When the first footage from Riverdale found its way online many moons ago, staunch Archie Comics purists scoffed at its darker, more subversive take on their beloved characters that have endured for three quarters of a century. But once the show actually premiered, some changed their tune, finding themselves hooked in by a compelling murder mystery that also introduced a new generation of fans to the town with pep.
So, once it was revealed that Jason Blossom’s killer was, in fact, his own father, Clifford, we all wondered how the producers could possibly bait us into watching a sophomore run. Well, as it turns out, Archie’s dad got shot at the end of season 1’s finale, so we’re all once again left guessing who pulled the trigger.
Aside from pondering who the gunman could possibly be, viewers have also been left wondering if Fred actually survived, which, according to executive producer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, will be addressed before long upon the show’s return:
“I think we’re going to find out Fred’s ultimate fate at the end of the premiere. You saw a little clip there of Archie bringing Fred to the hospital…It will be revealed at the end of the episode. We’re all pulling for him.”
Getting back to the backbone of the previous season, I think it’s safe to say that we all need to keep our eyes affixed to Cheryl Blossom going forward. When we last saw her, she’d snapped after finding out that not only did her father kill her brother, but dear old dad was trafficking drugs. Thus, she did what she felt she had to – burn down her own mansion.
As we can plainly see, her mother didn’t make it out of the fire in as great of a condition. Seeing how calmly Cheryl handles the situation definitely calls her sanity into question and makes her a wild card in the next 22 episodes.
Riverdale returns for its second season on Wednesday, October 11 on The CW.
