Riverdale: A Research on the Existence of Proper Women Representation

on a Popular Television Show

Feminism has casted quite a storm of issues for almost a century. Particularly in

-the 1960s and so on, second wave United States Feminists debated over what

constitutes “masculinity” and “femininity” where autonomy, rationality, physical strength,

and fairness or justice are associated with “masculinity,” whereas qualities such as

connectedness to others, emotionality, physical weakness, and caring were associated

with “femininity”[ CITATION Ton09 \l 1033 ]. Eventually, these debates bore out “sameness”

Feminists who believed that women are as much capable as men and antagonized the

practice of “sexism” and “difference” feminists who believed that women do not need to

conform with male standards and who antagonized “androcentrism” which is a belief

that men’s ways are the norm hence should be followed by women for them to be

considered equal to men [ CITATION Ton09 \l 1033 ]. Be that as it may, in the present

setting, a question still probes: Have women really combatted the sexism or

androcentrism at home, in the society, of the state, of the many different forms of media

most particularly home television and online streaming channels?

In this paper, we focus specifically on a show weekly distributed by the CW

Channel and the online streaming platform called Netflix. The show that spanned 3

Seasons and garnered millions of fans on a platform with 75% female subscription and

popular to individuals ages 18-49 based on a survey by Statista (2017). With such a

rate on potential female viewers, and an ensemble cast of female personalities, it

should be understandable, therefore, that Riverdale must have an impact on women

and must have depicted women empowerment in some form or another. We shall

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specifically focus on how the characters in the show are dealt with by writer Roberto

Aguirre-Sacasa, Second, how the show depicted the modern feminist view in its most

honest form, and third, how it eventually contradicted itself and, thus, failed to maintain

its past success in representing women.

In an article by Ilana Kaplan (2017), the author stated that, and this was a praise

on Season 1 of the show, “In fact, it’s the women of Riverdale who take the lead, while

men, like Archie, are secondary characters.” She then goes on to say that the show

succeeded in “updating the classic comic to a time where women are empowered.” True

enough, writer Aguirre-Sacasa did a fantastic job giving the female main characters

Betty and Veronica a place where they did not fawn over one guy but a more important

role that even by today’s standard is still lacking a commonplace treatment in our

society: women as leaders. The classic character Veronica is portrayed by Camila

Mendes and is a Hispanic character representing not only a strong female presence but

also the underrepresented Hispanic community. Indeed, there has been an increase of

Hispanic women representation in television shows constituting about 30% increase

since 2000-2007[ CITATION MCa08 \l 1033 ] and a 25.2% increase since 2011-2016 hence,

these cultured Hispanic women has been increasingly dominating our television screens

and, thus, also helping viewers see the Hispanic women culture in a new light [ CITATION

Rod16 \l 1033 ]. That being said, Betty portrayed by Lili Reinhart is equal to Veronica in

terms of leading her friends on the murder mystery of season 1 [ CITATION Ila17 \l 1033 ] .

Betty, the same as her actress, is a blonde woman and is the typical American girl

based on her looks. Astoundingly, these perceptively strong female characters could

also represent both the “feminist” and “womanist” in Tong’s (2009) article on “Feminist

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Thought”: The feminist being the Western woman fighting for women’s rights based on

Western biases while the “womanist” being the woman not only fighting for women’s

rights but also against western ideals to feminism since a “womanist”, as described by

Tong, is part of the women minority that is not considered “white”. Be that as it may,

both women found strength when the other characters were weak enough to find their

purpose in the show. Indeed, Betty and Veronica are the women who had control of

their own fate and outside of typical male scrutiny as opposed to the male characters

such as Archie who was portrayed as a sex-driven, heroic albeit idiotic, character

despite him being the protagonist in the classic comics. True enough, the writer Aguirre-

Sacasa, was a pro for women representation in the way he wrote the women in the

show which includes, but not limited to, Tony Topaz, a haughty teenager who speaks

for a naturally male-dominated gang, Betty’s mother Alice, a fearless reporter, and

Cheryl Blossom, a teenager whose brother was murdered but did not stop for seeking

justice for his untimely death. In the course of Season 1, we find that these female

characters are mostly the highlights of the show. It is also no mystery that teenagers,

young adults, and adults flock to watch the show as it is one of those shows that depict

strong female presence which is still evidently lacking even in today’s standards.

