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Last week marked the highly-anticipated premiere of The CW's new show, Riverdale (Thursdays, 9 p.m. EST). The show, starring K.J. Apa, Lili Reinhart and Camila Mendes, takes the original Archie Comics that your parents loved and puts an entirely new spin on them. Honestly, we could rave about this show all day—the characters are relatable, the cast is diverse and the storyline just pulls you in. Check out this clip from the first ep below:

Need another reason to watch it? No worries, we've got seven...

1. It gives a classic a new twist 

What's unique and exciting about Riverdale is that while its murder-mystery in a quaint, small town storyline is intriguing for every viewer, you soon realize what sets it apart: that it's based off Archie Comics. The plot revolves around former football star Jason Blossom's murder and with that, you're able to see the effects of his death on the town and all of the people in it unfold as the episodes progress. The show's take on the three main characters—Archie Andrews (K.J. Apa), Betty Cooper (Lili Reinhart) and Veronica Lodge (Camila Mendes)—from page to screen is pretty cool, too. (FYI, here's what they look like in the comic book.)

2. Two words: Cole Sprouse

Finally, one-half of The Suite Life of Zack and Cody is back after six years off the screen! ::Throws confetti:: Cole plays the complex role of Jughead Jones, an observant, loner high school kid who can usually be found at the local diner, Pop's, writing away on his laptop. He sees all, and that's what makes him the perfect narrator for the series. Jughead is also the estranged best friend of Archie, but what's most interesting about him is that his comic counterpart is asexual. This means that he could potentially be asexual on-screen, too, something rarely seen on TV. (Learn more about asexuality here.)

3. It's got an unexpectedly intense story line...

The whole "who murdered the high school football star?" thing definitely makes it difficult for the show to be anything like the sunshiny town in the comics. That, paired with the secrets swirling around Riverdale, and there are no-doubt plenty of questions you'll want answered. It also dives into relatable topics such as what it's like dealing with overprotective parents, the delicate yet powerful social hierarchy that *every* high school establishes and teen romance. 

4. ...and a great ensemble cast

K.J., Lili and Camila each play off their character's distinct and very interesting personalities *so* well that you instantly want to know everything about them. They're each so different—Archie is the golden boy facing a moral dilemma, Betty is the shy, smart girl struggling with what it means to be perfect and Veronica is the rich new girl from New York trying to become a better version of herself—but you can see pieces of yourself in each character, and that has everything to do with the amazing actors that portray them.

5. The music

It obviously wouldn't be an accurate depiction of the comic without the band Josie and the Pussycats. Since its introduction to Archie Comics in the 60s, the band has gotten a complete makeover, making it another cool aspect of the show. Even cooler? The trio is portrayed by Ashleigh Murray, Hayley Law and Asha Bromfield—talk about #blackgirlmagic. There's more diversity where that came from, though...

6. It's diverse

The show does away with the comic's predominately white characters in favor of a super varied and much more relatable cast. We already noted that Jughead could be asexual, but it's also worth mentioning that Casey Cott plays the openly gay Kevin Keller, Camila is Latina and Asian-American actors Ross Butler and Daniel Yang play Reggie Mantle and Dilton Doiley, respectively.

7. Archie is *incredibly* good looking

TBH, we saved the best reason for last. Don't hate us Harry Potter fans, but Archie's gorg red hair paired with his fit bod definitely put Ron Weasley to shame (again, don't hate us!). An athlete who's also a musician who's also totally cute? That's a-OK by us!

Did you tune into Riverdale last week? Did you know that the show was based on Archie Comics before now? Share your thoughts on the show below. 

Photo credit: The CW, Dean Buscher/The CW, Diyah Pera/The CW, Frank Ockenfels 3/The CW, Giphy

by Cecelia Yost | 1/29/2017