I loved that despite the series' David Lynch-esque storyline, the campy comic book aesthetic remained intact. It was the perfect mix of teen-diner-sitcom and murder mystery—a kind of hard candy noir. The show definitely made me think Twin Peaks meets Gossip Girl. I will watch anything with moody teens brooding about murder and romance at their local diner.

Also, the soundtrack was perfect. It was like a mixtape from your high school dreamboat.

I was 100 percent on board with the efficiency with which the writers handled the storyline: Veronica and Betty becoming friends/allies quickly. Betty confessing her feelings for Archie. Archie's punk ass way of telling Betty he doesn’t feel the same. It was a satisfying mix of ridiculousness and good narrative choices that moved the murder mystery straight to center stage. Also, I think it's worth noting that there was clearly some kind of love declaration or betrayal that happened between Jughead and Archie during the summer. I'm really interested in seeing where their relationship goes.

I have to say I absolutely love Jughead as the mysterious Gossip Girl-esque narrator of all the Riverdale kids’ misdeeds. I just hope he's a more interesting character than Dan Humphrey.

Cheryl is so aesthetic with her perfect red lips, cute cardigans, and penchant for evil. One episode in, and I already love to hate her. Also, going off her and Jason's matching white outfits, I suspect she shot him. I’m thinking either botched twin-cest suicide pact or straight up murder. The sartorial signs are clear: Cheryl is up to no good!


While I LOVED the show, there were some parts that I was not completely down with. I've held a long-time love for Josie and the Pussycats, but they seem to be very one-demential characters. It was great how Josie shut down Archie’s request for musical collaboration, asserting the band's commitment to their own work, but then their first performance was a cover of the song the creepy Blossom twins were supposedly conceived to. Like, what? Am I the only one that noticed that totally goes against what they said early on? And so far the most visible POC roles in the show seem to be service/entertainment-oriented which is not okay in terms of casting. But what do you expect from the CW, I guess? Ugh. 

Also, I am already so bored with Ms. Grundy and Archie’s affair. Why does every teen show have a teacher-student scandal? Aria and Ezra was enough for me to quit Pretty Little Liars. And remember when Dan slept with a teacher on Gossip Girl? Stop this, teen shows! Let the teens live! Let the teachers live!

For the future, I'm hoping there's more Josie and the Pussycats (can they get a spin-off, tbh?), more Jughead, less adults (they ruin everything, right?).  More than anything, I want to know about Jughead and Archie’s past. Weren't they best friends in the comics? Something serious happened there, and I have to know what. As for who killed Jason Blossom? My money's on Cheryl, but only time will tell.

Who's ready for a new episode tonight? I know I am!

x

Casey