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TV Show Salaries & Earnings: Riverdale

Spooky Series or Too Much Teenage Drama?

If there’s something we can all agree is that TV shows and series for teenagers and millennials are quite common nowadays, and if you ask us, we believe this is what makes it difficult to find more variety. 

However, don’t think we are trying to neglect them or say they aren’t good in the first place, because many go beyond the simple term and instead reach the point of being amazing, and you shouldn’t miss them. 

Riverdale is part of those series you should definitely watch if you want some teen drama plus a touch of mystery that might be more than a little bit. 

Of course, it may not be for everyone, and if you are here, it can be for two things: you either want to learn a bit more about the series as a fan or decide whether it is worth your time or not. 

Regardless of what it is, we are confident about having the information and details you want. 

Archie Comics x Riverdale Series

To know where all the story comes from, you will need to know that Riverdale is actually based on the comic book publisher stories, Archie Comic Publications, Inc. 

All the characters on Riverdale are fictional and set in the city that shares the show’s name. 

If you aren’t familiar with Archie Comics, you might have heard about “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” which is also a comic book series of the publisher. 

Why do we go to the extent of mentioning this? Because you must know that Riverdale isn’t only a fictional town, but it is also located near the fictional town of Greendale, where the series “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” takes place following the previous comic book mentioned. 

Overall, Riverdale is the setting for most stories in the Archie Comics universe, so you will hear a lot about it.

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Now, how is the series plot and story set in the town and with the fictional characters created by the publisher? This is the plot you can follow:

Riverdale, described as a quiet town, is rocked by the death of Jason Blossom. 

Blossom was a popular high school student who belonged to the most powerful family in the town. 

Archie, one of our main characters, and his friends examine the daily struggles of small-town life while tackling the disturbing case of Jason Blossom. 

The ragtag group of friends must first uncover the secrets hidden beneath the surface of their hometown in order to solve the mystery and discover that Riverdale might not be as innocent and innocent as it seems.

Like in every series, the plot or stories of the show can change based on the season. For season 1, the plot is entirely focused on Blossom’s death. 

However, while the series progresses, you will notice how the group of friends need to uncover more mysteries in the town and handle their lives involved in treason, lies, and big changes.

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How Did the Series Come to Life?

If we think about it, it isn’t weird for a comic book series to come to the big or small screen, especially now that those types of films and shows are quite popular. 

However, even we know the basics about where does the story comes from and its plot, how did people decide to make it a series, and who is responsible for it? 

The production of Riverdale actually involves Warner Bros. as the main party to make it real. 

But going into detail, we will go over the entire production team. 

As a teen drama and mystery series based on characters by Archie Comics, you still need to develop some of the story based on the comic books and some creativity, which is why Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa was given the role to do so. 

Meanwhile, Jon Goldwater, Sarah Schechter, Greg Berlanti, Michael Grassi, and Roberto himself took the roles of executive producers.

Finally, J.B. Moranville is the producer of the series. 

But what about the companies and editors involved? 

Stephen Jackson and David Lanzenberg took the lead for cinematography, while Paul Karasick, Harry Jierjian, and Marvin Matyka are the editors in charge. 

As for production companies, we have not only Warner Bros. Television but also Berlanti Productions, CBS Studios, and Archie Comics, being Warner Bros. Television the respective distributor as well. 

The TV series started its development with Warner Bros. in 2013 as an Archie feature film instead of a show in specific. However, after some time and ideas, the main idea of developing a series with Archie and his gang was more appealing. 

Initially, Fox took the process of producing the series, but then The CW took it when the first didn’t want to continue it. 

Thankfully, The CW did because if it weren’t for them, we wouldn’t have one of the best series of the moment.

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Knowing the Cast & Their Salaries

Riverdale involves lots of people like in most TV shows. 

With five seasons for a total of 89 episodes so far, you can bet a lot is going on in the crew and cast, including the money they earn the more the series continues to be aired. 

Here, we will only focus on the main characters and their salaries as recurrent actors and actresses that allow the series to continue: 

  • KJ Apa as Archie Andrews. 
  • Lili Reinhart as Betty Cooper. 
  • Camila Mendes as Veronica Lodge. 
  • Cole Sprouse as Jughead Jones. 
  • Marisol Nichols as Hermione Lodge. 
  • Madelaine Petsch as Cheryl Blossom. 
  • Ashleigh Murray as Josie McCoy. 
  • Luke Perry as Fred Andrews. 
  • Vanessa Morgan as Toni Topaz.

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Among those actors, KJ, Lili, Camila, Cole, Madelaine, and other close members of the cast, reportedly made $40k per episode back in 2018. 

However, as for 2021, the primary cast of the series is usually paid between $70k to $80k per episode. Meanwhile, the secondary cast got an increase as well, though there aren’t official reports about how much they earned in the first place. 

With salaries that aren’t that much of a joke for actors and actresses, is the series and studio able to afford them? If they are paying for it, they sure do, but it is hard to know how much budget is set per episode since this information isn’t disclosed either the details of how much The CW makes for every season aired. 

5 Surprising Facts About Riverdale

  • Every Riverdale episode is based on a movie, which you can notice with every episode title. 
  • Cole Sprouse fought for Jughead, his character, to be asexual. 
  • Vanessa Morgan got several death threats when she joined the series.
  • The show has dark pop-culture inspirations. 
  • The entire series is filled with hidden numerical meanings which you might want to discover.

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Written by Dame Cash

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