One of the most surprising shows of the 2016-2017 season was the CW's Riverdale. Despite not making a lot narrative sense and suffering for some character inconsistencies, this mystery teen drama series surprisingly works.
Riverdale is loosely based upon the Archie comics but that is largely irrelevant because, except for the characters' names and some of their most superficial features, there is very little that would remind you of the source text. Where the original comics dealt with teenage romance in an understandably cartoonish way, the new iteration deals with a murder mystery. Not only does redhead Archie get abs in this new version, he also gets a rather active sex life.
The main ingredients in this TV adaptation created by Glee alumnus Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa are a good mix between the small town feel and the atmospheric creepiness of Twin Peaks and the adolescent hijinks of shows like The OC or Dawson's Creek.
The central mystery around which season one revolves is the death of popular quarterback Jason Blossom on the Fourth of July. Surviving her twin brother's death is Cheryl Blossom (Madelaine Petsch) who everyone suspects may be keeping a secret that would reveal what really happened.
Archie Andrews is played by a newcomer New Zealand actor, K.J. App, whose American accent definitely needs more coaching. In the show, Archie has a talent for music. This evidences the shared DNA between Riverdale and Glee. Older viewers who watched the show that invented the teen drama genre for television (Beverly Hills 90210) will recognize Luke Perry as Archie's construction builder dad, Fred. As in the comics, vying for Archie's attention are blonde cute girl-next-door Betty Cooper (Lili Reinhart) and vixen brunette Veronica Lodge (Camila Mendes).
Viewers who grew up with the comics will also recognize some of the other characters or, at least, their names. Jughead (Cole Sprouse), who acts as a town chronicler and Josie (Ashleigh Murray), leader of the girl band Pussycats are perhaps the most prominent among them. They are joined by a new character, Kevin Keller (Casey Cott), who fulfills the role of "gay best friend" with the twist that he also sometimes function as the audience surrogate.
Interestingly, the love triangle between Archie, Betty, and Veronica is not center stage in this version where the murder mystery is what moves the story along. Also, all major characters seem to have been given equal weight, which somehow dilutes some of the romantic elements of the show. But, not only that, the show seems to be more interested in getting as creepy and sexy as US network television would allowed than romantic.
It is undeniable that Riverdale has a certain charm. It is also a departure from all the super hero high concept shows that have become the staple of The CW in recent years. If they were looking for a new teen drama that would resonate with the network's audience, they may have just stumbled upon it.
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