A Definitive Ranking of the Best (and Worst) Riverdale Characters
Riverdale is our new favorite show. There, we said it.
The show's drama keeps us coming back, but what we love most about the series is the cast of incredible characters. Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead and the rest of the Riverdale residents have become a major part of our lives—for better or for worse.
Because we feel as though we know these characters better than we should, we decided to rank them, from worst to best. Keep scrolling to see who's No. 1 on our list, but be warned—THIS POST CONTAINS SPOILERS!
26. Clifford Blossom
He shot his own son! Do we really need to explain why he's the worst character on Riverdale?
(Riverdale via The CW)
25. Hiram Lodge
Hiram was absent for the first season, because, you know, he was in jail for fraud and all that jazz. When he came back to Riverdale, we were hoping he'd be a changed man, but nope. He's all sorts of shady and we are having none of it. Can we send him back to prison?
(Riverdale via The CW)
24. Geraldine Grundy
First of all, Geraldine Grundy isn't even her real name. We understand she was trying to escape her abusive ex husband, but still. Let's not forget about her inappropriate relationship with Archie and some of her other music students. She's so gross. But at least she's gone and totally forgotten. RIP.
(Riverdale via The CW)
23. Hermione Lodge
We wanted to believe Hermione was a good person, but we're pretty sure she's about as bad as Hiram. She technically hasn't done anything that horrible, but she lies to Veronica and, for some reason, is sticking by Hiram's side when she could (and should) totally ditch him for Fred Andrews. What are you doing, Hermione?!
(Riverdale via The CW)
22. Penelope Blossom
Penelope isn't the most pleasant Riverdale resident. In fact, we don't think we've ever heard her say a single nice thing on the show. She's mean to her children, especially poor Cheryl, and she married Clifford Blossom. We're going to go out on a limb here and say she totally knew he was awful, but stayed with him anyway. We wouldn't be surprised if she even has a small part in helping Clifford hurt Jason.
(Riverdale via The CW)
21. Hal Cooper
Hal isn't all that horrible. We actually kind of like him. But he ranks low on this list because he kept an important secret from his family—the Blossoms and the Coopers are related. Secrets are no fun, Hal. Plus, we want to believe he's not the masked murderer currently terrorizing the town, but we don't know for sure that he isn't. The similarities in appearance are definitely there.
(Riverdale via The CW)
20. Mayor Sierra McCoy
Mayor McCoy has been mixed up in some pretty shady business on Riverdale. She accepted a bribe from Hermione to give Lodge Industries the Twilight Drive-In because she needed the re-election campaign money. Tsk, tsk! Let's not forget that Jughead lived there and she didn't even care she was taking away his home. Oh, and she didn't want any part in helping restore Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe, once again turning her back on Jughead.
(Riverdale via The CW)
19. FP Jones
Deep down, FP is probably a good guy, but he always ends up doing the wrong thing. Just when we think he'll finally leave the dark side, he screws it all up. He helped Clifford cover up Jason's murder after he initially kidnapped him and held him for ransom. Then he said he killed Jason, which only made it worse. But he does love Jughead and tries to be a somewhat decent father, though he could put in a little more effort.
(Riverdale via The CW)
18. Joaquin DeSantos
He also helped FP in covering up the murder of Jason Blossom. Then he skipped town, leaving FP to deal with the mess. We get it, but you also don't turn your back on your friends. Once a Serpent, always a Serpent. He does rank a bit higher because he sort of just got caught up in this whole mess. It isn't entirely his fault.
(Riverdale via The CW)
17. Mary Andrews
Though she and Fred are separated, she's a pretty okay mom. She left Riverdale for Chicago, which had Archie feeling like she chose the city over him. That isn't exactly the case, but we see where he's coming from. She's not around all that much on the series, but at least she comes back to help Archie after Fred was shot.
(Riverdale via The CW)
16. Reggie Mantle
Reggie is just your average jock. There isn't much to him, which is why he makes the middle of the list. We're also not big on the idea of him having to be recast, but we'll let that slide. For now.
(Riverdale via The CW)
15. Melody Valentine
Melody hasn't played a major role on Riverdale other than simply being a member of Josie and the Pussycats. We're hoping we get to see more and more of her as the show goes on.
(Riverdale via The CW)
14. Sheriff Keller
Poor Sheriff Keller has a lot on his plate, but somehow he manages to keep it all together. Again, he's not on the show as much as we'd like, and it's generally not a good sign when he does make an appearance, but he's a totally credible character. There's not much more to it than that.
