Riverdale 100th Episode Preview Released

The CW has released a teaser for “Chapter One Hundred: The Jughead Paradox”, the fifth episode of Riverdale‘s sixth season. The episode is expected to serve as the finale for the currently-ongoing “Rivervale” event, which has brought a spooky and bizarre approach to the Town with Pep. Given how eccentric the event has gone so far — with human sacrifices, ancient curses, the literal Devil, a crossover with Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and so much more — it was safe to assume the episode would get surreal, and it definitely looks like that’s the case. For one thing, the promo reveals the return of Jason Blossom (Trevor Stines), whose murder incited the events of the entire series — and actually has him speaking for the first time.  As photo for the episode revealed, the 100th episode is also expected to feature a return to the “Classic Archie” alternate reality, which was first teased in a dream sequence in Season 1. 

“We actually shot this really cool sequence that we ended up cutting for time,” showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa told Entertainment Weekly back in the show’s second season. “The camera tracked across like four or five booths, and each booth was a different time period. In one booth, you had the kids in the ’40s. In another booth you had Kevin and Moose in the ’50s, and in another booth you had Josie and the Pussycats in the ’70s. In the next booth, you had Cheryl in the ’80s.”

“The tension of the show is the wholesome iconography and the Norman Rockwell looking back at the past, and the grotty, more noir, underworld-y side underneath it — that’s the thesis of the show.” Aguirre-Sacasa explained. “Every story we tell, we say, ‘Okay, what’s the dark underbelly of this?’ That dream, which on the one hand is idealized and perfect and not a hair out of place, but then there’s F.P. just out of frame, down on his luck, there’s Archie with a knife in his back, there’s Betty and Alice tilting their heads at the exact angle as if to say, ‘If you don’t conform, you’ll die’ — that dream sequence captures the essence and the big theme of the show.”

You can check out the synopsis for “The Jughead Paradox” below!

“100th EPISODE – Unnerved by a series of strange happenings around him, Jughead’s (Cole Sprouse) quest for answers leads him to uncover the truth about Rivervale. KJ Apa, Lili Reinhart, Camila Mendes, Madelaine Petsch, Mädchen Amick, Casey Cott, Vanessa Morgan, Charles Melton, Erinn Westbrook and Drew Ray Tanner also star. Gabriel Correa directed the episode written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa.”

Riverdale airs Tuesdays at 9/8c. “The Jughead Paradox” will air on December 14th.