The Black Hood serial killer isn’t the only issue Archie and his friends have to contend with this season on Riverdale. The illicit party drug Jingle Jangle is also complicating things and according to the show’s cast its name is making things interesting off-screen as well.
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Jingle Jangle has played a significant role in Riverdale‘s second season thus far. Reggie Mantle (Charles Melton) has been dealing the drug, which comes in colorful straws reminiscent of Pixy Stix candy. Midge and Moose were using Jingle Jangle when Moose was shot by the Black Hood and even Archie (KJ Apa,) Veronica (Camila Mendes) and others did the drug themselves at Nick St. Clair’s party, but Cole Sprouse (Jughead) told ComicBook.com during a recent set visit that the drug’s real disruption was the laughter at saying its name on set.
“Can you imagine having to say, ‘jingle jangle’ on screen over and over again?” Sprouse said. “I think we didn’t stop laughing for the first four episodes.”
Sprouse wasn’t the only Riverdale cast member who struggled with the drug’s name. Marisol Nichols (Hermione Lodge) also had a little bit of disbelief when it came to the substance causing so much trouble for Riverdale.
“My reaction was ‘jingle jangle? Jingle jangle? Alright,’” she said.
While Jingle Jangle may seem like a humorous name for the drug that’s no laughing matter, it’s actually rooted in Archie Comics history. The drug takes its name from “Jingle Jangle,” a popular novelty song by Archie’s fictional garage band, The Archies, as featured on the animated The Archie Show. Released in 1969, “Jingle Jangle was the second-most popular song released by the band behind the iconic “Sugar, Sugar.”
Of course, even with the goofy name and the silly song history, Jingle Jangle on Riverdale has been a serious issue for Archie and his friends even beyond getting in trouble for using it at a party. Sheriff Keller was unable to use Veronica and Josie’s (Ashleigh Murray) statement about Nick’s attempted date rape of Cheryl (Madelaine Petsch) because of their drug use and even Jughead’s life was made more complicated by the substance. His Southside High teacher Mr. Phillips turned out to be the Jingle Jangle supplier known as the Sugar Man and ended up the latest victim of the Black Hood.
Riverdale airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on The CW.
