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Riverdale -- Archie, only with more murder


Bastard of Boston

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This show has gone from guilty pleasure to just plain pleasure! I started watching it because as a kid I used to read my dad's old Archie comics so I knew the characters very well so I was curious. That they have maintained some nostalgia while modernizing and even subverting them has really worked for me. I was a bit turned off at first by the Grundy storyline,  but I came to like it for the simple reason that they made it plain that she was a predator and Archie was a victim. I agree with you guys that he's kind of been the weakest link in the show but I do like the actor. Everyone else has been great and actually like that they have replaced Reggie as a main character with Kevin. I think I've been most impressed with the clever writing and the cold opens. As an old comic reader, I especially loved this weeks' open with Jughead dream as he and the characters dressed up as they were in the comic.

I got my daughter to watch it and she in turn got her mom and her friends hooked on it. They all are totally on the good ship "Bughead". :P

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I missed the pilot, but then watched all the other episodes at once.  I really like it. Enjoying the "Twin Peaks" feel of it. 

The parents are all so bad, except maybe Archie's and Kevin's but they both seem to have faults in other areas, especially Kevin's dad. You can't really expect kids to grow up normal with parents like that.

And from the first episode I watched, I :wub: Jughead

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Watched the first 4 episodes yesterday and really liked it. I'm an Archie nerd so the bar is not high to impress me but I like the darkness and more adult track they have taken. Cant wait to get home tonight to watch the next 3 episodes. 

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I would add that pacing is really good in so far, they wrapped up the Grundy story in 4 episodes, opened up a new story line with Hermione and Jughead's dad and pushed some resolution on the search for Jason. I just hope they keep the pace of changes up as the seasons roll on. 

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I watched 3 episodes and dropped it. It wasn't clicking with me. I read plenty of Archie comics when I was a kid, but that hook didn't really work on me, and aside from the tenuous connection to the comics, the basic construction and conceit of the show is not really in my wheelhouse. My son, who has never seen an Archie comic in his life, really likes it.

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 24/02/2017 at 9:02 PM, Martini Sigil said:

This show is mildly amusing, as long as they stay away from the god-awful "Sugar Sugar"-type scenes.... Holy cow that song & dance number was painful.... That is one seriously rythmless town...lol

Holy hell yes. I love a good dance number on a show especially when coupled with great music (See Legion, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, etc). But that was awful :lol: 

 

Other than that I've enjoyed it so far. Not up to date yet, but so far I think Cheryl, Veronica, Jughead and Betty are the best cast characters. Archie is awful (as of episode 2) and I don't really feel the acting fits the character. 

I wish I felt more interested in the mystery/murder. But I'm more interested in the characters. 

Never read the comics for this. The closest I got was watching Sabrina when I was younger. Man I loved that show 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'm still behind, I just watched episode 4. I'm glad they packed up the Grundy stuff already, that was pretty tiresome. I have absolutely no interest in what happened to Jason still. I do want to know more about Polly though. My suspicions are Polly is involved in the death some way but not sure how.

Why is every adult in this series awful and/or inept? :lol: 

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3 hours ago, HelenaExMachina said:

I'm still behind, I just watched episode 4. I'm glad they packed up the Grundy stuff already, that was pretty tiresome. I have absolutely no interest in what happened to Jason still. I do want to know more about Polly though. My suspicions are Polly is involved in the death some way but not sure how.

Why is every adult in this series awful and/or inept? :lol: 

 I was also pleased that Grundy was done after the episode though I will be surprise if she gone for good (or the season) since its been mention she had some involvement with Jason.

The awfulness of the Adults have been barely touched in many ways.  I will say this is a small town with a history which you will find out more of. Though it will make you wonder if this actually takes place in Canada.

