So here it is, the deep mining into the pop culture annals for ideas instead of original creative projects….slated for a mid-season 2017 TV debut is “Riverdale”. The much beloved character of Archie Andrews, yep, Archie of the long lived Archie comics is now a part of The CW family. The first season opens with a classmate going missing and turning up deceased in “Riverdale”, the fictional hometown of Archie and his friends, the town is trying to make sense of a tragic death tinged with mystery and loaded with unanswered questions.
Jason Blossom, a high school golden boy and twin of the Riverdale High’s queen bee Cheryl Blossom ( who knows more than she’s telling about her brother, his secrets and his death) meets a tragic death, a storyline that carries through the entire season. Let’s not forget the real story—the love triangle of Betty, Archie and Veronica….that’s there too, mixed in with other scandals of the good folk of “Riverdale”
There is a lot of excitement and anticipation around the launch of “Riverdale”, the cast was well received at Comic Con International in San Diego this summer. It was discussed that a dark tone, akin the 90’s Twin Peaks with the sex of Gossip Girl is what the creators and the show-runner Greg Berlanti are aiming for. “Riverdale” is mix of tried and true seen it before stories, a mysterious death as a the constant thread, in addition to scandals, like Archie’s secret affair with his teacher Ms Grundy ( played by a much younger woman than portrayed the comic) no doubt there will be plenty of horny action, bed-hopping and skin in this game.
“Riverdale” has a twisty nature that will appeal to fans of The CW’s other dark toned programming such as “The Vampire Diaries”, “The Originals” and those in the “Arrowverse”, the show might just have a comfortable home there.
Some of the fictional Riverdale’s illustrious folks are:
K.J. Apa as Archie Andrews
Cole Sprouse as Jughead Jones
Irie Hayleau as Valerie Brown (one of Josie and the Pussycats)
Camilla Mendes as Veronica Lodge
Lili Reinhart as Betty Cooper
Madeline Petsch as Cheryl Blossom
Luke Perry as Fred Andrews
The show arrives in the back-half of the 2016-2017 television schedule to coincide with the Archie comic’s 75th anniversary.