Tonight, isn’t April Fool’s Day on Riverdale.  We’ve been through some strange things this season (and is Hiram really dead or giving Mark Consuelos a break?).  We have a meet the Devil in Rivervale but I ask the following question:  Is Percival Pickens the new devil for this reincarnation of Riverdale.  While I really don’t think we’ll find out tonight, he has all the makings of being the Devil.  And why make Riverdale the worst town  (what would his ancestor say? 

The Newspaper’s Lead – The Town Is Bad

As we open the show, Jughead is washing dishes while Tabita reads the paper.   (By the way, his hearing comes and goes.  Does that mean Betty’s and Archie’s powers come and go.)  She is worried about his article which he published anonymously to protect them.  The title of the piece was “Riverdale:  The Worst Town in America.”  Jughead (anonymous) doesn’t hide the truth about all the dirt in Riverdale’s history.  Of course, Percival liked it.  Archie, of course recognizes the style and goes off on Riverdale.  Alice and Frank are calling a meeting and tells Jughead to be there.

At the meeting, the town is the top topic of discussion is Sketch (Skid) Alley.  Alice sees it as a major problem along with Ronnie’s casino. She suggests turning the casino into a family friendly place complete with arcade for the kiddies.  Alice doesn’t agree as she sees the Lodge family as being one of the major problems in the town.  Archie makes the suggestion of small homes.  It would cost about $25,000 for each home in material but labor would be free. (So I combined some meetings.  There were too many throughout the show.) Archie also wonders why why the author didn’t give any suggestions and guess who claims to have written the article?  That’s right – Mr. Good-Guy Percival.  Percival thinks that the first objective should be to bus the Sketch Alley crowd out of town.  Archie says Riverdale has always taken care of his own.  Jughead sees this as a battle for Riverdale’s soul (I think in more ways than one.)  Good new folks!  Jughead is back as narrator.  More on his hearing later.

Jughead is upset about closing Sketch Alley.  The people there has helped him when Jug needed it most.  He and Archie discuss building small homes for the people to get them off the street.  Archie agrees that the idea is good and they start making plans.  Archie turns to Toni and Tabita for financial support.  They both agree and Archie’s first two buildings will be Pop Tate’s and White Wrym. 

Archie, Jughead and a crew of workers show up at Sketch Alley to tell the people what is going on.  Jughead talks to his friend and all (residents and crew get to work).  As the houses are built, Jughead friend (Doc, I believe) attacks Kevin.  Kevin goes to the hospital and Percival uses this as a reason to close down operations but two buildings have already been finished and installed at Pop Tate’s. 

Later, as Archie talks to Toni and Tabita, Alice is on the news complaining about the attack (Percival has gotten to her folks).  Archie is ready to stop but Toni and Tabita tell him to bring the houses on and display them at Pop’s.  After they are set up, one gets graffiti paint and Tabita calls Archie.  He’s got his powers back as he slams his fist into his truck with no injury.

The next day, Archie goes to take the houses down.  He finds Jughead, Tabita, Toni and Fred painting the building.   Jughead has something to tell Archie about Percival (check the Percival section for this) when who should appear (as if by magic) but Percival.  He’s been to Sketch Alley and paid all of them to leave town.  The gang (minus Percival) go to the empty alley.

At the last town meeting of the night, the people are happy that Percival solved one problem.  They cheer and Percival gives Tom Keller credit and tells everyone that law is back with Tom and Kevin working the streets.  Of the City Board, only Alice seems happy.  Jughead looks at Archie and says they must talk later.  After the meeting, Ronnie tries to talk to Alice about her plan.  Alice has really been brainwashed as she tells Ronnie that Ronnie’s Lodge name is a problem to the town.  If she takes a backseat, they will let the casino stay.  Otherwise, Alice and the town (read Percival) will get it closed down and not give it any support.

Abigail or Is It Cheryl?

