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bettyminicoop · 2 years

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Ok, I really absolutely hate Riverdale right now, but I can't help myself not to speculate. Lol.

I'm not going to lie, right now I'm not going to wait for the final season. But I think that I will make a final decision when bts and details begin to appear in the autumn. Therefore, a few scattered thoughts that have visited me now, and which I have had for some time.

1/ Roberto said that we will see the first kisses, dates and relationships. But we already saw it all in s1. Why would we remake something that worked so well once? Only if we see it all again. He also said that the characters would have an emotional memory. Maybe we'll see some of our favorite characters going through real deja vu again when they go back to the old script?

Whatever reboot they've got in mind, s7 isn't a new show, it's the final season of a show that's been on the air for 7 years. They don't have new viewers, they shoot for those who have invested and followed from the very beginning. Then I don't see the point in making it completely new and different than what the fans are really expecting. But we also know that Riverdale is now basically a one-writer show, so they can really do a clean slate. I don't know what my thoughts are on this. I hope, but I do not expect anything good.

2/ In Rivervale, Betty said that in high school she always wondered who she would end up with - Jughead or Archie. Which was a total lie because we know she didn't. Maybe in s7 they will try to tell that story? Betty will have a crush on Archie, but her friendship with Jughead will make her doubt her feelings. This could be a really good drama that I could invest in. Too bad these writers don't let their characters really deal with their emotions.

3/ They really allowed almost all the characters to have some emotional stuff with their ex partners in s6. Cheryl, Toni, Kevin, Fangs, Veronica. All of them, in one way or another, brought up conversations about their past relationships and had, even the most insignificant, reactions to new couples. Some were allowed to get real longing for their exes - Veronica and Cheryl.

But Betty, Jughead and Archie seem to have completely given a shit about any emotional reactions regarding their new relationship. None of them cared and never once reacted to their interactions. Jughead didn't say anything when Betty and Archie started dating. However, we do know that he never recovered from how his relationship with Betty ended, and he's still hurt by that kiss. Betty completely ignored Jughead's new relationship, and she didn't say a word about how her relationship with Archie might be even a little emotionally out of place. However, she still felt guilty about that kiss in high school. This means that she is not completely frozen, that it still worries her. But not enough to think about the inappropriateness of a relationship with a guy, because of an old kiss with whom she still feels guilty.*

Archie of course never thinks, we know that. But we also know that he felt guilty towards Jughead because of that kiss. He also hid his relationship with Betty in s5, mainly because of Veronica, but I think because of Jughead too. As much as we mock at Riverdale, they actually try to write these characters as friends, so I think Archie's guilt over Jughead is still there. But he didn't show the slightest hint that he was now worried. He also started a relationship with Betty a week after his painful breakup with Veronica and felt no emotion about it. He didn't show any reaction when Veronica got back together with Reggie at the same time. And after all this, with a clear conscience, he went to her for the ring, as if this was the most normal thing for their relationship.

So what am I trying to say here. Betty, Jughead and Archie are the only ones who don't exist emotionally in s6. They are also the only ones who were inside the explosion in Archie's house. Could this be intentional?

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All three of these thoughts seem to be separate. But now, when I have formulated all this, I think that it all makes sense and connection. I think the bomb under Archie's bed is still in play, or at least the aftermath of that explosion. And if these writers are smart enough, they can actually do it right and beautifully. But damn, I don't hold my breath. Ted is basically an asshole and will bully us for most of the season no matter how many episodes they get. I really hope for a short season, because then we have a chance to get a good dynamic story, and not the filler mess that was in season 6.

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*It was a strange sentence, but I hope you understand me. I really accept the help here, because my knowledge of English was not enough for such a complex grammatical construction.

#riverdale speculation #riverdale theories #riverdale negativity #ted negativity #anti ted sullivan #anti b*rchie #anti bas #because I don't want any of them in my reply #not because i'm not interested in their opinion #but because they have no real constructive opinion #they are all basically rude and trolls #but you already know it

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alaffy · 3 years

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Riverdale 5x13 - Reservoir Dogs (Spoilers)

Quite an episode. And without Jughead for two weeks. But I’m guessing that’s because a lot of next week’s episode is going to be Jughead heavy and Cole was probably filming that during this time. First off, I want to say again how I appreciate how seriously Riverdale is taking the issue of PTSD in soldiers and how, in the US, not enough is done to help them when they return.

I will also say that, while I wasn’t thrilled with Frank returning at first, I’m starting to change my mind. What I like about him is that he’s a former soldier, he knows exactly what’s going on. But it feels different then Fred. Fred was a father teaching his son, with Frank…it’s sort of fatherly, but it’s not as much teaching in that it’s…counseling? I’m not sure how to explain it.

I’m not too surprised that Bingo was actually a human. In fact, this reminds me of the last Episode of the old M.A.S.H. tv series, which I’m sure was the point. And it’s no surprise that Archie, not being able to handle the fact that he has to leave someone to die, isn’t able to process that and so his mind changes Bingo into something else, something he can handle a little better. It’s not unheard of. And I’m actually interested in where this is going.

Cheryl’s, and now Kevin’s, storyline…I’m a little uneasy with. There is a reason for this, but I’m not convinced that my reason is the reason they’re going for so I’m going to skip this for now. Also, Veronica and Reggie start a business (is she still teaching?).

