After six years of filming and seven seasons of absolute madness, Riverdale premiered its series finale last Wednesday. The creators of the CW show have left its fans shocked and confused throughout its seven seasons, and the series finale was no exception.
Season six was described by many fans as Riverdale’s most bizarre season yet, with plot lines about magic and alternate universes–a far cry from the original murder mystery plot line of season one. That season ends with Archie Andrews waking up in the 1950s.
Season seven feels more like a spin-off of Riverdale rather than its final season. The multiverse plot line of season six is pretty much forgotten as season seven is all about the characters living their lives in the 50s, with no memories of their previous lives.
It’s definitely a compelling season. We get to see these characters portrayed more accurately to the way they were originally written in the comic books, without the magic or cults or murderous tendencies. It was also great seeing that this season wasn’t taking itself too seriously, in ways the previous seasons did. There are many moments of dialogue where the characters seem to be poking a little fun at some of the ridiculous plotlines throughout the show.
In the series finale, the show jumps 67 years into the future, where we find out that Betty is now the last of the Riverdale High group who is still alive. She comes face-to-face with Jughead in a dream where he lets her relive the gang’s final day of highschool before they all went their separate ways. We find out what happens to all the characters through Jughead’s narration. It’s certainly not the ideal way to wrap up these iconic characters’ stories, stories that had been developing over the last six years.
Betty launched a successful women’s magazine, Veronica was the head of her own production company, Archie became a professional construction worker, Jughead served as editor-in-chief of his own magazine company, and the four of them spent their senior year of highschool together in a polyamorous relationship. Riverdale just had to throw its fans for a loop one last time.
Not only do none of the show’s main ships (besides for Toni and Cheryl) end up together, but we are supposed to believe that Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead wanted to spend their last year together in a poly relationship. Representing relationships like these in the media is important, but there was nothing genuine or believable about this one.
All in all, the series finale of Riverdale was neither a satisfying nor a redeeming ending to the show. In some ways it was fitting, considering the show has been weird and confusing throughout the entirety of its run on television.
