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Chapter One: The River's Edge

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"Chapter One:
The River's Edge"
Riverdale episode
Promotional poster
Episode no.Season 1
Episode 1
Directed byLee Toland Krieger
Written byRoberto Aguirre-Sacasa
Featured musicBlake Neely
Cinematography by
  • Stephen Jackson
  • David Lanzenberg
Production codeT15.10136
Original air dateJanuary 26, 2017 (2017-01-26)
Running time46 minutes
Episode chronology
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— 		Next →
"Chapter Two:
A Touch of Evil"
Riverdale (season 1)
List of episodes

"Chapter One: The River's Edge" is the pilot and first episode of the first season of the American television series Riverdale, based on the characters by Archie Comics, revolving around the character of Archie Andrews, portrayed by KJ Apa, and his life in the small town of Riverdale while exploring the darkness hidden behind its seemingly-perfect image. The episode was written by series creator and Archie Comics' chief creative officer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, and was directed by Lee Toland Krieger.

The pilot was first screened at the Warner Bros. Television panel at San Diego Comic-Con International in July 2016.[1] It originally aired on The CW on January 26, 2017, and according to Nielsen Media Research, was watched by 1.38 million viewers.

Plot

During an eventful summer, which includes the tragic death of Jason Blossom on the Fourth of July, Archie Andrews discovers his passion for music. He soon begins his sophomore year, and afraid to disappoint his father, who wants him to take over the family construction business after graduation, expresses his love for music to Betty Cooper, the sweet girl-next-door and Archie's best friend, who is harboring her own secret - her feelings for Archie. But her personal and social life is heavily controlled by her overbearing mother Alice, who remains upset and untrusting following Betty's older sister Polly's mental breakdown and admission into a group home, which Alice blames on Polly's unhealthy and often toxic relationship with Jason.

Wishing to find a way to pursue his music passions, while also playing for the school's varsity football team and working for his dad, Archie tries to convince the music teacher, Miss Grundy, to set up a private study with him; she repeatedly insists they should not be left alone together, reminiscent of an affair the two had over the summer. Their relationship is further complicated over the pair's memories of hearing gunshots by the lake on the morning that Jason died, but unable to tell authorities as it would reveal their illegal affair.

Meanwhile, Veronica Lodge, the beautiful daughter of millionaire Hiram Lodge, who is facing embezzlement charges, arrives in town, instantly capturing Archie's affections. Her mother Hermione, who dated Archie's father Fred in her youth, tries to apply for a job with Fred's business in order to help make ends meet after her husband's arrest, but is gently turned down. Despite the fact a love triangle is developing, Betty and Veronica become fast friends, united when Veronica stands up against Jason's twin sister, the conceited Cheryl Blossom, who may or may not be hiding a secret concerning her brother's death.

Veronica along with Betty's gay best friend Kevin Keller both think that Archie has feelings for Betty and persuade her to ask Archie out to the school dance - but things go awry when Archie, still hung up over his history with Ms. Grundy, leaves Betty feeling embarrassed and rejected when he does not respond to her confessions of affection. Sensing the tension, Cheryl ensures Archie, Betty, and Veronica go to her after-party, where, following a game of Seven minutes in heaven, during which Archie and Veronica succumb to their physical attraction to each other and make out, Betty leaves the house upset. Archie attempts to reconcile with her, but their relationship remains unresolved.

Later that night, Kevin and Moose Mason stumble across Jason's body by the lake, where they discover that, contrary to Cheryl's previous claims he had drowned, he was actually shot in the head, shocking the residents of Riverdale. In the background, Archie's ex-best friend, Jughead Jones, begins to write a book retelling the events of the summer, including what happened between the two friends.

Cast and characters

Starring

Guest starring

Co-starring

Production

Casting

On February 9, 2016, Lili Reinhart and Cole Sprouse were cast as Betty Cooper and Jughead Jones, respectively.[2] On February 24, 2016, KJ Apa was cast as Archie Andrews after a four-month worldwide talent search. Apa was one of the last to audition and landed the role just days later. Also that day, Ashleigh Murray was cast as Josie McCoy, the lead singer for the popular band Josie and the Pussycats,[3] and Luke Perry and Madelaine Petsch were also added as Fred Andrews, Archie's father and Cheryl Blossom, respectively.[4][5] Two days later, Camila Mendes was cast as Veronica Lodge.[6]

In March 2016, Marisol Nichols and Mädchen Amick joined the cast as Hermione Lodge and Alice Cooper, Veronica and Betty's mothers, respectively.[7][8] A few days later, Ross Butler, Daniel Yang and Cody Kearsley were cast in the roles Reggie Mantle, Dilton Doiley and Moose Mason, respectively.[9] The last actor to join the pilot was Casey Cott as Kevin Keller, the first openly gay character in Archie Comics history.[10]

Filming

Production on the pilot took place from March 14 to March 31, 2016, with filming taking place in Vancouver, British Columbia.[11][12]

Music

The River’s Edge
(From Riverdale) – Single
Soundtrack album by
Riverdale Cast
ReleasedFebruary 3, 2017 (2017-02-03)
Recorded2016
GenreSoundtrack
Length9:02
LabelWaterTower Music
ProducerLeonard Jay Jackson
Ryan Petersen
Riverdale Cast chronology
The River’s Edge
(From Riverdale) – Single
(2017) 		Season 1
(Original Television Soundtrack)
(2017)
Riverdale soundtracks chronology
The River’s Edge
(2017) 		Season 1
(Original Television Soundtrack)
(2017)

