Riverdale

I didn’t mean to watch Riverdale, really. But I was having a boring day at work and my boss had offered me her Netflix password so I could check things out, and just like that, Riverdale was waiting for me.

Watching the first episode like…

At first, I just could not believe my eyes. I was witnessing a weird Dawson’s Creek remake with a crime drama twist, and Lord knows how I love Dawson’s Creek. You might not know it, but Dawson’s Creek was THE teenage television series in the 90s, way before One Tree Hill, Teen Wolf and company.

When people don’t know Dawson’s Creek

Honestly, I could probably write a whole essay on the similarities between Dawson’s Creek and Riverdale. Everything’s there: the sexy newcomer girl moving from New York to a small town (Jen Lindley/Veronica Lodge), the cute girl-next-door hopelessly in love with her best friend (Joey Potter/Betty Cooper), the outcast having a difficult relationship with his dad (Pacey Witter/Jughead Jones), the gay friend (Jack/Kevin), the rich and powerful family and more! If we compare scenes and situations, there’s another long list to add: a beloved cinema closing its doors (the Rialto/the drive-in), the teenage boy/teacher forbidden relationship, the ladder leading to one character’s bedroom,…

There’s much more, Jughead!

Dawson’s Creek was a precursor in its time (the show was the first prime time tv series to broadcast a full homosexual kiss between two men!), and while I don’t think we can say the same for Riverdale, it does tackle some modern and relevant issues: slut shaming, mental health, racism (although very little), etc.

Talking about people of color, can we mention Josie and the Pussycats? The girls’ band famous in Riverdale took its name from a popular comic book series, but also from the classic 2001 movie of the same name, starring Rachael Leigh Cook – an icon in the 90s! Add to that Luke Perry, previously starring in 90210 (the original, not the remake!) and you clearly see in Riverdale an ode to 90s pop culture. The special guest appearance of 80s teenage movie queen Molly Ringwald might have made me scream a little!

Enough with the comparisons though. Despite all this, Riverdale can stand alone proudly. Sure, the actors seem a bit amateur, but hey, we all start somewhere. Some will argue that the show is simply too full of clichés and stereotypes, and it is indeed, so much it burned my retinas… But it’s also what makes it so great at the same time. I truly couldn’t get enough, and 13 episodes isn’t too much to binge on, right? Beware though: the season ends with the most hectic and scream-inducing cliffhanger.

And since I crush on a character in literally every show I watch, I’ll leave you with Jughead – although his dad isn’t bad either!

Who knew Cole Sprouse would turn into this fine man, huh?

Broadchurch

I have recently binge-watched the third and last season of the British series Broadchurch, and I could not let it go without writing about it. This is how brilliant it is.

To refresh your memory (or give you an idea of what Broadchurch is all about, if you haven’t watched it yet), Broadchurch is a crime drama. In the small British coastal town of, well, Broadchurch, the body of a young boy (Danny Latimer) is found at the beach, and it seems like a suicide, at first. Police quickly finds out that there’s more to it, and detectives Alec Hardy (the amazing David Tennant) and Ellie Miller (Olivia Colman) will do everything they can to solve the mystery, digging through the town’s many secrets.

At the end of season 1, we finally figure out who is the murderer, and season 2 focuses on the trial of said killer, while an old and failed murder case is brought back to town.

This new and last season finds Hardy and Miller still working together, this time on a sexual assault that took place at a party in Broadchurch. They will soon find out that it is hard to get to the bottom of things when everyone, including the victim, has things to hide, and when a police officer’s relative is involved. Intertwined in the story are all the previous characters, for which things have changed 3 years after the death of Danny Latimer has left its mark on the town.

I have to say, the relationship between Hardy and Miller is one of my favourite on screen. Their symbiosis always manages to bring a touch of humour that lightens up a very heavy story and gives our hearts a nice little break. Once again, we are faced with an outstanding performance from David Tennant, portraying this almost anti-social police detective with a well hidden big heart. (The way he pronounces Miller cannot be forgotten and gives him even more charm than I thought was possible.)

Oops, sorry Father!

