So does Sabrina crossover with Riverdale

As part of the Archie comic universe, it’s been speculated that the modern adaptations of both Sabrina and Riverdale were going to crossover at some point and we’ve just got our first taste in episode seven when a familiar face popped up.

During The Feast of Feasts, an episode following the twisted tradition of human sacrifice and cannibalism in the witch community, Miss Wardwell orders a pie from Persephone’s Pizza and who should show up…

To bring the rest of you up to track, Ben Button has been a side character within the Riverdale universe. You’ll remember Ben’s traumatic suicide at the beginning of season 3 in relation to the Gargoyles game. However, he’s been working around the corners of the show since season 1.

He was also memorably another victim/target of Miss Grundy during the opening of season 2- this scene also took place in Greendale. I don’t believe that this is just a coincidence but rather a genuine sign that the two shows exist in the same universe.

Riverdale Season 3 Has Pulled Me Back In

Sometimes shows start great and become a crucial part of pop culture history and slowly devolve into a pale imitation of their former selves perhaps unable to keep up momentum, maybe they just burnt too fast and too bright.

This is especially true of teen shows either taking hold of a fair and stories becoming fan service to funnel a million fanfics. Or with your target audience growing up quicker than your perpetual teenagers you have to go to new heights to keep them interested.

We no longer live in the golden age of television, we’re in a period of modified nostalgia, reboots of reboots and revivals no one else asked for. Instead of attempting to recapture some of that magic and some of the audience from these programs.

The first season of Riverdale was a pleasant surprise to me, the updated story of Archie Comics in a noir mystery had an ambiguous, dreamy quality with the murder of Jason Blossom driving the ten episode season. The cast was strong, the writing was funny, and the conclusion to the story was satisfying.

And the first season was pretty much a runaway success, Gossip Girl from Gen Z or Veronica Mars with smartphones as you will, however, the second season just felt different. I think a lot of it had to do with the 22 episode season a lot of the episodes felt frustratingly pointless and then there were the storylines that went nowhere. I think a lot of it was attempting to flesh out the town of Riverdale, make the city feel real, however, the dreamy ambiguity of Riverdale was part of its charm.

Was there anyone who was tuning in every week to learn more about real estate dealings or Archie’s apprenticeship as a consigliere?

I missed more than a few episodes and only just recently caught up on the third season, but I’m pleased to announce I’m here for it the main reason being; it’s so fucking stupid I love every second.

The two main conflicts of the season centre around the ‘Farm’ cult Betty’s sister Polly went off too in season one and a Dungeons and Dragons rip-off game that may or may not have lead to the death of two different people. Oh yeah, Archie’s is now in a prison fight club, but tbh I don’t super care.

They’ve seemingly decided to get rid of any pretence of the actual education system within the confines of the high school, and there’s been no real nod to age-progression, and maybe that’s how it should be. Veronica owns Pop’s diner and looks set to make a speakeasy underneath it, Jughead runs an upstart biker gang, and Betty is his ‘queen.’ Babies are flying. Dungeons and dragons are getting murderery. The cheerleader’s sexy dance outside the prison, the prison is named after two 1920s murderers.

A show that went so far out of its way to establish them as normal kids, in the beginning, this show is now amazingly ridiculous, and I love it.

I have no idea what’s going on, motivations and alliances seemingly change from one moment to the next and right now I’m down for that. Riverdale is a full comic book with no pretence of realism, this is especially evident in the dialogue, but it’s just so silly.

The cult aspect seems the most promising new storyline for the season; the farm has been mentioned since the first season when Polly ran away. I’m ready to see how those dynamics influence the town and the magical realism quality of the floating babies.

The cult aspect seems the most promising new storyline for the season; the farm has been mentioned since the first season when Polly ran away. I’m ready to see how those dynamics influence the town and the magical realism quality of the floating babies.

It’s campy it’s fun and depending on how they take the rest of the season the Gargoyles aspect could also be enjoyable as well.

