Riverdale Season 6 Episode 19 Review: Chapter One Hundred and Fourteen: The Witches of Riverdale
Riverdale Season 6 Episode 19, “Chapter One Hundred and Fourteen: The Witches of Riverdale,” decides to merge the Archieverse with a fan service level crossover that isn’t needed this far into the season.
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina‘s titular witch Sabrina Spellman flies into town to help resurrect the dead, but she mainly shows up to try and steal Jughead’s body for her boyfriend Nick Scratch.
This episode is very funny, but it feels like a showrunner’s attempt to give closure to his canceled Netflix show.
Riverdale has reached a point in its run where it can laugh at itself, which makes it much more bearable when the rug is pulled out from under you ten times an episode.
However, despite the, at times, stellar comedy on “Chapter One Hundred and Fourteen: The Witches of Riverdale,” it still feels like an unnecessary hour focused on bizarrely giving closure to Sabrina’s romance with Nick Scratch.
It doesn’t help that Cole Sprouse playing Nick Scratch loses its humor when it turns romantic, and we’re left watching what appears to be our Jughead and Sabrina from Greendale on a date.
The lack of romantic chemistry between Cole Sprouse and Kiernan Shipka is obvious, making for a puzzling attempt at giving Sabrina and Nick shippers one last moment.
Again, it feels like fan service.
I’m here to watch Riverdale, not Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.
It doesn’t help that “Chapter One Hundred and Fourteen: The Witches of Riverdale” is bursting with potential for the show to focus on the relationships that it boasts as “endgame.”
Although Cheryl’s phoenix powers are a genuinely intriguing path for a character so entrenched in tragedy, this episode could be more impactful by focusing on the emotional tethers and depths of love among the group.
Especially after playing up the idea of the Archie, Betty, and Veronica love triangle again.
If this love triangle is returning, then it needs to be handled head-on. This storyline is the perfect opportunity to play with Veronica and Archie’s dynamic since Betty cannot enter the Sweet Hereafter.
Additionally, we have barely seen Jughead and Tabitha as an actual couple this season. Why not take the opportunity to show the depth of their feelings for one another?
The classic Riverdale hijinks are fun, but the show loves to tell us that these people love each other instead of actually showing us more than once every five episodes.
However, speaking of the hijinks, this episode takes the amusing plot twists a step too far.
Cheryl’s decision to revive Jason and Polly dissolves the story of any real stakes, creating a show that is a complete stranger to its early days.
Jason Blossom’s murder set the stage for an always amusing, wild ride of television viewing, and no matter how unfair it is to a character who died too young, it should not be undone.
Overall, “Chapter One Hundred and Fourteen: The Witches of Riverdale” is an entertaining hour for fans of Sabrina Spellman, but it struggles to be anything more than an opportunity to break the rules and tie up a loose end from another show.
Riverdale needs to get back to the battle threatening the group and provide answers for the bleeding universes before it focuses on the characters from Greendale.
Stray Thoughts
- Casting the Little Betty and Little Archie actors to play their children is an odd choice.
- Toni and Fangs went to the Poconos for their honeymoon, proving yet again why they are the most boring couple to ever exist.
- Landon Kirby should play the Ferryman. Yes, if you didn’t know, I miss Legacies already.
- Is Tommy Kinkle in the Sweet Hereafter? I think Sabrina owes him one.
- “Baby Anthony is immortal” is hands down the most bonkers Riverdale reveal to date.
- Cole Sprouse’s “Brina” will haunt my nightmares.
What did you think of this episode of Riverdale? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Riverdale airs Sundays at 8/7c on The CW.
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Julia Paino
Julia is a TV and pop culture enthusiast who gets too emotionally invested in her favorite characters. She loves making people laugh and is always down for a Taylor Swift sing-along. She is firmly on Team Stefan and has been since 2009. Follow her on Twitter @juliampaino!
5 comments
Where is Varchie? The Betty and Archie bits were robotic. They have been for ages! The chemistry between kj Apa and Camila is remarkable and beautiful considering the lack of shared screen time this season
A Sabrina and riverdale (before barchie and tangs) fan who watched the show here. Why is bughead never addressed? Is it because Jughead is writing it this way?
Cheryl and Veronica died for Toni and Archie. Is someone going to let them know? They’re both stuck in hell still!
Roberto, your show sucks.
Take the reigns back, boy. Will watch again when it’s riverdale. Not into this alternate universes.
There was better chemistry between Jughead/Nick and Sabrina then there has ever been with Tabitha. Watching JT is worse than watching paint dry. Roberto screwed thus show in season 5 but at least that part was semi interesting.
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