10 things nobody wants to admit about Riverdale

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Riverdale — “Chapter Seventy-Four: Wicked Little Town” — Image Number: RVD417d_0356b — Pictured (L – R): Cole Sprouse as Jughead Jones, Lili Reinhart as Betty Cooper, KJ Apa as Archie Andrews, Camila Mendes as Veronica Lodge and Casey Cott as Kevin Keller — Photo: Shane Harvey/The CW — © 2020 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved. /

8. It was the most aesthetically-pleasing show on television

Say what you will about Riverdale, but no show on television (or streaming, for that matter) was as nice to look at as this one. And no, we’re not just talking about its ridiculously good-looking cast members.

From the very first episode, Riverdale established its own unique aesthetic that would stick with it throughout the entirety of its run. It paid homage to its roots in Archie Comics, but it also owed a lot to cinema, weaving in nods and references to movies from the ’50s all the way through to the ’00s.

The neon lights of Pop’s against the grim dark backdrop of the town at night summed it up perfectly: There is something eerily beautiful about Riverdale. The show was shot so well, leaning into that throughout its run, featuring some of the most unique and well-designed sets you would ever see on The CW. Furthermore, its anachronistic style really helped set it apart, reeling us all into a world in which ’50s-inspired diners and VHS tapes were every bit as at home as cell phones and the internet. It shouldn’t have worked, but it did because it was Riverdale.

Riverdale is its own aesthetic and that was clear from the moment we first saw those moody photoshoots of its core four showered in that eerie red hue in their iconic booth at Pop’s. It never lost that, and only leaned into it further in the final season. And no matter how frustrating its stories could get, it was always a joy to watch them take place – because this show was always gorgeous.

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