Dear Riverdale Fandom...I’m talking to you, Bughead shippers especially. Part 1
As a long time Archie’s comics/cartoon fan, I’ll say that I’ve had about enough now. I know people get annoyed when other people are all like “i was a fan before everyone else” or “they ruined the book/comic/webcomic/etc.”, but I reached a point where I’m just going to say fuck it. Today I’m coming at you with everything I’ve noticed, dealt with, and have seen within this show and fandom, and it has to stop. And if it doesn’t, the collective feelings of a lot of people should at least be acknowledged. I, like many, were really fucking excited when I found out that Archie’s comics was going to become a live action television. I knew it wouldn’t be 100% like the comics/cartoons, but I hoped it would at least give a good blend of old and new. While I really do love the the addition of the serpents, the mystery drama twist, and the other little tweaks here and there, I C A N N O T S T A N D THE F A N D O M or the overall direction if the show. Especially the Bughead shippers, which honestly I feel like they make up the majority of it.
I hate Bughead. Never liked it. BUT, I’ve always tolerated the ship because you know, respect. And honestly, watching them in the show itself doesn’t really bother me nearly as much as these Bughead fanatics. I have seen countless comments on public forums and social media where Bughead shippers just tear apart Barchie shippers or people who don’t like Jughead and Betty together just in general. I ,myself, have commented on ig posts only to receive nasty responses to where admins had to delete the whole post and set rules for respect. I’ve seen news headlines talking about how Vanessa Morgan received death threats because they couldn’t bare to stand the idea of Toni’s character possibly breaking them up. DEATH THREATS. For a freaking fictional show characters’ possible actions. The day Toni and Jughead kissed was like the apocalypse had happened. I’ve read countless comments from people saying how mad they were, how they wished Toni would burn in hell, how much they cried or screamed. WHY. FUCKING WHY. I love Toni and her character is so much more than her involvement with some complicated relationship. And I know it’s not the whole Bughead shipping fandom that’s acting this absurd, but the majority of Bughead shippers that I’ve seen are fucking savage. I personally have never liked the idea of Jughead with Betty. I’ve always known his character to be laid back, lazy, food-loving, and his own person. Even though he flirted or made affectionate comments to Betty in the comics/cartoons a few times, I know that overall he never really cared for girls, and I liked that. Just a good ol’ character that doesn’t need anyone. And I like that he was even canon ace at some point because representation matters. (Which is something else I can go on about, but I’ll save that for later.) I have, and always will be Barchie shipper. But because he’s portrayed by Cole Sprouse which all the girls are crazy for, and because for some reason people see chemistry between him and Lili, the show will forever be in favor of Bughead shippers. Let’s be honest, if the producers didn’t please them, the Bughead shippers would riot, and the show would lose a majority of it’s views in a heartbeat.
Now why does my rant matter? Why can’t I let the excuse “it’s loosely based off the comics” commented and said a thousand times go? Well picture this: You’re at home, and suddenly you catch wind on social media that your favorite childhood book/comic/cartoon is being made into a movie/television show. You get all hyped up. You’re feeling a wash of nostalgia go throughout your soul. The time comes and your ready to watch it. And while overall it’s not bad, you’re irked because they changed a lot about the characters, the romances, and hell, even pretty much erased the role of the main character. You see plenty of the younger generation and people your age that wouldn’t know better since they’re new to the whole fandom, and they’re egging on social media and tweeting at the producers to keep it up, those changes don’t matter. Except they do once they start upsetting them. And you’re in the background trying to explain to them how that’s how the character is supposed to be or how you really wished that a certain change wasn’t made because it’s not the same. They grab their pitchforks and tear you apart. Because who cares about what an original fan has to say, right? Hell, even the producer doesn’t give a shit anymore. They’re making better bank by pleasing these people.
I really wish that people could understand how much it sucks for the one’s that grew up reading/watching Archie that they took everything and changed it just to please Bughead shippers for views. At this point, the show is all about Betty, her oh so hard life having parents like Alice and Hal, and her relationship with Jughead. (Again, something I can go on about, but I’ll save that for later.)Now I don’t know how to express my words or feelings, so I hope some people can understand what I’m trying to get at? Maybe add to the conversation? I have more to add, but that will come eventually. I really do like the show and I definitely love the serpents and the crime aspect of it and so on. I just don’t like how it’s going and how cancerous this fandom is becoming.
kianamaiart
stormborns
dededos
tangentwithtanner
dailybridgerton
gummygunk
blakekathryn
theartofmadeline
pixelskylines
