With this month came Netflix’s wave of original series and movie releases, including the supernatural horror series The Order. Released on March 7, the series is on its way to becoming the new Riverdale — fans will be eagerly waiting for the release of season two in the upcoming year with action packed plots, flirtatious teases between main characters, and dialogue laced with witty dark humor.

The series features protagonist Jack Morton, played by rising star Jake Manley, who will be featured in upcoming films A Dog’s Journey and Midway. Morton is on his quest to avenge the death of his mother, which he blames on his father, Edward Coventry (Max Martini). In the absence of his parents, his grandfather Pete (Matt Frewer of Max Headroom fame), also known as “Pop,” raises Jack and encourages him to go to Belgrave University to get closer to his father. After acceptance, Jack is soon admitted into a secret order called the Hermetic Order of the Blue Rose, which is stationed underneath one of the university’s abandoned buildings. From there, the plot unfolds as Jack discovers the extent of his own powers and the secrets that lie within his family.

Throughout the first season, the dynamics between the characters are developed well. The curiosity and withheld reason for why Jack hates his father creates a divide, making the audience unsure of whether to side with Edward’s charismatic personality or to be skeptical of his actions and intentions. After the first few episodes, a clear feud, which can be compared to the one of Shakespeare’s Capulets and Montagues, forms between the magicians and the werewolves on campus. On top of that, the suspense within Alyssa Drake (Sarah Grey) and Jack’s flirtatious conversations keep the audience craving more.

Despite the well established character dynamics, the script is polluted with unnecessary vulgar, which tends to limit the distinction between characters and their personalities. I believe the vulgar was used more as an appeal to the audience, as the striking language poses as a hook to the viewer. From the start, the vulgar affected the extent to which the actors could fully submerge themselves into character. However, the writers dampen the profanity after a few episodes, allowing for a more fluid development of the characters. By the end of the first season, the series lines up with The Magicians; they both take a more adult spin on Harry Potter’s wizarding world. The modestly used vulgar adds to the dark humor surrounding the show, enhancing the plot with witty remarks made mostly by the show’s jokester Randall Carpio (Adam DiMarco), who was also in The Magicians.

One of the most distinct features of the show that I can appreciate as a viewer are the shots that the directors (Mathias Herndl, Leslie Hope, Kristin Lehman, David Von Ancken, Rachel Leiterman) took, as well as the set. With many different filming locations across Belgrave University, the show expands with several plot lines, and the directing makes reality collide with the supernatural. Effects, makeup, and costume designs are so realistic they keep the viewer immersed in the show. The only criticism I would have is the fact that they fail to film the transformation between human and werewolf, and this gives me the notion that Netflix had a low budget for the show, especially since Netflix is working on a plethora of new Netflix originals. Despite this, the show is captivating and the attention to using proper and enticing filming techniques makes up for the setbacks the directs may have had.

With only a minor setback in writing and possible budgets in the first few episodes, the show is off to a great start. The character dynamics as well as the acting and writing develop nicely within the first few episodes, and the suspense keeps the viewer watching. This really is the new Riverdale, I can sense it.