The only complaint I have is that once again Archie’s storyline feels like it’s divided from the rest of the cast (this time he’s in prison) I’m probably going to do another post on why Riverdale should bite the bullet and kill Archie soonish.

But if you’re like me and found Riverdale season 2 to be lacking then I would advise you to revisit this show, it’s fun, it’s silly and is refusing to take itself too seriously the perfect escape from the cold outside.

 

 

 

Riverdale: Season Two promo

 

Are you ready to return to Riverdale? The first promo dropped on youtube showing a darker times for Archie and the gang.

Fans of the show will remember the season one finale Fred Andrews confronted a man with a gun at Pop’s Chock Lit’ Shop.

There are also seems to be a lot going on with the Southside Serpents and Archie and Veronica’s relationship looks to be going to the next level.

Take a look and start theorising now!

Riverdale: Are Archie and the gang repeating history?

Riverdale has become the smash hit of the season, racking up fans globally who not only become obsessed with who killed Jason Blossom but with the iconic quartet of Archie, Betty, Veronica and Jughead and their interwoven lives.

But is it all a bit too familiar? Tumblr user Quirkyanya theorised that Archie and the gang might just be repeating the history set out by their parents:

What if FP had a thing for Alice and perhaps it was mutual at some point? What if the younger generation is just repeating history and maybe this would be the reason for conflict in season 2 when the past collides with the future?

And it makes sense, doesn’t it? Alice and FP definitely have some unspoken history that could have been romantic at some point, Archie and Veronica are seemingly repeating the history of Hermoine and Fred, could the story simply be how they all get ripped apart?

There have been some rumours going around that there will be a flashback episode somewhere in the extended season two we will be able to see what really happened…

Riverdale ‘Anatomy of a murder’ Review

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The murder of Jason Blossom finally reaches its conclusion in a twisting teenage small-town noir.

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Performer of the episode: Cole Sprouse

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Highlight: Mr Blossom’s sleep wig

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*Spoilers*

The last episode FP Jones was arrested for the murder as the gun used in the murder showed up after Archie and Veronica broke into his trailer it looks like he’s being set up. But FP seemingly has a very clear story about he killed Jason Blossom in a kidnapping plot gone wrong.

Jughead disappears as the gang scramble to convince their parent’s of FP’s innocence but Molly Andrews (who we discover is a lawyer) points out that any evidence they think they found or didn’t find in his trailer would be inadmissible in court.  deciding to see his mother and Jellybean

Jughead is noping the fuck out deciding to see his mother and Jellybean on the other side of the country. Jughead is also apparently the only sixteen-year-old that doesn’t own a cellphone but knows his mother’s phone number well enough to dial it at a pay phone. However, continuing the tradition of shitty Riverdale parents Momma Jones apparently doesn’t want her son to be in a place away from his apparently murderous father.

At Pops, the gang finds Jughead waiting out his bus, broken by his father’s actions. Archie brings Jughead back to the house still trying to reason with his dad about FP’s innocence but Fred isn’t having any of it.

FP and Jughead finally come face to face with probably the best scene of the episode as we’d later realise FP’s shitty parental behaviour was caused by someone threatening Jughead’s life.

And FP’s one call prison? Joaquin Phoenix with a call to forget about their insurance policy but as he boards a bus to San Junipero (I’d watch that spin-off tbh) and finally tells Kevin about the letterman jacket.

And inside is a USB cable showing footage from Jason’s kidnapping and who should walk in but Mr Blossom with a gun. Mr Blossom shoots his son in the head, Archie and the gang do what the Pretty Little Liars crew should have done in like season one and show the footage to the police.

The episode ends with Mr Blossom hung from the rafters (wig still intact) and drugs spilling out of maple syrup barrels.

Now the question is why?

