Riverdale Review: Chapter One Hundred and Two: Death at a Funeral

Everyone’s favorite wicked little town continues down the path of supernatural in Riverdale Season 6 Episode 7, “Chapter One Hundred and Two: Death at a Funeral.”

Riverdale’s unwavering dedication to never taking itself too seriously works well in regards to Betty and Archie’s new small-town superhero powers. The narrative has always been a little outrageous, playing with the idea of otherworldly stories.

Actually crossing that threshold feels like the show tearing down its own walls, so a new chapter can begin. There is nothing — like say, acting rationally — holding Riverdale back from moving into the utmost extreme of territories, and “Death at a Funeral” really dives into that journey. 

Watching Riverdale explore new layers is an unequivocal good time, but the concept versus the actual execution feels slightly fumbled. With overtly clunky dialogue that shoehorns newfound superhero tropes into a tonally established series, certain moments walk the line between camp, and feeling like the show is no longer trying.

It’s hard to implicate anything into Riverdale and have it feel like it’s too ridiculous, but at times, the casual and fast pace in which Betty, Archie — and now Jughead’s — powers are unveiled read as a joke the audience hasn’t been clued in on. 

The concept is there, but it’s all just — a lot, very quickly. The actors themselves seem unsure on how their characters should deliver lines about intense supernatural elements. The show only previously questioned these things, so the easy acceptance of their new reality feels slightly unearned. 

The show makes more sense when it’s focusing on Abagail. Her particular storyline hasn’t actually introduced anything particularly exciting yet, but there’s an endless amount of potential in regards to the ancestry of Riverdale. 

It’s a simple way to rope in most of Riverdale’s major players, and the existence of Greendale adds a natural first step into the supernatural kiddy pool.

Betty and Archie’s powers, on the other hand, feel random and extreme. 

If the show dives deeper into Abigail’s plans for havoc against the town, it can tell a story of revenge, while tying the curse she’s already placed on Betty, Archie, and Jughead to the newest supernatural elements.

“Death at a Funeral” officially introduces Jughead as the third — sorry, the fourth, if you count Bingo — potential superhero to discover his special powers. 

It’s a polarizing realization, because his telepathy immediately negates the powerfully grounded storytelling that began in “Unbelievable” The way Riverdale depicts Jughead’s hearing loss — especially in editing choices — is not only creative, but emotionally moving in its ethos. 

Telepathy dilutes most of that, but does bring Jughead into the major story arc of the season. For a show that can lose itself in an overwhelming amount of plot, that feels like an important through-line. 

The only core character still dealing with deeply human problems is Veronica, who continues to reel from her father’s death.

Making Veronica the culprit of her own father’s murder pushes the show to deal with the complexities of Veronica and Hiram’s relationship. It’s something that — despite Veronica’s entire story being tied to Hiram in every season — the show has failed to do up to this point.

It has circled the topic on numerous occasions but never forced Veronica to explore her feelings for her father on a level that reaches beyond a one-note emotion. There were times of sheer rage, others of duty and undying love, but never all of those things, all at once.

Camila Mendes continues to do an absolutely beautiful job at bringing forward a Veronica Riverdale have never seen before. She feels unnervingly human — almost too human for Riverdale, especially considering current events — but Mendes’ performance is so wonderful and refreshing, the disconnect doesn’t matter.

Whether it’s navigating magical powers or the uneasy stages of grief, one thing Riverdale continues to succeed with, is finding new ways for its blossoming romances to deepen.

The most impressive thing about Riverdale’s new romantic path is how all three major couples have a unique value to their dynamic. Veronica and Reggie are full of passion, while Tabitha and Jughead feel delicate and pure.

It’s Betty and Archie who deliver the best payoff, however, reading as two best friends who have fallen in love along the way. Reinhart and Apa — after working so closely for so many years– clearly have the best friends part of their dynamic down.

Watching the show give the decades-long friendship space to breathe is fully satisfying, while navigating the new element of a more meaningful romance. It adds flourishes of normalcy and levity to an otherwise strange narrative. 

The energy of new couples is what keeps Riverdale’s feet on the ground in juxtaposition to this season’s otherwise outrageous explorations. You can’t help but wonder what Riverdale could have been, if it stayed that character-focused show about a small-town murder, instead of becoming the wild ride it has today.  

Oh well. I’ve buckled in anyways.

Random Thoughts: 

• Jughead calling Tabitha, “Tabby,” is the sweetest thing.
• Bingo saving Archie is the superhero moment I didn’t know I needed. 
• I just want Cheryl and Toni back. Is that too much to ask?
• The TBK being a random man named Dennis — Okay, I guess. 
• Why does Betty need to leave town when she is leading an entire faction of the FBI right here in Riverdale?
• Kevin staying home to be sheriff is so disappointing. 
• The Doritos product placement was just TOO much. I am still cackling. 
• I like how Betty still cares deeply about Jughead’s well-being. That’s important. 

 

 

 

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

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