In Season 1 of the show, the women characters are already emphasized as

strong and equal or of the same stature as their male counterparts except two

characters namely Ethel and Veronica’s Mother Hermione. Despite the influx of strong

female characters, these two are notable in the first season as either abused and

discriminated as weak. Ethel, an obese teenager, is a girl constantly bullied at school

and is continually being mistreated even by her so-called friends and even teachers.

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Hermione, although depicted as strong and capable at first despite the financial

problems of her family, is actually very submissive to her husband and, thus depicting

the Hispanic culture of women being submissive to the wishes of their husbands

frequently shown in primetime television inside and outside of the West [ CITATION

Rod16 \l 1033 ]. The balanced mixture of strong and dependent women pulverized by

societal standards is an astounding feat for a show. By no mean that depicting weak

women in the show make them look weak and, in all actuality, it drives viewers more to

the harrowing truth: that discrimination and violence against women still exist.

Eventually, in the subsequent seasons, the characters Ethel and Hermione

improve and become more improved with Ethel finally fighting for her own self against

the males bullying her and Hermione becoming mayor and having a business on her

own terms. There is also an episode were sexism was focused upon when male

students listed all female students they had a relationship or fling with and put up scores

based on the value of the women. This is a major depiction of sexism and discrimination

against women and the show does exactly the correct thing in showing it to the viewers

to garner awareness of its continued existence in real life. In total, writer Aguirre-Sacasa

dealt with the characters in Riverdale in the best possible characterization with little to

no bias. Indeed, in the first two seasons of the show, Riverdale did a great job in

representing women despite the quirks of the show that will also be covered in this

paper.

Howard-Williams and Katz (2013) believed that women, as early as the 1950s,

have already achieved their most honest form in their depiction on television and, thus,

is constantly being empowered by the media despite flawed results. They also added

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that, “Features of the technology itself and the possibility that it could have broken down

barriers between genders … the context of reception, including the impact of the

introduction of this new medium into the domestic sphere and its interaction with the

broader social forces of the time … and the content of early television.” Are attributes of

the television that could cause a shift to women empowerment thus making television a

key factor to women empowerment. Applying this study to today’s standards, we find

that the online streaming platform called Netflix will do what 1950s television did: to

further empower and represent women and fit them to today’s standards. The features

of Netflix itself, giving a more organized experience for any audience, man or woman,

as to what he or she wants to watch. If the individual wants to watch shows or movies or

documentaries about women, their discrimination and empowerment, the online

streaming factor will cater its interface to their needs. Next, the context of reception:

Netflix continually produces shows which cater to people in the domestic sphere such

as Chinese, Filipino, Hispanic, Korean, Japanese shows and the like and not only

Western shows giving way not only to empowerment of women by Western standards

but also Multicultural Feminism as the selection caters to any individual of any culture.

Finally, the content of early television will always be the standard to be shunned on

followed. As television in the modern times evolve, so must be the selection that is

offered to the public. Indeed, even an online streaming service like Netflix is now a form

of television, a much more improved one, and from time to time caters to eliminating

cultural barriers. Indeed, television shapes our current understanding of the world

[ CITATION How13 \l 1033 ] . A show like Riverdale which is shown in both television and the

online streaming service has double exposure. Riverdale influences more people with

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each episode it streams to the public. Any empowerment or flaw of the show will affect

its viewers, hence, any iteration of feminism depicted in said show must be carefully

disseminated to further improve the world’s view of women, their basic rights and

freedoms.

Riverdale cannot be argued as a show who shows women in their most honest

form. Indeed, aside from the occasional outfits that passes for fashion in the show that

almost depict its females in the most provocative and revealing outfits despite actually

acting as teens, there is the occasional need for a suspension of disbelief: Veronica

being able to open her own bar despite still being in high school, Betty burning her

house for some reason, Cheryl and Tony being able to wear almost nothing at all in

school, depiction of LGBTQ concentration camps, and teenager boys constantly

removing their shirts and showing off their bodies. This in no way is a critique on the

show and as in any show, it is fiction hence suspension of disbelief is necessary.

