‘Riverdale’s Luke Perry Tribute Succeeds By Not Forgetting It’s ‘Riverdale’

Luke Perry clearly loved being on Riverdale. In nearly every interview since Perry suddenly and shockingly passed away from a stroke in March at age 52, cast and crew have told fond stories about how he was always a positive, professional presence on set. On screen, he played Andrews family patriarch Fred, always ready with some good advice for his son Archie (KJ Apa), a steady presence of hope and positivity in the midst of the show’s regular, non-stop insanity. Off screen, it was seemingly the same, with Perry acting as de facto set Dad, helping the young cast learn how to deal with their newfound fame — he was intimately familiar with the process, having gone through the same experience during the heyday of Beverly Hills, 90210 — and instantly bonding with the older cast, and crew. A sudden loss of any sort on an ongoing TV show is going to impact those involved in a very real way; Luke Perry’s death was cataclysmic.

At the time, the production took two days off to mourn, as well as discuss how to address Perry’s passing in the third season, which only had a few episodes left to film. Instead of awkwardly shoving the real life circumstances into the ongoing plot, which featured an evil stick monster called The Gargoyle King, and an organ-stealing cult called The Farm, Riverdale instead brought in fellow icon Molly Ringwald as Mary Andrews (who appeared sporadically throughout the previous three seasons) to temporarily put a band-aid on the wound left by Perry’s absence.

But the Season 4 premiere, titled “Chapter Fifty-Eight: In Memoriam,” deals with Perry — and Fred’s — death head on. Written with heart and thought by showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, and directed beautifully by frequent Riverdale collaborator Gabriel Correa, the episode works not just on the level of paying homage to the sudden passing of an actor that meant so much to so many people, but because Aguirre-Sacasa’s expertly crafted script doesn’t let us forget that we’re watching an episode of Riverdale.

I realize that might give some viewers pause, given that Riverdale is a frequent internet punching bag for its outlandish plots, graphic (by The CW standards) sex scenes, and frequent murders. The thought of seeing any of that in the midst of dealing with a real-life tragedy could, and would, come off as ghoulish, at best.

What Aguirre-Sacasa does instead is structure the premiere script so that it starts as a regular kick-off episode of Riverdale, right up until tragedy strikes. In that way, we, as viewers, are put right into the same place as Archie when he receives the sudden news that his father has died. For actor KJ Apa, it’s surely a real emotion he’s channeling from back in March; for viewers, this is the first time we get to feel Fred’s passing, and subsequently Perry’s.

And though the episode is replete with heartfelt moments — a speech from Lili Reinhart’s Betty Cooper is achingly real, as are the cast’s reactions when Fred’s funeral is finally held; and a scene where Fred’s body is brought back to town will leave viewers a sobbing mess — it’s the decision to put the viewer in Archie’s shoes that brings the episode together. All hour long, Archie is doing what he’s always done on the show, trying to tackle problems head-on, and often in the worst way possible. The character, as depicted on Riverdale, is almost like a puppy, chasing after the first thing he sees and often getting into situations way over his head. Here, he does the same; trying to grapple with his father’s death as if it was just another Riverdale mystery, instead of an unexplainable event that has rendered him fatherless, just when he needs his father the most.

Throughout, Aguirre-Sacasa peppers these moments through Archie’s eyes: there’s a haunting dream sequence; a creepy mortician; a seeming villain. But ultimately that all evaporates; and when it does, the release Archie feels, the waves of emotion that Apa channels on screen are the same the viewing audience feels at home. Riverdale has dealt with multiple character deaths, and like most soap operas has found ways around them, from fake-outs to secret twins. Fred Andrews, like Luke Perry, is not coming back. When that realization finally hits, it’s gutting; but it’s also the only way Archie — and viewers — can move on.

Look, I don’t pretend to have known Perry. I talked to him for a grand total of five minutes on a red carpet once, and found him to be charming, funny, self-effacing and extremely kind. But given everything those who did known him have said about the man, it seems distinctly clear that this episode is what he would have wanted. Not a tribute episode turning the camera directly on him, making him the center of attention. But a chance for the other members of the cast to shine. And shine they do, as everyone (and I do mean everyone) pauses their regular schemes to support Archie, and honor Fred.

The beauty, and the heartbreak of this is that Perry didn’t get to see this episode, which channels his spirit of heroism, of hope, of support. And more than anything, he would have loved that it ultimately lets Riverdale, be Riverdale.

Riverdale airs Wednesday, October 9 at 8/7c on The CW.

Where to watch Riverdale