Network: The CW
Episodes: 137 (hour)
Seasons: Seven
TV show dates: January 26, 2017 — August 23, 2023
Series status: Ended
Performers include: KJ Apa, Lili Reinhart, Camila Mendes, Cole Sprouse, Marisol Nichols, Madelaine Petsch, Ashleigh Murray, Mädchen Amick, Luke Perry, Mark Consuelos, Casey Cott, Skeet Ulrich, Charles Melton, Vanessa Morgan, Drew Ray Tanner, and Erinn Westbrook.
TV show description:
A mystery drama, this TV show is based on characters that appear in the Archie comics series.
As a new school year begins, the town of Riverdale is reeling from the recent, tragic death of high school golden boy Jason Blossom. Nothing feels the same in this quiet town.
Archie Andrews (KJ Apa) is still an all-American teen, but the summer’s events have made him realize that he wants to pursue a music career and not follow in the footsteps of his dad, Fred (Perry). This is despite the sudden end of his forbidden relationship with Riverdale’s young music teacher, Ms. Grundy (Sarah Habel).
Archie has no one to mentor him — certainly not singer Josie McCoy (Murray). She’s only focused on her band, the soon-to-be-world-famous Pussycats. It’s all weighing heavily on Archie’s mind — as is his fractured friendship with budding writer and classmate Jughead Jones (Sprouse).
Meanwhile, girl-next-door Betty Cooper (Reinhart) is anxious to see her crush Archie, after being away all summer. Unfortunately, she’s still not quite ready to reveal her true feelings to him. And Betty’s nerves, which are hardly soothed by her overbearing mother, Alice (Mädchen Amick), aren’t the only thing holding her back.
When a new student, Veronica Lodge (Mendes), arrives in town from New York with her mother Hermione (Nichols), there’s an undeniable spark between Veronica and Archie — even though Veronica doesn’t want to risk her new friendship with Betty by making a play for Archie. Veronica finds a fast friend in Kevin Keller (Cott), who she immediately recognizes as gay.
And then, there’s Cheryl Blossom (Petsch). She’s Riverdale’s Queen Bee and is happy to stir up trouble amongst Archie, Betty, and Veronica. However, Cheryl is keeping secrets of her own. What, exactly, is she hiding about the mysterious death of her twin brother, Jason?
Riverdale may look like a quiet, sleepy town, but there are dangers in the shadows.
Episode #137 — Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Seven: Goodbye, Riverdale
In the present day, 86-year old Betty reads Jughead’s obituary and tells her granddaughter that she wants to see Riverdale one last time. That night, a youthful Jughead appears to her and offers to take her back in time, to the last day of her senior year of high school. She (and the audience) learn what happened to the characters in their lives. She returns to the present and returns to Riverdale, now a ghost town. Betty dies peacefully outside of Pop’s. The series ends with the core four characters reunited at a functional version of Pop’s, hanging out in a booth. They’re together and forever 17 and happy in the afterlife.
First aired: August 23, 2023.
What do you think? Do you like the Riverdale TV show? Do you think it should have ended or been renewed for an eighth season?
I wish there were more Sabrina/Riverdale crossovers. Seems like a huge wasted opportunity.
Since that isn’t happening, I think the show has run its course.
Time to bring it to an end before it jumps the Shark.