We’re just counting the days until The CW premieres a new TV series that’s something different from their DC Comics universe. Or perhaps it’s not that different, considering it’s based on the popularly wholesome and humorous Archie Comics, featuring arguably America’s most famous ordinary teenager. But even then there are deviations from the norm established in the original funny books and digest magazines that detailed the rib-tickling lives of Archie Andrews and friends, especially if the show-runners themselves mention the show to have elements of “Gossip Girl” and the infamous “Twin Peaks.” Such is the premise of “Riverdale” where the world of Archie Comics is reimagined for more contemporary audiences.
Fans familiar with the comics’ character dynamics will be interested to know that Archie’s leading ladies Betty and Veronica may not entirely hew to expectations.
BFF levels rising
The old Archie comics laid it out solidly: Archie likes both girl-next-door Betty and rich girl Veronica, both the girls like Archie and this mutual attraction sets up their conflict ranging from comical to borderline dramatic. But in The CW’s “Riverdale” there’s already a divergence as noted by their respective actresses. The pilot has Veronica (Camila Mendes), upon appearing in "Riverdale" quickly befriending Betty (Lili Reinhart), despite the fact that she quickly gets attracted to Archie (K.J. Apa) who has been Betty’s childhood friend in the series’ backstory.
They know they’ve got it for the same guy, but the two quickly build a rapport.
Reinhart, upon being asked if she was surprised by the slight twist in "Riverdale" agreed that she was expecting their interaction to be a bit more with bite, but is glad and relieved that Betty and Veronica in the series, instead of rivals are friends.
Despite all the ups and downs that come with friendship, the fund, and tribulation, the two have got one another to count on.
Mendes agrees that The CW series established a closer friendship from the start between her Veronica and Reinhart’s Betty adding, “I think, throughout the entire season, they’re always going to be working their friendship, and whatever rivalry happens is going to happen because of Archie, but it’s never going to get in the way of the essence of their friendship.”
‘Riverdale’ details
In addition to Apa, Reinhart, and Mendes as the Archie “love triangle,” the series also stars Cole Sprouse as Jughead Jones (here an estranged friend of Archie’s), Ashleigh Murray as Cheryl Blossom (with a dead twin brother) and Molly Ringwald as Archie’s mom Mary. “Riverdale” will start on The CW January 26, to a great deal of hype even.