Graduation is quickly arriving for the students of Riverdale High, but not before tying up the many loose ends in the events of last season.  In the season premiere of The CW’s Riverdale, titled “Chapter 77: Climax” we see the friends preparing for senior prom, all while still trying to solve the many mysteries still at hand. 

Season four ended abruptly due to the pandemic. It felt as if this episode was meant to air last season. Given it is the group’s final weeks of high school.  Although it felt like a final episode of season four, the episode wasted no time jumping right back into the story, as if no time had passed.

Before getting into the overview of this episode, I must say that it did not disappoint.  I found myself getting reinvested with the show, as if months had not passed since we last visited Riverdale.  I found myself feeling a wide range of emotions alongside the characters I have watched for four years now.  There was frustration, hurt, and even jaw dropping moments as well. 

A Trip In The Riverdale Time Machine

I took a trip down memory lane to reminisce of the feelings all seniors have about their future post high school, and I must give the show credit for still leaving me shocked and wanting more.  It was nice to return to a fictional place, free from all that is going on currently, and for that I am quite thankful.  For a recap of the episode, keep reading, but this review does contain a few spoilers. 

At the beginning of the episode we get a scene with Veronica and Archie, where Veronica finds a song Archie has written, which he throws in the trash.  Veronica, however, is happy he is writing music again.  Given the events of last season, there was a lot of tension between the couple. That personally made me feel like they were setting it up for their time together to come to and end soon. 

It Was Only A Kiss

Archie clearly showed signs of the guilt he felt from his kiss with Betty last season.  This issue will be revisited later, but before that there’s a bigger problem that Archie must figure out, what he is going to do after graduation.  He decides he still wants to try to get into the Naval Academy. He’s set to have a recruit audition in the form of a fight against Katy Keene’s boyfriend KO Kelly, played by guest star Zane Holtz.  

Next up is Betty and Jughead trying to decide what their next steps should be in trying to solve who is behind these reenactment snuff films.  The solution they decide on is to create their own fake snuff film, to try and infiltrate the underground raves which double as a secret screening of the aforementioned films. Hence, we got to see the return of what the duo does best, work together to solve a mystery. 

Veronica Stealing Songs

As the plot continues, however, they may not find the answers they are hoping for.  Unlike Archie and Veronica, however, Betty does not seem to feel as much guilt as Archie does post-kiss.  The only glimpse we get into how both her and Archie are feeling, is when Veronica steals the song Archie was writing and sings it at La Bonne Nuit.  

As the others have post graduation plans, and sleuthing going on, Cheryl and Toni prepare for the prom.  Cheryl mentions wanting to have a dinner party with Toni’s family prior, in hopes of meeting them, only to learn that Toni has not come out to her grandparents.  Determined to share a dance with her girlfriend, Toni confronts her nana about Cheryl.  She is received with disapproval. Although not about her being gay, but about dating a Blossom, after her nana was visited by Cheryl.  After the visit, Cheryl prepares to go to prom without her girlfriend, but Toni surprises her at the last moment. 

The third act of the show brings the long awaited, much anticipated, senior prom.  The group is all together for one of the last times before graduating.  All seems well. But in true Riverdale fashion, it’s too good to be true when they are met with a big surprise at the end of prom.  The episode ends with some harsh realities about life post high school for Veronica, Archie, Toni and Cheryl. 

I Guess We’ll Have To See In The Next Episode

So who was the Prom King and Queen? What did Betty and Jughead learn in their investigations?  Will Archie and Veronica make it past graduation as a couple or will “Barchie” reign supreme? Was Hiram Lodge ever really sick, or was it all fake?  These are all questions I hope we learn this season of Riverdale!  You’ll have to watch to find out! I think it is safe to assume this year brings a lot of drama, mystery and life changes for the Riverdale crew, and I can not wait!  

You can catch the season premiere now available at CWTV.com.