Season 7 Was a Mistake: Here's the Season Riverdale Should've Ended With
The show peaked that season.
Even though The CW's Riverdale became a massive hit when its first season was released, there was no guarantee that the writers could maintain the same level of excellence, especially seeing how, even in the very first season, there was a discernible decline in quality with each new episode.
The show's peculiar and often absurd plot twists have been widely mocked by both fans and critics, who were often amused by how quickly the writers seemed to be running out of good ideas and resorting to all kinds of highly implausible plot devices to keep the audiences engaged with the show. Following a disastrous final episode last season, it became painfully clear that the show should have been put out to pasture long before that.
Undeniably, Riverdale's first season is regarded as its finest. The captivating central mystery facilitated character development at a comfortable pace, and the small-town ambience was unmatched, perfectly tapping into nostalgia. However, it would have been unreasonable to end the show after such a successful beginning, so the show had to go on.
The second season proved to be a great spectacle to watch, even though the plot became somewhat more implausible compared to the first instalment. Trouble began in season 3, as the show descended into chaos for no discernible reason. The third season was so poorly received that fans often joke it was produced solely to make the fourth season look better by comparison.
In retrospect, it would appear that the show should have ended with Season 2, which was the true pinnacle of the entire narrative. The central mystery became more pronounced, and the subplots harmonised to make each episode thrilling and powerful.
Throw in a serial killer, a secret child, and a teenage romance, and you have the perfect Riverdale season that many agree should have been its final one for the sake of the show's legacy.