When series reach the number that this has done – and often a fair bit before - I find that they invariably ‘lose it’ and my interest fades. Teen Wolf was a good example and, particularly so, Riverdale. I usually have the sense that the writers are trying too hard to come up with new ideas and situations, particularly if, like Riverdale, they stick with essentially the same cast that they started with.
I was beginning to feel this with the last series as, although there were some cast changes (a school setting helps with this due to the ebb and flow of pupils over school years) we seemed to be re-treading over-familiar ground. We started with a murder, many suspects, differing pov’s about key events and over-emphatic use of flash-forwards which, in the first series worked very well but in some of the latter ones, became an almost knee-jerk structural device.
However here there seemed to be a much tighter dramatic focus and even though a good number of familiar and loved characters had gone, the plot lines with the newer characters were really involving, particularly the Patrick/Ivan relationship which was really thoughtfully and quite powerfully explored. The character arc of Patrick since his first appearance has been interesting too. Starting initially as a brattish, and spoilt party boy, he has developed into a really rather interesting and sympathetic individual. And it is also interesting in that while he is very attractive indeed (Manu Rios!!)
There seemed to be a tighter structural control on the unfolding of the story (with not too many different storylines) and the use of initially baffling flash-forwards to the present was used much more judiciously, and so effectively. It is not the conventional slightly-bland cookie-cutter standard of attractiveness of a young gay person in a teen series (although there are plenty of those around, particularly in the scenes set in the changing room with the showers in the background!) but something more unusual and distinctive – and so interesting.
All came to a pretty satisfying conclusion with a dramatic ‘reveal’ about the last climactic event and an even more luridly startling event in the closing minutes of the final episode which screamed ‘there IS going to be another series’.
The production values are fantastic, particularly with the costume budget which must be vast – and I remain impressed at how the characters can party so heavily on most night of the week and then get back to school. But we are in a sexy soap opera that happens to be set in and around an international school, of course so…