The "Riverdale" Musical Numbers, Ranked
Musical-themed episodes have a bad reputation. More often than not, Broadway-esque installments seem out of place and unnecessary when placed against a show's bigger storylines and narratives. But on Wednesday night’s episode of Riverdale, in which the high schoolers put on a production of Carrie: The Musical, fans were pleasantly surprised. One watcher even took to Twitter to write, “Tonight's episode of @CW_Riverdale was the best hour of TV I've seen this year.”
Although Archie’s singing skills weren’t quite up to par with Betty and Veronica, the high-energy musical numbers brought Riverdale High back to the 1970s with Farrah Fawcett-inspired hair-dos, wide-legged jeans, and all. And then, of course, there was that plot twist at the end of the episode that had Alice Cooper and all of us screaming in horror. Hey, if Kevin wanted to put together a Carrie-themed musical in a town like Riverdale, he better have known a bloody finale was more likely than not.
Unfortunately, some musical numbers rose above others, so we went ahead and ranked all 9 tunes in order from flawed to fabulous.
9: “Carrie”
In a pink satin gown, Cheryl (who, at this point in the show, is still playing the title role) takes center stage and a single spotlight to belt out this fun tune. Despite the fact she’s trying to prove Ethel wrong about her being tone deaf (Ethel desperately wanted to play the role of Carrie but wasn’t even allowed to audition, so she’s justifiably upset), Cheryl’s vocals are quite choppy. The number is only a small snippet of the whole song, so we don’t get to see too much of Cheryl singing it out, but we get to hear more of her in other performances. It does, however, end with a sandbag suddenly dropping from above, almost landing on our ingenue. Very Phantom of the Opera, if you ask me.
8: “Evening Prayers”
Although the episode’s jaw-dropping plot twist is revealed as this number comes to a close, the song itself is a little lackluster. As Carrie’s mother Mrs. White, Alice Cooper stands alone onstage in a white nightgown singing to God to forgive her for letting Him down. We can’t help but see the comparison to her own life: Mrs. White is ashamed of her daughter but, throughout the tune, comes to figure out that Carrie is her entire life. Likewise, Alice is often disapproving of Betty’s actions but, throughout the episode, sees firsthand that Betty is one of the only people she has left. It’s a sweet tune but a bit plain.
7: “A Night We'll Never Forget”
Dressed in robes with their hair in rollers, the cast of Carrie prepare for opening night in their dressing rooms. The boys gather around and sing about how their after-prom plans will turn them into men while the girls prepare for the night ahead. It’s a classic musical theatre number, full of energy and bright smiles, much like “A Night to Remember” from High School Musical 3. The best part of the number, however, is a cut to Cheryl, back in her satin pink gown, walking toward her home with a bucket in hand (for those who haven’t seen Carrie, a bucket of blood is involved so #foreshadowing). Solid and energetic, but not the best number from the episode.
6: “In”
This number was a fantastic way to kick off the episode. We see Betty and Veronica dressing for school, Archie doing some shirtless pushups (as usual), and Cheryl and Toni at River Vixen practice. It’s a coming-of-age number where each character sings of desperately wanting to fit in in high school, something we can all relate to. At Riverdale High, however, fitting in is much easier said than done, especially with all the tension that’s been building this season. “In” is fun, high-energy, and attention-grabbing.
5: “Do Me a Favour”
Speaking of fun numbers, this one that features Betty (as Sue), Veronica (as Chris), and the ensemble is amusing. The choreography is visually appealing, the vocals are killer, and the 1970s costumes have us obsessed. The number also places Sue and Chris against each other in a typical devil/angel situation. Sue, who is sweet and kind, does not get along well with Chris who is the school’s supreme mean girl. It’s no shocker that Betty and Veronica were cast in these roles considering the thick tension between them, but it helps set up the end of the episode.
4: “Stay Here Instead”
Alice fits her role perfectly: a controlling, manipulative mother who tries to constantly restrict her daughter. But the best part of this number is when the Cooper matriarch sings the words “don’t go” and proceeds to break down in tears, reflecting on how she no longer lives with her husband and how her son, Chic, has gone M.I.A. Alice then breaks out of character and through the fourth wall by saying her daughter’s name. The camera pans to Betty who is, like us all, in tears, realizing the pain her mother is in. It’s heartbreakingly beautiful.
3: “Unsuspecting Hearts”
Cheryl and Josie have some thick tension between them, so what better way to reconcile then through song? This duet between the two besties gives Cheryl the opportunity to apologize, ending with a warm embrace, and finding a spot near the top of this list.
2: “You Shine”
Although Archie’s a little shaking at the start of this number (think Zac Efron at the beginning of High School Musical), Betty takes over and uses it as an opportunity to apologize to Veronica after publicly sassing her a few minutes prior. The two girls then break out into some serious harmonies that left us shook, proving once again that a "sorry" through song is quite effective. The song also shows how love is not always romantic; Love extends to all those close to us, whether they be friends or significant others, and love can heal broken relationships, giving us all the feels and rightfully being one of the best numbers from the episode.
1: “The World According to Chris”
And in the number one spot is Veronica’s solo number that was flawless. Her gorgeous voice carries the upbeat tune and energetic choreography, all perfectly meshed together with some classic Lodge sass. Betty sums it up best. Although saying it as a diss, not a compliment, she tells Veronica after her number that, “Never has a role been so perfectly type-cast.” It might be a “little* shady, but Veronica delivered like no other.
Related: The Cast of "Riverdale" Opened Up About Their Dating Lives — Sort Of
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