Riverdale tonight is going to do the yearly (and last sadly) musical.  It’s all original and so we have no clue on what the songs are or who will sing what style.  The one thing we do know is from a preview of Riverdale I saw yesterday where Archie is having problems with his song.  In fact, Archie sees it as a better fit for his understudy, Julian (really).  Kevin and Clay ask Archie how he really is, and he honestly hadn’t thought of it or had a clue.  Is this what “bend to justice” means for the gang?  Do they have to find out who they are and the difference they can make in the world.  I honestly don’t think they can go back to pre-Bailey’s Comet as that world probably no longer exist (but more on that in a later post).

Is It Real – Or Imagined

Okay, we open with a musical number where the characters sing about starting their senior year but as they point out after practicing that they’re juniors and it’s spring.  The song is good but I didn’t get a title.   It reminded me of the opening of Grease but without the bullying.  Of note, we have all the major players there.  In addition to Archie, Betty, and Veronica, we get Jughead, Ethel, Dilton, Reggie many more.  We also get confirmation that Cheryl is no longer a Vixen.  Both Reggie and Jughead do not want to do the musical.  Jughead isn’t there for musical comedies and Reggie agree and they leave.  Jughead gets out of doing a true solo again. 

Archie

As the others leave, Archie and Julian stay to practice Archie’s “I Want” number.  The problem is that Julian, Archie’s  understudy, sings with Archie and it’s hard to tell who the song is about.  They have the removal of shirt scene and shower scene where Archie is called the “all American” man.  When Archie stops the number, Clay and Kevin asks who he is and Archie honestly can’t answer.  Later, at the second try by Kevin and Clay for the Archie song, Archie refuses to sing.  He needs to step away for his “mental health” while he works out who the real Archie is.

Archie and Jughead meet at Pop’s and Archie can’t even order a grilled cheese sandwich.  Jughead tells Archie that he’s an existential man who is trying to find himself.  Archie realizes that Jughead is right.  He’s too busy trying to please everyone that he can’t reach a decision on what he, Archie, wants.  When Pop bring a sandwich, Archie wants a different one and Jughead eats the original.  Archie goes to see Frank and tells him he just can’t be on the basketball team anymore.  Archie has finally made a decision that he wants to focus on his poetry.  Frank is mad and tells Archie he will regret it.  Again, Archie may be growing as he doesn’t know what he wants.

Kevin and Clay, Cheryl and Toni

Kevin and Clay leave the school after rehearsal and Kevin tells Clay, in song, that Clay is Kevin’s angel.  Seems Kevin’s home life is the pits (more about this later).  To him, the world is so far away and he needs to be a in a place where he and Clay can be together.  The two of them even do the prerequisite of every Broadway musical of a romantic dance that ends in a kiss.

The song that Clay and Kevin have for the four girls make it seem they only desire Archie.  The girls aren’t having it.  Cheryl and Toni want a song that is really about their relationship.  The one they are doing is setting the girls up to be the opposite of what they are (“frenemies”).  Betty and Veronica want a different song and Veronica is going to talk to Cole Porter (more about this shortly).

Kevin and Clay take Cheryl and Toni’s thoughts to heart.  They write a new song and the girls love it.  It’s a dual duet for Kevin/Clay and Cheryl/Toni about being in a same-sex relationship.  It deals with the question:  “Do You Know What It’s Like.”  While the song is moving, Kevin tells Cheryl and Toni that no matter how powerful it is, they can’t use it because Featherhead won’t approve.  Cheryl tells Kevin that when the time is right, she and Toni will perform it with Clay and Kevin.

Betty and Veronica

Veronica approaches Cole Porter to write a song for the two of them.  Okay, I know it’s not really Cole Porter but the thought is good.  Before it gets to Riverdale, Veronica tells Betty that she and Archie kissed.  Betty, of course, wants to know if she likes and has feelings for Archie.  Veronica tells Betty that she does but right now Veronica likes Betty more.  Veronica’s life in Riverdale has made her closer to Betty than she’s been to anyone else.  They agree that the universe is telling them to swear off Archie and focus on the here and now.  Growth here also but not sure how serious it is (yet).

