The Functionality of Setting CW’s Riverdale: the Additive Comprehension of Betty Cooper’s Character (re-write)
In “Transmedia 202″, Henry Jenkins lists additive comprehension and multimodality as key components in unpacking transmedia texts. Additive comprehension, Jenkins explains, refers to “the degree that each new text adds to our understanding of the story as a whole” (Jenkins Transmedia 202). Jenkins divulges into this idea by explaining the distinction between adaptations vs extensions of “the story” in response to Christy Dena’s challenging of the adaptation-extension binary: “an adaptation represents an interpretation of the work in question and not simply a reproduction… all adaptations to some degree add to the range of meanings attached to a story”. I would argue that CW’s show Riverdale is less so an extension of Archie Comics series (the original ‘text’ running from 1942 to 2015), but rather an adaptation as it utilizes the unique allowances of a digital medium in order to build an interpretation of the world in which it is set. See here for a description of Riverdale.
The modality of Betty Cooper’s character from Archie comics to Riverdale has fluctuated in terms of interpretation. This can be observed in how her form has changed from print to digital: early print Betty’s skimpy clothing and open body language insinuates a sense of confidence that is not highlighted in her digital form. This is significant as Betty’s level of confidence affects how the reader/audience understand her motivations and actions towards others (particularly love interest Archie). However, one key narrative remains a core theme in her arc: on the surface, she is the archetypal girl-next-door (to Archie Andrews) however, more discreetly, grapples with a characteristically un-feminine dominance. Betty’s characterization in the early Archie Comics (see first image below) lacks somewhat in nuanced complexity: Betty’s soul preoccupation is Archie and her defiance is portrayed as jealousy.
In the latest issue of the Archie Comics, Betty’s defiance takes a new interpretation as her appearance becomes boyish to suggest a rejection of gender normativity. This arguably still lacks a nuance in her character development as she has yet to be granted both femininity and rational anguish.
As well as Betty’s form, her setting has become more defined from print to screen to engage with her arc. In Riverdale, the creators have more closely elaborated on this narrative by providing her with a primary space in which she reconciles with her inner conflict: her bedroom. In its design, the space is highly feminized (see images below) and how she interacts with the space is similarly so. For example, the two sites Betty is often placed is at her window staring longingly out at Archie or sat staring at her reflection at her dressing table. There is tangible additive comprehension in these scenes: the most volatile confrontations between herself and her toxic mother happen in these sites and often close with a shot of Betty staring expressionless into the mirror. With her child-like bedroom in the background, these shorts suggest Betty’s home life as far more sinister than the comics let on, adding complexity to her character. As Jenkins says in Christy Dena’s words, “the shifts between media mean that we have new experiences and learn new things”. Thus, the subtleties made possible by the camera contribute to the overarching narrative that imagines Betty as an unassumingly complex character.
works cited:
Jenkins, Henry. “Transmedia 202: Further Reflections.”Confessions of an Aca-Fan, 31 July 2011, henryjenkins.org/2011/08/defining_transmedia_further_re.html