Britta talks to Nana about seeing Cheryl in the mirror.  Nana tells Britta that Cheryl is in some sort of outer limits jail (Phantom Zone per Superman?).  Nana tells her they must get word to Cheryl but it can only be done while Cheryl is in a deep sleep and Britta, also asleep, can enter her dreams.  If Britta can warn Cheryl before she awakens, there is a chance.  One danger exist.  Abigail can’t awaken first. 

Britta gives Abigail some drugged tea and also drinks a glass (setting an alarm clock first).  In the dreamscape (sleep universe) Britta sees Cheryl with her mother and Jason talking about their birthday party as children.  Britta awakens and tries again.  The second dream is of the birthday party where Cheryl is being punished while Jason is celebrated.  She’ll get no birthday gifts and Britta calls Penelope (looking like the 1950s incarnation of Abigail) out to which she’s told to leave.  The third dream finds Penelope making Cheryl and Jason clean the floor with toothbrushes.  Is Penelope this evil?  She’s a cross between Mommy Dearest (Joan Crawford) and Mrs. Hannigan (Annie). 

With this evidence, Britta returns to Nana for advice.  Britta needs to use a new technique to get the message to Cheryl.  Nana offers encouragement and Britta decides to take a note to the dreamscape.  She falls asleep and finds Cheryl this time with white hair.  Her mother has cut it.  Penelope finds Britta and throw her out but Britta has dropped the note.  As Penelope confronts Britta who calls her fiction, Cheryl reads the note.  With Britta gone, Penelope turns to Cheryl who is the one we know.  Cheryl wins the battle and returns the next day to herself.  She wakes Britta and tells her they must banish Penelope from Cheryl’s dreams forever to get rid of Abigail and they a seance must be held.

The Casino

Ronnie and Reggie talk and Ronnie wants to make the casino legit and rehab her family name.  Reggie says it will be expensive but agrees to the scheme.  All seems to be going well until Reggie reports to Ronnie that there is a dead customer in a private room.  Ronnie calls in the bodyguard to help and asks him to find out about Percival.  The body is taken to New Jersey for disposal and he starts tracking Percival.

Reggie has new information.  While the man had lost a bundle, he was winning that night.  He was up by $25,000 and then Percival arrives and whispers in his ear.  The bodyguard comes in and he has taken care of the body and done some research  on Percival.  There is no paper trail.  The man never existed until he arrived in Riverdale.  (See, I told you he was Satan.)   Ronnie asks him to help reestablish the casino and help it start making money.  They’re going to need it for the battle that is going to brew over its existence.  Hiram isn’t forgotten as his picture will inspire them with the Lodge name.

Percival and His Talent

Percival seems to have a talent for changing people’s mind.  He talks to Alice and gets her on his side echoing his every thought.  He talks to Archie but surprisingly  makes no headway (either Archie is very stupid of his power comes into play).  He talks to Kevin and Tom Keller and gets them on his side. 

Jughead is questioning what happened with Doc.  He goes to the prison and visits.  The last thing his friend remembers is meeting an English gentleman (Percival) and getting the idea to hit Kevin in the head.  Jughead decides to visit Percival on the pretense of doing a story.  Suddenly, Jughead’s hearing gets distorted.  He’s hearing what Percival says but also a hidden message that Percival is relaying trying to convince Jughead otherwise.  Suddenly Percival speaks to Jughead by using telepath powers.  He tells Jughead to get out of his head.  So, now we know that Jughead has a superpower after all.  Jughead later tells Archie they need to talk, and the gang needs to meet.

The Powers and What We Know

Betty returns home to Archie’s and is bothered by the light.  It triggers migraines and is a side effect of her power. 

Archie’s is back but impacted by palladium.

Jughead can sense hidden conversations that others do not hear.

Ronnie knows he didn’t exist before coming to Riverdale.

Percival can communicate by telepathy.  Can he only cause weak minds to hear.  And why does he have a crime board like Betty uses and seems to have put a target on Archie.  Could he be the Trash Can Killer in addition to Satan.

Next week:  Jughead and others want to hurt Percival.  Cheryl is now in the mix.  Percival seems to be the one behind all the evil and has plans for all the gang in addition to Cheryl.