Hi everyone, I really enjoyed this episode, so I thought I would re-post an episode review I wrote to my blog here. It covers some of themes you have all mentioned, and I'm glad after looking online that there is so much appreciation for it. I hope you enjoy:
Well done, Riverdale.
Since the tragic passing of Luke Perry, there was the question of how his character, Fred Andrews, would be written out. Timing wise, Luke's passing occurred as the show was busy filming the tail end of the third season, where the already fast pacing was becoming even more frantic as the show continued to crescendo it's story arcs for The Farm and Griffons and Gargoyles. Thankfully it was decided not to fully 'deal' with the character of Fred until a more appropriate time, that time being in-between seasons where a well rested crew could think clearly about how to best address the situation.
As it transpires, this decision was very wise. Luke's passing is addressed in this episode, the first of season four, by having Fred die in a self-contained episode that acted as a In Memoriam to both the character and to Luke Perry itself. The show's continuing arcs are seldom, if at all, addressed and the show, in an extremely rare move, slows down its pace and digs a little deeper in the portrayal of how our Riverdale characters, in particular Archie, deals with Fred's passing.
I had forgotten how beautifully this show is presented. The vivid colors and ridiculousness that Riverdale fans know and love are present in the first 5 or so minutes of the episode, and of course, Archie is shirtless at the first available opportunity, decorating a float for the 4th of July parade. Cheryl is as ludicrous as always, lamenting our four protagonists for not fully respecting the first parade since her brother's death, and, oh yeah, updating her dead brother's body (propped up in a chair; is it the actual body stuffed? A fake? I've forgotten the details) on the goings on of the town.
Then, Archie gets the call that Fred has died, and those elements of Riverdale, not that we don't love them, fall away. Those first few scenes are important somewhat to reestablish the world of the show, and to reassure fans that, don't worry, it's not changing anytime soon, but the moment Archie hears the news, and falls to the floor, the show takes a breath, strips itself back, and slows itself down.
The way Fred Andrews dies is in itself a tribute to Luke Perry and the character. He is hit by a car after having stopped on the side of a road to help a woman with car troubles. The show then sets up a small mystery, the driver that killed Fred is unknown, as it was a hit-and-run. In that moment, early on, it is difficult to judge if this will become part of a larger mystery or not, and how many episodes it will dominate. However, we quickly learn that the driver has turned themselves in and is out on bail. Of course, the inevitable Revenge Archie kicks in, but the moment is brief and more measured than expected. As Archie demands an explanation from the man, it transpires that he was just protecting his son who, in a moment of stupidity, took the car for a ride without a license. This, as Archie explains later, reminds him of something he would have done when he was younger, and Fred would have protected him in the same way.
There are other, smaller, more powerful moments. Early on, the characters sit in Archie's humble backyard trading stories about Fred, as so often happens in moments of mourning and reflection. The scene is elevated by the emotion from the characters (and one imagines, the actors). The scene does not serve to further any number of plot points, as is so often the case and the issue with fast paced shows such as Riverdale. Instead, it's just there, pulling you in, reminding you of Fred's kindness and the impact he has had in mentoring our protagonists. Jughead's story of how Fred would look out for him, and feed him when he was hungry, was particularly moving.
The road trip, and funeral home visit serves up more understated moments. Where, after Archie decides to be the one to transport Fred's body home, he asks to see the body to ensure that it is in fact his father. We cut then to the room that Fred's body is in. However, instead Veronica and Betty walk through the door. Archie, we are told, changed his mind. We don't see that moment, but we don't need to. We have already felt his pain. The body reveal, and confirmation that it is Fred to the audience and later, to Archie, is handled wonderfully.
Another beautiful scene that must be mentioned is the one with Shannon Doherty, shot at the roadside where he was ran down. Shannon, as it turns out, was the woman who Fred had stopped to help. Of course, Shannon Doherty and Luke Perry are linked together through Beverly Hills 90210, as Brenda and Dylan, at the peak of its popularity. There is a legacy there, a weight that has lasted almost 30 years and is a defining part of 'High School TV' culture. Knowing that Shannon is there as as tribute to Luke, plus the emotion in her delivery, as she explains what happened, followed by the prayer, only last a few minutes. But it's wonderful. There are no meta references, no winks to the audience. In fact, it's amazing just how 'straight' this whole episode is played.
The transportation of Fred's body home, to a rally in his honor, and the resulting funeral all pull emotional punches. At the funeral, Archie recalls a story of how, disappointed one 4th July when a fireworks display was called off due to the rain, Fred comes home with a ton of fireworks, and makes a display for Archie in their own backyard. Later, at episode close, the characters gather to do the same thing. As the fireworks are let off, Archie retreats to the garage, we see brief glimpses of Fred in the episode's only flashbacks as he remembers the old car, and the camera slowly withdraws as we leave Archie to cry alone.
Small glimpses of other story points of the show are thrown in. Hiram and Hermione are shown in jail, Alice with a picture of The Farm in the background, and in a touching moment, Betty spends some time alone at her father's graffiti-ed grave. However, all in all, this was an episode solely about paying tribute to Luke Perry, through Fred's passing, and you are grateful that this was so. Although I love the energy, furious pacing and ludicrousness of Riverdale, it's part of the fabric of the show and will always will be, I can't help but wonder that if the show trusted itself to slow down more, in the moments that really matter, it could really hone itself and make the right stories, ideally the ones that pack that emotional wallop, all that more powerful.