When the song arrives, they perform it for Clay and Kevin.  In the dream sequence, they seem to think along the same lines and goals.  Again, we get a kiss between these two in the dream and almost in the performance.  The song has moved them and Clay and Kevin want to know what’s going on.  The girls tell them an energy exchange has happened.  They want that energy to be seen.  Later, in the lounge, Veronica and Betty talk about Archie when he arrives.  Archie admits to kissing both of them but he’s doing some soul-searching and, well, that comes first.

Kevin

So why all this.  Kevin is having family problems.  His father is living in his office while his mother and he share the house.  Kevin eats with his father at the office and tells him about the musical.  Kevin really wants his father in the audience to celebrate with him.  Tom tells him that there’s more going on between his parents than Kevin knows.  Kevin leaves surprised. 

Kevin and Clay spend the night together and almost get caught by Kevin’s mom.  She knocks on his door and Clay goes out the window.  She and Tom want to have dinner with Kevin that night at Pop’s.  At dinner, Kevin talks about the musical, but Tom interrupts with the news of the divorce.  Kevin’s told that his parents are calling it quits and the marriage can’t be fixed.  There are just too many differences between them and Kevin leaves upset.  He has to prepare for the preview for Featherhead.

The Finale That Explains (Somewhat) All

The preview is held with Julian (as Archie), a pretend Reggie and Jughead, and the rest presenting the musical for Mr. Featherhead.  The number is again an ensemble piece and Featherhead seems impressed.  Yet, he still asks to see Kevin in his office.  Featherhead has bad news for Kevin.  Featherhead cannot allow the musical “Archie” to go forward.  With the “communist” scare, Featherhead sees it as too soon and wouldn’t fill seats.  Now, Featherhead will allow Oklahoma to be performed.

Kevin goes back and tells the group that the musical is off.  He blames their nit picking but Clay tells them that there is more to Kevin’s problem.  The problem is that Kevin’s parents are divorcing.  Kevin goes home and tells his mom that he’s afraid he is to blame.  Things started to go wrong when he and Betty quit dating.  Kevin’s mom assures him that the problems were going on before that.  He didn’t cause the split and Kevin shouldn’t feel guilty or ashamed.  I honestly think she knows about Clay spending the night because she tells Kevin she loves him unconditionally.

At school, we get Kevin’s real final song.  He’s in the classroom playing the piano when Archie walks in.  Archie thanks Kevin for forcing him to make decisions.  Archie also knows the musical is off.  He wants to know about Kevin’s new song and asks Kevin to sing it.  While Kevin sings about an empty stage and how he feels, Archie joins in.  Their voices blend well on the “Friends Forever Never Say Goodbye” line.  Betty hears and joins in followed by Veronica as the song talks about the “edge of time” (are we getting a hint here that they’re waking up).  As the song continues, Toni and Cheryl join, then Clay, Midge, Fangs, Jughead, Ethel, Reggie, Julian and Dilton.  All are there and are trying to help Kevin heal and get through this.  Clay hugs Kevin and the rest join in for a group hug.  The song, “This Is Our Song,” echoes as the theme of the year.  Is this song going to serve as a rallying song or does it really stand for the move toward “bending toward justice.”

So who has made growth and maybe started “bending toward justice.”  I’d say Archie has really come to grasp the fact that he has tried to be too much for too many people.  Betty and Veronica realize that there is more to their life than one Archie Andrews.  Cheryl and Toni realize that they want to be truthful about their relationship and will stand up for it.  Jughead has moved back to his friendships as he sees what his friends are going through (at last he and Archie share a scene together).  Julian, well, the jury is still out on him.  The surprise is Featherhead.  He realizes the merit of Kevin’s piece and wants to “bend” but just is too scared to do so.

Grade for this musical episode – B- for me.  It advanced the story but not enough to move to the end of the season.

Next New Episode:  The Riverdale Beauty Pageant and seems to be Ethel centered.  Alice doesn’t want Ethel to participate, and we get the real Alice.  She only cares for the win and Ethel isn’t it.  So where will we go.  Will Alice finally have something that makes her a caring adult.