Things aren’t always what you expect in Riverdale. Based on the iconic characters from Archie Comics and produced by Berlanti Productions (The Flash, Supergirl, Blindspot, Everwood), this one-hour drama is a bold, subversive take on the surreality of small-town life. As a new school year begins, the town of Riverdale is reeling from the recent, tragic death of high school golden boy Jason Blossom — and nothing feels the same. Archie Andrews (KJ Apa) is still the all-American teen, but the summer’s events made him realize that he wants to pursue a career in music — and not follow in his dad’s footsteps — despite the sudden end of his forbidden relationship with Riverdale’s young music teacher, Ms. Grundy (Sarah Habel). Which means Archie doesn’t have anyone who will mentor him — certainly not singer Josie McCoy (Ashleigh Murray), who is only focused on her band, the soon-to-be-world-famous Pussycats. It’s all weighing heavily on Archie’s mind — as is his fractured friendship with budding writer and fellow classmate Jughead Jones (Cole Sprouse). Meanwhile, girl-next-door Betty Cooper (Lili Reinhart) is anxious to see her crush, Archie, after being away all summer, but she’s not quite ready to reveal her true feelings to him. And Betty’s nerves — which are hardly soothed by her overbearing mother, Alice (Mädchen Amick) — aren’t the only thing holding her back. When a new student, Veronica Lodge (Camila Mendes), arrives in town from New York with her mother Hermione (Marisol Nichols), there’s an undeniable spark between she and Archie, even though Veronica doesn’t want to risk her new friendship with Betty by making a play for Archie. And then there’s Cheryl Blossom (Madelaine Petsch) — Riverdale’s Queen Bee is happy to stir up trouble amongst Archie, Betty, and Veronica, but Cheryl is keeping secrets of her own. What, exactly, is she hiding about the mysterious death of her twin brother, Jason? Riverdale may look like a quiet, sleepy town, but there are dangers in the shadows. Riverdale is from Berlanti Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television and CBS Television Studios, with executive producers Greg Berlanti (Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Blindspot), Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Supergirl, Glee), Sarah Schechter (Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Blindspot) and Jon Goldwater (Archie Comics). Riverdale premieres midseason on The CW.