(Riverdale via The CW)
13. Archie Andrews
Archie would rank much, much higher on this list if he weren't the town playboy. As with most characters on Riverdale, he's been through a lot. He really does have a heart of gold, but we still can't get over how many girls he was with over the course of one season. He doesn't mean any harm and gets away with almost everything he does due to his good looks and those abs, but we need him to do better. He could really be the hero this town needs. C'mon, Archiekins!
(Riverdale via The CW)
12. Kevin Keller
Kevin is the best friend everyone deserves. He's hilarious, gives great advice and has no problem telling it like it is. But he's not given enough screen time as we would like. We know there's more to him, so let's reveal that already.
(Riverdale via The CW)
11. Alice Cooper
Oh, Alice. One of the better adults on the show, she's a notable journalist and always, always gets the job done. She knows everything about everything and can get her hands on information most people can't. She's a little harsh and way too overprotective of her daughters, but we understand; Riverdale isn't the kindest to its residents. At the end of the day, she really does love her fam and wants what's best for them. She just needs to loosen the reins a little bit.
(Riverdale via The CW)
10. Jason Blossom
Poor, unfortunate Jason Blossom. Say it with us: He. Deserved. Better. This kid was dragged through the ringer and we still don't know why he was murdered. We need answers. He seemed like a pretty great kid. He always looked out for his twin sister, Cheryl, and loved Polly dearly. Only the good die young, we guess.
(Riverdale via The CW)
9. Polly Cooper
Sweet, sweet Polly. She, too, has been through a great ordeal, what with the father of her unborn children being murdered and all. But she's one tough cookie who's managed to maintain her poise and dignity despite her shortcomings.
(Riverdale via The CW)
8. Pop Tate
You can't help but love Pop Tate. He's easily the nicest character on Riverdale, always there to feed the town and be a shoulder to lean on. We're happy he got to keep his Chock'lit Shoppe, but we're not too keen on the fact that Hermione and Hiram were involved.
(Riverdale via The CW)
7. Valerie Brown
Valerie is amazing. She's so talented, has a sick wardrobe and isn't afraid to stand up for herself. She doesn't let anyone tell her what to do. She stood up to Josie when Josie wasn't too happy about her making music with Archie. Then she totally shut Archie down when he tried to get back together with her after being the worst boyfriend ever. We aspire to be as cool as this Pussycat.
(Riverdale via The CW)
6. Jughead Jones
Who doesn't have a soft spot for good ol' Jughead? He's basically all of us and has the sharpest sarcastic remarks the town of Riverdale has ever heard. His family situation is so heartbreaking and we're definitely rooting for things to get better on that front. Time and time again, he's proven to be a thoroughly resilient individual and an even greater friend. Not to mention, he's the best boyfriend. We're so glad Betty's with him and not Archie. The only reason Jughead isn't higher on this list is because of his whole "I'm a weirdo" speech. You know the one.
(Riverdale via The CW)
5. Josie McCoy
Josie is the most talented resident Riverdale has ever had. Seriously, this girl has pipes and can make any cover she performs sound better than the original. She's almost too good for the town, though. She really needs to get her big break already so she can be the star the world deserves. We're rooting for you, Josie!
(Riverdale via The CW)
4. Veronica Lodge
Mean-girl-turned-little-miss-nice Veronica Lodge is a powerful human being. She knows how to get what she wants without really hurting anyone in the process. (She could teach her parents a thing or two). Our favorite thing about Veronica is her relationship with Cheryl. Cheryl's definitely not the easiest person to love, but Veronica was by her side through it all. And we can't forget to mention her incredible friendship with Betty. B and V forever!
(Riverdale via The CW)
3. Fred Andrews
Fred Andrews is a true gem. He's the only adult who isn't entirely crazy and is the voice of reason everyone really needs to start listening to. What more can we say? He's just the best. If everyone were like Fred Andrews, the world would be a much better place.
(Riverdale via The CW)
2. Betty Cooper
Betty Cooper is a constant light that shines through all of the town's darkness. She's so pure, but isn't afraid to do what needs to be done in order to get the job done. She's smart, caring and determined. She's the type of person you turn to when you need help with any situation. Betty will always be there for her friends, no matter what they've gotten themselves into. We all have a lot to learn from Betty.
(Riverdale via The CW)
1. Cheryl Blossom
Without a doubt, Cheryl Blossom is the best character on Riverdale. She always brings the fire… literally. And no one pulls off a red lip quite like this princess. But what makes Cheryl so fantastic is how much she's changed over the course of the show. She was first introduced as the typical mean girl, but became so much more by the end of the first season. She lost her twin brother, the only person she was close to, and realized how horrible her parents truly are. Instead of letting this destroy her, she uses it to become a better person. She's on the path of redemption now. Watch out, world.
(Riverdale via The CW)
Wondering which character you're most like? Your zodiac sign is revealing your Riverdale counterpart HERE.