Riverdale is a show that has generated a lot of controversy over the perceived bad writing and a lot of the strange storylines it chooses to pursue. However, over six seasons it has garnered a lot of support as well as a lot of scrutiny.
Whether it is a good show or not, there is no doubt that some seasons have been much better than others and many fans as well as detractors will agree with that statement. Archie, Jughead, Betty, Veronica, and all the other characters who inhabit the strangely eventful town have been through a lot over the past six years.
6 Season 3
Season 3 of Riverdale was the one that really began to go off the rails as far as more convoluted stories go. However, it was some of the continuations from season 2 that should have been dropped earlier that really let this season down, such as the enduring hatred between Archie and Veronica’s father. The strange storyline about Archie going to prison, getting out, and then getting mauled by a bear were all unusual additions.
Then there was the cult, the Gargoyle King, and the attempted lobotomy of Betty. The show began to feel much more like a ludicrous soap opera that couldn’t decide what it wanted to be, a long shot from the sure show that felt like capable hands were at the wheel in season one. It is unfortunate that things went so far off the rails, though some of it would be brought back later. Nevertheless, season 3 did irreparable damage to the reputation of the show.
5 Season 4
It isn’t entirely the fault of the showrunners that season 4 felt anticlimactic, with many of the stories being finished off at the beginning of the fifth season due to the COVID-19 pandemic cutting short some of the season 4 filming. Nevertheless, the stories themselves were not that strong this season, starting with the unraveling of what happened to Jughead at the end of the previous season.
Viewers knew the show wouldn’t do anything too tragic to Jughead and so the stakes didn’t feel huge. While season 4 dealt well with certain things, like Cheryl and Veronica’s story, the aftermath of Luke Perry’s death, and Archie’s solo story following the loss of his father, it wasn’t as strong as some of the other years overall, partially due to the fallout of season three’s cross into the bizarre.
4 Season 5
Maybe it was just the bizarre time jump after so much time, or maybe it was because the storylines it finished up from season 4 were done in a rather anticlimactic fashion. But either way, season five was a disappointment. At the very least, the time jump was a proper opportunity for a reset, and the stories it told felt disjointed and poorly written.
Toni getting more of the spotlight was a fortunate move that was definitely overdue, but besides that, the time jump didn’t really help with storytelling and the new opportunity felt strangely wasted by the showrunners.
3 Season 2
After the strong first season, season 2 felt like it devolved slightly by leaning further into the murder-mystery aspect. Many teen shows nowadays have some sort of crime-based intrigue like this, but few went so far down the serial killer path as this season of Riverdale. Betty and the eventual reveal with her father were well done, but this is the point at which the show no longer felt primarily like a high school show, and it would never go back.
The Black Hood storyline besides, there was a lot of Veronica’s father vs Archie this year, and it was a pain from the beginning that many fans were strongly against by the end of the season. The focus on this and the lack of what kept the first season feeling like a strong teen show let this season down slightly.
2 Season 6
Maybe it was just finally time to accept how deeply weird the show was remaining, or maybe the addition of Sabrina and actual witchcraft helped normalize the weirdness. Either way, the parallel universe, the new couples, and the absolutely bonkers leap deep into the source material of the comics made Riverdale feel the freshest it has since season 1.
Season 6 was a definite love-it-or-hate-it for fans and viewers of the show. However, there is no doubt that it was a change for the better. The abandonment of the season five cliffhangers was one of the strangest moves, but it was for the best in the end.
1 Season 1
But it was the original season of the show, the one that started strong and with an interesting direction, which worked the best. Introducing the characters, playing with their initial romantic entanglements, and using the murder mystery as more of an extra brush stroke to enhance simpler high school tales was the right call.
Though the series would devolve into madness over time and use insane stories, it was never able to tear itself completely away from this first, relatively short season which saw a nicely timed murder investigation play out, and it was all before the rivalry between Mr. Lodge and Archie began to boot.