By 
The B-Side
Pictured: Madelaine Petsch as Cheryl Blossom — Photo: Diyah Pera/The CW — © 2017 The CW Network. All Rights Reserved
Cheryl Blossom, played by Madelaine Petsch, the still alive half of the Blossom twins is the resident mean girl. Captain of the River Vixens (cheerleaders), Cheryl takes delight in insulting and belittling pretty much everyone. What’s great about Cheryl is sometimes she peels back the veil and we get to see a little of what’s underneath. The death of her brother has left her completely vulnerable in many ways and she has moments of weakness where she allows herself to be comforted by Veronica, join the gang on their quest to take down Chuck the slut-shamer, align with Betty to take care of Polly and the babies, or allow herself a moment of ginger lovin’ with Archie.
Reggie Mantle, played by Ross Butler, is a big player in the comics, Archie’s main rival for Veronica’s affections and the bully of the crew. Due to actor availability (He was filming 13 Reasons Why), we see very little of Reggie in this first season.
Pictured: Ashleigh Murray as Josie McCoy — Photo: Diyah Pera/The CW — © 2017 The CW Network. All Rights Reserved
Josie McCoy, of Josie and the Pussycats fame, played by Ashleigh Murray, the star of her own comic and quite the spitfire on Riverdale. Josie is a very serious musician; her father is an esteemed Jazz player and her mother the Mayor of Riverdale. She’s reluctant to help Archie and his burgeoning interest in becoming a songwriter, but she eventually gives in and allows him to sit in on a session. Josie doesn’t appear often, but hopefully season 2 will allow for more character development with her and the rest of the Pussycats, Val (Hayley Law) and Melody (Asha Bromfield).
Kevin Keller, played by Casey Cott, son of Sheriff Keller and the “gay best friend” of Betty. Kevin hasn’t had much in the way of development either. He has a short dalliance with Moose down by Sweet Water River where they discover Jason’s body. He’s currently romancing a member of the Southside Serpents, a shady biker gang that has perhaps questionable involvement in Jason’s murder. Kevin functions as a voice of the audience type character, providing quips and commentary as events are unfolding around him.
Ethel Muggs, Dilton Doiley, Coach Clayton, Chuck Clayton, Moose Mason, Mr Weatherbee, and Ms Grundy (Archie’s inappropriate teacher romance) are all comic book alums who’ve had a small amount of screen time.
Riverdads and Rivermoms
Pictured (L-R): Marisol Nichols, Luke Perry and Molly Ringwald — Photo: Katie Yu/The CW — © 2017 The CW Network. All Rights Reserved
Fred Andrews, played by Luke Perry of Beverly Hills 90210 fame, is Archie’s “dilfy” Dad. So far he seems on the up and up. A construction worker just trying to make a good life for his family. Molly Ringwald plays his estranged wife, Mary Andrews.
Hermione Lodge, played by Marisol Nichols, is the stunning and sophisticated mother of Veronica. A woman with a bag full of secrets willing to do what’s necessary. Is she a Saint? Or is she just as bad as her incarcerated mafioso husband Hiram?
Alice Cooper, played by Mädchen Amick, is the controlling mother of Betty and Polly. Alice seems a bit unhinged in the beginning, what with her vendetta against a teenager and all, but she’s become one of the more interesting adults. She’s a mom trying to do the right thing for her daughters, hoping past mistakes don’t get repeated. Her husband Hal becomes more suspect as things move along.
The Blossoms. Clifford and Penelope, played by Barclay Hope and Nathalie Boltt, are something out of a gothic horror novel. Their house looks like the Addams Family lives there and they seem to live in an antiquated reality centered around their Maple Syrup fortune. Yes, you read that correctly. Maple Syrup is all the rage in Riverdale.
FP Jones, played by Skeet Ulrich (and my personal favorite of the adults), is the biker gang belonging, liquor bottle hitting, father of Jughead. We first meet him engaging in shady money transactions with Hermione and leaving snakes in boxes until she pays up, but then we see the softer side. The one who pleads with Fred to give him his job back because he doesn’t want his son to look at him like a piece of garbage. He’s pretty much everyone’s public enemy number 1 in the murder of Jason, I’m holding out hope he doesn’t end up in cuffs by the end of season 1.
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