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New images from Riverdale season 7 reveal that the characters are still stuck in the 1950s

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anya helinton

New images from Riverdale season 7 reveal that the characters are still stuck in the 1950s. The series, which is a gritty reboot of the classic Archie Comics, has been running on The CW since 2017 and is preparing to premiere its seventh and final season in Spring 2023. This season will follow the shocking twist ending of season 6, which saw Cheryl Blossom (Madelaine Petsch) use her newfound powers to prevent a comet from destroying the town of Riverdale, inadvertently sending the entire town back into the 1950s with only Jughead (Cole Sprouse) remembering their present-day lives.


Entertainment Weekly shared a collection of first-look images from Riverdale's upcoming final season as part of their 2023 preview. The images showcase the new time period for the season, including two portraits highlighting brand-new outfits for Veronica (Camila Mendes) and Jughead, whose hat looks much closer to the original comic book design for the character. The images also show off the updated setting, including a scene of Cheryl, Jughead, and Archie (KJ Apa) in class and a group of girls dressed up for what seems to be a sock hop, including Betty (Lili Reinhart) and Toni (Vanessa Morgan).


Riverdale Can Use Its 1950s Setting to Turn Archie Even More On Its Head


A major reason why Riverdale became so appealing to audiences when it premiered was the fact that it subverted a formerly wholesome comic book property. The original Archie comics, which premiered in 1941 and have generally retained a retro aesthetic and narrative style, feature a treasure trove of iconic characters that were recontextualized by the antics depicted in the series. Season 1 took a big swing by following the characters as they worked to solve a bloody murder mystery, with the later seasons going to wilder and wilder places by introducing drugs, gangs, a serial killer, a cult, and even witchcraft and superpowers.


To some viewers, the transition back to a 1950s setting may initially seem like a regression for the series. This, combined with the fact that various people involved in the show, including the actor who plays Cheryl Blossom herself, have teased that Riverdale season 7 will be more toned-down and character-focused. However, that doesn't mean that the show still won't be up to some of its old tricks.


In fact, it seems more than likely that Riverdale season 7 will use its 1950s setting to remind audiences of just how different these characters really are from their original comic book portrayals. Presumably, Jughead's memories of present-day Riverdale will cause other people to eventually regain their own memories, providing friction with the more buttoned-down society they now find themselves trapped in. Even if that's not the case, the show will probably quickly take a turn to show the dark side of the era, especially considering the fact that many of its core cast members are actors of color and that Casey Cott's character Kevin Keller is gay. That will likely cause a cascade of drama that the Archie Comics of the 1950s could never have dreamed of.

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