There has been a lot of buzz about Riverdale this season and there is good reason. From better character development to an engaging story, this season is not holding back.
Season 1 of Riverdale was fun, creepy, and full of twists and turns. But while it did give us a fun ride, it was far from perfect. Here are five improvements the show has made in it’s second season that gives me hope Riverdale will go far and beyond it’s past missteps.
- Archie is a better developed character
Suffering from being a bland character last season, Archie has found his strength and is killing it this season.
…well not literally killing. One murderer is enough.
Archie wins the award for the most improved player of this town. He is able to properly interact with his friends while also develop his own storyline. Struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder after witnessing his dad being shot and leading the town into seeking justice is the type of depth we lacked in Archie last season. Although his most recent declaration of The Red Circle most likely will have consequences in this creepy and murderous town, Archie’s involvement within moving the story forward is a great improvement thus far.
- The parents are actually interesting and not just crazy
Last season the Riverdale parents were a bit… off the rail, to put it nicely. Normally this wouldn’t be a negative, but having teens constantly reacting to the parent’s antics instead of partaking in their own got old and repetitive.Article Continues BelowThis season, however, the dynamics between the teens and parents are balanced wonderfully. Veronica’s newly development confidence against her mom is fun to watch and Cheryl’s slow brewing outright madness against her mom is something that is gearing up to be as cruel as it can get.
Fred Andrew’s near death also brought a wonderful heartfelt element to the show. It reminds us that people’s lives are really at stake in this small town and while cruel and impulsive antics can be fun to watch, showing deeper emotion can be just as rewarding.
- The mystery is edge-of-your-seat worthy
One murder? That’s so last season. Season 2 of Riverdale is going up and beyond one mysterious death and going full on Zodiac Killer.
If there was any shred of doubt that the classic goody-good comic could be turned into a horror nightmare, this season looks to blow it out of the water.
The only hesitation I have with this big upgrade is the heightened expectation for a good payout. Will the mystery have a satisfying conclusion? Jason’s murder is still lacking answers and piling other mysteries on top of one another can easily get messy. Hopefully Riverdale writers have some good stuff up their sleeves.
- Kevin is present AND has an interesting story to tell
Seemingly to have fallen off the edge of the earth last season, Kevin has finally found his footing and is back in Riverdale.
Kevin is one of the few who has encountered many of the victims so far in this grizzly murder spree (and oddly also the one who found Jason’s body last season) but his role in the show is gearing up to be much deeper. Kevin has developed a habit of going “night jogging” a.k.a hooking up with guys in the dead of night, in the woods, while a killer is on the loose. Perhaps not the best decision-making on his part, but having his own storyline that is very real and relatable in terms of exploring his sexuality is something Riverdale cannot go without.
Kevin’s involvement in season 2 is hopefully one that will give the show a more well-rounded feel. People are reeled in for the thrilling mystery, but it’s the well developed, three-dimensional characters that get them hooked. Riverdale cannot, and should not, only focus on the murder. Kevin is a big improvement this season, and I’m excited to see his how his relationship with his father as well as Betty will play out this season.
- Betty and Jughead
I was not a huge fan of Jughead and Betty getting together last season. Besides the show’s so far dismissal of Jughead’s asexuality, I thought the relationship overall came out of the blue and was rushed.
This season, on the other hand, has given me more hope for this pairing. First of all, they actually act like a couple and have some decent moments together that aren’t completely overshadowed with the ongoing mysteries.
Toni is also a great addition that can create some good dynamics for the couple. Although I’m not hoping for yet another love-triangle, I think it would be good to explore some more dimension in Betty and Jughead’s relationship. Along with Betty’s anxiety about Jughead’s involvement with the Southside Serpents, jealousy is another very natural feeling to have. Whether the jealousy is stemmed from a romantic reason or a feeling of being replaced as his newspaper buddy, bumps are surely to come for the lovebirds.
So far, so good in the land of Bughead.
We want to hear your thoughts on this topic!
Write a comment below or submit an article to Hypable.