Teenagers obsess over ‘Rivedale’

By Katharine Steers ’22
“Riverdale,” based off the iconic Archie’s Comics, depicts the lives of four friends: Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge and the narrator, Jughead Jones. Although the television show accurately portrays the characters’ personalities from the comics, “Riverdale” has tied in a dark, gripping murder plot, or rather, as the second season emerges, murder plots.
Young people cannot seem to get enough of “Riverdale.” The comedic mystery won seven Teen Choice Awards, including Choice Breakout TV Show and Choice TV Show: Drama. The intriguing plot twists as well as the cliffhangers at the end of each episode keep viewers watching.
It’s easy for viewers to draw comparisons from “Riverdale” to various other successful teen mystery shows such as “Pretty Little Liars.” “Riverdale” incorporates stale concepts, that have been used over and over again in the realm of teen shows. However, perhaps if the show’s a hit, such elements are a necessary element.
The show is well marketed; however, it seems that it is more of a guilty pleasure teen TV show than a truly clever one. It’s not bad, nor is it spectacular, but it still is intriguing enough to obtain such a large fanbase. The show hit 2.3 million viewers on the second season premiere alone.
While “Riverdale” isn’t exactly a must-see, it’s a good binge-watching show. 3.5/5 Stars