Riverdale Chapter 1 - The River's Edge review

So, the Archie universe is coming to TV in live action for the first time in over a decade. Being a massive fan of Mark Waid’s Archie reboot, I was interested to take a look, until details started coming out about the series and certain elements that I’ll address as this review goes on. Still pondering doing more with this series but for now, here’s my take on Chapter One: The River’s Edge

Chapter 1: The River’s Edge

Friday, 3:05pm – I was listening to Jughead narrating the story with the most generic sounding dialogue, little did I know that what it was leading to would be the most uncomfortable experience I’ve had all day.

Yeah, I never though the idea of Archie being in a relationship with someone who, in the comics, is an elderly woman would be topped so quickly as the most uncomfortable thing on the screen but yeah, that scene with Jason and Cheryl on the boat, that was incest. *shudder*

So, with that creepiness being the starting point for the series, does it get better from there, well… yes and no.

Betty and Veronica are the best things about this premiere, each have distinctive characters and character arcs. Betty, described as perfect by everyone around her faces the scorn of her overbearing mother and the fact that her best friend that she loves feels that he’s not good enough for her. Helping her along is Kevin, the gay best friend stereotype that still isn’t as bad as the one in the Killing Joke. Oh yes, I’ll be getting that steaming pile in due course.

Veronica has moved from New York after some sort of scandal involving her father. I’d guess that the rough edges she’d usually have in the comics have been smoothed a little as a result of this, so she’s more of a genuinely nice person, but she still totally kisses Archie in the closet.

Cheryl Blossom is a b*tch, as she should be. Reggie appears to be Archie’s friend at this point? What? Dillon’s a scout, makes sense and Moose is… whatever you want him to be, really. Fine and dandy

Jughead gets barely any screen-time in this episode. And the one scene we do get with him is odd. He and Archie talk and there doesn’t seem to be any animosity, so why wasn’t this talk in the middle of the day? Or if there is animosity, why wasn’t it hinted at? And most importantly why wasn’t there a burger next to Jughead whilst he was writing that article, or reference to him ordering a burger or something.

OK, let’s get to Archie himself, since he’s where the bulk of the problems lie with the series. I don’t mind the fact they’ve bulked him up, given him abs and such. They make use of his every-man status and have him conflicted between 3 different lives. I wish they’d made him a bit more of a klutz like in the comics but that’s forgivable.

What’s more difficult to forgive is his fling with Miss Grundy. I just want to be plain and clear, it’s creepy, disturbing and has implications I hope have been considered by the writers. Archie is underage, which means that for Miss Grundy to have sex with him, with or without consent, is statuary rape, which has serious implications beyond the fact that they both overheard a gunshot and haven’t come forward with, although there is no doubt that this is also very serious.

Which brings me round to Archie’s character, or lack there-of. He really doesn’t get to display a full range in this episode. He spends most of the episode either in a semi-depressed state or pining for Miss Grundy (or her musical teachings, one of the two) a little more humour and light-heartedness wouldn’t go amiss.

The main plot is more a background element, setting things up and hinting at things to come. I just hope they don’t shy away from the terrible implications of some of the things going on here.

Rating 6/10