"Riverdale" Recap Season 3 Episode 1: Does Archie Go to Jail?
Each week, Teen Vogue will be taking you on a journey to Riverdale, a quaint little town hiding some very big secrets.
We’re BACK IN ACTION, Riverdale fans! Before we embark on the season 3 premiere recap together, take a moment to remind yourselves what happened in the season 2 finale (just in case you didn’t spend all summer re-watching the second season on Netflix…not saying I did…but, you know…).
All caught up? Good, because it’s time we learn how our Riverdale faves spent their summer vacation. Voiceover Jughead lets us know that Veronica is now working at Pop’s (which she also owns?), like her mom once did; Betty is interning with lawyers McCoy and Andrews, working on Archie’s murder case; the gang hangs out at Sweetwater Swimming Hole; and Archie is…on trial for murder. Everyone — everyone — is there supporting him during closing statements. The D.A. (notably calling Archie a “man”) paints him as a violent murderer, while his mother (calling him a “boy”) says he’s selfless and has even helped solve murders before. I feel like it’s a huge conflict of interest for Mary to be working on Archie’s case, but I like seeing Molly Ringwald back in town, so I’ll allow it.
The jury retires to deliberate (the charge is first degree murder, BTW) and everyone else retires to the hallway. Josie and Kevin press Sierra McCoy on Archie’s chances (50/50); Fred compliments Mary’s job well done; and Archie sits alone in a stairwell, imagining that he’s at the swimming hole and his three best friends are walking away from him. Those three best friends then find him on the stairs and he brings up the swimming hole — turns out that he, Jug, and Betty haven’t been there in ages (I guess the opening montage included scenes to come in this episode, not just what happened during the summer) because of leeches (Stand By Me shout-out!). And yet, they all remember it fondly and Veronica expresses a desire to go there…even with the leeches?! Kevin comes by to collect Archie, and after everyone re-enters the courtroom, the judge says that he’s sequestered the jury and they’ll reconvene on the Tuesday after Labor Day. He advises Archie to spend the holiday weekend with his family and loved ones. On the way out of the courthouse, Hiram snarkily tells Archiekins to have a terrific weekend, and then Fred punches Hiram in the face. Hiram deserved it.
At Pop’s, Jughead briefly says hello to Dilton and Ben (the same Ben who was Ms. Grundy’s student?), who are playing some kind of game, before joining B, V, and A, who are strategizing re: finding the weapon Andre used to kill Cassidy. Archie shoots down going back to Shadow Lake to look for it (which they’ve already done, apparently) — he just wants a normal LDW after the “worst summer ever.” Luckily, Cheryl Blossom is here to help! She struts into Pop’s wearing her red Serpents jacket and lets us all know that she and Toni had the best summer ever, riding their motorcycles cross-country. Where is that spinoff show??? She seems very happy (yay!) and invites the gang to an end-of-summer pool party at Thorn Hill (though, acknowledging Archie’s troubles, she says she understands if they decline to join).
Later at the Cooper home, we learn that things are a bit strained between Betty and her mom and sister, both of whom are super in with the Farm crowd (led by Edgar Evernever), and also that Betty’s been going to therapy all summer. Alice wants to spend some QT with both her daughters and B is pretty much like, we’ll talk later K BYE. She heads next door to work on the jalopy with Archie and Fred, and when Fred leaves the garage for a few minutes, Archie asks her to take care of his dad if Archie is indeed sent away. Sad face!
Over at the Pembrooke, Veronica is calling out her father for what one has to assume is the umpteenth time this summer. She says his attempt to keep her and Archie apart will fail, and also begs him to put a stop to it — since he’s the one who put it all in motion. Hiram plays dumb, even when she cries. Mayor Hermione Lodge looks moved by her daughter’s pleas, but says nothing.
And in Serpent-land — which seems to still be an encampment by the river — Jughead strategizes with Sweet Pea and Fangs about figuring out what’s up with Hiram and the Ghoulies. Fangs is sent on a recon mission while F.P. (wearing adorable eyeglasses) tattoos a serpent on “honorary Serpent” Archie Andrews. Is…everyone a Serpent now, in some shape or form? If everyone is a Serpent, does that also mean no one is? Food for thought. Anyway, Juggie tells his BFF to find the other Serpents in juvie for protection, and F.P. warns Archie to make sure he keeps his head on straight, too.
Later that night, Betty finds Alice looking through her diaries — of which there are many — because Edgar thinks she needs to burn them to let her past go. Betty is not impressed by Edgar, though Alice says he’s helped her and that she thinks Betty isn’t dealing with her trauma. B makes a crack about her mother having been body-snatched and after she leaves, Polly comes in and tells her mom she has something to share about Betty…
But before we hear what it is, it’s pool party time! The Beach Boys music is pumping and almost all the girls are wearing bathing suits and heels, which I find confusing, but otherwise it’s all fun and games! We learn that Josie and Sweet Pea have engaged in a summer fling; Kevin and Moose have been hanging out and Kevin proposes a “let’s each have sex for the first time” pact to Moose with a deadline of Halloween; Reggie is ready to step up and lead the Bulldogs on and off the field should Archie go away, and he’s down to keep the peace with the Serpents; and Cheryl is upset that she can’t do anything to help Archie, especially since he saved her life once upon a time. Also, Veronica wanted to be put on the stand but Sierra and Mary told her it was too late — though Josie knows where the jurors are being sequestered (the Five Seasons, of course) and V thinks if she can just convince one juror that her dad is behind all this, it’s enough to get a hung jury and more time to prove Archie’s innocence. This is for sure illegal but, shrug. Also, Dilton is skulking around the edge of the party but just as Jughead notices him, Fangs rushes up with news: the Ghoulies have Hot Dog! The actual Serpents (Sweet Pea, Fangs, Jug, Toni, Cheryl, and Betty) hold an impromptu meeting and decide to get Hot Dog back after dark. Jughead and Betty briefly squabble over whether or not she’ll come, but she wins the argument by declaring that a Serpent queen is a warrior queen. So there!
