In a beautiful tribute, the series’ best season premiere and episode to date, Riverdale says goodbye to Fred Andrews, beloved late star Luke Perry.
Riverdale returned tonight with a beautifully poignant season 4 premiere as Archie, Mary and the town mourn the tragic, sudden death of beloved father and friend Fred Andrews.
Perfectly written by series developer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and perfectly acted by the cast, especially KJ Apa, the episode pays tribute to Luke Perry with such respect and love and brilliantly reflects on the complexity of grief and on how one moment, one decision and one accident can change everything.
Here’s how Riverdale said goodbye to Fred and Luke.
A Hero’s Death
Fred dies the way he lived, going out of his way to help people, even a perfect stranger. As FP reveals to Archie and Mary, Fred was driving home from Cherry Creek and pulled over to help a stranded motorist whose tire had blown out. While Fred was helping the other driver, another car struck Fred and drove off. Archie wants to find the driver, but FP tells him to focus on saying goodbye and being with his family and friends.
The only problem is the funeral home in Cherry Creek says they can’t drive Fred home until July 5th. Archie then has a dream in which his late grandfather, Artie, explains that he hasn’t been reunited with his son yet because Archie didn’t bring him home. Archie calls Veronica, Betty and Jug, and they drive through the night to Cherry Creek in a hearse that Reggie offers from his dad’s lot.
The funeral home director initially refuses to let Archie take Fred home but, after Mary gets on the phone with him, he changes his mind. While the director prepares Fred for transport, the Core Four visit the site of the accident to retrieve Fred’s truck. There, they meet the driver Fred had been helping, played by Perry’s Beverly Hills, 90201 co-star Shannen Doherty, who had come back to the scene with a bouquet to pay her respects.
The driver tearfully explains that Fred told her so much about Archie, even in their short time together and that they were fixing her tire together when the other car came out of nowhere. She froze, and Fred pushed her out-of-the-way, sacrificing himself in the process. Joined hand-in-hand with the Core Four, she recites the “Our Father” in honor of Fred.
The Complexity of Grief
Reeling from the news that Fred willingly sacrificed himself, Archie quite understandably becomes angry. Why did his dad have to stop? Why couldn’t he have just kept driving like everybody else had? Why did he have to be a “senseless” hero and die on the side of the road alone without his family and friends?
Then, Archie becomes furious when FP calls and reveals that the driver, George Augustine, had turned himself in but gotten out on bail. Archie gets George’s address from a phone book and confronts him. Holding George against a wall by his collar and on the verge of becoming violent, Archie is interrupted by George’s young teenage son, Jeffrey, who heartbrokenly admits it was him. He drove his dad’s car without permission or a license and accidentally lost control.
Archie goes outside to cool off and reunites with the rest of the Core Four, who FP had called. Archie explains what happened and how “ashamed” he feels, having almost attacked an innocent man, who was trying to protect his son, just as Fred would have protected him. Furthermore, Archie bitterly reflects on how often he had lied to Fred and disobeyed him, including going for joy rides. Veronica tries to comfort him, but Archie can’t help feeling that he let his father down.
A Hero’s Homecoming
The episode opens with the Core Four organizing an Independence Day Parade, the town’s first since Jason Blossom’s death three years ago. Cheryl is outraged and demands they call it off. When they refuse, she vows to attend but protest with a sign and air horn.
Following the news of Fred’s death and the Core Four’s departure for Cherry Creek, Cheryl and Toni visit Mary, who is home alone. Cheryl explains she felt incredibly alone after Jason’s death and doesn’t want Archie and Mary to experience that pain, so she asks for Mary’s blessing to do “something for your family for when Archie returns.”
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As the Core Four drive home with Fred, FP meets them on the outskirts of town and asks permission to give them a police escort. Archie agrees, and they drive on to find a Homecoming Parade waiting for them. The citizens of Riverdale, including Josie, line the street waving flags and homemade signs.
At the funeral, Josie sings “Amazing Grace,” and Archie praises Fred for literally building the town, noting he will someday hopefully be able to point to a building and tell his child that their grandfather made it because “Fred Andrews will always be a part of Riverdale.” Jughead, too, notes in the obituary The Riverdale Register, which Archie had asked to write, that Fred had left Riverdale better than he had found it.
At the funeral, Archie also shares the story of a rainy Fourth of July years earlier. Archie had become dejected when the fireworks were canceled, so Fred had gone out and bought enough fireworks “to burn a house down” and set them off in their backyard.
That night, Archie, Mary, Jug, Betty, Veronica, Reggie, Kevin, Josie, Cheryl and Toni celebrate Fred’s life with another backyard firework show. Archie vows to honor his dad by being a good person, always. As the fireworks continue to light up the sky, Archie goes into the garage and flashes back to Fred sound-proofing it and working on the jalopy with him. Leaning on the car they built together, Archie finally breaks down.