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Riverdale may be a dumpster fire but it is MY dumpster fire

Why I feel no shame in watching the series that knows all about the triumphs and defeats/the epic highs and lows of high school football.

By Ghezal AmiriPublished 3 years ago 9 min read
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Lili Reinhart's facial expressions are worth the price of admission.

There's a scene in season 2 of Riverdale wherein teenager Archie Andrews is surrounded by a group of shirtless teenaged boys who are part of a new collective called The Red Circle as he threatens the Black Hood for terrorizing their beloved town with pep.

It's hysterical, it's the opposite of intimidating and it's simply delightful:

There are numerous instances viewers can point to to potentially demonstrate exactly when the series inhaled all the jingle jangle and for me, it was when a group of children took it upon themselves to track down an actual murderer. As someone who has spent way too many hours of my life devouring the countless amount of works television has to offer, I am a firm believer in feeling no shame when discussing TV shows that bring joy to your life. If you find yourself counting down the days until you're able to watch whatever wealthy shenanigans the Kardashians encounter this week, more power to you! Maybe she'll finally find the $75,000 earring she lost while swimming in the ocean! (Spoiler for those who have lost sleep over this: Kylie ended up finding it).

Just as there will always be the suggestions (rightfully) found in perpetuity (see: Mad Men, The Sopranos), there should be the... lesser-in-writing-quality creations made to satisfy that craving we all have for pure silly entertainment.

What current TV show embodies this ideal better than the high school-murder mystery-occasional musical-comedy/drama series Riverdale?

Based ever so loosely on the popular comic franchise, the monstrous hit recently began its fifth season on The CW and explores the hidden darkness found in the seemingly idyllic small town of Riverdale. And believe me when I tell you: there are numerous darknesses found in an area which holds a population of like 30 people. As the seasons have progressed, more and more viewers have come to a similar realization: this show is kind of trash.

Why aren't these children in class? How does a teenager run a speakeasy/is allowed to serve alcohol in such an establishment? Do these parents ever parent? Is Pop compensated for all the burgers and milkshakes that are never finished/can he never take that hat off? How has the underground sex bunker not been burned down yet with the dozens of candles that are constantly lit? Wait - Edgar has a rocket?!

All of the above queries are entirely valid. Throughout my years-long connection formed with this show I always find myself pondering these questions to myself... and damn it, just when I thought I was out, these wacky scenarios pull me back in!

Riverdale is not a beacon of television excellence. Nothing makes sense. Character motivations are perpetually scattered. There are seven different plots striving to be explored in a single episode occasionally leading to a convoluted mess.

It's also utterly entertaining due to this sheer ridiculousness.

While you're watching the corresponding mystery of the season unfold, the most insanely incomprehensible events occur that leave you shaking your head in disbelief and wondering why the next episode isn't out yet. You find yourself perusing twitter threads and reading up on various reddit theories trying to figure out how lucrative The Farm's organ harvesting venture is and whether the Sisters of Quiet Mercy receive government stipends whenever a Smith/Cooper is admitted.

The cast themselves are seemingly aware of how absurd some of these plots are and watching how they maneuver their way around them is almost as entertaining as the show itself.

I do contend the world of Riverdale unironically has a pretty rich history. If a prequel series was announced tomorrow depicting the rise of the Blossoms' monopolization of the maple syrup industry, I would absolutely wait for the season to wrap up before I binged on all those episodes.

I'd like to explain why I appreciate this series as much as I do while acknowledging that its faults are not to be ignored; the potential this show has to be legitimately good is there. It's just locked far, far away in the depths of whatever hallowed hall Jughead Jones wishes to pontificate on.

The First Season is Genuinely Intriguing

There's a reason why I continued watching the series past the pilot: I was majorly hooked from the getgo.

I'd venture to guess a majority of Riverdale fans prefer its first season to any of the subsequent seasons and I would be one of them. Murder mysteries are a fantastic storytelling route and the question of Who Killed Jason Blossom? persisted in my mind throughout its 13 episode run.

The character arcs were relatively straight forward, the main cast had great chemistry and despite the regular bouts of awkward pop culture references (among other problematic factors), its build up to revealing Jason's killer and immediate fallout remains a solidly captivating season.

Betty and Jughead discovering Jason's abandoned car as Josie and The Pussycats' cover of "I Feel Love" crooned in the background while Josie herself was enduring emotional turmoil from her callous father is one of my absolute favourite moments of the entire series. As someone whose face involuntarily showcases pure disdain when anyone who is not Celine Dion or BTS sings around me, this was a total bop. I figured if there are going to be musical interludes within this show, let's hope they are even a morsel of how engaging this moment was.

