Riverdale - Season 2, Episode 04: Chapter Seventeen: The Town That Dreaded Sundown
Trailer
Sequel to the ongoing incident, Archie discovered a Vigilante group known as the Red circle, who may be approached to protect Riverdale High students. Meanwhile the coopers just received a comprehensive letter of the shooting.
The greatest strength of Chapter Seventeen is just how heavy it leans into its stylistic choices, no matter how ridiculous they are. Because every choice is completely in service of making nearly everything in this episode work.
On the one hand, I'm really enjoying this season, and on the other, it's soooo close to being too much. But that's also part of Riverdale, right? I've never felt more confused.
This new mood just doesn't work. Ronnie's interaction with Hiram does lend a little bit of story justification to the change, touching on how Archie is impressionable (read: stupid), but something about it just doesn't seem to jive.
If Riverdale is a stand-in for the soul of America - a microcosm of our hopes, dreams, fears, and flaws - then Season 2 has become an exploration of how that soul can and has been corrupted. Or, more accurately, how it's been corrupted all along.
Betty owned this episode, but Ronnie was a close second. And yes, it's worth noting again that she mentioned Archie's 'simplicity.' Even in the show's universe they seem to realize that Archie can be a dolt at time.