However, on the subject of female representation, the show, despite a strong

characterization of a female cast, contradicts itself in how it presents these strong

female characters: Teens who frequently disobey the law, wears revealing clothes

inside the school, robs homes whilst wearing only undergarments, and flaunts on

muscular bodies of men. Despite Howard-Williams and Katz (2013) statement that

television is depicting female empowerment in a more positive manner than a negative

one, Riverdale seems to give a more negative message despite its strong female

characterizations. Instead as being impactful, it comes out as discriminating women

more. Despite depicting Ethel as developed, the show subsequently threw the character

under the bus by demoting her as just a woman trying to woo a deranged male and

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never was she depicted to combat all the fat-shaming she has been through. Instead of

conveying an empowering message, the show seems to show the teenagers watching it

that it is better and empowering to look like a fashion model inside the school and not

attend class and to see the other sex for their bodies rather than other factors. It seems

that by objectifying men, the writer thought that it would add to women empowerment.

Television can play the role of transmitting information to society in empowering

women by educating the society about their stand and worth [ CITATION Pre18 \l 1033 ].

Indeed, this statement clearly states how important television can affect the treatment of

society to women. As such, with Riverdale being a popular television show that is

watched by millions, objectifying female characters in such a show impacts its viewers

to objectify women in real life. A strong presence of the media means stronger influence

[ CITATION Pre18 \l 1033 ]. A strong show like Riverdale will continue to influence men to

keep believing that women only like muscular men or that objectification if completely

healthy since they see these female characters wearing nothing but undergarments or

that having frequent sexual intercourse is what women want as portrayed in the show.

At the same time female viewers are influenced more to obsess over their looks and

that wearing skimpy outfits in the public or school is completely alright. Although the

show does put on strong personalities, the amount of contradiction in its presentation is

too much to justify the show as a depiction of women in its honest form.

Despite how, in all actuality, inappropriate Riverdale is when it comes to female

representation, Netflix is not bereft of feminist shows that properly empower women. As

stated by Danielle South (2016) from an online news article: “The beauty of Netflix is

that you can jump between a female-driven show like Jessica Jones to something

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entirely different like Narcos. It’s these strides toward a more gender-balanced media

that make Netflix so special.” Indeed, Netflix is a new form of television where the

individual has control over his or her preference. Hence, gender barriers are suddenly

shattered because everything is already accessible from the start. Although in the past,

there was no profit for content that is female driven [ CITATION Sou16 \l 1033 ], Netflix

proved that it does and the 75% amount of female subscription certainly says so

[ CITATION NA17 \l 1033 ]. Riverdale may not be a content where feminists may agree on

but Netflix certainly has other shows that could make them think otherwise. Indeed,

Netflix is the new 1950s television that Howard-Williams and Katz (2013) are talking

about in their articles. The technology, the context of the times, and the content of early

television are rolled into one. Despite the flaws of Riverdale, the influence of television

or the online streaming service to women and children can never be undermined.

Riverdale, despite how it comes out as a sexist show with all the objectifications

it does, it also contains many scenes that depict how women can be powerful,

manipulative, and more vicious than men. It is a show where the female characters are

not just pushed aside. In fact, what happens is that the male cast are less fleshed-out.

However, in the combat against “Androcentrism” and “Sexism” in the mainstream media

it will not suffice. The show is too sexist when it comes to its presentation of women: It

may seek to present women as powerful but it contradicts itself by making both teens

and adults in the show wear revealing outfits and do questionable actions such as

burning and robbing houses, opening up bars where gambling is allowed, selling drugs,

bribing, and others which would remove any ounce of respect for women instead of

promoting the same for them. Indeed, the writer may have tried to combat

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“Androcentrism” by making the women do things that are outside the standards of men

by making them do these questionable actions but it ultimately fails to do so. Hence, it

did succeed in a way but it ultimately failed to become the best example of woman

empowerment in television.

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