Character Descriptions for 'Archie' TV Series Reveal Departure from Comic Versions

Archie and the rest of the Riverdale gang are iconic comic book characters and they are actually coming soon to CW in their own television series called Riverdale. According to TVLine, casting breakdowns for the show have been revealed and it seems the characters are a bit different from what people remember.

ARCHIE ANDREWS | A high school sophomore, the redhead is still boyishly handsome but “pumped and looking good after working construction for his dad during the summer.” Archie is grappling with heavy issues and juggling the interest of several girls while discovering his passion for writing and performing music against his father and his football coach’s better wishes. Oh, and he’s harboring more than one dark, terrible secret.

BETTY COOPER | The blonde and pretty sophomore is described as having “some self-esteem issues and affinity for Adderall.” Eager-to-please, wholesome and studious, Betty has a super-crush on her longtime best bud, Archie. But tired of being the “perfect” everything, she turns to her new friend, Veronica, for life advice. Betty has an emotionally brittle mom, a goth-like sister and a coveted spot on the cheerleading squad — though with certain conditions….

VERONICA LODGE | Producers are aiming to ideally cast a Latina as this “silver-tongued” stunner, who has just returned to Riverdale from New York following a scandal which resulted in her father going to prison. Extremely intelligent, self-confident and immediately popular, Veronica is eager to reinvent herself — from Mean Girl to caring friend.

JUGHEAD JONES | A hearing-impaired actor is being sought to play Jughead as an “emo-heartthrob.” The lanky lad is Archie’s former best friend, seeing as the two still are smarting from a rift that took place between them. Angry, but with a philosophical bent, Jughead “refuses to take the olive branch being proffered by Archie, the hurt goes that deep.”

Archie will be a bit buffer with a dark secret. Betty takes Adderall. Veronica is involved in a scandal. Jughead is emo. Warranted, this is just the casting breakdown and really doesn't say too much about how these characters will turn out in the pilot. Greg Berlanti will be executive producing the upcoming pilot which Archie CCO Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa will be writing.

Wow. I cant even....

-_-

The first three descriptions bothered me but I screamed on the inside with Jughead's.

Wtf?

Why?

Beata

Those are absolutely hilarious. They just can't be real, they can't be...

Not gonna lie I somewhat expected this, but I expected Archie to be the emo heartthrob kid not jughead lol.

That's just wired.

Go with the descriptions IDC but please please cut the Jughead one!!!!

I glance through classic Archie comics sometimes while waiting in line at the grocery store. They look like lighthearted fun.

This sounds like normal teenage drama, and a potential train wreck. I might check it out for laughs, though.

This sounds very cliche.

This sounds like it's for the CW.

Seriously why make a show name it after something and then be something other than that.

Why are you people surprised?

~MiB

I'm really surprised that we haven't had an Archie show already

I dont even like Archie and this makes me want to go and punch the people that are thinking this is ok.

STOP THIS PLEASE!!!

... I dont even like Archie and this is just... bad

At least I still have a tape of "To Riverdale and Back Again", that tv movie from the 1980s. Sounds like they are taking the marketing/FF approach, keep the names and junk everything else.

I wonder how many posts this will go before someone yells at everyone to calm down, give a chance, don't take it too seriously, it's time for a change, this is Archie for this generation... All the stuff they usually shout out when terrible stuff like this is sent out. Possibly the producers sent it out just to get everyone mad and get their attention and then the corrections will be sent out later.

I can handle the first 3, but Jughead? Jesus...

@dernman: Kek CW? This sounds way more like something from MTV

This is mortifying.

Dear lord this sounds like the CW wants to remake Gossip Girl and crossing it with Glee or something. I mean really Betty is going to a super stressed girl with ADHD, Jughead is going to be emo so what does that mean, he will listen to Sleeping with Sirens when eating burgers? and Archie the lovable "Every person" type of character will be a jock that wants to be a musician like that isn't a story as old as time.

My guess is they will make the feud between him and Jughead be about him quitting the band because his daddy wants him to be a quarterback.

Meh, okay by me.

This is a show for CW. Did anyone expect it to be different than this? The superhero shows are good but even those are drenched with signature CW teen drama.

LOL

Ok, clearly anyone who's read the comic isn't their target market. Count me out.

Anger! Fury! Unabated wrath!

Oh...it's a CW show...that makes sense

Lol, these are funny. Hard to imagine it being good if it sticks closely to this. I'm surprised they'd want Archie to be a buff guy in this age of geek culture.

Why coudn't they just ,ale a comedy like New Girl or Big Bang Theory(The golden seasons), How I Met your mother,etc instead of giving us another boring hour-long drama!!!

(Vomits profusely over cel phone)

Why, Archie? Why? You survived longer than you had any right to by producing wholesome, cheesy schlock. Why do you now feel the need to turn into...whatever the Hell you've become?

i'm not really surprised

Oh wait, I am sure than he will be Black as Jimmy olsen or Wally west

This is hilariously bad.

I don't put anything past CW.. This seems like the typical teen angst show they'd run, but they want to attach a "big name" to it like Archie to boost viewership.

This isn't really about Archie and the gang, their names are just attached so that audiences unwittingly get roped into something they would have otherwise stayed well away from.

so no burger devouring from jughead? does he at least get his crown? laaaaaaaaaame

This show will go straight down the river.

Isn't Archie supposed to be comedic? I'm not seeing any of that here.

I like how they want to cast a Latino for Veronica, I don't know why. It seems like good fit considering her personality. That jughead one though... Dear god

This sounds like it might be the biggest piece of crap ever. They need to scrap pretty much everything they have and Waid's ongoing series. Or maybe, like, any Archie comic ever written.

Meh.

I can see Archie as lean ... but not "buff"

Honestly, I think the show would've been better off opting for animation rather than live action ... oh well

LOL! Really CW?! This trainwreck is your vision for Archie? Are you even aware of how iconic Archie is?! Lol! I can't wait to see this blow up in their faces. All I want is to see the "wonderful" reviews after it airs. How ironic is it that they're trying to change a comedy into a drama, but end up with something that's laughably bad?

Couldn't have said it better.

Uhhhhh.....(makes sound similar to Tina Belcher for several minutes)

Agreed. :/

The only 2 good dark secrets I can think of for Archie is if he accidentally got Mr. Lodge in jail or if one of his parents is a zombie.

Wtf Jughead described as a emo hearthorbe? No no no nooooooooooo