The second-ever Riverdale musical episode is upon us, with fans eager to see how the installment lives up to last year’s Carrie: The Musical episode. This time around, the students of Riverdale High are putting on Heathers: The Musical, and it’s safe to say that there’s even more drama, plot twists, and passionate musical numbers than before. Read on to find out what you need to know about this year’s installment.
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The episode begins with Hermione protesting the students’ production of Heathers: The Musical, arguing that it’s in poor taste. Kevin argues that the show is about teenage isolation and angst, something that all of the students have been feeling recently. He begins to perform “Beautiful”, and the other students join in as they make their way to school and into rehearsal.
At rehearsal, Kevin reveals that Evelyn has become the musical’s co-director, to the confusion of the other students. Kevin also announces that Toni will serve as choreographer, which clearly upsets Cheryl.
Rehearsal carries on, but Betty is clearly weirded out by Evelyn’s Farm-like warm-ups. Betty, Veronica, and Cheryl perform “Candy Store”, with Cheryl and Toni butting heads over choreography. Betty then confronts Evelyn about her behavior, arguing that she’s trying to recruit everyone into The Farm. Evelyn denies it, but conveniently organizes a cast party at The Farm for that night.
Everyone shows up to the cast party in costume, and perform “Big Fun”. Evelyn gives Kevin a special Farm brownie, which causes him to start hallucinating visions of Midge’s death. The next day at rehearsal, Evelyn tries to get the group to reveal their secrets. Kevin and Fangs both say that they’ve been seeing hallucinations of Midge. Archie and Josie’s relationship gets outed in the process, which causes Josie to have second thoughts.
Cheryl and Toni start a fight, after Toni wears the color red to school. Upset, Toni begins to sing “Dead Girl Walking”, and recruits Sweet Pea and Peaches to have a threesome. By the end of the number, she begins to save second thoughts, and leaves.
Betty finds out that Evelyn organized a secret rehearsal in the Gargoyle Chamber, and goes to investigate. She finds Kevin and Fangs singing “Our Love is God” in some sort of Farm ritual led by Evelyn, and takes pictures for evidence. Betty brings the photos to Weatherbee, who doesn’t see anything wrong with it, because he himself is now a member of The Farm.
The next day, Josie visits Archie at the boxing gym, and they realize that their relationship is worth keeping as they sing “Fight for Me”. Meanwhile, Toni visits Cheryl, and they talk about their break-up. Cheryl explains that her past traumas made her upset that Toni was getting away from her, and Toni hints that there’s still a chance for them.
At the musical, the cast sings the show’s closing number, “Seventeen (Reprise)”. When the song finishes, a single person stands up and begins to clap. It’s Edgar Evernever, and his followers begin clapping along with him.
Other tidbits from the episode include:
- Hiram and Hermione tell Veronica that they’re getting a divorce, because of Hermione selling the drug trade out from under Hiram. At the cast party, Reggie and Veronica flirt with each other and eventually hook up at the Pembrooke, but Veronica refuses to make things serious. Once Reggie learns that Veronica is going through a rough time, he decides to break off their relationship. Veronica asks Hiram to get back with Hermione. Later, Hiram reveals that the divorce was because Hermione tried to have him killed twice. Veronica invites both of her parents to the musical, and she channels her sadness into rehearsal, where she sings “The Tiniest Lifeboat”. At the musical, Veronica finds Hermione and Hiram both in the audience.
- Outside of the musical, Jughead learns that the Jones family trailer was stolen, and he and the Serpents offer to help F.P. find it. Jughead eventually finds the trailer, which Gladys has fully turned into a drug lab. Upset about where their lives have gone over the past few years, he and Betty begin to sing “Seventeen”, as Toni and Cheryl sing it as well. Jughead and Betty try to figure out what to do about the trailer, and Betty suggests that Jughead just let it go. After F.P. comes home attacked by someone on Fizzle Rocks, Betty and Jughead go blow up the trailer.
Riverdale airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on The CW.
