1. The best cliffhangers of all time

Starting off with a murder kind of sets the tone for just how many ups and down you'll face when watching a show like "Riverdale." Every episode has the right amount of suspense (we'll get to that later), and the showrunners seem to know just when to keep you wanting more — meaning the cliffhangers can get pretty intense. Oh, you wanted to know if this character died? Welp, you're gonna have to stay tuned for the next episode, and that's just how we like it.

2. Fan theories

I mean, the show started off with murder...how can fan theories not be a thing?! Between the question of who killed Jason Blossom to who is the infamous Black Hood (and so much more), the fans of "Riverdale" are super sleuths that can give Betty and Jughead a run for their money on cracking a case.

3. The ships (Bughead, etc.)

Death and destruction may follow the small town, but that doesn't mean we can't have some romance. We've got your Bughead (Betty and Jughead), Choni (Cheryl and Toni), and Varchie (Veronica and Archie)...and there's a ton more. You obviously can't have a teen show without some romance, and "Riverdale" sure doesn't lighten up on the serious relationship goals throughout its seasons.

4. There's a perfect balance between dark and light

As we've touched on, this show has a lot of mystery and suspense, but it also has a lot of sweet moments between friends too. With such a mixture, the show's creators have spent a good amount of time pairing the suspense with the light-hearted moments, which makes the horrors that fall into the laps of Archie Andrews and his friends that much worse.

5. The Southside Serpents (and maybe the Ghoulies)

What's a show without some drama, and luckily for us, the Southside Serpents are pretty good at bringing some chaos in the quaint town of Riverdale. The gang may get a bad rep because they're on the wrong side of the tracks, but don't let that fool you into thinking some of the members in the Serpents aren't as bad as they seem (I mean, they do have Jughead after all). Between the fierce loyalty, the members, and the fact that their king is FP Jones, a.k.a. Skeet Ulrich, you can't really go wrong in loving the mischievous bunch.

6. The *many* storylines

Sure, you've got the key storylines that run the show but there's also soooo many sub-plots that this show thrives off of. Much like the balance of mystery and cutesy stuff, the show also gives its main storylines a breather with smaller ones. While the multiple storylines can seem like a lot, the show does them in a way that makes sense and isn't overwhelming.

7. The actors IRL

The cast makes any show, and "Riverdale" is certainly no exception. The bond between the real-life cast members is easy to see in interviews and social media posts, and it's even evident as they play their characters on the show. Taking their real friendships and putting them in their characters not only helps make the scenes believable, but it also rings true to the most important thing about the show: friendships are everything.

8. It talks about important issues

The show may be a light teen drama with true crime elements, but surprisingly, it deals with some pretty major issues. One of the most important? The time Cheryl is nearly sexually assaulted at the hands of Nick St. Clair. Without giving anything away, the moment is finished by showing just how strong women can be — something that's especially important in a post-Harvey Weinstein and the #MeToo movement world.