And, finally, there’s the Betty and Tabitha's storyline. So, I noticed people saying that they actually haven’t put a name to what’s going on, that these are sex workers being killed. I do find that interesting, but it’s also could be because of some censer rule that I don’t know about (Oh, you can’t say sex worker on a teen show at 7pm or some stupid shit like that). But it is very clear that they are going for a storyline that shows how sex workers are seen as disposable in society. The truckers know the girls are missing, they don’t care. Hiram knows there are bodies in his swamp, he doesn’t care. Glen, when Betty first brought this to his attention, brushed it off as a few girls with problems. In this episode, when Betty pretends to solicit the truck driver, it turns out to be a sting operation. Now, obviously, Betty pretending to be an FBI agent is wrong (although wouldn’t they have taken her badge when they quit?) and she is extremely lucky that they didn’t arrest her for pretending to be an officer. But Betty is right about one thing. She is right in her statement on how Glen is treating this case. Why? Because instead of focusing on truckers who solicit sex workers, he’s more interested in entrapping and arresting the sex workers. Because, of course, if the sex workers weren’t there, there wouldn’t be a problem right? It’s a great way to assure a community that you’re dealing with a problem, without doing a damn thing.

This leads into several bad choices Betty makes tonight. Look, I’m going to say this, I don’t have a problem with Betty and Tabitha trying to find the killer as it is clear no one else truly is. And I can understand why Betty has problems believing that law enforcement will be able to help or even care to help when they catch the trucker. If you go back into the first few seasons, there are several times where Betty does actually turn to the police or an authority figure for help, only to be ignored (Keller, Alice) or to find out the authority is already compromised (Weatherby). And, yes, she always skirted the line between right and wrong in previous seasons (because the whole show is about the morally grey area) …but clearly her methods are out of control, she’s putting herself and others in danger and she is taking the law into her own hands. So why is Betty doing this?

Folks, I cannot stress how much Roberto said this season is about trauma. And, yes, women can experience trauma and they can experience PTSD. And before anyone says they know that, well after some of the comments I’ve seen recently, I’m beginning to question if some people do. Betty was trapped in a hole for two weeks, basically waiting for a man to kill her (her story could also be a lot worse, I’m just hoping that the story doesn’t go there). And sometimes, like Betty, people don’t get the help they need for their trauma. That’s not to say that nobody’s tried, but their methods aren’t working. And the way Betty talked in her therapy sessions? It doesn’t sound like she has come to terms with the fact that she was a victim, or rather, that it’s ok for her to be a victim. That while she may have made a mistake, that doesn’t excuse or justify what happened to her. Understanding that being a victim is not shameful or your fault is the first step in surviving. So, instead of having the emotional breakthrough she needs to heal from what happened, Betty is fighting her demons by going after the same type of person who hurt her. Again, she is doing it in the worse way possible, but she can’t see that. I guess the best way to put it is that Betty is, mentally, still in that hole and in a perpetual survival mode. Her sister’s survival, the women’s survival, her survival…kind of one in the same. And when you’re in survival mode, yeah any method sounds reasonable to you. Anyway, it looks like

Jughead and Archie will be getting help next week, so I’m hoping that Betty does too.

#Riverdale #Riverdale spoilers #Archie Andrews #Betty Cooper

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staliasjeronica · 5 years

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Riverdale 3.07 Thoughts *Spoilers*

- Who the fuck would think that Archie and Jughead were brothers? Lmao sweetie no... (side note my niece thinks that Sweet Pea and Jughead look alike and she constantly gets them mixed up and it’s annoying because they’re so different and my baby Sweet Pea could never)

- Saw the voicemail yesterday and sit still bland as fuck. Like, Riverdale still hasn’t convinced me that Jughead and Betty TRULY love each other and then you have a boyfriend calling his girlfriend (who somehow doesn’t realize that his cling ass, co-dependent ass girlfriend isn’t answering his calls, which he knows she would never do to him, and that she’s in trouble. But whatever I’m just glad they’re not currently together because that means this episode has a CHANCE to be good... even though my faves aren’t in it) JUGHEAD WHERE’S THE LOVE AND THE FEELINGS AND THE EMOTION IN YOUR VOICE? LIKE, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU’RE DOING THIS OUT OF OBLIGATION.

- Archie wanting to send Jughead back just so Betty actually has someone on her side. We love Betty’s future husband and best friend, who cares about her so fucking much!

- “Betty took down a serial killer”? Last I remember she was helping her father clean up his mess but alright. Sure, they got him arrested but that was mostly because he threatened her and Alice (still not entirely sure why though)

- “You can’t go five minutes without getting the crap kicked out of you,” uh yeah the same can go for you, too, Jughead. Penny literally almost killed you. Honestly, I kind of wish they went through with it because I would love to see how different things would be. They could have made the next episode like a dream to Archie or Betty (preferably Archie) not only to trick us fans into thinking it’s real, that he’s really dead, but also it would be interesting to see what would happen.

- So you just come across this convenient random ass farm... and you decide to stay there? I find that so weird but alright Archie you do you

- LAURIE LAKE IS SO FUCKING ATTRACTIVE. FUCK.

- Wow a time where I actually agree with Jughead? WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME RAS STOP

- Jughead’s concerned for Archie... but leaves anyways for... pictures? Nvm Jughead’s still a crackhead lmao Like obvious he finds the symbols but STILL. YOU LEFT YOUR SUSCEPTIBLE BEST FRIEND WITH THOSE ODD WOMEN

- Honestly, farm life would really fit Archie but THIS KISS AIN’T IT BITCH. For a second I thought they were going to have her try and pull another Joaquin. OH GOOD HE MENTIONS VERONICA. But you’re not supposed to tell her your shit, Arch... ARCHIE YOU’RE TALKING TO HER LIKE SHE’S AN OLD FRIEND AND YOU’RE CATCHING UP. STOP.

