Riverdale: The 5 Most (& 5 Least) Realistic Storylines
Riverdale started off as a relatively realistic show, but as the seasons went on, the CW series has ventured into outlandish territory.
Over the years Riverdale has become notorious for its extremely unrealistic storylines. From Archie getting mauled by a bear to Cheryl giving Josie a pig heart to Polly’s twins levitating, viewers never know what to expect when watching Riverdale. While these storylines may be hard to believe they are often wildly entertaining.
However, the heart of the series lies in its more believable storylines. As great as Riverdale is at creating outrageous and captivating storylines, the writers are equally skilled when it comes to telling more relatable stories. The series tackles grief, complicated family dynamics, sexuality, homelessness, and many other issues.
10 Unrealistic: Chic Convinced Alice Cooper He Was Her Long Lost Son
Alice Cooper certainly ranks the highest on the list for Riverdale residents with the most twisted family. However, one of the craziest storylines she became involved in began in season 2 when she discovers her alleged long-lost son Charles in a motel room.
“Charles” introduces himself as Chic and quickly works his way into Alice’s heart. Unfortunately for Alice, by the end of the season, it is revealed that Chic is just pretending to be her son and that he killed the real Charles.
9 Realistic: Cheryl Struggled With Her Sexuality
One of the best things about Riverdale, and the CW in general, is its commitment to LGBTQ+ representation. There isn’t a lot of queer representation in film and television so it was very moving to see Riverdale include a lesbian woman as one of their main characters.
Watching Cheryl come to terms with her sexuality, deal with homophobia from her mother, and learn to navigate her first relationship with a girl, makes her a character that a lot of LGBTQ+ youth can identify with.
8 Unrealistic: The Farm
One storyline that managed to become more and more outrageous as the weeks went by was The Farm. When viewers are first introduced to The Farm, through the Coopers, it becomes clear that this group of individuals is up to no good.
By the end of the third season, it becomes clear that The Farm was a cult whose leader was using hypnosis to allow his followers to see their deceased loved ones, to gain their loyalty so that he could harvest their kidneys.
7 Realistic: Archie Joined The Military
Throughout the last five seasons of Riverdale, Archie has maintained his desire to take care of his friends and family, as well as, the residents of Riverdale. As a result of this conviction, he has suffered greatly and was left feeling very lost by the end of his senior year.
This feeling is something that a lot of high school seniors experience. Many of them turn to the military, like Archie did, and are able to get college educations and find a place where they feel they belong and can make a difference in the world.
6 Unrealistic: Veronica Opened La Bonne Nuit
From the moment Veronica first stepped foot in Pop’s Diner in her signature pearls and hooded cape, it became clear that she would be a character unlike any other. Since her first night in Riverdale, she has gone on to stir up a great deal of trouble. However, her most unbelievable act is certainly opening her speakeasy La Bonne Nuit.
It’s very hard to believe that a high schooler would be allowed to open her own bar, especially one with a liquor license that is almost exclusively frequented by other teens.
5 Realistic: Veronica's Complicated Relationship With Her Dad
While many of the plotlines Veronica is involved in are outrageous, her relationship with her father Hiram is one that a lot of young girls can relate to. When the pair first arrives in Riverdale, Veronica has nothing but admiration for her father. Unfortunately for Hiram, she quickly learns that he’s not as perfect as she thought.
The new relationship that they form leads to Veronica learning how to strike a balance between standing on her own and separating her father from what he’s done, to maintain their bond.
4 Unrealistic: Cheryl Kept Her Brother's Corpse In Her Basement
While Riverdale is packed with wildly unexpected storylines, one of the most shocking of all was Cheryl storing her brother Jason’s corpse in her basement at Thistle House.
This was weird on too many levels. It’s hard to imagine what possessed Cheryl to decide to dig up her brother’s grave in the first place, let alone keep him in her basement and talk to him for an extended period. As if that wasn’t weird enough, at this time Cheryl also believed she was being tormented by the evil spirit of her dead triplet.
3 Realistic: All Of Riverdale Became Obsessed With A New Game
While the Griffins and Gargoyles plotline itself had more than a few unrealistic moments, the idea that an entire town could become obsessed with playing the same game is extremely plausible. Griffins and Gargoyles are reminiscent of the game Dungeons and Dragons game that became wildly popular in the 70s and 80s.
This phenomenon was also seen fairly recently with the global Pokémon GO craze that popped up in 2016 and led to the entire world chasing around their neighborhoods for wild Pikachus.
2 Unrealistic: Jughead Faked His Own Death
Jughead Jones has always been a lover of theatrics. However, his season 4 storyline of faking his own death while attending Stonewall Prep was a bit too extreme. Jughead felt as though he needed to fake his own death because he was afraid his classmates wanted to murder him for real.
What made this plotline so unrealistic was the idea that the show would ever kill off one of its main characters. Jughead is a crucial part of this series and it was hard for the fans to believe the writers would ever kill him off.
1 Most Realistic: Jughead Was Homeless
One of the saddest aspects of Jughead’s character is the fact that he was homeless at the beginning of the series. When viewers are first introduced to Jughead he is living at the old Twilight Drive-In movie theater in town.
While it was sad to watch Jughead have to sleep at a drive-in movie theater and then in a forgotten closet at his high school, sadly, it's not uncommon at all for teens to live in abandoned buildings and struggle with complicated living conditions.