Netflix's "Riverdale" perfects a modern twist on an old-fashioned franchise

Over the course of the 2000s, several classic franchises have been brought to the grave by their inferior reboots and revivals. For every Samurai Jack reboot, there are ten Alvin and the Chipmunks live action movies. Are producers running out of ideas or is Hollywood a dumpster fire of a cash-grab?

After I finished my non-stop binge of Stranger Things on Netflix, I was desperate for another show to watch that wasn’t 13 Reasons Why. That is when my mom started watching this show called “Riverdale.” Sure, I’ve heard of it, but solely based on the critics it got from certain reviewers, I just assumed it was just another teen drama show that revolved around teen stereotypes.

Oh boy I was wrong...

“Riverdale” is a television reboot of the Archie comics with a sinister and haunting reimagining: Jason Blossom is murdered while on an outing in the woods with his twin sister Cheryl Blossom.

Archie Andrews, captain of the football team and aspiring musician, is a major witness of the murder, but refuses to give details due to an affair he has with a teacher. Veronica Lodge, is the new girl at “Riverdale” whose mobster father is in jail. Betty Cooper is the best friend of Archie and has a sister who went insane after her engagement with Jason. Jughead Jones is the best friend of Archie and outcast who happens to be the narrator of the show, as he depicts how once the perfect town of “Riverdale” is now in shambles. After Jason’s death, the secrets within the town are unleashed, and it is up to the main four alongside several supporting characters (Kevin, Josie, Reggie, etc.) to uncover the truth about Jason’s death. More conflicts take place when Veronica’s mom is trying to buy the drive in theater in which Jughead has an emotional connection to and Betty’s sister, Polly, is taken away to a mental institution.

Because flaws are very few and far inbetween, it would make sense to tackle the cons of the show first. While the second season stays true to the first in meanings of quality, the nearly double length of the second season may feel dragging to some viewers. Due to its plot structure and execution, the second season should have been split into two, but that’s not the fault of the producers or writers. With the way streaming services are nowadays, they will cram out as many episodes of a show as possible to appease to the short-attention spans of viewers.

Secondly, some of the character arcs present in season two are either overdramic or have no value to the main plots whatsoever. Whether they were added to keep the season at its twenty two episode length or to kiss Netflix’s shoes, they are as relevant as drinking soup with a fork. The show’s next biggest flaw is its excessive phoned in romance scenes. It doesn’t do a lot of harm to the season overall, but they will have audiences rolling their eyes at the fiftieth making out scene. We get it, producers. Archie has abs.

The best part about “Riverdale” is that it keeps watchers on the ends of their seats from start to finish. Revelations are uncovered each and every episode, which gets viewers drawing out their prediction charts like conspiracy theorists. The way the plots progress give the show a perfect amount of tension.

“Riverdale” has just enough edge to satisfy audiences but not an excessive amount. A lot of reboots nowadays either are too childish to appeal to the younger audiences or too edgy to appeal to the teens. “Riverdale” has a balance of light-heartedness and darkness.

The characters are very well written. Not only do the characters stay true to their old comic selves, they each hold a dark twist which makes them unique to their comic counterparts. For example, Jughead, who was recognized as the guy with the insatiable appetite in the old Archie comics, is now the edgy emo-narrator of the show. While the characters may have lost the innocence they had in the Archie comics, it makes up with their fresh personalities.

I give this show an automatic recommendation to teens and young adults who are fascinated with teen drama shows. However, nearly all audiences could possibly find something to enjoy from watching “Riverdale” as well, even if the show hits more for a teen demographic. Those who are mature enough to handle mature topics such as murder and sexual harassment should be able to watch the show.

Get ready to buy your favorite popcorn and candy from the dollar store because season three will be airing very soon.