- Now that I think about it thought, Jughead being off on his own like he used to and is supposed to, it’s really fucking great. I also miss photographer!Jughead (and Toni but she’s lost all personality since getting with Cheryl and i’m PISSED about that)

- Poor Archie, he can’t catch a break, can he? Thanks for bashing him on the side of the head, crackhead

- ARCHIE NO YOU RAN AWAY FROM RIVERDALE FROM HIM SPECIFICALLY. THIS IS NOT A GOOD IDEA. Although, it’s surprising that Jughead suddenly has good ideas because when it comes to the Serpents he would just rather possibly get someone killed/or do something so horrendously stupid that if he died he would definitely deserve it (skinning Penny’s tattoo off)

- So all of a sudden you realize that you can’t hide from Hiram? Really bitch?

- JUGHEAD MENTIONING VERONICA MY JERONICA HEART BITCH

- Oh is Veronica FINALLY leaving like she has in literally all of my stories? I would have figured she would have left right after Archie was placed in jail and went to live with Fred (or took refuge in Pop’s) to keep him company and also give her a place to stay because we all know he would. But i’ll take this, too. Fucking finally

- How can you not like Veronica Lodge, the queen of being the most caring (other than Archie) and supportive woman in Riverdale?

- BITCH MY FANFIC IS COMING TO LIFE. Although I would have thought she’d sleep in her office because I figured she’d get one but this still works!!! Now Jughead just has to come in and find her, then take her in. Obviously that won’t happen but it does in my stories so whatever

- WE LOVE A DEDICATED WOMAN.

- REGGIE!! I love how he’s being her shoulder to lean on I am HERE for Veggie! And it’s cool and all that a Bulldog and Serpent are playing G&G together (even though they’re playing G&G) but who the fuck is this Serpent? I wanna know!!! I love me some Serpents. I still want to know who was in the background in the scene when Jughead and the Serpents go to rescue Betty from Chic’s criminal people who wanted money. But I know we’ll never get that luxury (or even a name drop) despite the Serpents being the best thing on this show besides Choni and Swangs

- So... it’s Reggie who suggests going a bit criminal? At least it wasn’t Veronica because she turned down the casino offer but since it’s Reggie it at least makes sense for him to do so. BUT ALSO VEGGIE YES BITCH WE’RE HERE FOR IT. Oh thank god it’s only for a night...

- If anything happens to Pop’s imma fight. Also how convenient that after Veronica and Elio talk about their illegal activities in front of the portrait she has of herself thanks to Hiram, he shows up. I’m sure it’s about Hermione being worried for her but still.. s u s p i c i o u s.

- Hiram does have a point about her always talking about wanting a legitimate business but now doing the gambling thing, but when people are desperate, they do desperate things so she’s let off of the hook (also because this storyline is a million times more interesting than anything involving Betty or Bughead)

- HA. HIRAM BEING AN ALLY. That’s funny. That’s like Betty being a good person and a good detective it’s not gonna happen

- But you’re telling me that NO ONE else could show up? Not Kevin, Sweet Pea, Fangs, Cheryl, Toni... not even in Veronica’s? I mean, not even shown fucking around with cards in the background? Or maybe Sweet Pea and Fangs standing guard? Honestly fuck you Roberto, the only reason this storyline is good is because it has Veronica and Reggie, and doesn’t involve Betty or Bughead in ANY way. That guy who gave Veronica her favorite drink? THAT COULD HAVE BEEN TONI. IT COULD HAVE BEEN A FUN MOMENT BUT YOU TOOK THAT AWAY FROM US. It’s like RAS knows what would actually be good for us and the show... and then just completely ignores it, then wonders why we’re all annoyed and angry with him.

- REGGIE “Want me to rough him up? Throw him out” I’D LOVE THAT SWEETIE BUT ALSO HE’S THE ONE WHO MADE ALL OF THIS HAPPEN (with V of course) YOU CAN’T KICK HIM OUT OR THERE’LL BE EXTREME CONSEQUENCES

- WE LOVE THE TRUE QUEEN OF RIVERDALE

- I’m still angry that no one else is in this. Like... seriously. I’m very pissed about it and you can tell because i’m bringing it up AGAIN. So much lost potential.

- WE LOVE A GAMBLING QUEEN, VERONICA LODGE, AND HER PROTECTIVE BOYFRIEND/BODYGUARD/BARTENDER REGGIE MANTLE. HE FUCKING CALLED HER V OH MY GOD I’M- THE WAY HE LOOKS AT HER. STOP. THEY’RE SO IN LOVE and it helps because they’re dating in real life. DON’T COME AT ME FOR NOT THINKING THE SAME WITH THE OTHER COUPLE WHO I’M NOT NAMING LMAO

- LOOK AT REGGIE SO FUCKING ENAMORED WITH HER. UGH FUCK ME UP. BOTH VEGGIE AND CHARMILA

- Pop! :((( He’s so pure and innocent. I’m surprised RAS hasn’t tried to fuck that up, honestly. But he does have a point, Veronica should and CAN NOT veer towards the criminal direction of her father or else all of her character development will go down the drain for nothing. And I don’t want that because she’s one of the greatest characters on this show!

