The Bizarre Case of Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Riverdale
Riverdale is well known for its cringey and questionable writing. A show created by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa based on the Archie Comic starring KJ Apa, Lili Reinhart, Cole Sprouse, and Camila Mendes seems to be self-aware of its bizarre nature. The show that is originally about teenagers solving a murder case in a small town suddenly now is a TV show about an alternate reality, magic, and cult. What is going on with Riverdale? Or to be exact, what does Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa want from Riverdale?
Season 1 of Riverdale is just like many other high school TV shows out there. There are many similar stories in the same genre with high schoolers doing something that they are not supposed to be doing in the setting of a small town. The formula is the exact same as other shows in the same genre; a girl crushing over a jock, a small town, and one character to represent the LGBT community or a certain race group. These formulas neither make Riverdale into a lousy show nor good. But it does tell us, the audiences, where the show is heading to.
Except, season 2 was where Riverdale went off track. Season 2 introduced us to the new villain after the true killer of Jason Blossom was revealed at the end of season 1, Black Hood. The thing about Black Hood was he didn’t get decent writing. Not only that, but the show also introduced the Gargoyle King—a mystical being from a board game that is killing people over Riverdale—nobody stated that having two villains in one season is a bad move. But, Black Hood and Gargoyle King are two different villains with different motives, storylines, and everything.
Season 2 divided Riverdale into an unconnected season. Betty (Lili Reinhardt) and Jughead (Cole Sprouse) are dealing with the Black Hood and Gargoyle King, where Archie (KJ Apa) is dealing with his problem, and Veronica (Camila Mendes) is having family problems. Each character has their problems but none of their obstacles are connected. This condition makes one episode feel disconnected and hard to follow, leaving a messy and unfair character development and relationship for their characters.
Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa used many plot twists—at least that is what he believes—throughout the show. For example, is the identity of Black Hood to be Betty’s father. This is blatantly wrong and can’t be categorized as a plot twist. A plot twist should be unexpected and change the course of the story, but the director can’t just throw something and call it a plot twist. A plot twist should feel sneaky as if the clue is there, so none of the viewers would realize it. It should bring the unexpected and the feeling of “what” after the plot twist was revealed. But Black Hood is not a plot twist. Roberto even said in an interview with CBR back in 2018 that he had no idea who Black Hood might be, thus this explains why Betty’s father’s motivation as the Black Hood is shallow. Plus the fact that Betty’s father seems forced to be the Black Hood. Zero built up as if the Black Hood identity was a way for Roberto to call it a plot twist.
The anomaly of Roberto’s plot twist doesn’t end here with Black Hood. In season 4, it is revealed that Jughead is dead. But later, his supposed death was exposed as a ploy to uncover the mystery of Stonewall Prep. The “murder” of Jughead is not working, because he is the main character of the show and also the narrator. Not only that, but the show doesn’t suffer through Roberto’s consequence of killing the main character. When a show creator kills the main character and chooses to continue the show, there will be consequences. Either the plot shifts towards a new direction, or a new main character will emerge, but this is not the case for season 4 of Riverdale. Without any relevant consequence, it is obvious enough that Jughead is still alive.
When a show has too many characters, of course, it will be an issue to give a fair character development for everyone, but Kevin (Casey Cott) suffers worse than anyone in Riverdale. Kevin is a gay character and his whole story is about finding a lover, from having sex with a stranger in the wood to the making of tickle videos with boys for money. It feels like Kevin’s characterization is just an excuse for Roberto to bring diversity and representation to Riverdale. Roberto seems to be aware of this running issue in his show and choosing not to fix it, but to embrace it with open arms. Apart from his hopeless romantic situation, Kevin’s existence in the show is also to help Betty to seduce men.
All of these oddities seem to come from Roberto’s desire. In 2003, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa made a gay play based on Archie Comics. Of course, he ceased by the holder of Archie Comics IP. But perhaps, this is the foundation of the Riverdale that we know, because, besides the plot, it also has many unneeded sex scenes and the unneeded flexing of many males’ bodies.
It is a common joke that Archie will always find a moment to show his abs and muscle, and probably the rest of the male teenagers in the show (except Kevin). There are so many shirtless Archie moments that it becomes the typical starter pack for every Riverdale episode. What makes it more awkward is Betty and Jughead’s sexual tension and act because both of them are still a family. Although those two are not related by blood, they are still coming from the same family. Betty’s older half-brother who was a CIA—now a prisoner—is also the half-brother of Jughead.
Riverdale is like fan fiction of Archie Comics; made by many young kids, and that’s not an actual bad thing, because sometimes, Riverdale can be fun. It could be a guilty pleasure for some people. Riverdale sure does have its own style and “fantasy” for some kids-soon-to-be-teenagers. Fixing the show would be impossible as it would sound like asking Roberto to step down from the creator’s seat. Riverdale itself is a fan fiction from Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa.
Editor: Hussaina Yasmine
