[Note from Frolic: We are so excited to have author Emily Goodwin guest post on the site today. Take it away Emily!]
As a working mom to two young kids, I don’t get a ton of free time to just sit and relax (surprising, right?). So when I do get those rare quiet evenings when the work is done and I can sit on the couch with a glass of wine, whatever I’m binging on the TV in front of me better be good.
The two shows I can’t get enough of come from the same producer and both have the same feel of mystery, angst, and romance with just enough comedy thrown in to lighten the dark movements. Both shows feature high school age casts, but the subjects dealt with in the show are heavy and sensitive.
The first show I’m talking about is of course Riverdale. If you’re not familiar with Riverdale, it follows along a diverse and lovable cast as they deal with the normal things high school kids deal with at their age, but also the sinister issues that I love so much, including murder, cults, family drama and secrets and lies galore. It’s based off the original Archie comics, but the show took a much darker twist to things. I could probably write a whole book on the reasons to watch this show, but I’ll try to limit myself to only five.
1.) Strong female characters. Over the last three seasons, we’ve watched Betty, Veronica, and Cheryl grow into strong, take-no-shit characters who might not always do the right thing, but do what they feel is necessary in order to get by. I love when females in fiction take a stand, handle things themselves, and often come to the rescue of the boys.
2.) Friendship goals. While romance is prevalent on the show, I feel that non-romantic friendship is even more so. Without giving away spoilers, Archer and Jughead have had their ups and downs throughout the series, but always come through for each other. Some of the characters I started out shipping hard are now my favorite “friend couples” and their platonic love and loyalty to each other is so refreshing to see onscreen.
3.) They sing! Okay, so this might not be for everyone, but I love the musical element added to the show. We start off season one with Archie wanting to be a musician and then follow Josie, Cheryl, Veronica, and even Betty singing and preforming throughout the series.
4.) The deal with real issues. Along with the hyped up only-happens-on-tv drama, the show also tackles real life issues. Homophobia, drugs, the pressure to do well in school and get into college…just to name a few.
5.) The cast. I don’t think they could have cast this show any better. Cole Sprouse makes the perfect Jughead Jones. No one could portray the sweet, girl-next-door (but also badass) Betty Cooper than Lili Reinhart. K.J. Apa was born to play Archie Andrews. I don’t follow a lot of celebrities on social media, but I do follow the main cast of Riverdale on Instagram and they seem like some of the most down to earth, kind hearted, and fun people.
You might have already guessed the next show I’m obsessed with (and not so patiently waiting for the new season to start up again this April). I love this show for the same reasons I listed above about Riverdale, as many of the same issues are present. But the thing that makes me completely and totally obsessed is the magic and witchcraft in The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.
If you were a fan of Sabrina the Teenage Witch as a child…well, this is nothing like it. TCAOS is dark. Twisted. Full of characters you’re not sure you should love or hate. There’s murder, sacrifice, secrets, lies, and of course The Dark Lord.
You can take the list above and apply it directly to TCAOS as well (minus the singing, though there is a creepy cool choir at the magic school Sabrina attends). Sabrina carries a strong feminist message and I really wish I could be friends with Sabrina in real life.
Narrowing down the reasons I love this show is hard, because there is honestly so much to enjoy. But, if I had to pick just five, these are them.
1.) Sabrina is unapologetically herself. She knows she doesn’t quite fit in with the other witches, and she knows she doesn’t fit in with her mortal friends. Yet she never apologizes or wallows in self pity about not fitting in. She’s half witch, half mortal, and she’s proud of who she is.
2.) The Weird Sister. Dark, twisted, and not exactly good but not fully evil, who wouldn’t love this powerful trio? Along with their we do what we want because we’re badass witches attitude, I want to raid their closets because that gothic-chic look is hot.
3.) The Aunties. Zelda is overbearing and might come off as, well, a little bitchy. But she loves Sabrina fiercely and will do anything to protect her. And Hilda—I wish I had an aunt like her! Bubbly, more or less carefree, but will risk her own life for Sabrina if it comes down to it.
4.) The rules of magic. Don’t get me wrong, I love lighting effects or a good wind gust on set when something magical happens, but the way magic is portrayed in this show makes it seem believable. There’s no crazy CGI which makes it look like spells are actually being cast before your eyes.
5.) Salem! As a black cat owner myself, I love Salem! He’s Sabrina’s familiar, and is actually a goblin who took on the form of a cat. He’s badass and helps Sabrina out of a tough situation a time or two.
Now if that hasn’t convinced you to give Riverdale or Sabrina a try, then just turn on an episode. You’ll be hooked in a few minutes, I promise.
About the Author:
Emily Goodwin is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of over a dozen of romantic titles. Emily writes the kind of books she likes to read, and is a sucker for a swoon-worthy bad boy and happily ever afters.
She lives in the midwest with her husband and two daughters. When she’s not writing, you can find her riding her horses, hiking, reading, or drinking wine with friends.
Connect with Emily:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/emilygoodwinbooks
Instagram: www.instagram.com/authoremilygoodwin
Bookbub: http://bit.ly/2EPLbu3
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2tCZn28
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2pEHdf8
Dead of Night by Emily Goodwin, out now!
Never trust a vampire.
I might have learned that lesson the hard way. But when I find myself in a vampire-owned bar, I don’t have much of a choice. With vampires still trying to assimilate into mainstream society, I’ve done Lucas King a favor by stopping one of his patrons from draining a human dry in the basement of his bar. A favor he’d prefer to repay in bed than in kind.
Vampires and witches have had more than a jaded history, and when witches start showing up dead in surrounding covens, all signs point to something old and powerful. Something that knows the ways of the witches.
Something–or someone–like Lucas.
What’s worse than trusting a vampire? Falling in love with one.