- VERONICA DID YOU REALLY JUST SAY YOUR FATHER WASN’T ALL THAT BAD? He gave you inside intel about Elio and suddenly him destroying Archie’s, and your life, just... goes away? He literally is ruining Riverdale. THIS IS SO OUT OF CHARACTER STOP IT RAS QUEEN RONNIE WOULD NEVER. Season one V, maybe, but not season 3. Definitely NOT season 3 Veronica

- Oh Goody... now onto Betty. This should be boring and full of shit

- Elementary? IT’S SO WEIRD HEARING THAT BECAUSE I SAY IT LIKE ELEMENTRY but also this voiceover stuff is funny I gotta admit. But this is how Betty normally acts... except she says her stupid shit to people’s faces instead. She acts all fake and nice and sweet but we know she’s anything but. Thanks for highlighting that in this, RAS.

- LMAO BETTY SAYING “THANK YOU SO MUCH” WAS SO WEIRD BECAUSE THAT’S SO NOT BETTY.

- ETHEL WE BEEN KNEW JUGHEAD ISN’T INTO BETTY. “THIS PSYCHO BITCH” is basically Lili when someone points out that Bughead is toxic

- JUGHEAD ACTUALLY TOLD BETTY? It’s so weird... like I know it’s always Betty who lies and shit but imagine that conversation “hey betty ethel and I kissed for the game and it actually wasn’t that bad...”

- Ethel, Betty acts like she’s better than everyone because she knows shes’ not.

- For an investigator, Betty.. you’re really slow. Also “bite me” is ALICE’S THING NOT YOURS SO STOP YOU’RE NOT EVER GOING TO BE HER.

- For Betty i’m surprised she didn’t go into the room after the girl screamed because Betty, like Jughead, is stupidly impulsive.

- “Real friends don’t kiss each other’s boyfriends” she really calling herself out isn’t she. BETTY... THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT YOU DID. TO VERONICA. But I mean you guys shouldn’t be friends in the first place, you don’t deserve Veronica. She never should have gone ooc and apologized to you for NOTHING

- WOW THE WRITERS ARE LITERALLY FUCKING SHADING US WITH ETHELHEAD. I mean obviously it was a joke in the first place but hey at least we get to see Betty’s real bitch side. You know, the normal, annoying ass Betty that somehow everyone seems to think is so cool and feminist when she’s the opposite of that?

- SO RAS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ETHEL TO FUCKING PUNCH BETTY AND HE DIDN’T TAKE IT? I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO SEE BETTY ACTUALLY FACE CONSEQUENCES. Besides we know that Ethel is compulsive and stupid as well (milkshake for Veronica)

- So... you’re not going to check the rest of your file just in case? And does she really think they wouldn’t have checked the place after Cheryl escaped? Betty’s fucked. RAS would never let an opportunity to make Betty miserable so she can be rescued go.

- “I was lost again.” Betty... this is why you’re not the Serpent queen. THEY’RE NOT GOING TO FALL FOR THAT SHIT AGAIN BETTY JESUS FUCKING CHRIST

- I know I should feel bad for Betty... but honestly... I kinda don’t. I mean, I know she needed proof but why didn’t she get herself in trouble to see the GK? Now we’re going to be forced to watch more Bettydale and I don’t care for it! Give me the Serpent, Veronica, Archie... something that actually is more interesting. No one likes Betty constantly having to be saved because she COULD save herself but she makes stupid ass decisions.

- Also I’m so mad about the mistreatment of Ethel. Like, she was innocent and kinda nice I guess in season 1 and now she’s this fucking apprentice to the GK

- Ugh watch the GK somehow be Hal so that this has even MORE to do with Betty. Now she’s gonna be saved and then have an even larger ego and god complex and i’m just not fucking here for it.

All in all... the only interesting thing to happen, truly, was Archie and Jughead’s part. Veronica’s showed her normal, bad assery and i’m glad but it also is trying to demonize her and bring her back to “criminal daughter” who Betty will definitely act better than and show that she thinks she’s all that. I just... Betty Cooper and how she’s so high on this goddamn pedestal has ruined the show. The only reason i’m watching is for literally anybody else. Betty and Bughead need to fucking go if RAS wants people to start watching again. I get too invested into characters and I can’t leave but that’s not the case for others.

It’s like he sees everything we write, what we want, what we hate, and then he just... ignores it and figures out a way to make Betty even more insufferable. Honestly, I want to like Betty but right now I wouldn’t mind if she just fucking went crazy, got actual help, and had to stay off of the show for a season or two and force Jughead to realize how shitty they are together. I want the best for this show PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD NOBODY WANTS BUGHEAD. It’s all just to piss off other ship’s fans, to give them less shit while you focus on Bughead. PLEASE. STOP.

#Riverdale #Riverdale 3.07 #Riverdale The Man in Black #anti betty cooper #Jughead Jones #Archie Andrews #Veronica Lodge #Reggie Mantle #anti bughead

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dnvrscorp · 5 years

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Thoughts on Episode 9

- Archie dying of a bear attack really? I mean tbh I cried, I mean I hate the dude, but I don’t want him to die. Besides, I know he didn’t, but just sayin’ if he did this whole show revolves around his stupid ass decisions, so if he died basically the show would be over, think about that

- Actually really loved the Veggie connection

*BREATHE IN PEOPLE THE NEXT SECTION IS A LONG ASS RANT ABOUT JUGHEAD DIVIDED INTO 3 PARTS*

- Jughead is a fucking hypocrite. Honestly, what he did to both Cheryl and Toni just rubbed off as sexist to me because he knew about what Fangs did and he still kept him, but he took out the 2 girls who robbed rich evil people because they weren’t earning money. Why you ask? Oh because Jughead THE SERPENT KING left them empty-handed.

