Times are a-changing in Riverdale. The gang is graduating and moving on with their lives. And - we are moving on in time. With
"Graduation" and "Purgatorio", the TV series decides to take a turn, is it a good one? Let's discuss it.
In the first episode, graduation day is approaching and Archie learns that he will have to repeat his senior year, but Principal Weatherbee allows him to be part of the final year's ceremony. Jughead's family is in turmoil: after the big reveal that Jellybean is the voyeur, FP decided to go back to Toledo with Gladys. The ceremony is nothing so memorable, but it was a great moment.
Archie and Veronica decide to spend the last night together and the day after, the gang graduates. Archie decides to join the Army. The perfect storyline for Archie and his random life decisions. The gang buries a time capsule at Riverdale High. Meanwhile, Cheryl is not going to college and she breaks up with Toni. A series of weird narrative choices.
They say their final goodbyes and they swear they would meet a year from that day. Life changes and the gang stops talking. Veronica goes on holiday with Hermione,
Betty reveals to Jughead that she kissed Archie. Jughead goes back to Betty's house after she leaves for Yale. One year later, Jughead is the only one at Pop's. This episode felt like closure and it was well written. One of the best episodes in a while. It was also sad to see Jug's disappointment when his friends don't show up.
In "Purgatory", seven years have gone by and Archie comes back to Riverdale where he finds Toni performing with Fangs and Sweet Pea. She is pregnant and reveals to Archie that so much has changed since he left and she shows him around town. Hiram wants to clear out Riverdale for his benefit.
Betty is in the FBI in Quantico, and she is still traumatized by being held captive by the Trash Bag Killer—a result of a mission that went wrong. Veronica is married to her husband, Chad, who is a controlling Hiram-like-figure. She defines herself as the "she-wolf of wall street" and apparently, they are in 2021. Time is relative, Albert Einstein stated.
In New York, Jughead has the most stupid breakup ever, when his girlfriend moves out. Back in Riverdale, Cheryl has been avoiding Toni and she hides in Thornhill with Nana Rose. Archie calls all his friends back: Betty, Jughead, and Veronica, all decide to go to Pop's to meet him. Meanwhile, Lynette “Squeaky” Fields is a waitress and the first victim of a new mysterious killer. This episode is weird: the characters look the same and don't appear to be almost at-all different, but there is a big-time jump. Shall we buy that with mobile phones and the internet
they haven't talked for 7 years? Why is everyone returning to Riverdale, only because Archie is calling? What the heck was Toni's performance? I am not so optimistic about this new setting.
And you? What do you think of "Graduation" and "Purgatorio"?
