolved, especially when Jughead and Betty become an item.


Jughead is the narrator and has a very likeable, yet deeply wounded aura about him, reminiscent of Boy Meets World’s Sean Hunter (Rider Strong.)   Betty is very compassionate and accepting of Jughead’s emotional flaws, as he is towards hers.  They stand up for each other and genuinely strive to please one another.  While they both make mistakes, they are also both quick to forgive.  Their love story has true substance, a refreshingly rare concept for romances in teen dramas.  The beauty and positive influence of their relationship, however, is almost undermined in the last episode by the implication that they were about to have sex.  An unexpected knock on the door, however, prevents that from happening.


The greatest subplot is when Betty and Veronica take on a crusade to stop bullying in their school.  They succeed in getting a football player, Chuck Clayton, kicked off the football team, after Chuck sexually harassed some of their classmates.  Later, at a party, Chuck tells Betty that her actions ruined his chances of a scholarship to Notre Dame, or any other good school.   Betty’s response, pricelessly delivered by Lili Reinhart, is the greatest line and most powerful moment in the entire thirteen episodes, “I’m sorry that after you sexually harassed those girls, there were actual consequences, Chuck!” 


I’m looking forward to the new season of RIVERDALE, excited to see what the next adventures will be for Archie and his friends, hoping that the show becomes more teen friendly.  I also look forward to seeing what future projects Cole Sprouse, Lili Reinhart, Camila Mendes, Madelaine Petsch, and KJ Apa become involved with, as all five have shown levels of acting quality that should put them on the top of casting directors' lists for young talent.