When Archie Comics announced almost two years ago that it was going to update its main characters for a new comic book line, there was a lot of hesitation over whether a modern Archie could work. That’s going to pale in comparison to what’s coming next month.
Earlier today, The CW released a new trailer for “Riverdale,” the new show about the Archie gang set to debut January 26 on the network known for its great DC Comics shows. The new series has been marketed as a “subversive” take on Archie, but I’m still always a little shocked at how dark it seems.
What I’m seeing here is taking the Archie Comics characters run through Dawson’s Creek and tinted by a Twin Peaks hue. I have no idea if I’ll love it or hate it, but I’m definitely interested in what’s happening here. We’ve got a dead body in a lake, Luke Perry playing Archie’s dad and a dark tone that is not usually attached to a proper Archie story. But the gang’s all here, wearing their designer clothes provided by whoever is young, hip and works with The CW.
Also, an athletic Archie is going to take some getting used to…
The show is the brainchild of Archie Comics writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, who has done some great stuff with the publisher, so the series has some cache with me.
It’s no secret that I’ve loved the modern take on Archie that Mark Waid kicked off in 2015, and I hope the momentum continues with this show. I would say it might be a tough sell, but this seems right up the alley of The CW as something that could run for a few years.