- What Jughead did to Toni was just really fucking cruel and unfair because she is a SERPENT BY BLOOD she was basically born into the gang. She deserved to be the leader just as much as Jughead did...actually wait no, SHE DEFINITELY DESERVED IT not because it’s in her blood and she technically is royalty, but she’s been fucking loyal to that gang.

-Jughead is not just a cruel and unfair leader, but he is a backstabbing asshole. Let me refresh your memory, Toni was Jughead’s first friend at Southside High, she was the only one who befriended him at that time, and she was the one who protected him from Sweetpea and the rest of the Serpents, basically helped him survive in that school. She was also loyal to Jughead and sided with him in all his plans. To think that Jughead basically took her out of the gang for robbing like i said, evil rich people, it was basically petty and stupid he acted like a fucking spoiled ass toddler

- I was kind of upset and somewhat mad that neither Sweetpea nor Fangs stood up for Toni. Yes, she has a girlfriend, but those two basically watched her grow up in and outside of the gang. They experienced each other’s struggles because they helped each other through it. She helped them both in so many situations, that the fact that they didn’t stand up for her really got me because she’s always been there for them.

*END OF RANT*

- TONI AND CHERYL FINALLY SAID “I LOVE YOU” Roberto did one thing right...but of course e had to ruin it. Yes, I’m happy they said “I love you” but he had the worst timing, no not the characters, but Roberto himself. He placed such an intimate and what should’ve been a super soft moment in the worst episode. I honestly think the scene was kind of rushed and it was an afterthought because it was so overshadowed by everything

- Once again, Roberto baited us into thinking that this episode would revolve around Cheryl, Josie, Kevin, and Toni

- Honestly, Jughead can go kiss my ass and Roberto can suck on my imaginary dick

Thank you for coming to my ted talk

Note: These are MY OPINIONS and some are shared, some are not.

#review #riverdale #cw riverdale #riverdale fandom #critic #criticism #give josie more screen time #we deserve more #no more queer bait #stop queer baiting #thoughts #thank you for coming to my ted talk

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aroaceways · 7 years

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The Affects of Ace-Erasure - Is Riverdale Worth It?

In 2016, after 75 years of the Archie Comics up and running, one of its main characters, Jughead Jones, was officially labeled as asexual. In 2017, the CW's adaptation decided to not have him be ace on their new show Riverdale. Many fans are now rightfully upset and refuse to watch the show. In order to evaluate whether all hope is lost or not, I have decided to give the show a chance and write about Jughead's character development after each episode. So if you don't want to watch the show, but are kind of curious about any updates on his sexuality or whatnot, this will be your resource. Still got questions after reading what's written under the cut? Just send an ask and I'll give it my best to provide you with answers.

For 2017, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa had decided to turn the characters of the long-time popular Archie Comics into a drama show for the CW. Despite not having a coherent storyline, the Archie Comics are overall humorously focusing on the lives of its teenaged characters – since 1941! In Riverdale, the mood is different, though. A murder, drama and dark lighting make up for a much more serious and sinister setting than before. Much like any other TV drama, most of the characters' storylines are about relationships. The pilot episode that aired a few days ago already gave us that much, with plenty of critique in response.

The first two problematic parts that occurred in the first episode, made me feel like I traveled back in time to 2012 – which is not a good thing. Having to show fire to get them both into the cheerleader squad, Veronica makes out with Betty, a scene already included in the trailer. Many fans have been interested in their relationship, however, according to the show's creator, nothing will come out of this kiss anyway (so why include it?). The other thing that made me feel like it was the year the world was supposed to end, was Kevin Keller. Don't get me wrong, I am happy for every queer representation in the media, but his role seemed to be solely based on the gay best friend trope – being in Betty's room while she's only in her underwear and encouraging her to make a move on Archie and literally being asked by Veronica to be her gay best friend. Again: why? But it was only episode one, so let's remain hopeful that there will be more to him than just that.

Something awfully wrong with the first episode that certainly wasn't a part of the Archie Comics in the entire 75 years of them thus far, is the newly introduced relationship between Archie and Miss Grundy. Originally, Miss Grundy is an old teacher, not a freshly graduated one. Archie, just like in the comics, is a teenager, nonetheless. This is nothing other than pedophilia and unnecessary.

Queerbaiting, overused stereotypes, and pedophilia – can it be worse?

Yes.

While for some reason they decided that the classical love triangle between Veronica, Betty, and Archie wasn't enough and so they threw in Miss Grundy as well, they also decided that a drama show wouldn't be a good drama show, if not every single character had relationships. Including the canonically asexual one.

Archie Comics lover, Jughead fans and people from Asexual and Aromantic Community are annoyed, frustrated and, well, all sorts of other negative emotions. Jughead Jones was revealed Asexual in Chip Zdarsky's 2015 version of Jughead Jones. That, however, didn't come as a surprise, because the character has always been uninterested in girls and a bit too interested in food for his wallet. The creator of Riverdale has, unfortunately, already declared (and shown in the trailer) that Jughead will have relationships and will only maybe be asexual in a later season.

