MovieChat Forums > Riverdale (2017) Discussion > the problem with it being about a murder

the problem with it being about a murder

posted 8 years ago by ADBruns
16 replies | jump to latest

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm very excited for this and have moderate hopes. But there is a problem inherent with having Season 1 of this kind of show center around a murder mystery:

What will happen in Season 2?

Which, granted, is always a challenging (and admittedly presumptuous) question, but having Season 1 be about a murder just makes it worse.

Here's why.

They'll essentially have two options in regards to the murder mystery of Season 1.

1: Reveal who the killer is by the end of the season.

2: Don't reveal, stretch it out.

The problem with Option 1 is that this leaves essentially two options for Season 2:

A: Season 2 is centered around another murder mystery.

B: It isn't.

The problem with A is that it would then feel like "What is this, a detective show? How many people can get themselves killed in this little town?"

The problem with B is that after a murder mystery, it would likely feel slow-paced, dull, boring by comparison.

And the problem with the above Option 2, if they don't reveal the killer, that'll just tick people off. The Killing tried that, and it drove people away. Scream and Scream Queens have also left threads hanging for the following season. Maybe that's the way Riverdale will go. Leave threads hanging, making the characters think they caught the killer, but the audience knows it isn't really over.

Like I said, looking forward to it, but concerned about the end of the season and a potential second season.

[–] sakura_droplet 8 years ago

I've gotten the impression the murder is more of a catalyst for unearthing all the darkness underneath Riverdale's shiny, happy 'all American' facade. All of the characters have stuff going on: Archie's affair with a teacher, Veronica's father's financial scandal, Betty's mother is a pill popper with abusive tendencies, etc. They'll be laying the groundwork for a lot of potential storylines with the main cast that can be followed up as the show goes on (if it gets picked up for another season, of course).

I'm pretty sure "Riverdale" isn't going to revolve around people being killed. Yes, there is a murder mystery at the centre of the first season but there's all the coming-of-age teen stuff as well, the relationships between the characters, etc.

"Desperate Housewives" had a different mystery every season. It started with the suicide of one who had been a part of the main group, and the housewives had to figure out why she killed herself throughout the first season. The main part of that mystery was solved, but they each had their own personal storylines going on that would continue on, and in season two a mysterious new family moved into the neighbourhood with a dark secret of their own... on and on. "Veronica Mars" did a similar thing, though that was a straight forward mystery series because the protagonist was a teenage private eye.

Plus, factor in other Archie characters, like Sabrina, who we were told would be appearing at some point, in some incarnation. Initial reports said she would appear in the season finale as a 'cult escapee' but I'm not sure if that's changed. Regardless, a character like Sabrina (whether or not she's an actual witch or simply connected to the occult in some way) would bring a whole load of other things to the show. They're casting the net pretty wide, it seems.

Just a Jeannie in a bottle...

[–] prydain17 8 years ago

Yep, exactly. Like Twin Peaks the murder is not the point of the show, it's simply the hook and reason to explore this strange community and its secrets. It sounds like there are multiple mysteries and not just this murder. So they can just wrap that up whenever they want and continue with it from there. It doesn't have to stick to a formula.

__________________

"No! He is imprinted on you like a gay duckling. If you don't wean him off you slowly, he'll die."

[–] Razor187 8 years ago

But right away inviting the comparisons to a show as beloved as TP kind of stacks the deck against this, doesn't it?

Though now that you bring it up, that show's murderer reveal is regarded as it's Jumping the Shark, so there's at least that to try to improve upon.

And so Governor Devlin, because even the cost of freedom can be too high, I REFUSE your pardon!

[–] meraltheslayer 8 years ago

I actually wish the show had more of a Desperate Housewives feel. Bright colours, quirky music, dark undertones. It would have played well with the whole wholesome comics image.

[–] ADBruns 8 years ago

Thanks, that makes a lot of sense, cleared things up a bit. Good DH comparison, I watched that show too, so I get what you mean.

[–] ikkidlee 8 years ago

Riverdale's shiny, happy 'all American' facade

with a cast that looks like a United Nations meeting?

[–] GomezAddams666 8 years ago

But every character was a non-complicated, over-cliched cartoon.

[–] montgom05 8 years ago

My problem is the name given to the murdered boy. It's too close to the name of a boy who was murdered in my area... Justin Bloxom. I hope this real life tragedy wasn't used for this YA drama.

[–] ikkidlee 8 years ago

Jason Blossom was created in the early 80s. Weird coincidence though, the kid even looks kind of like Jason.

[–] montgom05 8 years ago

Thanks for the clarification. I wasn't aware of the Blossom characters. I was somewhat taken aback when I heard the boy's name mentioned in a commercial and it sounded so much like Justin.

[–] SoapWatch 8 years ago

I thought they were copying Jason from Friday the 13th since it happened at a lake like his death did.

Question though, didn't a bullet hit near Archie and Miss Grundy?

It looked like something there hit right near them.

[–] GomezAddams666 8 years ago

This was basically "Veronica Mars" for younger people.

[–] TheLostBoy1997 8 years ago

Don't understand why it's "Veronica Mars for younger people" considering both Riverdale and Veronica Mars have the same demographic

[–] steve4192 8 years ago

I assume he meant people who are young right now, as opposed to people who were young 13 years ago when Veronica Mars debuted.

[–] bustedbrain16 8 years ago

As a fan of all things comic book, I tuned in just to see how they modernized/adapted the "perpetually stuck in the 1950's Archie Comics" characters. I was actually pleasantly surprised (aside from old lady Ms. Grundy becoming a young vixen and Archie having an affair with her). The CW, has, IMO, rather consistently had a "thematic main story arc" for one season of its shows, with episodes planting seeds for the next season. So, a second season will ultimately depend upon the ratings. And, as with all shows, if they piss the viewers off, ratings tank... and cancelled. Let's just hope that as far as licensing issues go, they don't try to use the Archie Comics sub-licensing of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles from Mirage Studios in a ratings stunt to prevent being cancelled.

[–] hnt_dnl 8 years ago

The murder seems like just a catalyst to jumpstart the series. It's not like How to Get Away with Murder which is all that show is really about. I wouldn't doubt that once they find the killer, even if it's a major character, they'll still figure a way to make it they don't go away for it. Maybe it was self-defense.