Huh. I only asked because it must be around forty years or so since I last looked at an Archie comic. It's not the sort of thing I would have thought would turn dark and gritty.
DS9 and B5 weren't really gritty. Very pat and polished. They were grim by 90s standards, but both main arcs ended on acts of diplomacy and righteousness won out. They flirted with grimness but still kept a polished upbeat tone. No moral compromise made in either series comes close to those in 24 or Battlestar Galactica, not even ITPM.
you could argue that xfiles was grim. Alien invasion coming and there's nothing you can do to stop it?
No, it's not time for a gritty R-rated "Home Alone." I don't think that would be such a great idea. As for Archie, what about that new show Riverdale? I haven't seen it yet. Is it dark in comparison to the comics? Kor