And finally-

• So it turns out the Coopers and Blossoms are third cousins (maybe?) and Mrs Blossom was surprisingly chill about this incest then again she probably suspected twincest was going on so cousins was probably refreshing
• Archie comes off really well during this episode, proactive, investigating not overly concerned about his music
• As spoilers turned out to be false I wonder if the cult plot and Sabrina rumours are fake

I think this was a really strong episode for a surprisingly great show and I think it’s probably wise for them not to end on this episode and instead establish new mysteries for the second season.

And you can watch the trailer for the finale right here…

Riverdale: Top 9 Sabrina casting picks

 When it was announced that the CW was turning the classic Archie comics into a TV series no one expected it to turn into one of the breakout shows of the year.

But Riverdale is here to stay, meaning there’s probably going to be a spin-off and Sabrina Spellman looks to be the front-runner. So because I can’t sleep and I’m procrastinating novel writing, here are nine actresses I wouldn’t mind playing Sabrina.

Who is Sabrina Spellman

In the comic books, Sabrina the Teenage Witch was a late addition to the gang. First appearing in Archie’s Madhouse in 1962, the half-witch Sabrina Spellman lives in Greendale with her aunt Zelda and Hilda and is often trying to do her best.

Sabrina quickly became one of Archie gang and fan favourite, earning her own comic book and finally, she became the first Archie character to get her first TV show.

Sabrina, the Teenage Witch ran from 1996-2003, chronicling the life of Miss Spellman discovering she’s a witch at the age of sixteen years old. The 90s update showed Sabrina as a spunky almost witch just trying to do her best while learning about her magic.

Anyway, any modern Sabrina will have to have some of the same components along with the gravitas to keep up in this new ‘edgy’ Archie world.

For the purposes of this list, all these actresses are twenty and under (we need to stop casting thirty-year-olds as high schoolers) and whom I think can bring something interesting to such an iconic role.

Bailee Madison

This seventeen-year-old actress has racked up quite an impressive resume. In the past eleven years, she’s worked with the likes of Jennifer Aniston and Natalie Portman to name a few. Bailee’s young enough to play the iconic role and after already working in a show called ‘Good Witch’ it seems she can hold her own in the world of magic.

Herizen Guardiola

Herizen has been one of the breakout stars of Netflix’s Get Down, the twenty-year-old singer and actress would fit in easily within the Riverdale cast. I could imagine Herizen’s Sabrina focusing on the romantic angle of her story.

Kiernan Shipka

Kiernan Shipka is best known as Sally Draper in Mad Men and has also been making a name for herself with a litany of indie films. Having perfected a withering stare and a cutting one-liner before she was a teenager if they wanted a Sabrina to start some shit then Kiernan’s definitely the answer.

Ella Purnell

This twenty-year-old actress recently played the lead role in Tim Burton’s ‘Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children’ so playing a half-witch would probably be a piece of cake. Also, maybe we could have a Sabrina with a British accent?

Piper Curda

This nineteen-year-old actress is best known for her roles on the Disney channel in both Teen Beach Movie and ‘I didn’t do it’ but so was Cole Sprouse before Riverdale. I could see Curda bringing some humour to the role, in the same way, Melissa Joan Hart did in the 90s version.

Madison Pettis

Eighteen-year-old Madison Pettis is a former child actress (she was in The Game Plan with Dwyane Johnson) and has recently lent her voice talents to the Lion King spin-off “The Lion Guard” and racked up over three million followers Pettis would be able to balance the humour of the role with some of the inevitably darker moments.

Camren Bicondova

Best known as the young Selina Kyle (Catwoman) in Gotham this seventeen-year-old actress already knows how to put her own spin on well-known roles. Bicondova could also add some action to the role as well.

China Anne McClain

Another Disney kid/former child actresses, China Anne McClain has a host of movies under her belt and has already been the lead in her own Disney Channel show ‘ANT Farm’ the charismatic actress could easily make the transition to leading her own CW show.

Chloë Grace Mortez

If the rumours are true then Chloë has already been cast as Sabrina. Best known as movie actresses with turns as Carrie and Hit-Girl, Mortez would be a formidable presence in Riverdale.

