The Archie comic book series has been one of the harder ones to
quantify over its long run. Mostly a humorous story about high school, it has
dabbled in all kinds of milieus over its over seventy-five years -
supernatural, romantic drama, outright parody and slice of life. Perhaps that's
the reason, while every other comic book and its uncle (including more than a
few spin-offs from the Archie-verse)
have been made into film and TV series, the Archie
series itself has remained steadfastly untouched well into this millennium.
That, and perhaps the fact, that's its overall tone has been so cheerful and
optimistic that it really doesn't fit into with the cynicism of this century.
Which brings us to Riverdale. One couldn't help but think,
throughout Season 1, that perhaps creator Roberto Aguirre-Sanchez had
overcorrected to the point of insanity.
Beginning with the murder of Cheryl Blossom's twin brother Jason,
Riverdale was stuck in darkness that even Twin Peaks wouldn't
recognize. From Archie Andrews having an affair with a much younger Miss Grundy, to the motorcycle gangs and seedy
underbelly of the title, all relayed by the dark narration of Jughead Jones
(yes, you heard that right), much of what came was so unsettling to the point
even by the level of darkness that surveys so many comic book series. It seems
that Riverdale has a dark history that even True
Detective would flinch at.
Not content with that level of
darkness, the creators seemed to have doubled down as Season 2 unfolds. Fred Andrews (Luke Perry) was shot in a
fake-robbery in what has quickly become a string of attacks. Miss Grundy met
her end at the conclusion of that episode, and Midge and Moose nearly got shot
to death in Lover's Lane. The killer has now announced to the press (run by
Betty's mother, played icily well by Madchen Amick) that he is here to bring
about vengeance for the sins of the past. And its becoming very clear that the
sins are obvious in this town. Veronica Lodge's father has been released from
prison, and it appears that all of the signs of menace that her mother implied
throughout Season 1 are very true, as he tried to take a hold on the Riverdale
real estate market, and actually seems delighted by the murders that are
happening.
Of course, all of this level of
darkness has been weighing on the teenagers as well. Archie (KJ Apa) has become
obsessed with the possibility that the killer is after him, and has started a
neighborhood patrol, which is quickly becoming more menacing. Jughead, forced
to relocate to a far poorer high school in the finale, has been fighting with
his father's Serpent heritage (Skeet Ullrich continues to fascinate) as he
learned when he tried to go it alone. And Betty (Lili Reinhart) who has been
trying to recover from the revelations of last season is struggling with both
her relationship with Jughead and her gay best friend Kevin. Throw in the drug problem that is increasing,
an attack on Pop's diner, and the ever darkening world that Cheryl seems to be
fading into, and Riverdale seems to
be reaching for a level of murkiness that not even the latter season of Buffy did.
But for all of the darkness and
grime - hell, maybe even because of it - Riverdale
remains one of the most fascinating series the network has on the air.
Indeed, the comparison to Buffy is
well met at times, given the level of pop culture references, seedy underbelly,
and very dreamy leads. I can't imagine that any of the Archie fans who have
been reading the series will recognize, much less want to watch this version of
the town. Yet I think that very daring it what lends the show its spark. It
bares almost no resemblance to the comic book that generations grew up reading,
but that very radical difference makes it, paradoxically, far more original
then so many series on TV.
My score: 4 stars.
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