I am always over the moon watching Riverdale , CW has hit this one out of the ball park!
The Archie Comics’ spirit, its a formula and one that has certainly worked and proved timeless and that’s because teenagers are always going to be teenagers. The teenagers of the 1950s may not have dealt with the same exact issues the teenagers of the 90s or the 2010s grappled with but the principals remain the same.
Disagreeing, conflicts with parents, dealing with the authority of school and having their heart broken by dating are just three of the many matters that teenagers find themselves dealing with.
And in a small town like Riverdale where everyone knows everyone else, life is never boring! There is always bound to be conflict of one sort or another – which is then resolved by them without any adult intervention leaving the viewer with a chuckle or a value that could rock one’s heart for decades or even a life time!
The Riverdale episodes on the CW channel are taking this formula even further due to the outstanding casting and writing which is able to dive deeper into the world of Archie comics. It has engaged the viewers in a cross generational experience but in a different way, today’s generation is connecting to the brand through Riverdale where their parents came to the brand through the fictional characters, Archie , Betty , Jughead, Veronica, Reggie .
Now in the Archie world not only is this generation enjoying Riverdale , they are doing it with their parents sitting in . Zam its opening paths for conversations , its a demential show sparking many conversations on not only the brand but issues that may seem tough to get into.
This is critical because it’s important for teenagers to know that they don’t have to solve any problem on their own. They don’t have to be embarrassed of confiding in their parents or someone else who may have the wisdom to help them.
Riverdale is keeping it real as the characters find ways to work through issues and problems that the viewers are themselves dealing with. Issues such as mental illness, racism, sexual assault and bullying.
And it doesn’t matter where in the world the viewer is or what language they speak, they connect and relate not just to Archie, Betty, Veronica and Jughead but the whole Riverdale gang. On screen they see characters which mirror people in their own circle who are going through the exact same things they are. This iconic U.S.brand has fans in in the Philippines, Canada , India , Australia , and really all over the world.
Obviously real life is significantly more nuanced than a TV show but our love for Riverdale has taught us to be comfortable in our own skin and thoughts. Humans are social beings and we don’t have to be strangers to each other. If we look to Archie Comics as the role model to the deep friendship we can find ourselves inspired not by the fictional characters but the real people that live and breathe besides us.
