The Pop Culture Pundit

^{Sorry, the old Archie Andrews can’t come to the phone right now (Screenshots: Warner Bros TV via YouTube/iamtherealmrfantasy via TikTok)}

Last night I received earth shattering news. No, I hadn’t won the lottery, nor have I been selected to co-star in a film starring Austin Butler (maybe someday a casting call will come along); it was that KJ Apa, aka Archie from Riverdale, was now a recording artist. Not maybe the recording artist you’re thinking–certainly not an Archie Andrews-esque one. This is not the Archie Andrews who sang an original ballad at a talent show with acoustic guitar after previously breaking his arm punching his way through an icy river to save Cheryl Blossom (Madelaine Petsch). And this is definitely not the man who sang Green Day’s “Good Riddance” at a graduation ceremony where he didn’t even get his diploma (the principal really should’ve cut him a break after everything he had been through). Archie Andrews has been reborn as a lo-fi Harry Styles–think “Watermelon Sugar” by way of Austin Powers if he collaborated with indie pop band Cannons. Archie Andrews is now Mr. Fantasy…and it’s kind of amazing. 

@iamtherealmrfantasy

The wait is over. Here is Part 1 of my very first video for my debut single “Mr. Fantasy” I love you all. The adventure has only just begun😜😜🤪🤪🤪 many more to come!!! I love you always – MR. FANTASY … now where were we? 🤪 oh and a big round of applause for John my filmographie / director thankyou John. Part 2 coming tomorrow!! “Mr. Fantasy” is out on all platforms!! Tap my Linktree to find the song or find it on the platform of your choice 😜 Song Produced by the inimitable Frenchman @Florian Gouello 🇫🇷 #mrfantasy

♬ original sound – iamtherealmrfantasy

^{iamtherealmrfantasy via TikTok}

I was obsessed with Riverdale in high school (and college). Archie was my absolute favorite character in part because of the crazy plots this man would get himself into, including but not limited to: 

• Accidentally creating a high school cult/fight club known as the Red Circle where he delivers a speech in the vein of Liam Neeson from Taken to let everyone know he means business

• Getting into a feud with his girlfriend Veronica’s (Camila Mendes) dad Hiram (Mark Consuelos), who frames him for murder 
• Spending the beginning of season 3 in prison for said murder that he was framed for, which ends with him escaping during an illegal boxing match in an abandoned pool and reuniting with bestie Jughead (Cole Sprouse) who spent the entire episode playing Dungeons and Dragons knockoff Gryphons and Gargoyles in an underground sex bunker
• Magically gaining superpowers after Veronica’s dad leaves a bomb under his bed, which explodes and makes him invulnerable, but not really because the next episode he almost dies renovating his home

Based on all of these absolutely insane events, I would write essays I never published where I envisioned updating the world on Mr. Andrew’s antics via a column called “Archie Is…” Some of the headlines I wrote include:

Archie Is…Hiding a Gun in a Toilet (“The Town that Dreaded Sundown,” Season 2, Episode 4)

Archie Is…..Invincible Now!? (“Chapter 101: Unbelievable,” Season 6, Episode 6)

Archie Is…..Not Invincible (“Chapter 102: Death at a Funeral,” Season 6, Episode 7)

Archie Is…Sad He Has to Ride a Bike ( “Chapter One Hundred and Eighteen: Don’t Worry Darling,” Season 7, Episode 1)

I will not be explaining because the lack of context makes it funnier. 

The fact that Archie Andrews has been reborn as a goofy, vintage, scrappy and silly pop star is giving me life I never knew I had. This is what men must feel like when their team wins the Superbowl – or when Paramount Plus drops a new season of Tulsa King starring Sylvester Stallone. Mr. Fantasy has been realized as reality – and the fact that his stage name is also the title of his debut song is even better (dare I even say camp, but we may never know considering Apa was the sole main cast member of Riverdale to never be invited to a Met Gala which is a crime. Lili Reinhart and Cole Sprouse slayed though). 

Point is, I feel like Mr. Fantasy is a full red circle moment for my younger self and other fans of Riverdale out there. Riverdale was a ridiculous, campy show; Apa as Archie was often the self-serious straight man, despite all the ridiculous things that happened to him, maintaining complete composure as he delivered lines like “I was born alone. I’ll die alone. I’ll sing alone. I’ll be okay.” Now free of his former self, he can truly embrace the absurdity of art without having to look so stoic all the time. 

I survived the epic highs and lows of watching Riverdale – in part because of this meme I made and posted to my Tumblr: 

^{Kate Jakubowski}

And now I am out on the other side, basking in the complete and utter charm of KJ Apa’s new, fantastical alter ego. Archie may have proclaimed in Riverdale he’ll sing alone, but he can hopefully find peace knowing he has a devoted audience listening and dancing along with him.