Riverdale

By Jill Tsai

“Our story is about a town, a small town, and the people who live in the town. From a distance, it presents itself like so many other small towns all over the world: safe, decent, innocent. Get closer though, and you start seeing the shadows underneath. The name of our town is Riverdale. And our story begins, I guess, with what the Blossom twins did this summer.”

        If you are a big fan of American teen dramas such as “Gossip Girls” or crazy about mystery films, “Riverdale” might be your cup of tea. Riverdale is an American TV drama series, adapted from the “Archie Comics.” This American comic book is not about any superhero, but about Archie Andrews and his friends’ high school life, an ordinary romantic comedy. However, in this new TV drama, it is full of crimes and mysteries.

        Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper, Jughead Jones, and Veronica Lodge are the main characters of Riverdale. Jughead is the narrator of this drama. He brings us into this story with his novel. All the dramas take place in a small town, Riverdale. It seems that everything in this town is safe and innocent until Jason Blossom’s death. The story is about exploring the shadow underneath the seemingly peaceful town. The first season focuses on searching for the truth of this tragedy. During their investigation, more and more problems come out. The verity behind the murder is darker beyond their imagination.

        In addition to the murder, this drama also contains some issues about the family problems and teenagers’ struggles. For Archie, his two major problems are his conflict with his father and his secret relationship with Miss Grundy. Betty, a typical girl-next-door, tired of living under her parents and other people’s expectation. Being a perfect girl gives her too much stress. And for Jughead, his main problem is his terrible relationship with his alcoholic father, who is also a member of the local gang. Veronica is a new girl in town. She is eager to run away from her criminal father and have a new start.

        In Riverdale, everyone looks suspicious. Although the storyline of this new TV drama is quite different from the original comic books, it perfectly combines the elements of mystery, murder, and teenage romance. The first season proved a worldwide success, and the release of a second season was soon announced. The new season is aired on October 11, 2017, continuing the shocking plot at the end of the first season. More secretive and spooky incidents are waiting for you to experience.