According to him, they tread Riverdale as an origin story and want characters to develop until they catch up to the 75 years of Archie Comics. As mentioned before, Jughead was never a character that was interested in anything relating to sex or romance but wasn't label as asexual or aromantic due to the awareness being even worse back in the 40s than it is now. Representation hasn't improved too much, though, which is why fans were hoping that it would be given now. By giving fans hope for a discovery storyline for Jughead and his sexuality, we are given yet another form of queerbaiting. “Support our show and maybe as a reward you'll get your asexual Jughead.” Thanks?!

While so many have already focused on exactly these negative aspects of not starting Riverdale with an openly ace Jughead, is there anything positive about this ace- and aro-erasure?

Whether or not Jughead will come out in the CW's Riverdale is still in question, true, but let's say he will have a journey of discovering his sexual and romantic attraction – or rather the lack of those – chances are, of course, that that would be poorly written, but anyhow, in a way it would place a bigger emphasis on the topic than if he was just briefly mentioned as asexual. Any form of realization would mean that he thinks about it and eventually will come out to someone and even a minor plot role would be interesting, especially as it would give a new perspective on the so far very self-aware and confident character. Again, first having to discover his sexuality, with us as a witness, could easily be cringy, but even in the Zdarsky's version, he must have realized it and come out to someone at some point, which might have been just as bad; we just didn't get to see that.

Of course, what was just mentioned is based purely on the hope that Jughead will be openly asexual (and maybe also aromantic) sooner or later, but isn't there anything positive coming from this that is actually reality right here, right now?

Yes.

From the moment it was announced that Jughead was not going to be asexual in the beginning of the show, and possibly not ever changing that, and even more, once the pilot aired, articles talking about this new adaptation all mention exactly this problematic. Cole Sprouse, the actor portraying Jughead in the show, has been asked about the asexuality of his character in most interviews, people on Twitter and Tumblr post more and more about this – spreading awareness of asexuality, aromanticism, the erasure of both as well as the lack of representation in the media. Articles reviewing the first episode had countless aspects to mention, yet plenty of them decided to criticize the show's decision to change his sexuality, thus also educating others on it.

Because they decided to announce that Jughead was going to have relationships, at least at the beginning of the series, it wasn't just people from the ace community that complained: long-term fans have been outraged by their beloved Jughead, known for caring about burgers like others care about relationships, whom they can't picture as being straight.

Again, the first of these two positive points is only a wishful thinking that may or may not come true in the future, but the second point is important to remember to be able to continue this exact wishful thinking. Either way, fans are fighting for the proper Jughead and will not give up.

Not feeling hopeful? Here's a quote from the Wikipedia page of the Jughead Jones character to end this article with: “For a while, Debbie and Joani formed Jughead's own love triangle, but fans did not like it, so both girls disappeared and Jughead reverted to his classic independent lifestyle.”

#jughead #riverdale #cw #aroacejugheadorbust #media #representation #ace #aro #article #review #jughead jones #cole sprouse #asexuality #asexual #aromantic

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passing-smiles · 7 years

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TV: Riverdale, ‘The River’s Edge’ (S1E1, 2017)

When Riverdale was announced, it was easy to be dismissive. It’s the sixth show on the CW in recent years to be adapted from comics, and is helmed by Greg Berlanti of Arrowverse and Supergirl fame, along with Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (formerly of Glee, now Chief Creative Officer at Archie Comics). It didn’t help either that the ridiculous description of ‘Archie meets Twin Peaks’ was attached to it everywhere it went; no show, you’d think, could pull that off. But stick around for the first episode and you’ll see that Riverdale has plenty going for it on its own terms.

Let’s be clear: Twin Peaks this is not. One of the things that that show did so well was that it began in medias res, with a large part of the plot being the discovery of what had gone before. There’s little of that in Riverdale, with pretty much every plot having its beginning over the course of the previous summer, when Jason Blossom (supposedly) drowned, Archie had an affair with his music teacher, and Veronica Lodge’s father was arrested for fraud. The episode’s opening sets up the death, with narration from Jughead - now cast as a withdrawn novelist-come-reporter and played by Cole Sprouse - and a set of brief but illuminating flashbacks reveals Archie and Geraldine Grundy’s history, but rather than lingering on these starting points, the episode just keeps going, squeezing in more than enough plot points to power the entire series. There are times when it feels like the writers are overplaying their hands: Betty’s rebellion against her mother, for example, is set up and knocked down rapidly, and Veronica’s motivations in befriending Betty are explained as soon as the question is raised. There’s upsides and downsides to this approach; refreshingly, with these kind of things out of the way, the show is free to move on to some less hackneyed plots and tropes, but it also means that emotions have to be brought to the fore unnaturally quickly. Characters have a tendency, especially towards the middle of the episode, to go from speaking calmly to shouting far too quickly, and this doesn’t do any favours to a show that’s unapologetic in its teen-centredness. Going from nought to sixty again and again can be exhausting for an audience, but it’s reasonable to hope that the firm foundations established over this first forty-five minutes will stand the series in good stead to further develop characters and plots that aren’t quite as predictable as the Pretty Little Liars-style stuff in this episode.

