Gothic as All Get Out: Riverdale
When a show is titled after the setting, viewers know the setting counts big time. In Riverdale, the place is everything.
That wasn’t the case in the classic comic world of
Riverdale. That pleasant anyplace serves mainly as a background for the antics
and events of Archie and his light-hearted high school gang. It is so
unimportant that the writers could create an ever-changing town with museums,
airports, and other landmarks that came and went over the decades as the
stories needed. As a result, there was no reason for creating a local history
to impact the storylines, and the town of Riverdale did little to influence the
actions of the characters. The Riverdale
of Riverdale couldn’t be more opposite.
The setting of Riverdale itself is the character most
changed from the classic comics. This new place is more than a backdrop, it
complicates the plotline and motivates the characters. The Gothic setting gives
the show a dark edge. Broken families, hearts, and spirits replace the humor
and happiness of the comic Riverdale of the past. It is from the setting that
the darker elements and some transgressions result. Riverdale’s storyline is
built around the misdeeds, lies, and subversive connections of the adults. The
teens struggle against the adults’ actions, trying to return their town to
normalcy and safety. Intergenerational family dysfunction, secret societies,
and local superstitions are classic elements of Gothic fiction and all present
in CW’s Riverdale.
movement from and back to a rational present: more than a flight of nostalgic retrospection or an escape from the dullness of a present without chivalry, magic or adventure, the movement does not long for terrifying and arbitrary aristocratic power, religious superstition or supernatural events but juxtaposes terrors of the negative with an order authorized by reason and morality.
Not sure what all that means? No worries. You will by the end of the first episode. Academics who study Gothics are intrigued by how this genre is transgressive in terms of social norms; they explore the world of vice. Botting observes that “Gothic texts are, overtly but ambiguously, not rational, depicting disturbances of sanity and security…displays of uncontrolled passion, violent emotion or flights of fancy to portrayals of perversion and obsession.” All these characteristics are visible from the start of Riverdale. When you watch the first episode, note that all these traits are encapsulated in unscrupulous teacher Ms. Grundy. The corrupt femme fatale, a sexual predator who represents the Gothic tropes of abuse of power and eroticism, coerces an underage student, Archie, into a sexual relationship. Her depiction sets the tone for the new version of Riverdale and paves the way for other disruptive and disturbing adult behavior.
The parents of Riverdale generate much of that screen-gluing
tension mentioned above. Disruptions of sanity and security are visible in
Betty Cooper’s parents, Hal and Alice Cooper. No spoilers here, but keep an eye
on these two and observe how they manipulate others, their children in
particular. As you spot their
controlling actions, examine the tension created, and observe how their control
harms those around them. Portrayals of perversion and obsession are
accomplished through Veronica Lodge’s parents, Hiram and Hermione Lodge. These
unapologetic criminals take advantage of their wealth and power to manipulate
Riverdale’s citizens, including their own daughter. Again, watch how the
parents’ actions contribute to the plot and force those around them,
specifically the teens, to struggle.
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