Riverdale Review: Chapter Seventy Seven: Climax (Season 5 Episode 1)

Back we go into our little town of terrors, and boy, does it feel like we never really left.

Picking up right where things left off, Riverdale Season 5 Episode 1, “Chapter Seventy-Seven: Climax,” wastes no time jumping right back into the thick of things.

Cheating scandals, snuff films, and murderous auteurs are just a few of this town’s problems, and things are running amok, amok, amok, as usual.

But not all is the same in Whoville. While previous stories have streamlined right into the new season without missing a beat, the way those stories are being told — and the lens in which Riverdale is telling them — has shifted in exceptional ways.

The mysterious tapes are something Riverdale Season 4 didn’t get to explore too deeply; the show was busy dealing with Jughead’s “shocking death” and the Stonewall preppies — plot lines that, quite frankly, should have been wrapped up much earlier in the season. 

For Season 5, however, Riverdale has managed to come up with a story that is genuinely terrifying, and undeniably the scariest and most chilling mystery to date. 

Of course, Riverdale isn’t well known for its success in big reveals, so the culprit behind the tapes could end up being far less interesting than the actual hunt to find them. For now, at least, there’s never been a serial killer we’ve wanted to watch Betty and Jughead hunt down more. 

I won’t get started on how bizarre it is that once again, two teenagers are leading the way on a major murder investigation, while their brother — who works for the FBI — takes a backseat to the case, but, come on, really?

Even mention of the Black Hood isn’t immediately exhausting. While this Season 2 character just won’t seem to die, his tie-in feels organic to the story by allowing the case to feel exceptionally personal for Betty. 

Betty and Jughead’s master plan to unmask the auteur is a clever one; creating their own snuff film allows all characters involvement in the main mystery. The fake film may be ridiculous, but it’s also campy and fun in all the right ways, giving much-needed relevance to the secondary characters. 

It also keeps things moving at a breakneck pace. Things go fast, culminating in a double high stakes climax; once at the underground rave, and then again at Prom, where their magical night is hijacked by yet another gruesome video, set to the unsettling tune of “Pyscho Killer.”

This isn’t just Riverdale mystery at it’s best, but Betty and Jughead at their best, too.

Even more satisfying about “Climax,” however, is how the mystery doesn’t overwhelm the entirety of the story. The character conflict happening is treated with the same level of importance as the town’s — and that might be a first for Riverdale.

Toni Topaz premieres with a striking new relevance; transforming from sidelined girlfriend to fleshed-out character with their own set of desires and motives. 

The conflict that emerges with Toni’s family — even just seeing her family onscreen — is undeniably refreshing, and dealing with the Blossom’s heinous ancestry and their correlation to Toni’s relatives, is long past due. 

It’s heartbreaking to see such a beloved pair like Cheryl and Toni hurting, but we have faith they’ll find their way back together eventually. For now, Toni needs to focus less on her overpowering romantic relationship, and more on reconnecting with her family, and finding a way to get back what she really wants — the Serpent throne.

There’s also Archie, who frankly is being given an arc that should have been explored back in Riverdale Season 3, and is far more interesting than, say, watching him get mauled by a bear. But, if there’s any other time to take on his trauma, right before high school graduation would be it. 

Following a stint in prison, losing his father, and now costing himself the opportunity to attend the Naval Academy (although, we have questions about how one boxing match would determine that), Archie is staring down a bleak and uncertain future.

His immense losses set him up for an inevitable downward spiral of epic proportions while serving as a major catalyst for his agonizing breakup with Veronica. 

Throughout the episode, Mendes plays an unknowing Veronica flawlessly, pouring her love into every scene she shares with Apa. In return, Apa delivers an increasingly uncomfortable and disconnected Archie leading up to his big confession at prom. 

Camila Mendes is truly at her best here; giving what is probably her best performance on the show to date, her delivery of “Carry The Torch” is just as achingly beautiful as it is hard to watch. Placing Betty and Archie both in the audience to witness it, only makes things more brutal in its cruel dramatic irony. 

From there, it’s painful moment after painful moment — all of which feel incredibly recognizable and universal in the simple way only teen angst can. Veronica and Archie are a couple who have been through so much but are realizing they just might not be able to last forever, after all.

Does it get more high school romance than that?

Yet, as much as Riverdale successfully portrays Archie’s inner conflict, there are questions left to be answered — the actual reason Archie and Veronica break up, being one of them.

Have they drifted apart? Is Archie holding Veronica back? Or is it in fact, because Archie has feelings for Betty that can no longer be denied?

Archie certainly doesn’t offer up information, and Veronica doesn’t ask any questions — even pledging her silence in order to keep Jughead and Betty’s relationship intact. 

It’s a heroic moment for Veronica Lodge — a selfless act that showcases how much her character has grown, and previews how far her character will go post time jump, even if it is a little strange.

And it IS strange. He just kissed your best friend, then wrote her a whole entire love song about it, and you don’t have any questions? Not even, “do you have feelings for her?” Maybe the answer is obvious.

If you’re good with it Ronnie, I guess… so are we?

The choice just feels controversial; lying to Jughead about what happened doesn’t necessarily feel noble. For Veronica, it may be, but for the show, it’s a bit of a cop-out.

Jughead is still walking around, unbeknownst to a secret everyone is in on but him, and Betty is still lying to the man she loves. Questions about both Betty and Archie’s feelings are up in the air, and the idea that Veronica and Betty’s friendship won’t be rattled by this betrayal feels unrealistic. 

Jughead will undoubtedly find out eventually (he is a master sleuth, after all), but we’re happy at least one main couple got to have their perfect prom night. If anyone deserves it, it’s Jughead and Betty.

There are still plenty of loose ends to be tied together, though, and the longer Betty lies, the worse things are bound to get.

Archie and Veronica pretending things are normal between them for the sake of “graduation going smoothly,” while using it as an excuse for Hiram to yet again try and take Archie down feels like a very poor choice, but at least the truth is halfway out.

We are certainly excited to see what comes next.

Don’t hold us to it, but this might be Riverdale’s best season yet. Especially if they keep up with that slamming soundtrack.

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

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