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''Riverdale'' (also known as ''Rivervale'') is an American supernatural horror
crime In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definitions of", in Ca ...
drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has b ...
television series based on the characters of Archie Comics. The series was adapted for
The CW ''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite ...
by Archie Comics' chief creative officer
Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (born 1973) is an American playwright, screenwriter, and comic book writer best known for his work for Marvel Comics and for the television series '' Glee'', '' Big Love'', '' Riverdale'', '' Chilling Adventures of Sabrina' ...
, and is produced by
Warner Bros. Television Warner Bros. Television Studios (operating under the name Warner Bros. Television; formerly known as Warner Bros. Television Division) is an American television production and distribution studio of the Warner Bros. Television Group division of ...
and CBS Studios, in association with Berlanti Productions and Archie Comics. Conceived as a feature film adaptation for
Warner Bros. Pictures Warner Bros. Pictures is an American film production and distribution company of the Warner Bros. Pictures Group division of Warner Bros. Entertainment (both ultimately owned by Warner Bros. Discovery). The studio is the flagship producer of ...
, the idea was re-imagined as a television series for Fox. In 2015, development on the project moved to The CW, where the series was ordered for a pilot. Filming takes place in
Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
, British Columbia. The series features an ensemble cast based on the
characters Character or Characters may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''Character'' (novel), a 1936 Dutch novel by Ferdinand Bordewijk * ''Characters'' (Theophrastus), a classical Greek set of character sketches attributed to The ...
of Archie Comics, with
KJ Apa Savae Keneti James Fitzgerald Apa, Moata'a (born 17 June 1997) is a New Zealand actor, singer and musician. He has received various accolades, including a Saturn Award and nominations for an MTV Movie & TV Award, two People's Choice Awards an ...
in the role of
Archie Andrews Archibald "Archie" Andrews, created in 1941 by publisher John L. Goldwater and artist Bob Montana in collaboration with writer Vic Bloom,
,
Lili Reinhart Lili Pauline Reinhart (born September 13, 1996) is an American actress. She is known for portraying Betty Cooper on The CW teen drama series'' Riverdale'' (2017–present) and Annabelle in Lorene Scafaria's black comedy crime drama film '' Hust ...
as
Betty Cooper Elizabeth "Betty" Cooper is one of the main characters appearing in American comic books published by Archie Comics. She is the lead guitarist, percussionist and one of the three singers of The Archies. The character was created by Bob Montana an ...
, Camila Mendes as
Veronica Lodge Veronica Cecilia Lodge is one of the main characters in the Archie Comics franchise, and is the keyboardist and one of the three vocalists of rock band The Archies. She is from New York but currently resides in the town of Riverdale, with her ...
, and
Cole Sprouse Cole Mitchell Sprouse (born August 4, 1992) is an American actor and photographer. He is known for his role as Cody Martin on the Disney Channel series ''The Suite Life of Zack & Cody'' (2005–2008) and its spin-off series ''The Suite Life on ...
as
Jughead Jones Forsythe Pendleton "Jughead" Jones III is one of the fictional characters created by Bob Montana and John L. Goldwater in Archie Comics who first appeared in the first Archie story, from '' Pep Comics'' #22 (December 1941). He is the drummer of ...
, the series' narrator. After a teenager was murdered within the town of Riverdale, this group of teenagers try to unravel the evils lurking within this seemingly innocent town. ''Riverdale'' debuted on January 26, 2017, to positive reviews. In February 2021, the series was renewed for a sixth season which premiered on November 16, 2021. In March 2022, the series was renewed for a seventh and final season, which is set to premiere in 2023.


