Following a wild schedule of the CW (we are in pandemic-times), Riverdale has returned with the last few episodes of season 5. Let's summarize what happened in Riverdale.
The first episode of the new bunch is "Chapter Eighty-Seven: Strange Bedfellows". As in Riverdale fashion is full of melodrama with Archie at the center of it. Along with Kevin, he tries to work rounding up the escaped inmates. He also tells Veronica that until her divorce is finalized, they can't be together. Veronica can't catch a break: her jewelry store is robbed.
Jughead is still out of control, and Tabitha is concerned. She asks for Betty's help - is this the first sign of a new (kind of old) love triangle? Jug lives amongst the homeless but decides to head back to New York.
The most interesting part of the episode is connected with Penelope. She begins a ministry to try to heal and cope with Jason's death and Cheryl decides to join and has a revelation. Riverdale is such a mix of genres and storylines, it is difficult to keep up.
The title of the second episode speaks for itself, "Chapter Eighty-Eight: Citizen Lodge". While Reggie manages to return the money of his father's debt to Hiram, he decides to keep working with him. After this first scene, the episode focuses on the origin story of Hiram. It is an interesting portrait of how the character started his journey among local gangsters.
Young Hiram is portrayed by Mark Consuelos's son. We also have some time jumps to the present day's storylines and Hiram murders Vito - the local gangster he got to know when he was a teenager.
I didn't love "Chapter Eighty-Nine: Reservoir Dogs" and "Chapter Ninety: The Night Gallery". The last two episodes fell flat. Kevin is still in midst of emotional turmoil, Betty has always something wild to do or someone to beat and Reggie and Veronica keep working together.
For me, these four new episodes were a mixed bag. Some interesting moments, but a lot of repetitive or boring storylines. Season 5 is definitely not a big improvement on the previous one.
And you? What do you think of the new episodes?