#tabitoni

Buckle up for this one. Got some hot takes for ya, and I yap for too long about my favorites. I also just want to preface this by saying every single relationship in this show has its faults, like relationships irl. And Riverdale in general didn’t do a great job with writing friendships specifically. So a lot of the friendships on this list don’t have a ton of material. A lot of my own feelings and head canons therefore play a big part.

Once again, these are MY opinions! :)

10. Jughead & Tabitha

None of Jughead’s romantic relationships did that much for me. Tabitha was the only where I was like “eh, that’s fine”. Their chemistry wasn’t anything to write home about, but they were sweet & I think Tabitha is a good character. They were done SO dirty in S7 tho…

9. Archie & Reggie (platonic)

This is mainly for the S7 of it all. The threesome was NOT it, but their bromance was so fcking adorable and hilarious in S7. I did love the rivalry they had in previous seasons too.

8. Toni & Tabitha (platonic)

Ughhhh what an underrated and healthy friendship. Tabitha in general deserved more/better, but what we did get with these two was awesome. Easily of the BEST dynamics in the S5/S6 era of the show.

7. Betty & Veronica (platonic)

Beronica. SOOOOO iconic. One of the most iconic duos in comics. But… I think a lot of their relationship was very one-sided, with Veronica often being a much better friend to Betty. Mainly in S2-S6. Their closeness fell off after S1 and then S7 they kinda rekindled it, but also went romantic with it. Which, personally, I wasn’t the biggest fan of. I felt like the opportunity to properly explore that (and not have it feel tacked on) passed a long time ago. But alas, they are incredibly iconic and I loved them in S1.

6. Kevin & Clay

Clay, the love interest Kevin always DESERVED. Loving, supportive, kind, it’s just too bad it took them until S7 to give us this kind of relationship for Kevin. And between Clay's social justice & art, he wasn't just a one-dimensional love interest either. One of only TWO canonically confirmed endgames on the show, I enjoyed watching their relationship grow over the final season.

5. Jughead & Cheryl (platonic)

ALRIGHT, hear me out! This one may be a little niche, and we didn’t get that much of them, but I wanted more SOOOOO BADLY. They are so very opposite in many, many ways, but that’s part of why their dynamic could’ve been so interesting and fun. I think their scenes in 7x18 are very indicative of the kind of hilarity that could’ve ensued from their friendship. Even though they fight and are snarky with one another, there was almost always a mutual respect and trust between them. Also, the fact that there is 0 chance for romance & they’re two of my absolute favorites just makes it even more appealing to me lol.

4. Veronica & Cheryl (platonic)

The friendship Veronica always deserved imo! Yeah, it may be one of the more complicated ones. But they’re two sides of the same coin, who went through SO much together. Nick, the maple rum business, Veronica helping Toni save Cheryl from Quiet Mercy, etc. I feel like they were often very supportive without having to be so outright about it. They have had a very intense rivalry and some not so great moments (Cheryl slut shaming the girls, Veronica included), but at the end of the day their dynamic is so interesting and their pasts/families are so similarly dark and messed up that I think they could’ve been the best friendship on the show.

3. Archie & Jughead (platonic)

Ohhhhhh my best boys! I’ve always found them to be the real heart and soul of the source material. Like most of the friendships on the show, they definitely dropped off in later seasons, they went through so much, supported each other through so much, that it’s hard to not keep rooting for them, even if the writers let their romantic relationships get in the way of showcasing their great friendship. Despite fights and disagreements, they always come back together to support the other when they need it. Like Archie having Jughead stay at his house when Jug was living at school, when Jughead followed Archie on the run, or when Archie stood up for Jughead against Reggie. They will always be my favorite Riverdale friendship and I wish they hadn’t been another victim of the rvd writers in the later seasons.

2. Archie & Veronica

My beautiful Varchie… They were my very first ship on the show, I was rooting for them from the very beginning. Their blooming romance in S1 specifically had so much heart, that their scenes still stand out as some of the cutest and most sincere moments on the show for me. She was there by his side when Fred was shot, they were both there for each other with everything Hiram put them through, even when Archie was imprisoned. They are over-hated to an insane degree, and tend to be reduced to being “all about sex” for a lot of fans, which I just find kind of… gross. They’re emotional, young, consensually physical together, both attractive people, so what’s wrong with that? All that doesn’t mean they don’t have a genuine connection.

I think Archie really shows her that she can and deserves to love and be loved by someone else, that love isn’t about money or power but about support & respect. Likewise, Archie gets strength from her, he’s introduced into a whole new world, one that helps him grow and figure out what he wants from life. He brings her down to earth and she teaches him to reach for the stars. I think growing together and learning from one another is such a beautiful and integral part of any relationship. Also imo, they have chemistry in freakin SPADES. Ugh I just really love them together. They deserved to be endgame, to find their way back to each other and moved to California to experience a new way of life together.

1. Cheryl & Toni

MY BELOVED CHONI. Was there really any other option here? Their love story is truly one of the most heartwarming and beautiful ones I’ve ever seen on tv. Enemies to lovers to exes to starcrossed lovers across all space and time. True soulmates, meant to find each other time and time again in every universe. Despite every relationship being turned on its head in S7, Choni were the only consistent ones. Only wanted each other. And even though they were estranged for 7 years and went through crazy (sometimes toxic shit) in high school, they never fell out of love. They came out of it all stronger and better for it all, even. Before S7, their relationship fell to the wayside, as did almost every other pairing (*sideyes Bughead*), but everything we got still showed them to be incredibly supportive, loving, and loyal.

Toni was there for Cheryl every step of the way, she helped her come out, she made her see that she’s worthy of love. That she is more than what her family abused her into thinking. And Cheryl had her personal issues and didn’t always handle it well, but she ALWAYS had Toni’s best interests at heart. Always. She gave Toni the family and life she’d always craved, Cheryl gave HER a kind of love she didn’t realize she deserved. A bombastic, passionate love full of mutual support. They were there for each other, without hesitation. And S7 just showed that they had all that AND had grown and learned from their past mistakes. S7 showed Toni having more agency, with Cheryl right there to actively support her in everything she chose to do. Not to mention, Madelaine & Vanessa’s chemistry was outta this world insane… like… whoa.