Cast and characters

*
KJ Apa Savae Keneti James Fitzgerald Apa, Moata'a (born 17 June 1997) is a New Zealand actor, singer and musician. He has received various accolades, including a Saturn Award and nominations for an MTV Movie & TV Award, two People's Choice Awards an ...
as
Archie Andrews Archibald "Archie" Andrews, created in 1941 by publisher John L. Goldwater and artist Bob Montana in collaboration with writer Vic Bloom,
: A former
high school football High school football (french: football au lycée) is gridiron football played by high school teams in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both countries, but its popularity is declining, part ...
player who has a passion for music. He is the son of Fred Andrews. He is a former sergeant in the army and is now an RROTC instructor at his old high school. He is deeply involved with protecting his community from any danger. He is best friends with Jughead Jones, Betty Cooper and Veronica Lodge. He gains the power of invincibility He used to date Veronica in high school. He is now in a relationship with Betty whom he proposes to in the season six finale. *
Lili Reinhart Lili Pauline Reinhart (born September 13, 1996) is an American actress. She is known for portraying Betty Cooper on The CW teen drama series'' Riverdale'' (2017–present) and Annabelle in Lorene Scafaria's black comedy crime drama film '' Hust ...
as
Betty Cooper Elizabeth "Betty" Cooper is one of the main characters appearing in American comic books published by Archie Comics. She is the lead guitarist, percussionist and one of the three singers of The Archies. The character was created by Bob Montana an ...
: A smart woman with a longtime crush on Archie, she becomes friends with Veronica Lodge. She is in a relationship with Jughead they got together when she ran the school paper with - She is now an FBI agent and operates from Riverdale. She is now in a relationship with Archie and becomes engaged to him in the season 6 finale. She then eventually finds out in a alternate universe, she becomes pregnant with a lizard baby that is Archie's. * Camila Mendes as
Veronica Lodge Veronica Cecilia Lodge is one of the main characters in the Archie Comics franchise, and is the keyboardist and one of the three vocalists of rock band The Archies. She is from New York but currently resides in the town of Riverdale, with her ...
: The former it girl of Manhattan, she moves to Riverdale at the beginning of the series with hopes of becoming a better person after she is forced to reflect on her life, due to the sudden imprisonment of her father. She is shown to be ambitious to the extreme with a strong desire to succeed while simultaneously trying to remain uncorrupted and humble. She dates Archie during high school and Reggie too when Archie is in juvie. After the time jump in season five, she had an extremely successful career on Wall Street that she had to give up after getting stuck in toxic relationship with her abusive husband whom she divorces later on. She is later Reggie's girlfriend again - they break up in later season 6. She eventually discovered she can secrete venom from her body through her lips, tears, and blood. She can also protect herself from other poisons including alcohol. *
Cole Sprouse Cole Mitchell Sprouse (born August 4, 1992) is an American actor and photographer. He is known for his role as Cody Martin on the Disney Channel series ''The Suite Life of Zack & Cody'' (2005–2008) and its spin-off series ''The Suite Life on ...
as
Jughead Jones Forsythe Pendleton "Jughead" Jones III is one of the fictional characters created by Bob Montana and John L. Goldwater in Archie Comics who first appeared in the first Archie story, from '' Pep Comics'' #22 (December 1941). He is the drummer of ...
: A philosophically inclined social outcast who is Archie's best friend and Betty's ex-boyfriend. He was the former leader of the Southside Serpents and . He is now a published writer, English teacher, and an advisor at the Blue and Gold high school newspaper and is struggling with alcoholism. He is dating Tabitha Tate and can read minds following the explosion at Archie's house.He finds an alternate version of himself as a werewolf , and gets into multiple conflicts.Sprouse also portrays an alternate Jughead who protects the Riverdale and Rivervale timelines from merging. *
Marisol Nichols Marisol Nichols (born November 2, 1973) is an American actress, known for her roles as Nadia Yassir on the Fox series '' 24'' and Hermione Lodge on the CW drama series '' Riverdale''. Early life Nichols was born in the Rogers Park neighbor ...
as Hermione Lodge (née Gomez) (seasons 1–5, special guest star season 6): Veronica's mother, who has returned to Riverdale with her daughter following the incarceration of her husband
Hiram Lodge Hiram P. Lodge is a fictional character in the Archie Comics. He is married to Hermione Lodge and they have a daughter, Veronica Lodge. He is an industrialist and the CEO of his multi-billion-dollar company, Lodge Industries. Hiram himself is a ...
. She is now a reality star on Real Housewives of New York after leaving Hiram. She had feelings for Fred as a teenager and again when she returned to Riverdale. * Madelaine Petsch as
Cheryl Blossom Cheryl Marjorie Blossom is a fictional character of the Archie Comics universe. She is a wealthy teenage girl, the privileged daughter of a businessman. The live action version of Cheryl is portrayed by Madelaine Petsch in '' Riverdale''. Histor ...
: A wealthy, traumatized, and sometimes manipulative woman who was a classmate of Archie and his friends. She dated Toni during high school. Cheryl came out as a lesbian in season two and dated Toni, until they broke up because of her disapproving family. She is now the owner of Blossom Maple Farms, living with her Nana and the cheerleading coach at the high school. She can create fires and has powers of the phoenix. In season 6 she dates her middle school crush Heather, a witch from Greendale. * Ashleigh Murray as Josie McCoy (seasons 1–4, special guest star season 5): The lead singer of
Josie and the Pussycats Josie and the Pussycats (sometimes simply known as The Pussycats) are a fictional girl group A girl group is a music act featuring several female singers who generally harmonize together. The term "girl group" is also used in a narrower sense i ...
and a former classmate of Archie, whom she briefly dates, and his friends. She leaves at the end of season 3 to pursue her music, this allowed Murray's character to join Katy Keene, the third spin off in the Riverdale universe. She is now a multi platinum superstar. *
Mädchen Amick Mädchen Elaina Amick ( ; born December 12, 1970) is an American actress and television director. She is known for her starring role as Shelly Johnson on the television series ''Twin Peaks'' (1990–1991), its prequel film '' Twin Peaks: Fire ...
as
Alice Smith Alice Smith (born 30 November 1977) is an American singer and songwriter, her style anchored in rock, R&B, blues, jazz and soul. Life and career Raised between Washington, D.C. and a farm in Georgia, she sang in ''Moomtez'' and ''Black Roc ...
: Betty and Polly's controlling and abusive mother, who was the editor of the local paper. She is now a reporter for the Riverdale news and is raising Polly's twin children following Polly's murder in season 5, she is also shown to be less abusive having redeemed herself. Prior to his leaving in season 5 she was in a relationship with FP Jones. She is now hinted to have feelings for Archie's uncle Frank Andrews. *
Luke Perry Coy Luther "Luke" Perry III (October 11, 1966 – March 4, 2019) was an American actor. He became a teen idol for playing Dylan McKay on the Fox television series ''Beverly Hills, 90210'' from 1990 to 1995, and again from 1998 to 2000. He ...
as Fred Andrews (seasons 1–3): Archie's father, who owned a construction company. He was in love with Veronica's mother as a teenager and briefly reunites with her when she returns to Riverdale. He dies at the start of season 4 in a car accident due to Perry's real life death. *
Mark Consuelos Mark Andrew Consuelos (; born March 30, 1971) is an American actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Mateo Santos on the ABC soap opera ''All My Children'' (1995–2001; 2010) and as Hiram Lodge on The CW drama '' Riverdale'' (2017–2021) ...
as
Hiram Lodge Hiram P. Lodge is a fictional character in the Archie Comics. He is married to Hermione Lodge and they have a daughter, Veronica Lodge. He is an industrialist and the CEO of his multi-billion-dollar company, Lodge Industries. Hiram himself is a ...
(born Jaime Luna) (seasons 2–5, guest season 6): Veronica's father, who was recently incarcerated for illegal activities. In season 2 he moves to Riverdale, continuing his illegal activities and gangster ways. * Casey Cott as Kevin Keller (seasons 2–present; recurring season 1): An openly gay former Riverdale high school student who is friends with Archie, Betty, Veronica and Jughead and is the son of Riverdale's sheriff. He returns to Riverdale becoming a teacher after not making it in Broadway in New York and abandons the son he planned to have with Toni and Fangs. He later files for sole custody over baby Anthony eventually giving this up to create peace. He reunites with his high school boyfriend Moose in season 6. *
Skeet Ulrich Skeet Ulrich (; born Bryan Ray Trout on January 20, 1970) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles in popular 1990s films, including Billy Loomis in '' Scream'' (1996), Chris Hooker in '' The Craft'' (1996) and Vincent Lopiano in '' ...
as F.P. Jones (seasons 2–5; recurring season 1): Jughead's formerly estranged father and the former leader of the Southside Serpents, a gang of criminals that live and operate on the fringes of Riverdale. He was once the sheriff but left Riverdale to take Jughead’s sister Jellybean back to Toledo to her mother. Prior to his leaving he was in a relationship with Alice Cooper. * Charles Melton as
Reggie Mantle Reginald "Reggie" Mantle is a fictional teenager in stories published by Archie Comics; he is introduced by writer-artist Bob Montana and John L. Goldwater in ''Jackpot Comics'' #5 (cover-dated Spring 1942). He also appears in CW's '' Riverdale' ...
(season 3–present; recurring season 2): Archie's long-time friend and rival, a former football player at Riverdale High and town prankster who has dyslexia. He is now the owner of his family’s car dealership and the high school football coach as well as Veronica's boyfriend. Reggie was originally played by Ross Butler in the first season, who left the series due to his commitments to filming ''
13 Reasons Why ''13 Reasons Why'' is an American teen drama television series developed for Netflix by Brian Yorkey and based on the 2007 novel ''Thirteen Reasons Why'' by author Jay Asher. The series revolves around high school student Clay Jensen (Dylan M ...
''. Butler returned as a version of Reggie from an alternate universe in " Chapter One Hundred: The Jughead Paradox" from season six. Reggie and Veronica break up in season 6 following the opening of their casino. In the season 6 finale he takes sole ownership of the casino. *
Vanessa Morgan Vanessa Morgan Mziray (born March 23, 1992), known professionally as Vanessa Morgan, is a Canadian actress. She is known for her roles as Beatrix "Bird" Castro in the MTV teen drama series ''Finding Carter'', as Amanda Pierce in the Family teen ...
as Toni Topaz (season 3–present; recurring season 2): A bisexual member of the Southside Serpents, who is best friends Jughead in the second season. She was in a relationship with Cheryl. She is now the leader of the Southside Serpents, the high school guidance counselor and is raising a son with her boyfriend and later husband Fangs after agreeing to be a surrogate for him and his former on and off again boyfriend Kevin. * Drew Ray Tanner as Fangs Fogarty (season 5–present; recurring season 2–4), a member of the Southside Serpents and Kevin's former on-and-off again boyfriend. He is a trucker and has a son with Toni after Kevin broke up with him. He and Toni marry midway season 6.


