Riverdale has started its run on The CW. This Archie Comics’ adaptation has finally got to air and a whole new universe of characters and mysteries has begun.
I have to be honest: I have been waiting for this show for a long time, since the first preview has been released online. This decade didn’t include a ground-breaking teen drama as The O.C., Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill or Dawson’s Creek and Riverdale’s premise had all the characteristics to cover this role. Did it fulfill the expectations? In my opinion, yes.
“The River’s Edge” starts the story of a group characters who are living in Riverdale. Archie is the golden boy: he joined the football team, but he dreams to use his music as a living in the future. Betty is in love with her best friend, but she doesn’t want to tell him the truth. Veronica is the new girl in town and she arrives just in time to witness to a terrible murder: Jason Blossom is dead.
There are many reasons why I loved the beginning of Riverdale. The show is fresh, juicy and addictive. It’s not a new Gossip Girl: Berlanti is capable of giving a certain amount of authenticity and originality to the product. It has a strong Dawson’s Creek’s vibe, in some occasions it reminds me of dark atmosphere of Twin Peaks and the characters are always ready to make references to the pop culture. The story is entertaining and interesting, with this murder mystery mixed with a lot of teen-angst.
Archie Comics are a strong source material: this beloved story has published so many different numbers and includes plenty of storylines so they could definitely go on for years. The team behind this new show are both from Archie Comics and The CW’s golden hits: it is written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa who is the chief creative officer of Archie Comics and it is produced by Berlanti.
The cast includes a series of talented newcomers: K.J. Apa, Lili Reinhart and Camilla Mendes. There are also big names as Cole Sprouse, Mädchen Amick and Luke Perry.
All in all, I really enjoyed this first episode. At first, the characters seem a bit stereotyped, but they have so much potential. I’m totally in love with Archie, Veronica, Betty, Jughead and Kevin and I’m sure there will be plenty of space to grow from this beginning.
And you? What do you think of “The River’s Edge”?
