It’s over! Riverdale, a CW show that has fallen into the background of the cultural zeitgeist, has reached its conclusion, indicating the end of an era in television.
The show’s final episode aired August 28-the 31 for U.S. viewers- after an interminable seven season-seven year long run. An off-the-rails mystery-murder-crime-romance, the show follows four high school students who work together to solve the murder of Jason Blossom, their beloved classmate found dead under shrouded circumstances. As they uncover the truth, their curiosity would lead them to expose thrilling and dark secrets about the people and town of Riverdale as well as each other. The creators of Riverdale were inspired by the story of the early-90s cult-classic ‘ ‘Twin Peaks’ ‘, and a reimagining of the 1942 “Archie’s Comics” Series, a contrast of light-hearted fun and eeriness that plays an important role throughout the show.
A bit of a whirlwind end to the series, Season 7 of Riverdale is set in the 1950s as the characters are transported back in time in order to escape a world ending comet (the storyline did begin in the modern day). The main four and others unravel yet another serial murder-mystery, that is connected to an overarching storyline, while having no recollection of their true selves. This is eventually remedied by a time traveler who, upon request, gives them only their good memories back as they are unable to return to the fatal present.
The show attempts at a satisfactory ending by examining the fates of recurring characters, the final shot of all of the characters in an iconic location for the show, the local Pop’s diner, reunited in the ‘sweet hereafter’. Critics claim that Riverdale had potential for success from the start, and there is much to appreciate. It is soapy and theatrical (there are full musicals in several episodes throughout the show), full of genuinely unexpected twists and turns, interesting characters, touching moments, all the while it excels at balancing both the intensity and fun of the lives of high schoolers, leaving young audiences hooked.
By season three and onward, Riverdale was on track to becoming somewhat of a meme with sentimental value, treasured by both fans and haters alike. From teenaged vigilantes to gargoyle kings, magic, organ-harvesting cults, minor operated gangs and speakeasies, the multiverse, the sheer ridiculousness of the show both drew in and ostracized viewers, moreso the latter as viewership plummeted.
This definitely contributed to the CW show’s lack of relevance by 2023 and confusion or remission of its continuation, the typical response to a question about the show being, “Is Riverdale still a thing?”
The complaints against Riverdale leveled by the average joe was its poor writing and increasingly baffling storyline over each lengthy season. What seems to be the number one cause of this was Roberto Aguierre-Sacasa, both an executive producer and writer for Riverdale. A shame given that popular opinion concedes the first two seasons were an overall success primarily because they were focused on unraveling the Blossom case. Now, how do the main cast feel about the wrap up of Riverdale?
It is clear that the main cast of Riverdale all express the same strong emotion towards the show’s conclusion. In an interview with Vulture from New York Magazine, Lili Reinhart, KJ Apa, Cole Sprouse, Camila Mendes, Madelyn Petsch, Casey Cott, and others gave insights on the final season as well as their experience with Riverdale as a whole. They acknowledge things such as how influential Riverdale was in their lives and careers, the unique weirdness of the show, and remark on how it is the last of its kind.
Riverdale is a show aimed at capturing the “epic highs and lows of high school”; however, after its long run, the focus shifts to memory; all things must come to an end, a point that is harped on by Jughead in the final episode, “That’s life, Betty. You say hello, you walk alongside someone for a while, and then you say goodbye.” As Riverdale comes to an end, we are called to remember it as a teen drama that some loved, others came to hate, and most did not even know of, and perhaps its existence will amount to a successful spinoff or nothing more than the occasional mocking allusion.
