Riverdale
Cast & Key People
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Our Review
Cast & Key People
▶
Our Review
Riverdale (2017) is a drama and crime series from The CW. It has built a run of 137 episodes at roughly 60 minutes each. It premiered on January 26, 2017. Viewers rate it 6.5 out of 10. It is currently ended. It runs 7 seasons.
What Riverdale Is About
Riverdale is a bold, subversive take on Archie, Betty, Veronica and their friends from the comics, exploring the surreality of small-town life – the darkness and weirdness bubbling beneath Riverdale’s wholesome facade.
What to Expect When You Watch
Episodes run about 60 minutes, which keeps the pace tight, the full run covers 137 episodes, spread across 7 seasons and it leans into its drama/crime roots while leaving room for the quieter character beats.
Performance-wise the series leans on Lili Reinhart, Camila Mendes and Cole Sprouse to carry the emotional weight, with the rest of the ensemble filling out the world around them.
Cast and Creative Team
Lili Reinhart, Camila Mendes, Cole Sprouse, KJ Apa, Madelaine Petsch and Casey Cott lead the cast.
Key roles include Lili Reinhart as Elizabeth "Betty" Cooper; Camila Mendes as Veronica Lodge; Cole Sprouse as Jughead Jones; KJ Apa as Archibald "Archie" Andrews; Madelaine Petsch as Cheryl Blossom.
Why It Stands Out
Fans of drama, crime and mystery have a clear reason to give this one a shot. It sits comfortably alongside The CW’s other originals, a 6.5/10 audience score puts it in steady company and it commits to its premise instead of hedging between tones.
Released in 2017 and carried by The CW with the series still ended, it lands hardest with drama and crime viewers.
How Riverdale Compares
If Riverdale lands for you, the next stops are Breaking Bad, Firefly and The Wire, which share its drama/crime lean.
Each of those sits at a different point on the same spectrum, so they make a natural follow-up once you finish the run here.
Where to Stream
Riverdale comes from The CW. Check your preferred platform for current availability, since regional rights move around.
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On the whole Riverdale is the kind of series that rewards a patient watch, with Lili Reinhart and Camila Mendes doing the heaviest lifting, a tone that stays true to its drama/crime roots, It has held up since 2017 and so if the premise sounds like your lane, the execution holds up.
The Bottom Line
Riverdale is a safe bet for anyone already inside the drama and crime lane, at 137 episodes it is an easy run to work through, the audience score holds around 6.5/10 and so there is little risk in starting it tonight.
Verdict: 6.5/10. Watch it if you want drama/crime you can settle into.