Episodes


Production


Development

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...
began development on an ''Archie'' feature film in 2013, after a pitch from writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and director Jason Moore that would have placed Archie's gang into a teen comedy feature film in the John Hughes tradition. The duo brought the project to Warner Bros., where a VP recommended a more high-concept direction involving
time travel Time travel is the concept of movement between certain points in time, analogous to movement between different points in space by an object or a person, typically with the use of a hypothetical device known as a time machine. Time travel is a ...
or interdimensional portals, suggesting Louis C. K. to portray an older Archie.
Dan Lin Dan Lin (; born April 8, 1973) is a Taiwanese-American film producer. He is the founder and CEO of Rideback (formerly Lin Pictures until 2018), a film and television production company that he formed in 2008 that has a first-look deal at Uni ...
and
Roy Lee Roy Lee (born March 23, 1969) is an American film producer. Lee's production company, Vertigo Entertainment, has a first-look deal with Warner Bros. Early life Lee was born in 1969 at Wyckoff Heights Hospital, in Brooklyn, New York, to Korean ...
became producers on the project, which eventually stalled as priorities shifted at the studio towards larger tentpole films, and was reimagined as a television series. The series ''Riverdale'' was in development at Fox, with the network landing the project in 2014 with a script deal plus penalty. However, Fox did not go forward with the project. In 2015, the show's development was moved to
The CW ''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite ...
, which officially ordered a pilot on January 29, 2016. On March 7, 2017, The CW announced that the series had been renewed for a second season. On April 2, 2018, The CW renewed the series for a third season, which premiered October 10, 2018. On January 31, 2019, The CW renewed the series for a fourth season, that was planned to consist of 22 episodes. However, season four got shortened to 19 episodes instead because production was suspended on March 11, 2020 as a direct result of the coronavirus pandemic. Only 19 of the 22 ordered episodes of the fourth season were completed before the coronavirus pandemic. The fourth season premiered on October 9, 2019. " Chapter Forty-Nine: Fire Walk with Me" was the first to be dedicated to
Luke Perry Coy Luther "Luke" Perry III (October 11, 1966 – March 4, 2019) was an American actor. He became a teen idol for playing Dylan McKay on the Fox television series ''Beverly Hills, 90210'' from 1990 to 1995, and again from 1998 to 2000. He ...
, who died two days before the episode aired. On January 7, 2020, the series was renewed for a fifth season, which began a year later on January 20, 2021. On February 3, 2021, the series was renewed for a sixth season which was split into two parts, and it premiered on November 16, 2021. On March 22, 2022, The CW renewed the series for a seventh season. On May 19, 2022, it was announced that the series will be concluding with its upcoming seventh season, which is scheduled to premiere in 2023.


