Diving Into Riverdale
Photo: The CW
When John L. Goldwater and Bob Montana first created the all-American teenage characters Archie, Jughead, and Betty back in the 1940s, they likely never imagined them fighting off deadly cults, joining biker gangs, and solving murders on almost a daily basis. But Riverdale boldly steps beyond the world of its source material — the show has reinvented the world of Archie Comics, creating an edgy, dark teen drama that has reintroduced these old characters to a huge new audience.
Debuting back in 2017 on the CW, Riverdale caused quite a stir when it gave a modern makeover to the traditionally wholesome characters from the funny pages. Created by Archie Comics' Chief Creative Officer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Riverdale sought to infuse a traditional teen drama with a gritty film noir tone. As the show progressed, the soap opera style and somewhat extreme storylines helped the show become a primetime sensation.
Now in its fifth season, Riverdale continues to be a rollercoaster ride, exploring love triangles (or in this case, a possible “love square” between the four main characters), murder, mayhem, motorcycle gangs, and of course, the prom. As Archie and the gang continue to fight the forces of darkness from Pop’s Chock'lit Shoppe, Ranker Insights delves into the fanbase, looking at what Riverdale fanatics are watching and buying to get a better understanding of the fan base. Join us as we head down the hallowed halls of Riverdale High to take a deep dive into the series.
The fifth season of Riverdale kicks off on January 20, 2021.
WHAT AMERICAN AUDIENCES THINK
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It seems the high stakes and even higher drama of Riverdale resonates with American audiences, as Riverdale’s approval rating soars across the United States.
According to the breakdown, a 68% majority of Midwesterners who have voted on the show approve of Riverdale. The West Coast and the South are also quite fond of hour-long drama, as approval for the show on the Coast hits 62%, while 65% of the Southerners we polled count themselves as fans.
The Mountain West segment of the United States, which includes Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico, Nevada, Nebraska, the Dakotas, and Montana, are a little less hot on this after-school special, with a smaller majority of 58% approving.
WHAT RIVERDALE FANS WATCH (AND DON'T WATCH) ON TV
Photo: The CW
Riverdale stands out among teen dramas thanks to its especially over-the-top storylines. It’s clear from our data that fans of the show look for similarly outrageous plotlines on TV, as well as shows set in fantastical, magical worlds that are still very close to our own.
Riverdale fans are 9X more likely to watch the original Charmed series, fellow Archie Comics creation Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Netflix’s Warrior Nun, and Cursed. They are also 8X more likely to watch CW’s Supernatural. But beyond just the fantasy genre, Riverdale fans are highly likely to enjoy other shows in the CW’s lineup. They’re 9X more likely to love The Vampire Diaries, The Originals, Supergirl and Stargirl, they’re 8X more likely to watch The Flash and Arrow, and 7X more likely to watch Nancy Drew.
Riverdale lovers are also drawn towards shows aimed at teens, zoomers, and younger millennials. They are 9X more likely to love Jane the Virgin, Disney Channel’s Gabby Duran & the Unsittables, and 13 Reasons Why, while an older subset of fans is 7X more likely than the average TV viewer to watch HBO’s Los Espookys and Comedy Central’s Broad City.
FANS AT THE MOVIES
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Jughead Heads are more likely to watch movies aimed at young adults and teens with a female lead. That’s evident in their love for movies like Pitch Perfect, the 2015 high school comedy The Duff, young adult novel-turned young adult movie The Fault in Our Stars, and the classic fantasy The Princess Diaries, all of which they are 4X more likely to enjoy than the average moviegoer.
WHAT RIVERDALE FANS LISTENING TO?
Photo: The CW
Many of those who took the time to vote up Riverdale on Ranker also voted on some of our most popular music lists — here’s what that taught us.
Fans who voted up Riverdale on the list of Best Teen Drama TV Shows (where the show is currently ranked #2) also voted up the songstresses Celine Dion and Alicia Keys on our list of the Best Current Female Singers. Other current female singers that appeal to Riverdale fans include Kelly Clarkson, Christina Aguilera, Pat Benatar, and P!nk.
WHAT’S FOR LUNCH AT POP’S?
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Folks on Ranker who find themselves siding with the Southside Serpents have also shown loyalty to several food brands, as per their ranking of several popular chains. They are 4X more likely than the average Ranker reader to stop by Jersey Mike’s Subs, or to grab a cup of joe at Starbucks — both brands top the list for favorite food spots. Fans are also almost 4X as likely to hit a Hardees (big in the South) and almost 2X as likely to visit Whataburger or Schlotzky’s for a small snack.
RIVERDALE ON RANKER
As previously mentioned, Riverdale ranks among the most popular on our list of Best Teen Drama TV Shows, but it also tops the list of Best New Teen TV Shows of the Last Few Years.
Riverdale has left its mark all across Ranker, as the nighttime soap hovers near the top of several highly competitive rankings. The show is ranked in the top spot on The Trashiest New TV Shows of the Last Few Years (That You Just Can't Help Loving) and The Best Guilty Pleasure TV Shows of the Last Few Years.
The CW drama also ranks at #6 on The Best Current Shows That Deal with Millennial Stuff and at #3 on 12 Times TV Shows Dealt With Real-Life Tragedies for how it dealt with the unexpected passing of star Luke Perry. It also places at #16 on the Best Live-Action Comic Book Adaptations Of The Decade Not From Marvel Or DC, Ranked (just behind its spiritual sister Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, which is at #5).
FINAL FINDINGS
Photo: The CW
