Once the most famous face in the world, Robert Pattinson now lives a private life. While the “biodata game” has been going on for years, constantly reinventing its measurements to fit the latest celebrity, we can finally say with some degree of certainty what happened to R.Pattinson.
We’ll try to keep this as spoiler-free as possible for those who haven’t watched the episodes yet.
Spoilers After the Season One Finale
If you’ve watched the entire first season of Riverdale, you’ll know that it ends with the shocking death of main character, Fred Andrews. After his parents are killed in a car accident, he returns home to find his twin brother, Reggie, has turned into a murderous drug lord. In the midst of a family squabble, Reggie shoots and kills Fred. This is a tragic end for a show that was once considered a safe destination for teen audiences.
Similarly, the first season finale of Shadowhunters concludes with a major character—Alec Lightwood—being brutally murdered. Another teen-focused show, taken off the air for a year due to low ratings, this is a major blow to the fantasy series. At least it offers some closure to the characters, though.
The season one finale of Suits also had some pretty disturbing moments as Mike Ross attempts to track down the man he once called “father”. After hearing from multiple sources that his father had a massive gambling problem, Mike sets off in search of the man. He finally confronts William Grace, who he thinks is his father, only to find out that the man he’s been looking for is actually his uncle. Horrified that he’s destroyed so much of his family for money, he slits his own wrists and dies.
What Would Make These Shows More Acceptable to Today’s Audience?
The thing is, these shows aren’t all that bad! Let’s take a look at some of the highlights.
Most people have heard of Shadowhunters, as it was one of the first anime shows to premiere and gained a huge international following. The series revolves around a group of teens who discover that they possess extraordinary powers and must use these powers to fight dark demons that plague the Earth. In an interview with Vanity Fair, author Cassandra Clare (the author of the original Shadowhunter novels) said that anime viewers often contact her directly through social media, asking for more books because she’s such an influencer in the world of anime.
According to Clare, anime fans like her stories because they’re complex and full of heartache. She said:
“They want stories where there are bad guys and good guys and complicated relationships and life and death situations. They want to see stuff that they don’t normally see in books.”
Anime also led to the creation of the Marvel comics character, Deathlok. This is an impressive feat, considering how little anime actually depicts death! Deathlok, named after an armored robot from the anime series, Garmadeus, is an enemy of the X-Men. He is depicted as a blue and silver-skinned human with a very distinctive mask that covers the lower portion of his face. When he removes his mask, he reveals his grotesque yellow teeth. If Deathlok’s appearance doesn’t creep you out, we don’t know what will!
More Than Meets The Eye
Riverdale isn’t just filled with death and destruction. The series also consistently portrays an accurate depiction of the darker side of human nature. In her book, The Machiavellian Mistress, feminist author Victoria Clarke argues that this is a deliberate ploy on the part of the show’s creators. She writes:
“While some viewers may be repulsed by the violence, the series makes a deliberate attempt to portray adult life with all its dirt, greed, and corruption. This is meant to strip away any lingering childish awe, thereby preparing the viewer for the realities of ‘adult life’—grim, difficult, and often distressing.”
What’s more, she argues, the shows creators want to show these characters’ struggles, as they feel it’s something that most adolescents will relate to. The series explores the moral grey areas of drug dealing, money laundering, and murder.
Another show that deals heavily with difficult topics is Suits. Similar to Riverdale, Suits also begins with adult themes and violence. However, where Riverdale is for mature audiences, Suits is designed for an older audience. The Hollywood Reporter wrote that Suits “takes the audience on a roller-coaster ride through the legal world which, while complex, is also filled with interesting characters and humorous moments.”
While these shows may not be for the faint of heart, they are a far cry from the typical teen dramas we’re used to seeing on TV. It’s great to see that the writers and creators of these shows deliberately strove to make these dark stories more relatable to those in the audience that they aimed to attract. While Riverdale may not be for the faint of heart, we can certainly understand why it has gained such a devoted following. In the words of author and critic Gary K. Wolfe, we can best describe Riverdale as “literary pulp with a millennial message”.