Riverdale has taken the world by storm, making it one of the most talked-about shows this year. Adding a dramatic spin on the beloved Archie Comics, this series has captivated the hearts and minds of just about everyone: your sister, your best friend and even your mom.
The true question this show asks us, though, is which heartthrob will win us over. With Archie Andrews played by KJ Apa and Jughead Jones played by Cole Sprouse, it is a difficult choice. Whether you were a Suite Life of Zack and Cody fan, or melt while watching interviews of Apa talk in his Kiwi accent, it is clear these two guys steal the show.
Archie and Jughead are shown as childhood friends who had a falling out as they matured throughout school. Maybe the tension between the characters makes the show even more interesting, or maybe you and I are just waiting to see their camaraderie again as illustrated in the comics. Regardless, we get a Team Edward/Team Jacob vibe as we glue ourselves to our laptop screens every week, waiting to see how the crew’s social relationships turn out.
If you are finding it hard to decide which of these two heartthrobs is the best, here is an analysis of their character strengths and weaknesses.
Archie Andrews
He can sing, he plays football, and overall he is pretty good looking. Archie has a good relationship with his dad, went through a dramatic transformation in the summer (total glow up!), and realistically, who doesn’t fall for a sweet guy who can sing? This redhead may be a seemingly perfect human being, but to be honest, he can be a bit oblivious at times and kind of naïve. He completely missed out on an opportunity to get together with Betty, and above it all went through with his sketchy relationship with Ms. Grundy. Right now, Valerie looks like his next best shot at a girlfriend, and with her support for his music career, it will be interesting to see how that all pans out. Overall, Archie is the typical misunderstood jock, and many of us of course can’t help but adore that.
Jughead Jones
If you are like me, you might have fallen for Cole Sprouse’s intellectual persona as Cody Martin on the Suite Life seven years ago. But now, as he plays edgy Jughead Jones, you’ll really love his character. Although he gives off the angsty teenage “you don’t understand me, mom” vibe, Jughead seems like the most put-together, sincere character. He has a love for writing, has a good sense of self, and even when dealing with adversity he pursues his passions. We find ourselves cheering for “Bughead” as he and Betty try to solve the murder of Jason Blossom. With Jughead’s sarcastic sense of humour and the beginnings of his cute fling with Betty, Sprouse’s character proves to have a stellar personality on top of his killer good looks.
The cast of Riverdale never fails to excite us, and regardless of who floats your boat, we can say that Archie and Jughead are both great guys to fangirl over. Now, we just need to wait out another week before we can see more drama unfold.