Riverdale - Labor Day - Review: "A Wicked Start"

Riverdale is back after a weaker second season. I didn’t expect much from this premiere, but I was fairly satisfied. Let’s summarize what happened and discuss what will likely a new crazy and scary season.

It’s all about Archie’s trail: Labor Day is coming and the jury will deliberate during the weekend. After the latest hearing, Archie, Betty, Veronica and Jughead reunite for a weekend together. It was a nice contrast to see them in court and later on enjoying a normal day as teenagers.

I wanted a confrontation between Veronica and Hiram so much, that I thought it wasn’t even enough for how much damage had his father created. Problematic parents are still at the center of Riverdale’s world: Betty has a hard time dealing with Alice and Polly. These two try to persuade her to join the cult, the Farm. Not a convincing name for such an organization. Meanwhile, Jughead still needs to fight to get control of the Southside.

Archie takes a stunning decision: he accepts a plea deal to serve two years in a juvenile detention after the news of a mistrial comes out. It will be interesting to see how the writers will handle this big change and if Archie will actually spend some time there. The episode ends with a surprising and intense twist: Betty arrives home and sees her mother and her sister carrying out an exoteric and odd ceremony. The twins are dropped on fire and they fly. It was totally crazy but gripping: Betty also faints and starts convulsing.

After acting strangely, Jughead discovers Dilton and Ben in Fox Forest. The scene is another nightmarish field: there is a dark skeletal totem that was referred to as the Gargoyle King. There is a strong and odd True Detective's vibe.

I enjoyed this premiere, but I’m still not sold on the future of the show: I hope they will follow a right path. The writers should give more space to the kids. I also really appreciated the various hints at a possible supernatural future. I think that this adds a gripping aspect to the over-abused storylines we watched in season 2. Let’s see what will happen. For now, I can not say that Labor Day failed as an episode.

And you? What do you think of “Labor Day”?