We’ve come to the mid-season finale of the first season of Riverdale. How is do we sign off for now? Let’s look.
1. Nice Little Opening
Let’s face facts: Riverdale… is a terrible adaptation. In the same way Young Justice is a terrible adaptation of the titular comic. And yes I know that the comics rebooted so it’s at least modern looking but it’s still the kinda the same tone throughout. So, getting to see the show have a parody opening to the wholesome “gosh gee” time was fun. I mean, this is all Jughead’s dream so it gets really dark really quick. Speaking of!
2. Oh Jughead
Jughead is probably the least like his comic counterpart (and no it’s not just because he isn’t being portrayed as Aroace here yet) because… again… Riverdale is a terrible adaptation. This episode gets us the biggest glimpse into his past, that he’s homeless, his father is not exactly the greatest person (Well, yeah. It’s Billy Loomis. What up my 30 year olds that got that reference?!) This show can be very blatant but at times it can also be really subtle. One part that stood out for me is a scene where Jughead is walking Betty home and she’s talking about how this time isn’t the first time Polly had run away; that she had done so as a kid. Jughead inquires: “How far did she get?” and it’s subtle inflections on both Betty and Jughead’s faces that really sold the loneliness and desperate need to get away. Big kudos to Cole Sprouse and Lili Reinhart in that scene.
3. Nice Of You To Join the Show, Archie
As we all know, Riverdale is a terrible adaptation, but Archie has been surprisingly true to comics, that is an airhead ditz that doesn’t always realize the consequences of his actions or consider other people’s feelings. And that has been similar with this show. You have Betty, Veronica and Jughead with all this murder and dealing with incredibly dysfunctional family life and then you’ve got Archie over here going “Oh I can’t choose between football or music!” Here he’s finally being more a part of people’s lives, being there for them, especially his best friend. Maybe it will finally make Archie a little interesting.
4. The Parents Are Still Awful
Really. Outside of Fred Andrews and Hermione Lodge most of the time, every parent with focus seems really crap. With the reveal that Polly Cooper is pregnant with Jason Blossom’s child, both the Coopers and Blossom’s are kicking into overdrive their nastiness. It’s hidden behind barely-concealing niceties and platitudes, the kind of passive aggressive Stepford Wives nonsense that was the real “wholesome” 50s Americana that the original comic’s reveled in. That’s not to say they’re bad characters, they are great and in that regard, really pointing out the bullshit of that era, makes me glad that Riverdale is a terrible adaptation.
5. A Twist in the Case
The final scene before the show takes its break was a bit of a surprise, seeing Jason Blossom’s coat among F.P. Jones’ things. The same coat that should’ve gone up in flames with Jason’s car at the end of the last episode. This is especially more gut wrenching because, if F.P. did have something to do with Jason’s death, this is only going to divide him and Jughead more than they already have been. I’m still on the fence with F.P., even if I think Skeet Ulrich is doing a fine job, but it’s more along the lines of determining how much of a bastard the character is. All in all, the murder of Jason is coming back in a full force and I can’t wait for the show to come back…
…you know, despite Riverdale being a terrible adaptation. See ya!
