Riverdale – A Look Back

By: Marnie Faith

With the Winter finale upon us, it’s crazy to believe we’re only seven episodes in! The show has proved once again that they’re here to keep us on the edge of our seats. From Veronica (Camila Mendes) affirming hers and Archie’s (KJ Apa) relationship as “end-game” to Betty (Lili Reinhart) and Jughead (Cole Sprouse) deeming Dilton’s underground satanic possessions storage unit as the perfect place to establish their love nest to Polly’s twins floating mid-air over a four-foot bonfire. This season of “Riverdale” has shown that the writers have either completely run out of ideas or simply have so many, they want to try and make them all work at once. One of the most compelling aspects of the season thus far; however, is the introduction of the supernatural throughout the show. The question remains though, is the supernatural element working? For a show that has already demonstrated it can get carried away with itself far too easily – becoming lost amongst a multitude of different storylines that often leave important arcs unexplored or characters forgotten about – is this added plot essence too much for the show to handle? Let’s take a further look.

Allusions and foreboding were evident from the premiere episode, with the adults fear over the Griffins and Gargoyles game returning to a warning that Jason Blossom’s murder. However, nothing compared to the evil about to wreak through Riverdale and the show risked becoming overwhelmed in plots from the get-go.

Archie’s involvement in Season Three as whole explains this idea. Due to his imprisonment early on this year, his character became lost amongst the dominant storylines being told. Sidelined to his underground prison fighting tournament, it felt as though he missed a lot of the build up to where we are now in the show. The implications of this being that his involvement in the Gargoyle King/Hiram Lodge (Mark Consuelos) narratives following his inexplicable freedom from prison seems slightly ill-thought out and rushed. His brief absence seems like nothing compared to Cheryl’s (Madelaine Petsch) distinct lack of screen time this season, though. Again, that lingering issue the writers just can’t seem to get to grips with becomes apparent again. After sustaining Cheryl and Toni’s (Vanessa Morgan) relationship so well in Season Two, it’s frustrating to see their development sidelined. It’s all well and good to be on the edge of our seats regarding who’ll be next to have a hit of the Fizzy Rocks, but there’s a large majority of fans out there begging for real “Choni” screen time. Not to mention it would be a welcome relief from the continuous fast paced tempo this season has taken.

Moreover, with episode two giving us a glimpse into The Farm following the introduction of Evelyn Everner (Zoe De Grand Maison), it’s understandable that viewers prepared themselves for more suspense to unfold. So, naturally, episode three was used to introduce Veronica’s latest business venture – La Bonne Nuit. Whilst these light-hearted arcs come as a welcome chance for viewers to process the happenings thus far, it feels like a very bumpy tempo to uphold. The switch from suspense to lightheartedness feels very disjointed, suggesting that the writers may have become lost amongst transitions. Viewers are almost left pleading for more thrilling, less filling. Yes, we want to know all about the embarks of the characters outside the main storylines, but they need to be delivered in a way that doesn’t interrupt the engagement within the horrors unfolding. It’s obvious that the writers have an idea of what stories they wish to tell, but the development of them just needs some tweaking.

The flashback episode served as both a surprisingly entertaining modern-day Breakfast Club and another piece of the Griffins and Gargoyles puzzle. Between taking on their parents’ younger personas, which the cast brilliantly portray, we find out a lot more as to why the adults are so fearful of the game. The closing scene in which a horrified Betty finds her beloved Jughead completely enticed with the game demonstrates how the show proves itself to be the best type of calculated madness. Of course, Jughead decides to become engrossed with it as soon as Betty finds out exactly why it’s so villainous. This sort of uncoincidental happenstance is what makes the show both so lovable and yet so ridiculous.