 

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Up to date now, including today's episode. This episode finally managed to get me really interested in what's going on, but my interest is still pretty limited. The adults continue to be awful and/or incompetent. The show also seems to be trying to balance too many little stories, picking them up in one episode and then abandoning them until several episodes later. The relationships between a lot of the characters also seem unbelievable and poorly thought out. Some are well done - the friendship between Archie, Betty, Veronica and Kevin I believe. But then you have Cheryl who seems to flip flop personalities and friendships on a weekly basis. It doesn't help that the role is so horribly overacted. She may as well be strutting around with a billowing cape and a familiar perched in her shoulder. 

Also, enough cheerleading stuff. Don't care and those scenes are...not good.

On to the more positive stuff though.

I like Betty's conflict between happy smiley "girl next door" and this deep anger she has. Will be interesting to see where they go with that. Jughead is great. And I totally understand his anger at Betty and the others pushing a party on him. I hate my birthday too and turn into a most fearsome bitch when people try to make me be happy for it. Let me sulk in peace damn it.

While I said the adults were still awful, I like what they are doing with Betty's mother. She has more depth now and it's a bit easier to understand where she comes from. 

The actress they got for Archie's mother is a good choice, in terms of appearance at least. I could buy her as being his mother.

I'm so glad Valencia dumped Archie for being a dick and didn't take him back. Archie is the worst. Speaking of, Veronica has some special rose-tinted glasses on if she thinks Archie is the least fucked up person in Riverdale. Girl, have you paid attention to the last 10 episodes?

How many episodes is this season? It already feels like they are spinning some things out too much so I hope they start resolving things soon

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2 hours ago, HelenaExMachina said:

On to the more positive stuff though.

I like Betty's conflict between happy smiley "girl next door" and this deep anger she has. Will be interesting to see where they go with that. Jughead is great. And I totally understand his anger at Betty and the others pushing a party on him. I hate my birthday too and turn into a most fearsome bitch when people try to make me be happy for it. Let me sulk in peace damn it.

While I said the adults were still awful, I like what they are doing with Betty's mother. She has more depth now and it's a bit easier to understand where she comes from. 

The actress they got for Archie's mother is a good choice, in terms of appearance at least. I could buy her as being his mother.

I'm so glad Valencia dumped Archie for being a dick and didn't take him back. Archie is the worst. Speaking of, Veronica has some special rose-tinted glasses on if she thinks Archie is the least fucked up person in Riverdale. Girl, have you paid attention to the last 10 episodes?

How many episodes is this season? It already feels like they are spinning some things out too much so I hope they start resolving things soon

I find Betty to be the best character overall. They really turned her "girl-crazy" moments from comics into a dark manifestation of her efforts to be "perfect". 

The Jughead Crown Sweater she wore in the episode was just the best.

Alice Cooper I think will be the character most people have change their views on.  She started as straight up horrible and they did a great job showing her motivations.

Archie's Mom is Molly Ringwald. How familar you are with her will depend if you saw '80s Teen Movies Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club 

There are 13 episodes total so we are getting down to the final three.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Did Archie's mother really say "I don't think Riverdale is safe so I want you to move...to Chicago." :lol: 

I believe she also said polyamorous relationship was a made up term so I'm chalking her up as not the brightest button in the box.

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The killer is finally revealed and...well, it's probably the most expendable character of the ensemble. But makes sense story-wise, I suppose.

Also, is 4th cousins having sex really considered "OMG, INCEST! NOEEES!" in the US? Frankly, Clifford seemed more reasonable than the Blossoms there on that issue at least.

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  • 2 weeks later...

What the actual fuck was this shit? 

I have lots that annoyed me about finale and penultimate episodes, but by far the most frustrating and gross thing was the blasé treatment of Cheryl's attempted suicide. It's fine, don't tell anyone she just tried to kill herself, just give her a hot chocolate and let her go home alone. Your little sing song is far more important than  her wellbeing. that's not stupid at all.

There was so much else I hated but not enough to waste time on it. Won't be back for season 2. 

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