ARCHIE’S BACK,
Welcome to CW's answer to “Peyton Place” and “Twin Peaks.”
Archie Andrews and his pals — staples of comic books for 75 years — make the prime-time leap with “Riverdale.”
Original “Archie” artist Bob Montana based many of the characters on his Haverhill pals, but this drama puts a dark spin on their lives.
As envisioned by superproducer Greg Berlanti (only responsible for half of CW's schedule, including “The Flash” and “Supergirl”) and writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (“Glee”), this is a town dripping with sexy, sinister shenanigans and dropping a few hard truths about what it's like to be an adolescent.
Like “Twin Peaks,” it starts with a dead teenager.
Jason Blossom sailed out on a canoe on Sweetwater River with his twin sister, Cheryl (Madelaine Petsch), on July 4th and never came back.
The mystery surrounding his death ensnares high school sophomore Archie (New Zealand newcomer K.J. Apa), who fears he might know crucial information.
Archie spent the summer working for his dad, Fred (Luke Perry, yes, Dylan from “Beverly Hills, 90210”), and a running joke pretty much suggests Archie fell into the puberty bucket and came out dripping abs and muscles.
Archie has had his own epiphany. He wants to be a musician.
Next-door neighbor and best pal Betty Cooper (Lili Reinhart) is finally ready to confess her feelings for Archie — just as sultry newcomer Veronica Lodge (Camila Mendes) saunters by.
Arriving under a cloud of family disgrace, Veronica is looking to reinvent herself as a better person. She and Archie can't help being drawn to each other.
One of the best things about “Riverdale” is how it takes the comics' eternal triangle and spins it into a more realistic configuration.
Veronica and Betty spend more time in the early episodes trying to figure out their friendship and building trust in each other.
Archie, it turns out, has a different kind of girl trouble, and it is not anything like the comics.
Archie's best pal Jughead (Cole Sprouse, “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody”) starts to unravel Archie's secrets. While “Riverdale” is set very much in the present — the teens are never far from their cellphones and they're up on current TV shows (“Hi, teen `Outlander,' ” Veronica greets Archie at one point) — the look seems right out of the 1950s. It helps to give “Riverdale” an otherworldliness about it. The music is already light years ahead of Fox's “Star.”
Reinhart couldn't be closer to Betty Cooper if she were revealed to be a clone. Mendes' Veronica might remind you of “Peyton Place's” original troublemaker, Barbara Parkins.
Kevin Keller (Casey Cott), such a groundbreaker in the Archie 'verse, unfortunately comes off as the stereotypical “Will & Grace” gay BFF to Betty. But, in another departure, he's not the only gay student at Riverdale High. “Riverdale” also features “Twin Peaks” star Madchen Amick as Betty's monster of a mom.
This is the best young adult cast for any drama in years, and you'll even be able to overlook Apa's horrible dye job.
And if you haven't read “Archie” in a while, do yourself a favor and run to your nearest comics shop. Veteran writer Mark Waid has been spinning out some brilliant, funny and heartbreaking stories.
In print and on the tube, Archie seems poised to conquer a new generation.