Riverdale Season 2 was a lot of things. “Hilarious,” is definitely one. I don’t know that “good,” is a word I’d use though.
I was confident going into season 3 though that the show could turn it around, and if it can’t, I’ll keep watching because it’s kind of the only teen drama game in town…(and as you all know, it’s my favorite genre.)
But the season 3 premier gave me some serious hope, as the show seems to just be going with the whole, “this show is so dumb…I love this show,” thing, and in the meantime, was able to hit some classic Archie comics beats, while still being it’s own weird wonderful dumb thing.
Archie Iconic Thing #1: Archie’s Bowtie
Before Greg Berlanti decided to make him sexy this is what Archie Andrews looked like:
The bowtie was kind of a thing. Anyway, as Archie sat trial for murder in last night’s premier, (Sure, whatever…this show is so dumb, I love this show so much) he looked like this:
BOWTIE! Look at his dumb face!
Archie Iconic Thing #2: Everything About Archie’s Car
Archie’s Old Gillopie (am I spelling that right?) is also a think in the comics. And boy oh boy, was I psyched at the end of season 2 when Riverdale introduced it! So we see Bughead and Varchie driving around in it, and even more importantly Archie and Betty working on it in his garage! Riverdale has jettisoned so much of Betty and Archie’s dynamic in favor of Bughead (worth it) and Archie trying to be a gangster or a vigilante or whatever. (Less worth it) so seeing them work on his car, and Betty in her overalls warmed my heart.
She is precious and perfect and must be protected
Archie Iconic Thing #3: Cheryl’s Pool Party
So, like I get that they’ve set Riverdale somewhere in the midwest, (Archie’s mom, Molly Ringwald, is in Chicago after all) so they couldn’t have it be a beach party, but the pool party get the gist across. The Archie gang is at the beach, like, kind of a lot. But the Beach Boys playing as everyone danced and tossed footballs (Is Reggie not a raging douche anymore?) did it.
Archie Iconic Thing #4: Hiram trying to break Veronica and Archie up
Look, no matter the version, Hiram Lodge does not like that Andrews boy around his daughter. So he tries to break them up. Usually he like, cuts off Veronica’s allowance, or enrolls her in private school, but in Riverdale it involves framing Archie for murder.
Tomato, Tomahto, really.
Not Archie, but Still Iconic:
Fred punching Hiram in the face at the courthouse, as cameras roll. Straight up Dylan McKay move.
Cheryl shooting at Ghoulies with her bow like she’s on Arrow or something.
“You have failed this city”
Also Cheryl walking into Pop’s reminding everyone who the real star of this show is.