Casting

On February 9, 2016,
Lili Reinhart Lili Pauline Reinhart (born September 13, 1996) is an American actress. She is known for portraying Betty Cooper on The CW teen drama series'' Riverdale'' (2017–present) and Annabelle in Lorene Scafaria's black comedy crime drama film '' Hust ...
and
Cole Sprouse Cole Mitchell Sprouse (born August 4, 1992) is an American actor and photographer. He is known for his role as Cody Martin on the Disney Channel series ''The Suite Life of Zack & Cody'' (2005–2008) and its spin-off series ''The Suite Life on ...
were cast as
Betty Cooper Elizabeth "Betty" Cooper is one of the main characters appearing in American comic books published by Archie Comics. She is the lead guitarist, percussionist and one of the three singers of The Archies. The character was created by Bob Montana an ...
and
Jughead Jones Forsythe Pendleton "Jughead" Jones III is one of the fictional characters created by Bob Montana and John L. Goldwater in Archie Comics who first appeared in the first Archie story, from '' Pep Comics'' #22 (December 1941). He is the drummer of ...
, respectively. On February 24, 2016,
KJ Apa Savae Keneti James Fitzgerald Apa, Moata'a (born 17 June 1997) is a New Zealand actor, singer and musician. He has received various accolades, including a Saturn Award and nominations for an MTV Movie & TV Award, two People's Choice Awards an ...
was cast as
Archie Andrews Archibald "Archie" Andrews, created in 1941 by publisher John L. Goldwater and artist Bob Montana in collaboration with writer Vic Bloom,
after a four-month worldwide talent search. Apa was one of the last to audition and landed the role just days later. Also that day, Ashleigh Murray was cast as Josie McCoy, the lead singer for the popular band
Josie and the Pussycats Josie and the Pussycats (sometimes simply known as The Pussycats) are a fictional girl group A girl group is a music act featuring several female singers who generally harmonize together. The term "girl group" is also used in a narrower sense i ...
, and
Luke Perry Coy Luther "Luke" Perry III (October 11, 1966 – March 4, 2019) was an American actor. He became a teen idol for playing Dylan McKay on the Fox television series ''Beverly Hills, 90210'' from 1990 to 1995, and again from 1998 to 2000. He ...
and Madelaine Petsch were also added as Fred Andrews, Archie's father, and
Cheryl Blossom Cheryl Marjorie Blossom is a fictional character of the Archie Comics universe. She is a wealthy teenage girl, the privileged daughter of a businessman. The live action version of Cheryl is portrayed by Madelaine Petsch in '' Riverdale''. Histor ...
, respectively. Two days later, Camila Mendes was cast as
Veronica Lodge Veronica Cecilia Lodge is one of the main characters in the Archie Comics franchise, and is the keyboardist and one of the three vocalists of rock band The Archies. She is from New York but currently resides in the town of Riverdale, with her ...
marking her first acting role in a television show. In March 2016,
Marisol Nichols Marisol Nichols (born November 2, 1973) is an American actress, known for her roles as Nadia Yassir on the Fox series '' 24'' and Hermione Lodge on the CW drama series '' Riverdale''. Early life Nichols was born in the Rogers Park neighbor ...
and
Mädchen Amick Mädchen Elaina Amick ( ; born December 12, 1970) is an American actress and television director. She is known for her starring role as Shelly Johnson on the television series ''Twin Peaks'' (1990–1991), its prequel film '' Twin Peaks: Fire ...
joined the cast as Hermione Lodge and Alice Cooper, Veronica and Betty's mothers, respectively. A few days later, Ross Butler, Daniel Yang and Cody Kearsley were cast in the roles Reggie Mantle, Dilton Doiley and Moose Mason, respectively. The last actor to join the pilot was Casey Cott as Kevin Keller, the first openly gay character in Archie Comics history. In April 2017,
Mark Consuelos Mark Andrew Consuelos (; born March 30, 1971) is an American actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Mateo Santos on the ABC soap opera ''All My Children'' (1995–2001; 2010) and as Hiram Lodge on The CW drama '' Riverdale'' (2017–2021) ...
signed on for the second season to play Veronica Lodge's father,
Hiram Lodge Hiram P. Lodge is a fictional character in the Archie Comics. He is married to Hermione Lodge and they have a daughter, Veronica Lodge. He is an industrialist and the CEO of his multi-billion-dollar company, Lodge Industries. Hiram himself is a ...
. The role was in second position to his existing role on '' Pitch,'' but the cancellation of that series was announced on May 1, 2017. The next month, Charles Melton was cast to take over the role of Reggie from Ross Butler in season 2, due to his status as a series regular on ''
13 Reasons Why ''13 Reasons Why'' is an American teen drama television series developed for Netflix by Brian Yorkey and based on the 2007 novel ''Thirteen Reasons Why'' by author Jay Asher. The series revolves around high school student Clay Jensen (Dylan M ...
''. Casey Cott, who played Kevin Keller, was promoted to a series regular. In July 2017, ''
True Blood ''True Blood'' is an American fantasy horror drama television series produced and created by Alan Ball. It is based on '' The Southern Vampire Mysteries'', a series of novels by Charlaine Harris. A reboot is currently in development. The ser ...
'' star Brit Morgan was cast in the recurring role of Penny Peabody, an attorney the Southside Serpents call in case of any run-ins with the law. In August 2017, Graham Phillips had been cast to play Nick St. Clair, Veronica's ex-boyfriend from New York. In March 2018,
Andy Cohen Andrew Joseph Cohen (born June 2, 1968) is an American radio and television talk show host, producer, and writer. Cohen is the host and executive producer of Bravo's late night talk show, '' Watch What Happens Live!'' He also has a pop culture ...
appeared in the sixteenth episode of the second season as himself. In the series, he and Hermione are friends. He previously offered her a role as a cast member on ''
The Real Housewives of New York City ''The Real Housewives of New York City'' (abbreviated ''RHONY'') is an American reality television series that premiered on Bravo on March 4, 2008. Developed as the second installment of ''The Real Housewives'' franchise, it has aired thirteen ...
''; however, Hermione turned down the offer to keep things private for the Lodge family. In May 2018, Charles Melton and
Vanessa Morgan Vanessa Morgan Mziray (born March 23, 1992), known professionally as Vanessa Morgan, is a Canadian actress. She is known for her roles as Beatrix "Bird" Castro in the MTV teen drama series ''Finding Carter'', as Amanda Pierce in the Family teen ...
, who play
Reggie Mantle Reginald "Reggie" Mantle is a fictional teenager in stories published by Archie Comics; he is introduced by writer-artist Bob Montana and John L. Goldwater in ''Jackpot Comics'' #5 (cover-dated Spring 1942). He also appears in CW's '' Riverdale' ...
and Toni Topaz, respectively, would both be promoted to series regulars in the third season. By the time of
New York Comic Con The New York Comic Con is an annual New York City fan convention dedicated to Western comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, cosplay, toys, movies, and television. It was first held in 2006. History The New York Comic Con is a ...
2018,
Gina Gershon Gina L. Gershon (born June 10, 1962) is an American actress. She has had roles in the films ''Cocktail'' (1988), ''Red Heat'' (1988), '' Showgirls'' (1995), '' Bound'' (1996), '' Face/Off'' (1997), '' The Insider'' (1999), '' Demonlover'' (2002 ...
and Trinity Likins, respectively, had been cast as Gladys Jones and Jellybean "J.B." Jones for the third season. In November 2018,
Kelly Ripa Kelly Ripa (; born October 2, 1970) is an American actress and talk show host. Since 2001, she has been the co-host of the syndicated morning talk show '' Live! with Kelly and Ryan'' in various formats. As an actress, Ripa's best known roles ...
, the wife of Mark Consuelos, who portrays Hiram Lodge, was cast for a guest role as Hiram's mistress. Michael Consuelos, Kelly and Mark's son, was cast to make a guest appearance in a flashback episode as a younger Hiram. In October 2019,
Ryan Robbins Ryan John Currier (born November 26, 1972), better known as Ryan Robbins, is a Canadian actor. Early life Robbins was born in Victoria, British Columbia. Career Robbins is known for his roles as Ladon Radim in ''Stargate Atlantis'', Henry F ...
was cast as Fred Andrews's older brother, Frank Andrews, who appeared during the fourth season. On February 23, 2020, it was announced that both Ulrich and Nichols would be leaving the series. However, in June 2020, Nichols revealed that after having a long talk with showrunner Sacasa, she would be staying on for season five. In September 2020, it was announced that Erinn Westbrook would join the show as a new regular character named Tabitha Tate, the granddaughter of Pop Tate, who arrives in town to run her grandfather's malt shop and franchise from it. In January 2021, Chris Mason was cast in a recurring role for the fifth season as Chad Gekko, Veronica's Wall Street husband. In December 2021, Chris O'Shea joined the cast in a recurring role as Percival Pickens for the sixth season. In May 2022, Caroline Day joined the cast in a recurring role as Heather for the sixth season. On December 20, 2022, Nicholas Barasch and Karl Walcott were cast in recurring capacities for the seventh season.


