Riverdale (5×01) Climax Review

After an abrupt end to last season’s story, one can’t help but feel like this is one of a few episodes left over from that narrative. With the continuing mystery surrounding the tapes and the most recent recreation of the death of Principal Honey, the students are trying to find any clue as to who is behind Riverdale’s most recent terror spree. For a review of last episode, click here.

Synopsis: Betty and Jughead’s investigation into the auteur leads them to a secret underground for red-band screenings. To impress the Naval Academy Commandant, Archie participates in a boxing exhibition against another candidate – KO Kelly. (IMDb)

Riverdale starts back up with the annual prom and this time our group of characters are the seniors and celebrating their final year of high school. That means dresses, dancing and nominating prom kings and queens. However, if this were a regular town with regular people, prom would stop there, but this is Riverdale so there always has to be much more going on beneath the surface.

The Auteur that has been stalking Riverdale’s residents is leaving breadcrumbs for Betty and Jughead to follow as if they are teasing our detective couple. This leads them back to the Blue Velvet video store and its manager Derek, but then things take a turn after an underground rave/screening has multiple masked people acting very, very strange. Betty and Jughead believe they see the Auteur among the crowd, but get distracted when they run into Jellybean!

Elsewhere, Archie is trying to figure out the next step for his life and decides to apply to the Naval Academy. However, his late application has him in competition with one other applicant: KO Kelly, the boyfriend of Katy Keene. This leads them to a friendly exhibition boxing match with the victor winning the final spot. Unfortunately, Archie loses 2-1 in the final scoring, but that isn’t the biggest problem he is facing. That comes in the form of Veronica finding a secret love song he wrote for Betty and soon after admitting this, they decide that VArchie is no more.

Then onto the night of the prom where, after repeated obstacles being thrown in their path, Cheryl and Toni win co-prom queens. They call upon their friends to partake in the ceremonial first dance, but that is interrupted by the Auteur’s latest work. It’s a video of masked people stabbing a man wearing the name of Blue Velvet’s manager Derek. What does it mean?

Detective Journal

• Who is the Auteur?
• What will Cheryl and Toni do about their relationship?
• Will Jughead learn about BArchie?
• How will Hiram react to Archie hurting his little girl?

What did you think of “Climax”? Was it a decent premiere? Let me know in the comments below!

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Dylan Phillips