On February 3, 2017, WaterTower Music released a selection of music from the series' episode "The River's Edge" performed by cast members.[13] All music was composed by Blake Neely.[14]

Track listing
No.TitlePerformer(s)Length
1."The Song That Everyone Sings"KJ Apa3:46
2."Fear Nothing"Ashleigh Murray, Asha Bromfield, Hayley Law2:39
3."All Through the Night"Ashleigh Murray, Asha Bromfield, Hayley Law2:37
Total length:9:02

Songs that are not included on the soundtrack album:

Reception

Ratings

In the United States, the episode received a 0.5/2 percent share among adults between the ages of 18 and 49, meaning that it was seen by 0.5 percent of all households, and 2 percent of all of those watching television at the time of the broadcast. It was watched by 1.38 million viewers.[15] With Live+7 DVR viewing factored in, the episode was watched by 2.38 million viewers and had an overall rating of 0.9 in the 18–49 demographic.[16]

Critical response

Joshua Yehl at IGN rated the episode an 8.5 out of 10, stating, "An eerie, sharply-executed pilot gets Riverdale off to a strong start. A murder mystery ignites all sorts of drama inside a small town, turning colorful Archie comic characters into intriguing people with dark secrets. Visually, it's a moody and at times surreal feast for the eyes. The plot peels back layers of this twisted old town one at a time, and while it can feel a tad strange watching such liberties being taken with classic characters, it's all done with confidence and intent. It's as if the showmakers wore a devilish smile while crafting this show, knowing the audience would also be wearing one by the time the credits roll."[17]

The A.V. Club's LaToya Ferguson gave the episode a "B+" and wrote, "As a pilot episode, "Chapter One: The River’s Edge" does the job of making the audience want to sit and watch these characters on a weekly basis. It remains to be seen if it will live up to its many influences, but it certainly has a lot going for it from the start."[18]

Giving the episode a 7.2 out of 10, Kyle Fowle of Paste stated: "In essence, "Chapter One: The River’s Edge" doesn't exactly feel like a proper representation of what we'll get from a full season of Riverdale, as the procedural elements, such as the revelation that Archie and Ms. Grundy heard a gunshot in the woods the morning after their tryst, barely make themselves known here. That said, the premiere does a great job crafting a world that feels alive and unique. From the neon glow of the diner, to the outsized but nuanced characters".[19]

References

  1. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (June 27, 2016). "Comic-Con: Warner Bros. TV Bringing 'Riverdale', 'Powerless' & More". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
  2. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (February 9, 2016). "'Riverdale' Archie Comics CW Pilot Casts Its Betty Cooper & Jughead Jones". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  3. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (February 24, 2016). "'Riverdale' Finds Its Archie & Josie: KJ Apa To Topline CW Pilot". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 16, 2017.
  4. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (February 24, 2016). "'Riverdale': Luke Perry To Play Archie's Dad In Archie Comics CW Pilot". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  5. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (February 24, 2016). "'Riverdale' CW Pilot Finds Cheryl Blossom". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  6. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (February 26, 2016). "'Riverdale' CW Pilot Finds Veronica". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  7. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (March 4, 2016). "'Riverdale' CW Pilot Casts Mädchen Amick As Alice Cooper". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 4, 2016.
  8. ^ Petski, Denise (March 3, 2016). "'Riverdale' CW Pilot Finds Hermione Lodge". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 3, 2016.
  9. ^ Ge, Linda (March 9, 2016). "CW's Archie Pilot 'Riverdale' Casts Reggie, Moose and Dilton (Exclusive)". TheWrap. Retrieved March 14, 2016.
  10. ^ Slezak, Michael (March 12, 2016). "The CW's Riverdale Pilot Casts Newbie as Gay Student Kevin Keller". TVLine. Retrieved March 14, 2016.
  11. ^ "Riverdale Season 1 Starts Filming in Vancouver Area". Whatsfilming.ca. September 7, 2016. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
  12. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (February 25, 2016). "Pilot Locations 2016: Los Angeles Continues Rebound, New York Tally Slips". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  13. ^ "The River's Edge (From "Riverdale") - Single by Riverdale Cast". iTunes. February 3, 2017. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
  14. ^ "Songs from The CW's 'Riverdale' Released". Film Music Reporter. February 8, 2017. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
  15. ^ Porter, Rick (January 27, 2017). "'Scandal' and 'My Kitchen Rules' adjust down, Mary Tyler Moore special adjusts up: Thursday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on January 27, 2017. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
  16. ^ Porter, Rick (February 11, 2017). "'This Is Us' and TGIT rise above the rest in week 19 broadcast Live +7 ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on February 11, 2017. Retrieved February 11, 2017.
  17. ^ Yehl, Joshua (January 23, 2017). "Riverdale: "Chapter One: The River's Edge" Review". IGN. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
  18. ^ Ferguson, LaToya (January 26, 2017). ""Chapter One: The River's Edge" TV Review". The A.V. Club. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
  19. ^ Fowle, Kyle (January 27, 2017). "Riverdale Review: The Series Premiere Lays a Solid Foundation (with Plenty of Eye Candy)". Paste. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
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