Riverdale season 5, episode 5 review: Back to basics

Riverdale season 5 continued to take the show into new territory with an episode that moved its new normal a great deal forward, but did it take it in the right direction?

Riverdale has ventured into new territory. With the remainder of its season 4 narrative in the rear-view mirror, the TV show’s fifth season officially began with its fourth episode last week. And with that, new storylines, new relationships and a completely new normal awaited the characters that returned to that infamous small town.

Archie Andrews was the first of them, returning from the army after he was reassigned to his home town but after a heartfelt reunion with new Serpent Queen Toni Topaz, he discovered that the town needed help. And, like he had done so many times before, he reached out to the only people he knew could help him and Toni save Riverdale: Published author Jughead Jones, FBI Agent Betty Cooper and the “She-Wolf of Wall Street” Veronica Lodge.

The honorary premiere episode breathed new life into a show that had grown stale in recent offerings, but could that strong opening set the stage for Riverdale‘s brighter days? Let’s find out if “Chapter Eighty-One: The Homecoming” could continue that trend.

What happened in Riverdale season 5, episode 5?

The fifth episode of Riverdale‘s fifth season was much less segmented than its predecessor in that it wasn’t split up into acts devoted entirely to one character or the other. No, this week’s installment was more about the ensemble cast as the remaining Riverdale High faculty attempted to stop Hiram Lodge, Archie and Betty tried to take down the Ghoulies and Jughead and Archie prepared Pop Tate’s retirement ceremony.

This paved the way for a series of interesting outcomes. First, Riverdale High became a private school funded by Cheryl Blossom, with a faculty of teachers consisting of Archie, Betty, Jughead, Veronica, all of whom joined Toni and Kevin who already work there. Elsewhere, Betty and Archie’s mission was a success and resulted in them finally scratching that “Barchie” itch in a very friends-with-benefits kind of way. And, finally, the gang bid farewell to Pop Tate with a beautiful speech from Jughead – a speech so beautiful that he is now being forced to write a novel based on it.

Back to basics

Much of Riverdale‘s latest offering felt familiar: Hiram Lodge is back up to his old tricks, Polly is being illusive once again and the sense of familiarity between the former friends makes things feel a little warmer. That familiarity is actually a good thing because the setting is so different from what it once was that some recognizable qualities are welcome.

It does feel like we’re just supposed to accept some of the more outlandish qualities because “It’s Riverdale” but the mature presentation of this post-time-jump era doesn’t allow for that quite as easily as the high school chapters of the show did. With that in mind, it’s hard to buy that Archie, Veronica, Jughead and Betty would randomly return to Riverdale High to suddenly become school teachers or why Veronica Lodge would suddenly decide to ask her father for help when she knew what he was like (not-to-mention the fact that she actually thought he may have been the one having her followed) and all of us saw his inevitable reaction coming. But then again, it’s Riverdale.

Nevertheless, Riverdale‘s new grown-up qualities continue to work well for it. The core five’s stand against Hiram Lodge exuded everything we loved about the togetherness of the Riverdale of old while also lending itself nicely to the show’s new tone. And Betty and Archie’s newfound friends-with-benefits relationship will serve as a solid conflict-starter, bringing up old wounds and creating some new ones in the process as the secrets behind what those two and Jughead and Veronica have been up to over the past seven years make their way to surface.

Riverdale Ramblings

• Jughead’s opening monologue may have been designed to exposit all of the information we needed to remember from the previous episode but it was also an excellent use of voiceover because it highlighted that things aren’t as smooth between the gang as the succeeding episode would have us believe. It’s also really nice to hear him narrating again.
• Genuinely teared up at Jughead’s speech to Pop Tate. I hope he sticks around because Pop’s ain’t Pop’s without Pop.
• Polly is used as a plot device much too often and that has made it really hard to see her as a character after the first season. She does whatever the plot requires her to – which is usually the opposite of what Betty needs her to – and never learns from her mistakes. The episode’s haunting ending does play into the main plot so we’ll see how it goes. Here’s hoping she’s okay!
• The new dynamic between Betty and Archie is much more interesting than the previous season 4 storyline we had to endure. Not sure “Barchie” will last but it will kick up some interesting conflict along the way.
• Do we sense chemistry between Jughead Jones and Tabitha Tate? It’s a very interesting dynamic, that’s for sure!
• Veronica shutting Chad down. YES. QUEEN.
• The lack of Kevin and Fangs is really frustrating. It’s beginning to feel like nothing has changed in that respect and that isn’t acceptable considering both are series regulars.
• Cheryl really came through for the gang (and, more importantly, Toni). Here’s hoping it’s the beginning of her comeback to town.
• Toni Topaz’s speech was nothing short of inspired and it’s absolutely fantastic to see Vanessa Morgan thriving with this great material. Toni is, without question, the queen of season 5 thus far.
• BEST LINE OF THE EPISODE: “Riverdale and it’s children will not be at the mercy of Hiram Lodge’s destructive whims.” – Toni Topaz, Queen.

What did you think of Riverdale season 5, episode 5? Have you been enjoying Riverdale season 5 thus far? Let us know in the comments below!