Filming

Filming of the pilot began on March 14, 2016, and ended on March 31 in
Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
,
British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
. Production on the remaining 12 episodes of season one began on September 7, 2016, in Vancouver. Sets include Pop Tate's Chock'lit Shoppe, a copy of the functioning diner used in the pilot that is so realistic a truck driver parked his 18-wheeler there, believing that it was open. Season two was also filmed in
Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
and the nearby
Fraser Valley The Fraser Valley is a geographical region in southwestern British Columbia, Canada and northwestern Washington State. It starts just west of Hope in a narrow valley encompassing the Fraser River and ends at the Pacific Ocean stretching from the ...
. The aerial view of Riverdale is actually drawn from stock footage used in the series ''
Pretty Little Liars ''Pretty Little Liars'' is an American mystery teen drama television series based on the novel series of the same name written by Sara Shepard. Developed by I. Marlene King, the series was broadcast on Freeform between June 8, 2010, and June ...
'' and ''
Gilmore Girls ''Gilmore Girls'' is an American Comedy drama, comedy-drama television series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino and starring Lauren Graham (Lorelai Gilmore) and Alexis Bledel (Rory Gilmore). The show debuted on October 5, 2000, on The WB and beca ...
'', and the landmark settings are the same used in both of the aforementioned series as well as in ''
Hart of Dixie ''Hart of Dixie'' is an American comedy-drama television series that aired on The CW from September 26, 2011, to March 27, 2015. The series, created by Leila Gerstein, stars Rachel Bilson as Dr. Zoe Hart, a New Yorker who, after her dreams of ...
''. Filming for the second season started on June 22, 2017, and concluded on March 27, 2018. Filming for the third season started on July 6, 2018. Filming for the fourth season began on July 8, 2019 and was originally expected to end on April 4, 2020. Production was suspended on March 11, 2020 as a direct result of the coronavirus pandemic, after a person working on the show came in contact with a person who tested positive for
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quickly ...
. Only 19 of the 22 ordered episodes of the fourth season were completed. Series writer Brian E. Paterson later confirmed that they would shoot the remaining two episodes of season four when it was safe to do so. The fourth season ultimately concluded with episode 19. The remaining three episodes intended for the season will be used for the start of the fifth season. The series will then feature a time jump after those episodes. Despite a later premiere, season five is not expected to have a shortened episode count. Filming for the fifth season began on September 14, 2020. The following month, however, filming was suspended for a week due to COVID-19 testing delays. Production on season five wrapped-up on June 1, 2021. The sixth season commenced production on August 30, 2021, and concluded on June 16, 2022.


