Rating: 9.5/10

A man in a hood with eye holes cut, by hand, forcefully walks into a small restaurant called Pop’s. He takes out a silver gun with a smooth, brown handle, holds it at a man and pulls the trigger. A young teenager with red hair rushes out; he cries in fear.

Archie, Veronica, Betty and Jughead are all back for Chapter Fourteen: A Kiss Before Dying; this is the season two premiere of the hit show Riverdale. This season starts off right after the first season ends: with Archie’s father being shot. Archie takes him to the hospital and copes with the pain of his father’s injuries. Veronica comforts him, and is starting to lose trust in her mother. Betty and Jughead argue over the controversial decision of him joining the serpents.

The show not only continues to evolve in term of craftsmanship, but it also stays true to it’s roots. Riverdale continues to keep it’s iconic, beloved characters while adding new mysteries yet to be revealed.

At first, Archie Andrews wasn’t a character I was totally on board with. He seemed too cliche, and seemed to have no motivation or depth to his actions. However, this one episode changes that. K.J. Apa, the actor who plays Archie, takes the character to a different level; a more emotional level. The emotion and pain Apa radiated was really amazing. Archie is finally stealing the show. The other members of the cast were excellent, but there wasn’t any major changes to their characters. They were the same old people we met in the first season.

When Archie was rushing to the hospital in his truck with his dad in the backseat, He accidentally hits a side view mirror on another car. The mirror drops to the ground. The truck continues to drive, fading away as the the side view mirror gives the audience a suspenseful view of the tragic event. This shot, along with other shots, is a product of the show getting more creative. The cinematography is so much more professional. Every camera trick, every angle and every filter is done with a purpose which is how cinematography is supposed to be done.

The cinematography is not just only upgrading the visuals. Along with the script, the cinematography gives the show a new change in tone: horror. The show is still more drama than horror, but they’re really changing things up. For example, there are scenes where jump scares are used, there is a more intense, suspenseful plot line to the episode, and the setting of the show gives the story a more unorthodox vibe. It’s a nice, new, fresh take on the show while still telling the same story we experienced last season.

The show was a huge hit when it first aired and it continues to be that way. Riverdale continues to leave the audience wondering: what’s going to happen next?