Riverdale - Chapter Forty-One: Manhunter - Review

Riverdale has embraced its totally random nature and every week we go in a new direction. After the "Fight Club" storyline, it's time for the "Prison Break"'s narrative arch. Archie has been saved by Veronica and now he is on the run. The whole town is searching for him (and apparently they don't have any more pressing matter to deal with). But let's summarize what happened in the episode "Chapter Forty-One: Manhunter".

Jughead is still investigating the Gargoyle King's cult and he finds new disciplines. Betty is also trying her best to uncover the truth: she finds out that the warden knew the midnight club and that their parents are still lying to them. Exhausted by all these lies, she secretly gathers The Midnight Club and she wants an answer. The only one who decides to talk is Penelope who confesses that is was Darryl Dorley, who poisoned the chalices and that he killed himself after that. The meeting was so dramatic, and I had problems believing that all these people decided to dedicate their afternoon to this secret meeting, but whatever, it's Riverdale.

Veronica's only life purpose is to save Archie. After she discovers that the case files interviews with the Shadow Lake boys had been modified, she breaks in her mother's office. She manages to clear his name, but she gets arrested. In the meanwhile, Archie doesn't want to surrender and decides to leave his hideout. Also in this episode: after confessing that the warden had been taking orders indirectly by Hiram, Joaquin dies. He was one of the most promising characters, but he just didn't have space.

The episode ends with Betty and Alice. They are discussing and in a totally crazy moment, their power is cut and The Gargoyle King is in their house. They run to Betty's room and FP climbs in the window to save them. There was a nice reference to "Scream". Archie decides that he doesn't want to come back to Riverdale and breaks up with Veronica. Alice has Betty taken in by the Sisters of Quiet Mercy. The final moment of the episode is a surprisingly nice and sweet moment, where Jug and Archie start their journey towards the unknown, reminding the viewers that their friendship is what holds the show together.

All in all, it was an enjoyable episode with the fastest rhythm yet. And you? What do you think of "Manhunter"?