Homages to other films and television shows

Several reviewers have noted that the series' episode titles are often taken directly or slightly altered from the titles of older films. For example, De Elizabeth of '' Teen Vogue'' points out that ''Riverdale''s pilot episode was named "River's Edge" after the 1986 film of the same name, and the season finale takes its name from 1997's '' The Sweet Hereafter''. Executive producer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa notes that this is a deliberate choice, in order to hint at what will happen in that episode. References to the fictional setting of the ''
Black Mirror ''Black Mirror'' is a British anthology television series created by Charlie Brooker. Individual episodes explore a diversity of genres, but most are set in near-future dystopias with science fiction technology—a type of speculative fiction ...
'' episode "
San Junipero "San Junipero" is the fourth episode in the third series of the British science fiction anthology television series ''Black Mirror''. Written by series creator and showrunner Charlie Brooker and directed by Owen Harris, it premiered on Netflix o ...
" can be seen in season one as well as heard amongst dialogue in season two and three. Additionally, Katie-Kouise Smith, of Popbuzz, notes that the opening credits for ''Riverdale'' mirror those of the ''
Twin Peaks ''Twin Peaks'' is an American mystery serial drama television series created by Mark Frost and David Lynch. It premiered on ABC on April 8, 1990, and originally ran for two seasons until its cancellation in 1991. The show returned in 2017 for ...
'' television series, and are intended as an homage to that series' co-creator, David Lynch.


Music

Musical performances are featured throughout the series, a blend of cover versions and originals. Songs performed in episodes are released as digital singles after broadcast;
WaterTower Music WaterTower Music (formerly New Line Records from 2000 to 2010) is an American record label serving as the in-house music label and run by entertainment company Warner Bros., ultimately owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The name and logo are based ...
released a digital compilation for season 1 songs on May 12, 2017; season 2 on May 18, 2018; season 3 on May 17, 2019; season 4 on May 15, 2020; and season 5 on August 25, 2021. An album of Blake Neely's scoring for season 1 was released on compact disc by La-La Land Records, and simultaneously on download by WaterTower, on July 18, 2017. The season 2 album with scores from Neely and Sherri Chung was released on compact disc by La-La Land on October 30, 2018 and on digital by WaterTower on November 16, 2018. A Halloween episode score soundtrack was released on digital on October 31, 2019. The scoring for seasons 3 and 4 were released on separate digital albums on January 22, 2021. WaterTower released the songs performed in the musical episodes on separate digital albums. The ''Carrie: The Musical'' soundtrack was released on April 19, 2018, followed by a vinyl edition released at
Urban Outfitters Urban Outfitters, Inc. (URBN) is a multinational lifestyle retail corporation headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Operating in the U.S., the United Kingdom, Canada, select Western European countries, Poland the United Arab Emirates, K ...
stores on July 13. The ''Heathers: The Musical'' soundtrack was released March 21, 2019; the ''Hedwig and the Angry Inch'' soundtrack was released on April 15, 2020. The ''Return of the Pussycats'' soundtrack, and the ''Next to Normal'' soundtrack, were both released on September 8 and 30, 2021, respectively. The ''American Psycho: The Musical'' soundtrack was released on June 12, 2022.


Season 1


Season 2


Season 3


Season 4


Season 5


Season 6


Release


Broadcast

Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fi ...
acquired the exclusive international broadcast rights to ''Riverdale'', making the series available as an
original series Original programming (also called originals or original programs, and subcategorized as "original series", "original movies", "original documentaries" and "original specials") is a term used for in-house television, film or web series productions ...
to its platform less than a day after its original U.S. broadcast.


Marketing

In July 2016, members of the cast and the executive producers attended San Diego Comic-Con to promote the upcoming series, where they premiered the first episode "Chapter One: The River's Edge". The first trailer for the series was released in late December 2016. The CW also sponsored multiple Tastemade videos, where they cooked several foods that are popular in the Archie universe.


Tie-in media

Along with heavily promoting the television series in their regular comics since January 2017, Archie Comics releases a comic book adaptation of ''Riverdale'', featuring auxiliary story arcs set within the television series' own continuity. The comic book adaptation is headed by
Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (born 1973) is an American playwright, screenwriter, and comic book writer best known for his work for Marvel Comics and for the television series '' Glee'', '' Big Love'', '' Riverdale'', '' Chilling Adventures of Sabrina' ...
himself, along with other writers from the show. Alongside a one-shot pilot issue, illustrated by Alitha Martinez, released in March 2017, the first issue of the ongoing ''Riverdale'' comic book series was released starting April 2017. In addition to the adaptation, Archie Comics are releasing a series of compilation graphic novels branded under the title ''Road to Riverdale''. This series features early issues from the '' New Riverdale'' reboot line, introducing the audience of the TV series to the regular ongoing comic series that inspired it. Archie Comics plans to re-print the volumes of ''Road to Riverdale'' in subsequent months as digest magazines. The first volume was released in March 2017. Several tie-in novels were also released in conjunction with the show. The first being ''The Day Before'' a prequel novel set a day before the events of the first episode, ''Get Out of Town'', set in between Season 2 and 3, ''The Maple Murders'', ''Death of a Cheerleader'' and ''The Poison Pen''. The first four novels were written by Micol Ostow, with the fifth book penned by Caleb Roehrig.