Despite the teen-soap writing, some parts of Riverdale are positively well-made. The whole show has a visual panache that’s reminiscent of the one that kept me tuning in to early seasons of Teen Wolf, with bold colours where necessary and great neons against thematic darks. Jughead’s opening monologue has luscious wide shots, fuzzy closeups, and stylised framing; another instance of the Wes Anderson-gone-wrong approach that’s beginning to pop up all over Netflix. There’s some defiant colour-grading that seems to be ripped straight from the work of a good comics colourist, with hazy summer yellows, washed-out greys, and suburban whites. Fittingly for a character - Archie himself wants to be a musician - and franchise that’s always been intertwined with music, pop soundtracking is almost ubiqutious. Josie and the Pussycats put in an appearance and so does Archie’s own writing, but scarcely a scene goes by that doesn’t have some kind of synthpop backing to it. When it’s taken away, though, the silence is thoughtful, and not accidental. Riverdale won’t be getting compared to Hannibal in terms of aesthetic beauty any time soon, but it would be a mistake to think that the cinematographers, production and lighting designers aren’t pulling their weight here.

I think it’s important, too, to view the show in relation to its source materials. The Archie back-catalogue consists largely of shorter gag strips, along with serialised soap-style storytelling in Life with Archie, but the ‘New Riverdale’ initiative, started in 2015, is designed to bring these teen comics back to their original target audience: teens. Mark Waid on Archie has provided a fresh spin on the Betty/Veronica feud, and one that avoids their entire relationship being predicated on Archie, and Chip Zdarsky on Jughead has quietly canonically confirmed its lead character as asexual. Outside of New Riverdale, Aguirre-Sacasa himself has made bold strokes with his horror reinventions, Afterlife with Archie and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Riverdale is heavily indebted to these comics for providing a foundational belief for the show to exist on: not only can these characters, who are actually older than their current writers, be reinvented, but they should be, because the Archie whose comedic mishaps were so successful in the thirties just can’t cut the mustard in the Instagram age. It’s hard to imagine a show where Archie, the definiton of the pure and all-American teen, has had an affair with his teacher, where Betty and Veronica are not just best friends but Veronica actually attempts to help Betty establish a relationship with Archie, where Kevin Keller, a gay man, is a lead character, and where Archie and Jughead are no longer friends, without the work that’s been done on the page over the last few years. This is a comics adaptation, then, that’s thoroughly in touch with what’s going on in the comics themselves, rather than the other way around. For me at least, that’s a welcome change.

There’s some things to be skeptical about in Riverdale, apart from notions of ‘quality’; writers have indicated that the much-lauded canon of asexual Jughead won’t apply to the show for the first season at least, and, aside from Josie and the Pussycats’ tiny appearance in this episode, Riverdale’s a very white town indeed. But considering what the show’s creators have already gotten right, I think it’s only fair to give them the chance to better themselves over the season. It’s good fun television, at the very least, and I enjoyed it enough to tune in again next week. Isn’t that all it has to do?

#riverdale #the river's edge #greg berlanti #roberto aguirre-sacasa #review

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aion-rsa · 7 years

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Archie’s Aguirre-Sacasa Casts Creative Shadows Across The CW’s Riverdale

It’s safe to say that there are few who might adores the three-quarter-century-old Archie Comics mythos quite as much as Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. It’s just as safe to say that nobody loves messing with it more, either.

After all, it was Aguirre-Sacasa who took the long-established and increasingly iconic characters the furthest out of their established boxes when he unleashed a zombie apocalypse on the streets of Riverdale in the ongoing horror-tinged series “Afterlife with Archie.” It was a litmus test to see just how far the Archie faithful would follow their favorites – and how many new readers would fall in love with a fresh, contemporary take – and it revitalized the entire scope of the Archie Comics brand.

REVIEW: Archie’s Timelessness Shines Through Riverdale’s Dark Mystery

Now, even as he oversees the ongoing Archie Comics output as the company’s Chief Creative Officer, Aguirre-Sacasa is pushing the beloved franchise’s boundaries yet again. This time, it’s on television as the creator and executive producer of “Riverdale,” an hour-long series on comics-friendly CW that fuses Archie’s familiar style of high school American with a darker, sexier moodier, more mysterious and decidedly deadly undercurrent evoking “Twin Peaks,” the classic series that probed the underbelly of secretive small towns.

Fans have been both intrigued and shocked at some of the torrid and turbulent twists on classic Archie ingredients that the show’s been promising, and Aguirre-Sacasa joined CBR for an in-depth exploration of bringing Archie, Jughead and the gang outside their usual box.

CBR: I shouldn’t have been as surprised as I was to see through “Riverdale” how malleable the Archie characters and the format actually are, but when you did something radical – like Miss Grundy, for example – how much debate goes into making a move like that?

Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa: Yeah, I talk to [Archie Comics publisher] Jon Goldwater probably five times a day – literally five or six times a day. For big things like that, there’s always a conversation. There’s usually more than one conversation. There’s a lot of thought that goes into it. Nothing is decided on the spur of the moment.

John is very open to that, and he knows that the property has to evolve or be made, or it might become irrelevant. Sales were, I think, reflecting that a little bit. They’d seen that story told a bunch and they were interested in seeing other stories, but a lot of discussion goes in.

Sexuality is kind of the third rail for Archie in a weird way, but the show, even if it’s not showing tons of sex, is very sexualized. There’s a ripeness to the proceedings that is unsettling. You kind of have to roll with it a little bit, but it’s made for more developed, weirder, more interesting characters.

Because Archie always was and is ultimately about boys and girls.

Yes, exactly. Exactly, yeah.

With “Riverdale” in particular, tell me what you see is the core essence of traditional Archie and the characters that is there, and then tell me where it’s fun to push and tweak them a little bit to make them contemporary.