By the quarter mark of Season Three, it becomes clear that the writers have accepted the hint of ridiculousness aspects of the story are taking and manage to balance serious and silly well. It is because of this that the supernatural aspects of the show engage so well. The scene in Chapter Fourty: The Great Escape, in which the teens are talking about why the Griffins and Gargoyles game is so awful, is soon interrupted by Veronica’s desperation to free Archie before “he dies or kills someone.” Her disregard for conversational politeness demonstrates the subtle ways in which this new direction is allowing the characters to continue to develop. The scene encapsulates Veronica Lodge perfectly – she couldn’t care less that there are one hundred and one awful things currently happening in Riverdale as her boyfriend is in trouble and all she cares for is his freedom. Does she come off as self-absorbed? Slightly. What does shine through though is both the loyalty to her loved ones the viewers have grown to love about her as well as the fact that the world isn’t allowed to end until she gives the go-ahead. She is the daughter of the most powerful villain in Riverdale, after all.

Prior to episode seven Chapter Fourty-Two: The Man in Black, the season seems fragmented; there are so many things going on without clear direction of how they’re all going to piece together. However, the penultimate episode of this half of the season demonstrates how thoroughly the writers have thought through the intricate webbing together of the narratives to allow the show to come to a succinct unison ahead of the finale. Opening with three separate stories, the eventual alignment of them all through Hiram Lodge demonstrates that not only are the teens bigger pawns than once thought, but that the show is capable of a multi-dimensional level of writing that was never really demonstrated through the first two seasons.

Beginning with Archie and Jughead on the run (or Cal and Biff, if you’re Jughead under pressure), the town of Athens showing the men under Hiram’s ruling cleverly demonstrates him as the King Pawn of this season. Laurie’s (Riley Keough) snitching of Archie’s whereabouts to Hiram in order to secure her families freedom is indicative of his power looming further afield than Riverdale. He’s built an empire based on trepidation and knows how to use this to his advantage. We then see Betty’s continued residence in the Sisters of Quiet Mercy establishment, in which viewers are exposed to Fizzle Rocks being swept into the place as a means of reward for good behavior.

Cut to the fake seizure Betty meticulously plans where we learn that Hiram himself planned to have Betty dosed up on Fizzy Rocks and is (unsurprisingly) the master behind the other residents becoming hooked on them. Betty’s story is gravely ended with her being forced the drugs and becomes overridden with love for the Gargoyle King. This episode exhibits in many ways how Hiram is the most powerful character “Riverdale” has yet to introduce – his dark background from the beginning of the show has always left him open to turn villainous, but this season has developed him into something eviler than I could have ever anticipated.

With the finale episode around the corner, there are a few issues with this half of the season. Firstly, like previously mentioned, where are the rest of the characters? Fan favorites such as Cheryl, Toni and Josie (Ashleigh Murray) appear to have been sidelined. It’s frustrating to see, especially since there is a lot of hype on social media regarding Cheryl and Toni’s relationship. Not only this, but it appears some aspects have been forgotten about with regards to storytelling. We still don’t know much about The Farm – we know they possess abilities beyond that which us mere mortals do; however, their placement in this season leaves much to be desired.

I think it’s clear to conclude that the new direction “Riverdale” has taken this season works. This show is renowned for pulling pretty much any stakes they please and the writers aren’t apprehensive to take risks while slowly but surely illustrating the importance of quality over quantity with regards to storylines. The first half of this season has been nothing short of mind-blowing.

I can’t talk for everyone, but I certainly did not see a large majority of the narrative directions coming. This new course works so well as a result of this because only in Riverdale would there be a Gargoyle King running ravage around the town whilst Archie is involved in a very corrupt, highly illegal prison fighting ring. At least the writers kept some familiarity to his character by ensuring he was topless for seventy five percent of his scenes.

“Riverdale” is currently balancing a good mix of narratives and character development arcs. The series is in the midst one of their most enticing storylines to date. So, for now, let the paranormal continue. Let’s see where the Gargoyle King takes them. Allow the viewers the Choni screen time they deserve and introduce more about The Farm to us. Let the writers expose viewers to a second part of their most compelling season yet.