Reception


Critical response

The first season of ''Riverdale'' received a generally positive response from critics. On
Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
, it has a fresh rating of 88% based on 62 reviews, with a
weighted average The weighted arithmetic mean is similar to an ordinary arithmetic mean (the most common type of average), except that instead of each of the data points contributing equally to the final average, some data points contribute more than others. The ...
of 7.22/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "''Riverdale'' offers an amusingly self-aware reimagining of its classic source material that proves eerie, odd, daring, and above all addictive." On
Metacritic Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...
, the season has a score of 68 out of 100 based on 36 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Dave Nemetz of
TVLine ''TVLine'' is a website devoted to information, news, and spoilers of television programs. History In late 2010, ''Entertainment Weekly''s Michael Ausiello announced that he would be leaving ''EW'' after nearly two years in their employ to est ...
gave the series a "B+" saying that it turned out "to be an artfully crafted, instantly engaging teen soap with loads of potential."


Popularity in Australia

''Riverdale'' has notably enjoyed widespread success in Australia. ''Riverdale'' is broadcast in the country as a Netflix Original Series hours after its US broadcast and during the late 2010s was one of the most popular shows in the country regularly entering the top 10 of the most viewed TV shows. For a brief time period in October 2018, ''Riverdale'' became the number 1 show in Australia.


Popularity on Netflix

''Riverdale'' has also been noted as being one of the most popular shows worldwide on the popular streaming platform Netflix. The large number of fans watching the series on the platform also gave the show a large bump in the ratings for its season two premiere. This was later referenced on multiple occasions by The CW's president, Mark Pedowitz, who noted that they would watch Netflix numbers more closely for new series after seeing how ''Riverdale'' did on the platform. Season four was posted onto the website in the U.S. on May 15, 2020, and remained in the top ten titles on the entire platform for the following month. In the UK, it was also the most popular program on the streaming service in May.


Ratings


Awards and nominations


Shared universe


''Chilling Adventures of Sabrina''

In September 2017, it was reported that a live-action television series based on the comic series ''
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina ''Chilling Adventures of Sabrina'' is an American comic book series published by Archie Horror, an imprint of Archie Comics, beginning in 2014. The series is a darker take on the characters and setting of ''Sabrina the Teenage Witch''. It is writ ...
'' was being developed for The CW by Berlanti Productions and
Warner Bros. Television Warner Bros. Television Studios (operating under the name Warner Bros. Television; formerly known as Warner Bros. Television Division) is an American television production and distribution studio of the Warner Bros. Television Group division of ...
, with a planned release in the 2018–2019 television season. The series, featuring the Archie Comics character
Sabrina Spellman Sabrina Victoria Spellman is the eponymous character of the Archie Comics series ''Sabrina the Teenage Witch.'' Sabrina was created by writer George Gladir and artist Dan DeCarlo, and she first appeared in ''Archie's Mad House'' #22 in October 196 ...
, would be a companion series to ''Riverdale''. Lee Toland Krieger directed the pilot, which was written by Aguirre-Sacasa. Both are executive producers along with Berlanti, Schechter, and Goldwater. In December 2017, it was reported that the project had moved to
Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fi ...
under a new title. In January 2018, CW president Mark Pedowitz noted that, "at the moment, there is no discussion about crossing over" with ''Riverdale''. Aguirre-Sacasa added that no crossovers were planned initially so that each series could establish "their own identities and own set of rules". Filming for first season began on March 19, 2018, just as filming of the second season of ''Riverdale'' concluded, which allowed the same crew members to work on both series. Sabrina's town, Greendale, is introduced in the second season of ''Riverdale''. Following that, several references to the two cities are made regularly in the two series, visually or with dialogue. In the first season of ''Chilling Adventures of Sabrina'', Moses Thiessen reprises his role as Ben Button from ''Riverdale'' during an episode. In the episode "Chapter Sixty-Seven: Varsity Blues" from the fourth season of ''Riverdale'',
Ty Wood Tyson Wood (born September 17, 1995) is a Canadian actor. He has had several roles including his role as Tim Cherry in the biographical television drama '' Keep Your Head Up Kid: The Don Cherry Story'' and in the role of Billy Campbell in the h ...
reprises his role as Billy Marlin from ''Sabrina''. In episode "Chapter Twenty-Three: Heavy Is the Crown" from the third part of ''Sabrina'', the teenage witch and her cousin visit Riverdale in search for a crown that was owned by Benjamin Blossom, an ancestor of Cheryl. On their way, they pass the town sign. On its back,
Jughead Jones Forsythe Pendleton "Jughead" Jones III is one of the fictional characters created by Bob Montana and John L. Goldwater in Archie Comics who first appeared in the first Archie story, from '' Pep Comics'' #22 (December 1941). He is the drummer of ...
spray painted the message "JJ Wuz Here", his signature. Three episodes later, a member of the Southside Serpents is attacked by Hilda Spellman. Regarding a proper crossover, Aguirre-Sacasa said in October 2018 he would "hate for crossoverto never happen" between the two series, adding a potential idea for one could see the characters of ''Riverdale'' "hear ngabout a haunted house in Greendale and try to break in and it's Sabrina's house". He also felt since each series was already established, a crossover could happen in a standalone film with both casts, potentially titled ''Afterlife with Archie'', based on the
Archie Horror Archie Horror is an imprint of Archie Comics Publications, Inc. focusing on the company's horror-related titles. Prior to the creation of the imprint the titles were published under the normal Archie Comics banner. The titles in the imprint ar ...
comic of the same name. The series was canceled in July 2020, when showrunner Sacasa later announced that if it had been renewed, ''Riverdale'' and ''Sabrina'' would have had a proper crossover event. On October 7, 2021, it was announced that
Kiernan Shipka Kiernan Brennan Shipka (born November 10, 1999) is an American actress, best-known for her roles as Sally Draper in the AMC drama series ''Mad Men'' (2007–2015), Sabrina Spellman in the Netflix series '' Chilling Adventures of Sabrina'' (2018 ...
would be reprising her role as Sabrina in the sixth season of ''Riverdale''. Shipka appeared in " Chapter Ninety-Nine: The Witching Hour(s)" set in an alternative universe called Rivervale where Sabrina is called by Cheryl to help her with a spell. Shipka also reprise the role later during the same season, in an episode set in the original continuity of the two series and after the events of ''Chilling Adventures of Sabrina'', providing closure to plot points from the latter series. Nicholas Scratch also appeared in the episode, portrayed by
Cole Sprouse Cole Mitchell Sprouse (born August 4, 1992) is an American actor and photographer. He is known for his role as Cody Martin on the Disney Channel series ''The Suite Life of Zack & Cody'' (2005–2008) and its spin-off series ''The Suite Life on ...
, following a temporary resurrection spell used on Jughead's body. The sixth season also introduced the character Heather, played by Caroline Day, a witch from Greendale and from Sabrina's coven.


