The CW's highly anticipated Riverdale premieres tonight, and here's everything you need to know about the new series.

Based on the Archie comics, Riverdale is already drawing comparisons to one of the most suspenseful shows of all time, Twin Peaks, which begins in a similar place. Like Twin Peaks, Riverdale begins with a small town grieving the loss of a popular high schooler, and the dark secrets lurking in the sleepy town beginning to surface.

"As a new school year begins, the town of Riverdale is reeling from the recent, tragic death of high school golden boy Jason Blossom - and nothing feels the same," says The CW synopsis. "Archie Andrews (KJ Apa) is still the all-American teen, but the summer's events made him realize that he wants to pursue a career in music and not follow in his dad's footsteps despite the sudden end of his forbidden relationship with Riverdale's young music teacher, Ms. Grundy (Sarah Habel). Now Archie has no one to mentor him, certainly not singer Josie McCoy (Ashleigh Murray), who is only focused on her band, the soon-to-be-world-famous Pussycats. It's all weighing heavily on Archie's mind - as is his fractured friendship with budding writer and fellow classmate Jughead Jones (Cole Sprouse)."

Meanwhile, Betty Cooper (Lili Reinhart) is eager to see Archie but unwilling to tell him how she really fells about him. In comes Veronica (Camila Mendes), a new student with which Archie has clear chemistry.

"And then there's Cheryl Blossom (Madelaine Petsch)... Riverdale's Queen Bee is happy to stir up trouble amongst Archie, Betty and Veronica, but Cheryl is keeping secrets of her own," the CW synopsis concludes. "What, exactly, is she hiding about the mysterious death of her twin brother, Jason? Riverdale may look like a quiet, sleepy town, but there are dangers in the shadows."

Riverdale premieres Thursday at 9 p.m. ET/PT on The CW. If you cannot watch the show live, it will be available on The CW app the following day.

To live tweet and follow along with others watching the premiere of Riverdale, use hashtag #Riverdale on Twitter.

Tags: Riverdale the cw Archie Comics