(Unfortunately the "Mad World" sequence exists which firmly shattered this dream of mine but hey, you win some, you lose some).

What Can Possibly Happen to these Characters Next?

I actually like the idea of Dark Betty. Exploring how familial dynamics and societal effects have on a traditional "good girl" character like Betty could easily be one of the better parts of the show... The execution of DB, however, has not been great.

The physical manifestation of Betty's inner Vader was introduced in the third episode of season one when Betty in a bad wig attempted to cook Chuck in a hot tub and although it may have gotten out of hand had Veronica not been present, Chuck was the worst. I was eager to see how this trait of hers would develop and while there have been a few Dark Betty moments that... could be better... The inherent idea of something sinister brewing in a young woman's psyche could be incredibly compelling to see evolve as the seasons went on, if executed effectively.

Despite this gripe, Lili Reinhart remains one of my favourites; she successfully portrays both the comedic stylings of Betty along with the more melancholic elements that would almost certainly be present in a teen whose father is a serial killer.

As I previously mentioned, the cast of Riverdale has pretty terrific chemistry and it's because of how great they all work collectively that encourages the curiosity of viewers to wonder what ultimately becomes of them. The show truly works best when the core four are together attempting to decipher whatever conundrum dropped on their doorstep this time rather than taking it to the proper authorities whose actual job it is to solve these riddles...

Although to be fair to the Columbo Kids, the adults in this town are remarkably incompetent and actual FBI agents are relying on The Local OTP to solve numerous bizarre privacy intrusions. If the teenagers don't take it upon themselves to execute their best policing capabilities, I genuinely believe the town would be in perpetual peril.

The Icons I Adore

Other than my elderly aunt and a number of elementary school teachers, the only other person I knew who watched the original high school drama Beverly Hills 90210 was me. The series ended in 2000 when I was six years old and around the tender age of nine or ten, I would arrive home from school eager to watch reruns of the riveting adventures of Brandon and Brenda Walsh and their class of beautiful and insanely wealthy friends.

I made a promise to myself that my future partner must shave their eyebrow in a similar Dylan McKay fashion or else said relationship is simply incompatible.

Riverdale had the spectacular and tragically gone too soon Luke Perry portray Archie's father with a heart of literal gold, Fred Andrews. Young Skeet Ulrich was half of the reason why I watched 1996's Scream as many times as I did (Neve Campbell was the other half, of course) and just imagine my excitement when I initially learned he was Jughead's negligent father. My favourite installment of the National Lampoon's Vacation franchise is Vegas Vacation which features Marisol Nichols AKA Hermione Lodge in her debut role as Audrey Griswold.

Perry in 'Beverly Hills 90210' | Ulrich in 'Scream' | Nichols in 'Vegas Vacation'

I'm fairly certain the target audience for this show is not as appreciative as I am that these symbols of my adolescence appear in their respective roles but you know what? It's totally fine. When KJ Apa eventually portrays the father of a teenager in a future high school-set soap, these current youths will know how I feel.

... Lest we forget the icon of all pop culture icons: Molly Ringwald as Archie's mom! While there may be tons wrong with Riverdale one may point to, the casting is decidedly not one of them.

Forgoing the "Guilty" and embracing the "Pleasure"

Riverdale as a whole is so far removed from being an authentic depiction of reality yet its inclusion of contemporary elements creates a sort of fantastical-reality hybrid that sucks you in completely.

When the series first began airing, I finally earned my BA that same year and experienced the same existential turmoil many post-secondary grads endure when they complete their schooling -- what do I do with my life now? Assessing my future aspirations after being in school for the majority of my life was a daunting prospect and being able to set aside those worries for an hour to watch whatever hijinks the residents of Riverdale were up to this week genuinely helped with my emotional stability during that unsettling time.

Considering the world's deteriorating condition these past few years, escapism (particularly through media) is an unbelievably vital aspect in keeping your sanity and mental wellness in check. If watching a silly reality show brings you joy, binge every single one of its 27 seasons. If you're unbothered by the writing on a show going off the deep end and rapidly heading toward the Earth's core, bust out your sunglasses and watch the series implode from the comfort of your favourite chair. We are simply not around long enough to dismiss works we find entertaining because they may be "nonsensical" or "illogical."

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to order one of Pop's fancy chocolate milkshakes, hover over the straw for a few minutes and immediately run out of his establishment without consuming anything at my table.

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Thank you for reading! If you like anything found in this piece, please click that little heart on the screen and follow me over on Twitter!

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About the Creator

Ghezal Amiri

Afghan-Canadian writer who enjoys witty quips and BTS, proper grammar and Jodie Comer.

I tweet with @MrsBananaPhone because it's the best and beats the rest.

I also have designs: https://www.teepublic.com/user/designingsimple

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