''Katy Keene''

In August 2018, Aguirre-Sacasa revealed that another spin-off was in development at The CW. He said that the series would be "very different from ''Riverdale''" and that it would be produced "in he 2018–19development cycle." By January 2019, The CW issued a pilot order for the series stating that the plot will: " ollowthe lives and loves of four iconic Archie Comics characters — including fashion legend-to-be
Katy Keene Katy Keene is a character created by Bill Woggon that has appeared in several comic book series published by Archie Comics since 1945. She is a model/actress/singer marketed by the publisher as "America's Queen of Pin-Ups and Fashions". In the bo ...
( Lucy Hale) — as they chase their twenty-something dreams in New York City. This musical dramedy chronicles the origins and struggles of four aspiring artists trying to make it on Broadway, on the runway and in the recording studio." In February of the same year, it was announced that Ashleigh Murray, who portrays Josie McCoy in ''Riverdale'', had been cast in a lead role for ''Katy Keene'', leading to her exit from the former. By August 2019, Michael Grassi announced that there is a crossover between ''Riverdale'' and ''Katy Keene'' being developed. The crossover episode aired on February 5, 2020. In the episode "Chapter Six: Mama Said" from the first season of ''Katy Keene'',
Robin Givens Robin may refer to: Animals * Australasian robins, red-breasted songbirds of the family Petroicidae * Many members of the subfamily Saxicolinae (Old World chats), including: ** European robin (''Erithacus rubecula'') **Bush-robin ** Forest ...
reprises her role as Sierra McCoy from ''Riverdale''. Four episodes later, Casey Cott reprises his role as Kevin Keller in "Chapter Ten: Gloria". In the last episode of the first season,
Mark Consuelos Mark Andrew Consuelos (; born March 30, 1971) is an American actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Mateo Santos on the ABC soap opera ''All My Children'' (1995–2001; 2010) and as Hiram Lodge on The CW drama '' Riverdale'' (2017–2021) ...
reprises his role as
Hiram Lodge Hiram P. Lodge is a fictional character in the Archie Comics. He is married to Hermione Lodge and they have a daughter, Veronica Lodge. He is an industrialist and the CEO of his multi-billion-dollar company, Lodge Industries. Hiram himself is a ...
. On July 2, 2020, the series was canceled after one season. Despite the cancellation, characters from ''Katy Keene'' appear in ''Riverdale'':
Zane Holtz Zane-Ray Brodie Holtz (born January 18, 1987) is a Canadian actor and model. He is best known for playing Richie Gecko on the El Rey Network television series '' From Dusk till Dawn: The Series'' (2014–2016) and K.O. Kelly on The CW ''T ...
reprised his role as K.O. Kelly in the first episode of season five and in the tenth episode of season six, followed by Ryan Faucett as Bernardo in the seventh episode of the same season, Lucy Hale reprised her role in a voice-over cameo in the eighth episode, and Camille Hyde reprised her role as Alexandra Cabot in the fifteenth episode. The character Chad Gekko, who appeared in two episodes of ''Katy Keene'', also returned as a recurring character in season five, played by Chris Mason. Mason replaced Reid Prebenda, who portrayed the character in the spin-off.


Future

By September 2020, Aguirre-Sacasa was preparing another spin-off series based on an Archie Comics property.


Notes


References


External links

* * * {{Portal bar, Society, Television, United States 2017 American television series debuts 2010s American high school television series 2010s American LGBT-related drama television series 2010s American mystery television series 2010s American teen drama television series 2020s American high school television series 2020s American LGBT-related drama television series 2020s American mystery television series 2020s American teen drama television series The CW original programming English-language television shows Filicide in fiction Gangs in fiction Ghosts in television Mass media portrayals of the working class Murder in television Saturn Award-winning television series Serial drama television series Teenage pregnancy in television Television series impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic Television shows adapted into comics Television shows based on Archie Comics Television series about bullying Television series about dysfunctional families Television series about journalism Television series about sisters Television series about teenagers Television series about twins Witchcraft in television Television series by CBS Studios Television series by Warner Bros. Television Studios Television series set in the 2010s Television series set in the 2020s Television shows set in New York (state) Works about high school football in the United States Bisexuality-related television series Gay-related television shows Television series created by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa Television shows filmed in Vancouver