Riverdale Review: Chapter Eighty-Three: Fire In The Sky (Season 5 Episode 7)

Riverdale Season 5 Episode 7, “Chapter Eighty-Three: Fire In The Sky,” trades romance for plot as characters break apart to find their own personal arcs for the season.

“Fire In The Sky” is the first episode of Season 5 that feels painstakingly similar to the pre-time jump Riverdale era; every character is getting their own path, but the amount of plot being thrown out threatens to overwhelm the story and suck any hope for depth and complexity right out the window. 

Not all hope is lost quite yet; Riverdale is still doing things better than before, and with its new blueprint, five separate storylines hopefully will find places to breathe and converge in organic ways… somehow.

For now, new dynamics are still being developed, boding well for the future.

“Fire In The Sky” blesses us with the first Cheryl and Veronica moment post time jump, the return of Betty and Toni — who would make an unstoppable team in any circumstance — and even gives Reggie and Betty a scene to themselves; two characters who have only shared the screen in large group situations. 

Those little attempts to break the status quo are appreciated, as is the consistent effort to keep Toni at the heart of Riverdale.

There’s nothing of importance she doesn’t have a hand in (well, except maybe the alien thing, but Jughead has that one covered), and her versatility as a guidance counselor, cheer coach and Serpent Queen keeps her relevant and prominent in all the right ways.

She isn’t just randomly thrown into those plot points, either. Toni Topaz has grown, and that’s clear through her interactions with the people around her — including Cheryl.

Her moves against Cheryl read mostly as an attempt to help the woman she loves find a way back into the land of the living, but she no longer allows herself to play a secondary character in the wild and wacky adventures of family Blossom. 

Toni may appreciate Cheryl’s grandiosity, but she’s also quick to call out her privilege and maniacal behavior; behavior that high school Toni would undoubtedly let go unchecked.

If these two are ever going to find their way back to each other (fingers crossed), that’s what Toni should be doing, and exactly what Cheryl needs. 

In her spare time off from Vixen and Serpent life, Toni is lending a hand to Betty, and her search to find the ever-growing number of missing girls in Riverdale.

While Jughead and Tabitha’s search for aliens is rooted in fantastical and typical Riverdale whimsy, Betty’s mystery is more grounded in reality; it’s a plotline that feels possible in any small, dark town.

The show would do well to deviate from the serial killer angle; the Trash Bag Killer is already a looming threat, and this season’s staple crazed killer. To pivot Polly’s disappearance towards something Toni mentions — human trafficking — would be giving Riverdale a chance to do something it hasn’t done much of before — feel hauntingly real.

Serial killer, human trafficking, or something else completely, Lili Reinhart is nailing her role every step of the way. From brave FBI agent one moment to traumatized girl the next, her performance is chilling in its believability, and the dichotomy brings a complexity to the character that feels natural. 

The other original takes in “Fire In The Sky,” are tightly woven into a more outrageous general premise. The concept of Veronica creating her own monetary system is outlandish in nature, but it’s also an opportunity to showcase how she’s grown. 

Is it still tiring her entire existence continues to revolve around a war against her father? Absolutely — Riverdale has been at this same game for four seasons now.

Her adult character being steadfast in her determination to beat him, however, is a refreshing approach to a recycled plotline. 

In the episode’s best scene, Hiram attempts to chastise Veronica’s “Riverdollars.” Without missing a beat, Veronica lashes back about being thankful she never limited herself to what Hiram was capable of, cementing her as his formidable opponent. 

If only she could stop saying “Daddy.” Then, we’d really be getting somewhere. 

“Riverdollars,” in many ways, are a savvy way to teach students basic economic principles while supporting local small businesses. Don’t get me wrong, it’s totally illegal and ridiculous (please don’t try and pay businesses with Monopoly money), but it does highlight how smart Veronica Lodge is, and how great of a teacher she’s turning out to be.

Truthfully, Veronica instating her own monetary system wouldn’t really be that big of a deal at all, if I wasn’t completely terrified this show is going to jump back off the rails at any given moment. 

It does currently have Jughead investigating 50-year-old alien bones soaked in maple syrup, and I can really only handly one eccentric Riverdale storyline at a time.

Random Thoughts: 

• Reggie is finally being given some potential for redemption, which is a relief. 
• Tabitha and Jughead have the best energy together, and their flirting is top tier. 
• The dance-off was a nice call back to the Vixens Season 1 showdown between Cheryl and Veronica. 
• Riverdale is once again tackling mental health with Archie’s PTSD; let’s hope they do it justice. 
• Alice is going to burn Hiram’s world to the ground after his refusal to help her find Polly. 
• I can not get enough Jughead and Archie scenes — I am living for their friendship. I also may ship it. 
• The show is leaning hard into the Veronica and Archie dynamic — is this grounds for a rekindling romance?

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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