Goodbye Pop’s Chock’lit Shoppe! Here’s Why Riverdale is Ending After S7

The CW’s most popular teen drama in recent years, Riverdale, has finally come to an end after a long run of 7 seasons. The series finale aired on Netflix this week.

The CW has been on a cancellation spree lately, as they’ve cancelled several running shows without any explanation. However, Riverdale’s cancellation might come as a surprise to many as it was different from the other CW shows.

Riverdale has been airing for a long time and has also been popular as a Netflix original outside the US. But every show must run its course at some point.

Riverdale was cancelled because the show had wrapped up its story satisfactorily. The series has come to a natural end after a long and successful run on The CW. The CW’s recent financial troubles may also have contributed to its cancellation.

1. The CW Saga

The cancellation of Riverdale may have resulted from various factors. The CW and the problems it has been facing lately may have heavily contributed to it.

One of the reasons why Riverdale was cancelled is the expiration of the lease for some CW filming studios, which indicated the network’s reluctance to renew a long-term contract. Another factor is the intention of CBS and Warner Bros. (which recently merged with Discovery) to sell the CW, as the network has never been profitable on its own.

The CW’s lack of profitability was not an issue before because the network had a lucrative distribution deal with Netflix, which acquired the on-demand rights to all of its shows. This is why Riverdale is branded as a Netflix Original outside of the US.

However, this deal ended in 2019, as the CW wanted to reserve its content for its own streaming services, HBO Max and Paramount+, which are now in direct competition with Netflix.

The CW has been cancelling many of its shows lately, especially ones belonging to the DCEU, such as Gotham Knights, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, and Batwoman. Shows like The Winchesters, Dynasty and The Legacies have also been cancelled.

Riverdale may have been another series to fall victim to The CW’s spree of cancellations. But it would be a stretch to say The CW’s failure as a network is the only reason behind Riverdale getting cancelled.

2. It Was Time for Riverdale to Say Goodbye

Now, coming to some hard truths, Riverdale may have been cancelled because it had already run its course. The show has been airing for 7 years with 7 seasons. It was long enough for a popular teen drama.

The series has frequently been criticized for its bizarre plot points. While it is definitely one of the most popular teen dramas of recent years, it is not beyond criticism. Instead of coming up with more bizarre plot points to drag the series, it is a good decision to end it at the right time.

The series finale gave a good ending to all its characters. In fact, they even found a way to satisfy the fans of every couple in the series by putting the four main characters – Betty, Veronica, Archie and Jughead into a quad relationship. If I’m not wrong, this is the first time we’ve seen such a relationship in a teen drama.

So, it is the right time for Riverdale to end. Dragging the show further would ruin its legacy and charm.

3. About Riverdale