Welcome back all you Riverdale fans! The second musical episode is upon us and it’s got some big fun for us. Now, I haven’t ever seen Heathers despite my friend’s love for the movie, nor have I seen the musical version, so I have no idea how many of these songs are covers and how many were written for the show. My guess is that they’re all covers, with slight modifications, and I could certainly just google it but where’s the fun in that.
Does this episode hew close to the plot of the musical? Or is it just an homage with very little teeth? And as always, spoilers ahead.
1. Let Kevin Say Fuck
I have two big gripes with the musical episode, both of which are pretty minor when compared with the greater structural issues of the season, but they did bother me. First off is that, for all of Riverdale’s pomp about being a dark show, it’s not allowed to do or say a lot of the things that would make it such. Heathers is a dark, twisted movie, with a lot more swearing than is allowed on network TV, which hampers this homage. You can hear it in the lyrics of the songs and reducing the impact of the words and the situations.
The same goes for the use of atmosphere and shadows. There were a lot of opportunities, namely in the crypt of doom, to really sell the dissonance of partying in the room where children were tortured for decades and a bunch of nuns killed themselves. None of that is apparent and the room is treated as if it were just another set.
Betty, of all people, would be the one to notice this and to feel the most uncomfortable, even if this is exactly the kinds of things they do in movies. We get a little of that when Kevin goes on a bad trip and sees Midge’s dead body but it’s all lit perfectly, with very little in the way of fear. Granted, that whole song sequence is Riverdale’s tone in a nutshell.
I’m sure these gripes come from my theory that the show is more horror at its roots than pulp crime, and less on the actual quality of the episode, but I’m not giving up on that yet!
But seriously, let Kevin say fuck.
2. How to Rush a Couple Plot Lines Without Even Trying
Reggie & Veronica’s reconciliation and then subsequent break up felt very, very forced and I know that in TV land, stories like these have to be followed up in a major way one episode after they happen for. . .reasons? The bedrock of the events, the why, is solid but the speed with which it happened, the set-up, and the quick turn around with which it ended, was not. It’s kind of the same with the Jose & Archie thing. I thought it was quite apparent that they were making it official last episode but I guess they needed something for the solo here.
And, again, Toni & Cheryl make up after a single episode. I get that these things need to happen on a shorter time scale but man did this one feel completed way too quickly. Has Cheryl learned anything? Who knows. There was a semblance of a breakthrough with Toni’s observations about the ways Cheryl’s family loves, which was a very touching moment, but the quick resolution to all these romantic plots left me reeling and confused and disappointed. But, then again, it is a musical.
3. Still Shot, Match Cut
Despite all the ragging I’m doing on the episode, this was actually a really tight episode. The musical numbers were worked into the show well, they actually reflected the events going on around them, and everyone gave fantastic performances. Jughead can’t sing very well but that’s OK and KJ Apa is obviously trying really hard to sing in his Archie voice, which makes his vocals come off as a bit more stiff than they otherwise might be, but everyone else is stellar. The choreography and shot direction is spot on, with shots that play up the musical feel, and others that are composed with a lot more care than is usual.
Continued belowThe scene with Jughead & Betty at Pop’s and then the match cut to Hiram & Veronica was a small touch but then the creepy cult scene with Kevin and Fangs (poor Fangs & Kevin) and then the eerie, eerie ending, were fantastic.
I’m a sucker for a good musical, so that may be why too.
4. Extant Observations
I have a lot of thoughts about a lot of smaller bits of the episode but only five worth mentioning so I’m just going to lump them both here. First thing is, what was with all the hair whipping sound effects? I noticed it mostly with Toni but why was that here? Was it part of the homage or just something they felt like doing?
Second is, and I say this almost every episode now, but why does Veronica want Hiram’s approval? Why? She hates him one episode but then changes her mind the next. Is it the stress of a lack of a “family?” Why is his position the default one? Explore that, Riverdale.
Third, will we get resolution for Kevin’s vision? Does this push him closer to the farm? Where does he go from here? Why does he blame himself for Midge’s death? Is it because he and Moose got together? If so, why was NONE OF THIS BROUGHT UP BEFORE. Gah, that really bothers me.
Fourth, I was promised at least one death this episode and we got nothing. I’m disappointed Riverdale. You did an episode about a movie with almost slasher movie levels of death and carnage and had almost nothing terrible happen. No deaths, no long term consequences, just a few musical numbers, a trailer on fire, a bad trip that went nowhere, and the inevitable sive of knowledge leaking in the Lodge family.
Finally, why did no one clap for the end of the show? Were they waiting for the lights to go out? Were they just that horrified by the play? You’d think high school musicals would have trained people to clap no matter what at the end of a performance. I know WHY they did it, but it was still distracting.
5. He’s Here, the Phantom of the Farm
Edgar Evernever, in the flesh, standing right in front of us. Only took them 15 episodes but here we are. I love the way they did this reveal here, not only because we see Edgar, but also because we see just now inundated the town is with those who have joined his cult. The full extent of the rot was unseen until now, in much the same way that G&G was sneaking in and then exploded. Only time will tell just how hostile the town will become to those not of the Farm and then, then how will our heroes survive?
Eh, they’ll probably have Archie box Edgar when he’s in the Gargoyle King outfit. (I’m still not convinced Hiram is the King.)
That about does it for now! What did you think of the musical? Was it your jam or was it to much? Let me know in the comments and I’ll see you again next week for. . .something with Edgar? And Hermione getting a horse head? I dunno, but it’ll be fun. Until then, stay hair flippy Riverdale.
Best Line of the Night:
Jughead: “When did we go from worrying about who we’d sit next to on the bus to drug lord mothers?”
Betty: “And serial killer fathers.”