Depends on the characters. One thing, or one misconception that is out there is that this is “Dark Archie,” and this is dark, gritty Archie, and Rated R Archie. And in fact the show is a mix of light and dark. The show honors what is Archie, and then subverts it. For me, the sweet spot is the tension between “Twin Peaks,” and the tension between the Archie, the 1950s sock hop Archie. The sweet spot is right in between that where stories work on both levels.

They work as good Archie stories, but they work as good noir, or mystery, or moody stories as well. Though the characters may be in dark, adult, morally-compromised, scary situations, the characters are still true to their essences. Same in “Afterlife.” Those characters are basically the characters they are in the Double Digest, just put in a crazy messed up situation. But there’s trial and error, but I think that’s where the show lives in the tension and the juxtaposition of those things.

What kind of symbiosis is planned with the show and the comics line?

We’re publishing a “Riverdale” comic book that exists in the universe of the show, but the rebooted Archie titles – “Archie” with Mark Waid writing, “Betty and Veronica” with Adam Hughes – all of that is slowly kind of moving to align with the TV show.

It’s not a one-to-one correlation – never told Mark it had to be, but Mark read the pilot script before he started writing the book, and he’s been abreast of what’s been going on. So they’re more aligned than they used to be, but it’s still, there’s the comic book that is set in the TV universe, and then the rebooted characters, which are a little more grown up, a little more emotional, but are still basically comedic, romantic stories.

In comics, “Archie” has always worked well as a comic book universe where characters become popular and get their own spotlight titles introduced. Give me your ambitious vision for what could come of “Riverdale’s” success on television. Do you want to just keep seeing it populate?

Yeah, I think “Riverdale” will always be the mothership, but Josie and the Pussycats are characters that are on the show, but they could certainly support their own show, I think. I think you could very much do “Empire” in high school with Josie and the Pussycats.

Sabrina the Teenage Witch is in a weird way perhaps the most well-known “Archie” character because she was a TV star for several years. So I think there’s a way in which Sabrina could be introduced in “Riverdale,” or Sabrina could be her own stand-alone series. Katy Keene could pop up in “Riverdale,” or it could be a fashion show. I think the sky is the limit, really.

Once “Riverdale” runs its course, I think that you could do Betty and Veronica and Kevin move to New York and they’re roommates. It could be like “Sex and the City” with Betty, and Veronica, and Kevin. The sky is the limit, but right now the focus is on making “Riverdale” the best show it can be, and be the be-all end-all.

Part of the fun of this has to be the research – which you’ve been doing all this time anyway! Tell me some of the obscure Archie Comics references that you were delighted to be able to include.

I think one big element of the show that is a tiny element in the comic book – but is a big element and becomes bigger as the show goes on – is the Southside Serpents, who actually weren’t even introduced in the “Archie” comic book. They were introduced in the “Little Archie” [feature].

I think they’re in two comic books, but they captured my imagination and they became very emblematic of the wrong side of the tracks. That’s, for instance, a really big Easter egg for people who really know their “Archie” lore.

Please tell me you’re going to do a “Little Archie” homage too. Is there a way?

Flashbacks of them as kids? Yeah. We flash back to little Betty in Episode Six, and we have Little Archie, but ultimately it didn’t work for story reasons. But my goal is for sure to see them as Little Archie, Little Betty, Little Veronica.

Does Hot Dog have a place in the TV universe?

know what, I’ll tell you: Hot Dog will be in “Riverdale.” Probably not in the way you expect, but he will be in “Riverdale.”

The post Archie’s Aguirre-Sacasa Casts Creative Shadows Across The CW’s Riverdale appeared first on CBR.com.

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dnvrscorp · 5 years

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Thoughts on Episode 12

(Yes this one is "serious")

-Lemme start out with the fact that this episode was pretty fucking good like seriously Roberto actually did something queer people could relate to

-This is the gayest episode yet, call me biased but it was damn good

-Moose and Kevin really stood out in this episode and I really got an understanding and depth to their relationship

-Cheryl and Toni finally talk and not like all "heart eyes I'm so in love with u" type of shit (there was a little tho) they actually fucking talked

-Okay so in relation to the one I said before this, it wasn't just a talk it was a fight (ish), a mother fucking argument and for me that just really showed that they are just like any het couple (not saying queer couples r like that) or any couple in general, they fight and argue. Let me explain, in every episode they were in (except some of their first interactions of course) they would never fight, let alone argue so this really did make me happy

-Moose gets outed. Now, I don't agree with outing people (I'll share a story time post based on experience if u want :)) because it's not just wrong, it's just cruel and evil to me, I understand that Cheryl and Kevin did this out of love, for him to finally let him be himself, and for the sake of Kevin and Moose being able to finally be the "us" they always wanted to be, but to me nothing is ever a good enough reason for outing no matter what. I actually think that from this we learn about how people still don't accept our community, how they see us as different, or how we can be treated for liking a certain gender and that's why this episode was my favorite

-Because of the outing, we got to learn a little bit of Toni. I know some people have been through a very similar type of situation and I just really want to tell you that you are more loved than you think you are hated, trust me I understand the feeling.

-Apparently, everybody was horny as fuck cause they ALL (except Archie and Josie) were having sex

-And sorry for this bummer, but everything was going so well until 1. I saw Jughead and Betty, but mostly when fucking Archie and Josie KISSED. No I wasn't happy I was so pissed I freaking woke up from being so tired ugggghhh ewww yuckkk they're disgusting sbjdjaksbf

NOTE: These r my opinions respect please respect it, you don't have to agree, but you don't have to tell me not to be like that if it's how I feel I'll write it genuinely

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