And if those other rumours are true then it seems we won’t have to wait long for the new Sabrina to be revealed as she’s supposedly coming in at the end of season two…

So what do you think? Is there anyone else you’d like to see in the role?

By Katie Beech

Riverdale ‘And Back Again’ Review

Where would we be without the school dance?Now I’m not American but do you have to have a special formal wear budget during high school because this seems exhaustive.

Now I’m not American but do you have to have a special formal wear budget during high school because this seems exhaustive. Anyway, it’s Homecoming in Riverdale and the perfect time for Archie’s mother to make a reappearance as former students of Riverdale High descend on the school hall.

With its teen movie/tv pedigree, Molly Ringwald feels like a very fitting addition to the cast of Riverdale parents. She’s slightly awkward and a little precarious around her son I’d be interested to see how it’d work if she becomes a permanent addition to the cast.

The entire episode seemingly revolves around the parents, with FP finally getting his life together he tries to get Jughead off of the case of Jason Blossom, why? Spoiler alert: He may have killed him.

In the Lodge household, the threat of Hiram Lodge still looms over them as recent casting news will tell us he’s coming in season two, he’s now getting time off for time served.

Polly Cooper has apparently inherited her mother’s investigative abilities as she snooped around the Blossom household and finally we get a conclusion to the biggest mystery this side of Sweetwater river: Mr Blossom’s hair. The vaguely ominous, walk in wig wardrobe finding the ring that Jason allegedly had on his person before he died, nothing is resolved with the Blossom storyline as Polly is knocked out by a sleeping pill milkshake and ends up skipping the Homecoming.

Elsewhere the other Coopers are heading into the world’s most awkward meet the parent’s dinner. We know that Alice and FP know each other from way back in the day and her undercutting remarks just manage to make things even more awkward.

Somewhere in the middle of all of this Archie and Veronica take over the detective mantle as Veronica wants the two of them to ignore the hook-up and non-sexual sleepover and they do it by the only way these kids know how- breaking into someone’s house and looking for evidence in a murder case.

Only to return to the dance to perform their modern version of teenage kicks. I like the addition of live (at least the illusion of live) music it harkens back to a One Tree Hill or a Buffy style show. And it makes a nice background as the police go to FP’s and we find out he’s arrest for murder or so it seems…

And another thing

• I don’t remember much of what Betty did this episode all I know is that her whole Homecoming look was beautiful
• I think the season one finale death is probably going to be a parent and my money is on Ringwald as she’s such a big name coming so late in the game.
• I want for FP and Alice scenes as the continue to hate/kind of love each other.

 

More death in Riverdale?

As Jason’s murderer looks to be revealed, it seems that Riverdale isn’t done with dead bodies just yet.

Showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa confirmed they’ll be another death at the end of the season.

With the death also being the apparent catalyst for season two it looks like Riverdale isn’t about to going to be a victim of the sophomore slump.

So who do you think is going to kick the bucket next? Parent or teenager, or do you think there will be some truth to the zombie rumour?

Riverdale ‘Lost Weekend’ Review

Riverdale’s topsy-turvy take on high school stereotypes tackles the high school rager this week in its usually macabre fashion.

It’s Jughead’s birthday and as we’re informed several times throughout the episode that he’s a ‘weirdo who hates his birthday.’ It just so happens that this is also the weekend that Fred Andrews is going out of town to finalize his divorce.

Which all seems gosh darn convenient if you ask me.

But before we get to that Veronica Lodge is starring in baby-Good Wife for a solid part of the episode as the Lodge’s get ready to testify in Hiram’s case. Secrets come up surrounding a large amount of money the Blossoms have been paying the Lodges for the better part of a century and this episode looks to point the finger of blame squarely on Hiram for Jason’s death.

So that probably means that Hiram has nothing to do with it, personally I’m swaying more towards the Josie and the Pussycats using him as part of a blood ritual at the moment.