This season tells a very human story. This is a crime show for sure, but it is also about relationships. Special mention to the way they managed to portray both sides of a police investigation involving sexual assault and rape. The very soft and respectful ways of Miller contrast with that new female officer who goes so far as to doubt the victim’s claims, as is still often the case nowadays. Even better is the fact that the characters do not pretend this kind of behaviour is unusual. They are very aware that, more often than not, victim blaming is happening in such cases, with questions regarding the victim’s type of clothes or the amount of alcohol they had on the night of the assault. If anything, the characters know and accept this reality, and will do anything in their power to prove that not all police officers behave that way. The very sensitive topic of sexual assault here is handled with great care. Warnings are even made at the end of each episode, directing the audience to information websites if they have been affected by issues raised in the show!

All in all, the show was incredible to me. Each episode ends on a cliffhanger and you’re always left wanting more. The season has only 8 episodes, which isn’t too long for a binge-watch session (I do recommend) but almost feels too short. I was very sad to see this ending.

Me before watching the last episode

Finally, I can’t leave without mentioning the US remake called Gracepoint, starring none other than… David Tennant as well! We’re faced here with the typical American need to pointlessly remake everything that isn’t theirs but was successful. I haven’t watched it yet, but i have heard that the storyline is almost identical except for the actual culprit in the end. I will probably try and watch it in the near future, even if for the sole reason of David Tennant. I’ve also heard of a French remake, but really… who watches French remakes?

A French remake?!

Oh and, just a little tip if, like me, English isn’t your first language: I advise you to use subtitles (even English ones) at least for the first few episodes, to get used to David Tennant’s strong Scottish accent which can be hard to understand!

Have you watched Broadchurch or any of the remakes? Do you like crime dramas? What’s your favourite?

American Horror Story: Roanoke

American Horror Story is a horror television series created and produced by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuck and broadcast on the cable channel FX in the United States.

I remember getting instantly hooked by the very first episode back in 2011. I’ve always like horror in books and movies, but I had never seen it in the form of a tv series, and that spiked my curiosity, but since I was used to the genre, I thought I couldn’t get that spooked. Boy, was I wrong. I made the mistake of starting the first episode one summer night when I was alone in my room plunged in the dark. I’m not usually easily creeped out but I can promise you I was that night, so much that I stopped watching in the middle of the episode and could only bring myself to finish it once the sun was shining the next day. That was the beginning of my love story with the show.

Since then, I have religiously watched every season as it was broadcasted. Let’s be honest though, I haven’t loved all of them like I loved the first one, Murder House. What’s particular in American Horror Story, other than the genre, is the fact that each season can be seen as a stand-alone miniseries, with completely different plots, settings and characters (although the cast stays approximately the same throughout). It can be a blessing, always bringing a fresh storyline and new characters on the table, but it can also be a curse: if the plot isn’t interesting, then the whole season is just… meh.

Me after Coven

That’s actually what happened to me. I loved season 1 (Murder House). Season 2 (Asylum) brought in a different story, but the spookiness that I absolutely loved in the first season was still there. Then came season 3, Coven, with its witches and magical and powerful characters. Although that season wasn’t as creepy, being an absolute fan of magic and witchcraft, I found the plot really interesting. That said, the horror label was coming off a little bit. Season 4, Freak Show, furthered my feeling of watching something else entirely, and I was completely lost by season 5, Hotel. Although Lady Gaga gave an outstanding performance in that one, I thought that was the only good thing about the whole show, and I was extremely disappointed. I had to push myself to watch the whole thing. Needless to say, it took me a while to finally start season 6, Roanoke. But I knew at the end of the first episode that AHS was back in my heart.

The season starts with Shelby and Matt, a couple, and Matt’s sister Lee, who appear in a documentary called “My Roanoke Nightmare” recounting the horrible and supernatural events that occurred in the house they had just moved into. Turns out the house was built on the land where the famous Roanoke Colony had moved to after their mysterious disappearance. What’s interesting this season is that “tv show within a tv show” concept. Throughout the 10 episodes, we follow the main characters AND the actors that play them in the documentary, as they go back to the haunted house, through a series of fixed cameras or body-cams. It’s creepy as it should be (although perhaps a little gore) and the cast is simply amazing!

Shout out to Evan Peters

All in all, Roanoke is one of the best seasons of American Horror Story, if not THE best, and it has definitely revived my love for the show. Next season will revolve around the 2016 US Election and I truly have high hopes for it. I hope it won’t let me down!

Have you watched American Horror Story? What’s your favorite season?