Riverdale Review: Chapter Sixty-Two: Witness for the Prosecution (Season 4 Episode 5)

Riverdale Season 4 Episode 5, “Chapter Sixty-Two: Witness for the Prosecution,” sees the show back up to its old tricks and while it works in some storylines it falls short for others.

Betty’s story has taken one step forward and two steps back with the return of her “serial killer gene” anxiety. Veronica continues to be a prop in the lives of those around her. Archie is retracing old narratives with noble intentions, and Jughead has set off down and interesting if dangerous path. 

After such a fast-paced set of opening episodes this season, “Chapter Sixty-Two: Witness for the Prosecution” is more filler than substance. It isn’t a bad episode, it’s just not a very exciting one either. 

Jughead

Jughead is diving into the mysteries of Stonewall Prep as he learns more about the Stonewall Four and even more about his family history. Riverdale introduces their version of the Hardy Boys, Baxter Brothers Mysteries, as a staple of Jughead’s childhood. The books he read as a child have inspired a lot of who he is now as both a person and a writer. 

When the original author of the Baxter Brothers Mysteries pays a visit to Stonewall, the man comes with an interesting fascination with Jughead’s grandfather. Riverdale doesn’t exactly have the most consistent continuity so if you’re struggling to make sense of this new information about the first Forsythe Pendleton, you aren’t the only one. 

What we know of Jughead’s grandfather so far is that he was an abusive, deadbeat father, and an absent grandparent. I am much more inclined to trust FP’s version of reality than that of a stuffy Stonewall aristocrat. Jughead veers into a dangerous fascination with his grandfather after learning that he gifted him the Baxter Brothers Mystery books as a kid. 

Forsythe Pendleton: Lil Forsythe III, Happy Birthday. Sorry I’m not there to celebrate with you. Never let anyone tell you that you don’t belong. Love Grandpa. P.S. Trust few and never let them take anything from you. 

I am all for Jughead passionately exploring this career path, it’s quite perfect for him, but inviting abusers into your life is never going to work out well. I wouldn’t be surprised if somehow Jughead’s grandfather is involved in his future disappearance/murder. 

Veronica

Veronica’s story continues to be inconsistent and rooted in development for anyone but herself–this week, however, it is at the very least interesting. After flip-flopping allegiances and stating publicly that she doesn’t stand by either of her imprisoned parents, Veronica is now clearly on team Hermione.

Again, this isn’t a new inconsistency for Riverdale–I’m just happy that this time the story has twisted back in the direction that I enjoy.  

Hiram is playing dirty, planting evidence and attacking Pop Tate, doing whatever it takes to destroy both Hermione and Veronica. This isn’t in the least surprising for Hiram, he’s easily one of the slimiest people in all of Riverdale. Veronica works her network and manages to secure her mother a pardon. It’s a win, but it comes with the cost of Hermione pleading guilty for crimes she didn’t commit. 

Now don’t get me wrong, Hermione Lodge has plenty of blood on her hands, but she’s also a woman who’s been abused for much of her marriage by the man framing her now. 

“Chapter Sixty-Two: Witness for the Prosecution” introduces Veronica’s older sister and Hiram’s ultimate daddy’s girl: Hermosa. She means bad news for Veronica. While I’m certainly tired of watching Hiram one-up the women in his life, it might be interesting to see him and Hermosa as a foil to Veronica and Hermione. 

Archie 

Archie has decided to seriously take up the mantle of becoming Riverdale‘s very own masked superhero–fighting crime vigilante style by the cover of night. This isn’t exactly a new avenue for Archie, almost every season he’s attempted to fight the town’s biggest villains with nothing more than his bare hands and teenage invincibility. 

While this time Archie is approaching his grand vision of cleaning up the town with a little more maturity than he has in the past, his insistence on becoming a masked vigilante without telling anyone is stamped with that trademark Archie Andrews naivete.

I’m proud of Archie for inviting people in and striving to do better for these kids, but this storyline just hasn’t hooked me yet. This is the best version of this storyline we’ve seen so far, but it’s a story we’ve seen Archie play out over and over. What makes this time different?

Betty

Remember when I said I was enjoying Betty Cooper’s storyline? I think Riverdale heard me and decided to derail that. Betty joins Charles’ junior FBI training program and immediately has an identity crisis that ultimately pushes her back into a deep distrust of everyone around her and investigation tactics almost as reckless and brazen as Archie. 

It makes complete sense for Riverdale to go here with Betty, this is a very typical plotline for the show, but that doesn’t mean I enjoy it in any way. Betty deeply needs therapy. She hasn’t learned how to process any of the things that have happened to her in ways that are even remotely healthy, so she immediately goes spiraling over her “serial killer genes.”

For some reason, Betty loses every ounce of common sense she has on this episode. Not only does she worry over her potential as a violent serial killer, but instead of being comforted by her brother when he admits that he has the genes too and he can help her, she decides to investigate him. 

Does it make sense on a surface level for Betty to react in these ways? Sure. Do we have at least one reason to be suspicious of Charles? Also sure. But it’s disappointing to see Riverdale go with the most basic version of this story that sacrifices Betty’s intelligence for her paranoia. 

Blue and Gold Classifieds: 

• I’m glad that Moose’s disappearance was a red herring, at least as far as we know. 
• Bret is weak and will not survive the winter. 
• Jughead’s hat works even better with this sweater + button-down combo and I’m so here for it.
• Hot take: Jughead is a Gryffindor. Thoughts, feelings, opinions? Let me know if you agree in the comments. 
• Charles likely just wants to stay in Riverdale and get to know the family and parents who want him around. He only goes to the places Betty has seen him at because he’s new here and he doesn’t know anyone but them. 
• So is FP also in on faking Jughead’s death? What’s the tea here?
• My new theory is that Jughead is either doing research for his Baxter Boys Mystery or that everything in these flash-forwards is happening in his novel. 

 

What did you think of this episode of Riverdale? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Riverdale airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on The CW.

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