When I first heard that the Archie comics were being adapted into a show, I imagined a cute teenage sitcom following the simple lives of teenagers in the cute town of Riverdale. I was not expecting what Riverdale became. Nonetheless, I watched all of it, back when it came out, and then a couple times since.
The show premiered in 2017, at the beginning of the first Trump presidency. It was an era of change and cultural unrest as millennial optimism bled into Gen Z pessimism, as the vision of the future no longer was one of opportunity but instead certain doom. Riverdale captured this perfectly.
There is no doubt that the characters of Riverdale are millenials — with moments like Jughead’s “I’m a weirdo” speech and other dialogue that is so painfully of the time, you cannot help but cringe when you watch it. The show also made several successful odes to pop culture, in its own style, such as musical episodes featuring the soundtracks from the musical adaptations of Carrie and Heathers, and whole seasons based on popular tropes such as an evil role-playing game or a sketchy boarding school society.
The show therefore appeals to the nostalgic side of millennials, coming out as most of them were moving into the next stage of life and further away from high school. Its references and general vibe were perfect for a millennial audience — which doesn’t typically resonate with younger audiences.
Nevertheless, Riverdale greatly appealed to Gen Z audiences for the entirety of its running. Why? My theory is because of its pure absurdity. It’s no secret that Riverdale has insane plotlines. Even before they were transported to the past and gained magical powers, the teenagers of the Riverdale universe were chasing down murderers, joining gangs, and taking down cults. It was completely absurd — and that dark absurdity matched the absurdity of the real world.
Here are some things that happened while Riverdale was airing: Trump’s first presidency, COVID-19, the rise of TikTok, Brexit, and the launch of ChatGPT. Amid the turmoil of these and other major events, Riverdale’s absurdity and the general trauma the characters went through were comparable to the insanity of current affairs.
Perhaps Watching the Riverdale characters made us feel better about the world going insane. We may have been in quarantine, but Archie Andrews was in an illegal fighting ring, Jughead Jones was faking his death, Betty was investigating an organ harvesting cult, and Veronica was in the mob. Our lives seemed a little easier by comparison, and theirs were entertaining.
Now, Riverdale is one of those shows that you watch not despite it being bad, but because it is bad. It did age terribly, making anyone today wince at how painfully cringeworthy it is, but simultaneously became a time capsule that perfectly captures the vibe of its era. Chaotic, terrible, overwhelming, and embarrassing — I can think of no better words to describe the period from 2017 to 2023. They definitely don’t make shows like this anymore, because it is not the right time for it. Back then, we needed something to accompany us on the slippery slope as things only got worse. Now, we need hope. But it’s nice to know that Riverdale will always be there for us when we want a bit of insane drama.
Illustration by Tracy Ratliff @paisley_pen_creative for The Student