Later that night, as Archie is having a heart-to-heart with his parents, Veronica attempts to break into the jury’s hotel room dressed as a member of the housekeeping staff. Sheriff Minetta catches her; later, she and Hermione have quite the argument in his office. Veronica accuses Hermione of being complicit and Hermione explains that Veronica being Hiram’s daughter affords her a level of protection that even Hermione herself does not have. She calls herself a prisoner, but not a puppet, and the two hug. So I guess the “Hermione is the boss” reveal last season was a fake-out? Explain yourself, Riverdale.
Anyway, Jughead is confronted by Penny and the Ghoulies as he attempts to save Hot Dog, and is saved only by a well-timed-and-aimed arrow from Cheryl. Though the Serpents escape — with Hot Dog — they’ve awakened a monster in Penny, who swears that the North side is now fair game and makes threats on Betty’s life. Cool. (Not cool.) Meanwhile, Archie is tortured by dreams of himself actually killing Cassidy in Shadow Woods. Even cooler! (And by “cool” I mean, “haunting.”)
Before our core four can get to the swimming hole as planned the next day, some family time is in order: F.P. reminds Jug that he’s a Serpent by blood and no one can take that away (and also tells him that Dilton stopped by to see him when he was out). Meanwhile, Polly and Alice confront Betty about her fake therapist and the fact that she’s been forging her Adderall prescriptions all summer long! Betty, WYD? Though this is obviously concerning, Betty deflects their worries by bringing up how shady the Farm is — which Polly shuts down by claiming that the Farm healed her, and Alice, and can help Betty too, as long as she admits she’s sick first. I’m sure this will come up again, but for now, Betty’s off to the swimming hole with her friends.
Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead spend a fun-filled day swimming, with nary a leech in sight. The possibility of Archie running away comes up, but is shut down by the main man himself, who says he has to take responsibility for all the stuff he did last year that could’ve ended in him killing someone (though it didn’t). Everyone is sad, and at some point the bonfire they’ve built splits into two fires and the couples pair off. Betty tells Jug she’s scared to face the school year, and he reminds her that they’re partners. Archie and Veronica hook up and he tries to set her free by telling her he doesn’t want her waiting for him if he goes to juvie, but she doesn’t allow any kind of breaking up to happen. He admits that one thing keeping him up at night is the thought that he won’t get to graduate with any of his friends. This is sad.
In the blink of an eye, it’s the next day and everyone is heading to the courthouse to hear the jury’s verdict. Dilton stops by the Jones trailer once more to talk to Jughead about the game he and Ben have been playing and someone/thing called the Gargoyle King. Jughead has to leave but he sits a very nervous Dilton down at the kitchen table and tells him to wait there until he gets back. Seems ominous…
At the courthouse, the jury announces that they’re deadlocked at 6-to-6 and haven’t reached a decision. So the judge dismisses them and the D.A. offers a deal in lieu of another trial: time served in juvie if Archie pleads guilty to manslaughter. Mary starts to object but Archie stands up and accepts the deal. There’s a lot of chaos but he’s adamant — he can’t put everyone through all this again. So it’s off to juvenile detention for Archie Andrews, with Veronica chasing after him and yelling about his innocence as he’d led out of the courtroom. She breaks down in tears and locks eyes with her father as Betty comforts her.
In the aftermath, we learn that Mary is filing an appeal and Fred, Tom Keller, and F.P. are planning to reunite their Dad Hero Squad (I’m workshopping that name) to prove that Hiram framed Archie and “make [Hiram] pay.” Veronica confronts her father again and this time, he admits that he did all this to punish Veronica for betraying him, for choosing Archie over blood. Her response: “You don’t have a daughter anymore.” Ooh, I got chills. Also, I hope she was recording that conversation somehow.
Jughead gets home and Dilton is gone, but he’s left a rolled up piece of paper. It appears to be a map on one side, with a drawing of some kind of sculpture on the other side. Jugheads holds the map up to his map of Riverdale and realizes *something* that leads him to Fox Forest Park with a compass. On the bus to juvie, Archie passes the “Welcome to Riverdale!” sign, which is now covered in spray-painted symbols that appear to match the ones on Dilton’s map. In the forest, Jughead stumbles upon a structure that matches the one drawn on Dilton’s piece of paper, surrounded by candles, goblets, and a bent-over Dilton and Ben (with similar symbols carved into or painted on their backs). Jughead shakes Ben and the boy turns over and starts to foam at the mouth, seizing…
Meanwhile, Betty comes downstairs at her house to find Alice, Polly, and some others outside, circling a fire. Her mom and sister hold Polly’s twins above the fire and drop them in — but the babies starts to float in the air. At this point, Betty passes out and also appears to have a seizure, and Alice rushes over to help…
And that’s the end of the episode. I’m confused, sure, but I’m guessing the rest of the season will spend some time diving into the Farm, the Gargoyle King, and what this game/potential cult/symbols have to do with Riverdale and its residents. I know I’ll be watching, eagerly awaiting some answers!
Want more from Teen Vogue? Check this out: This Is What Happens When You Challenge the Stars of Riverdale to TRUTH OR DARE