Betty is told about Jughead’s upcoming birthday from Archie because -spoiler alert- Jughead don’t like birthdays. But Betty’s cute and wants the best for him so puts together a low-key birthday party for Jughead.

Also, Betty and Veronica are given a nasty surprise when Chuck makes a reappearance in school, and it’s not because the actor that plays him can rent a car without paying the premiums, no it’s because Chuck’s All-American psycho demeanor and his knowledge of Betty’s slight attempted murder.

And then in the Vixen’s practice, there is of course, there’s a dance-off because that’s the most logical way for Veronica to work out her aggression towards Cheryl. Hairography ensues and Ronnie dances circles around Cheryl, leaving the redhead with a vendetta and a plan.

All of this is just the preamble to the party scenes, we knew it was happening but the writers do manage to fit everything together succinctly before we have Cheryl and Chuck barging through the door and ready to cause mayhem.

Weirdly I like Archie this episode, as he attempts to deal with his parent’s divorce he decides to raid his dad’s liquor cabinet meaning he’s pretty much wasted for like 90% of the episode and it’s not really addressed at all.

The party rages on as all the makers of Project X envisioned with everyone going crazy…except Jughead. As Betty goes to see him we enter the bit of the episode I didn’t like where Jughead just basically says he’s complicated for five minutes and Betty can’t understand why he can’t just suck it up for one night.

Things come to a head in a game of Secrets and Sins which Cheryl somehow manages to quieten an entire group of drunk teenagers enough for them to play. Cheryl attempts to humiliate Veronica with her dad’s misdeeds and then in my fave moment of the episode Veronica basically shits on Cheryl’s whole life and accuses her of twincest.

Then Chuck and Jug come to blows about that one time Betty tried to kill him and the party is over. I mean to be fair, that’s how most of my parties went in high school.

Ending tidbits

• Betty’s mom knows FP, both from the Southside I’m excited to see where that goes
• Veronica and Archie make out!!
• Molly Ringwald makes an appearance as Momma Archie and what can I say I’m here for this  show

5 Shows to watch instead Pretty Little Liars

As we wait with bated breath for Pretty Little Liars to come back for its final episodes we’re looking for other shows to fill the void of high drama, mystery shows set in a small town with a teenage cast…

Riverdale

The dark and twisty Archie comic book adaptation is still in its freshman series but it’s already got legions of fans. Taking place in the small town of Riverdale following Archie Andrews and his friends and the mysterious murder of Jason Blossom. Riverdale has the same young attractive cast, high school drama, and mystery.

Gossip Girl

The first anonymous social media star, Gossip Girl followed the lives of the young, rich and fabulous in New York City. With friendship and romantic drama heavy in the New York skyline, Gossip Girl doesn’t have the same stakes but if you go into the show looking for style and relationships then this in the show for you.

Twin Peaks

Both Twin Peaks and Pretty Little Liars actually follow similar premises with the death/disappearance of a mysterious enigmatic blonde girl. However, Twin Peaks focuses more on the investigation, like Rosewood the town of Twin Peaks has an unusual amount of secrets. If you enjoy the surreal and dreamlike moments of Pretty Little Liars then you’ll be on board with Twin Peaks.

Switched at Birth

If the intricate family drama is the reason you’re into Pretty Little Liars then you might like Switched at Birth. Centering around two girls who *spoiler alert* are switched at birth there’s class differences and a look into deaf culture that balances teen drama with heartwarming moments.

Veronica Mars

So it turns out there are more than a few shows that center around the mysterious death/disappearance of a blonde girl and I’m starting to feel weirdly insulted…Anyway, when her best friend Lily Kane dies Veronica Mars devotes her time to becoming a teen detective in her small town of Neptune. If you’re into the plot twists of Pretty Little Liars then you’ll like Veronica Mars, best to avoid season 3 tho.

By Katie Beech