'Riverdale' Recap: Chapter 45 - SATs Or How To Make It In The Real World?

Riverdale — what are you doing to me?  Before I start my recap I have to ask other fans. Do you feel like we missed a few chapters

Okay — now to the recap.  I know I missed writing for a few weeks but I have to say this up front.  What has happened to this show?  When last week’s Riverdale ended I thought for sure Archie was a gonna.  Guess what?  He’s back in Riverdale.  I have a bunch of questions I hope someone can answer and the one about his return will go with them.  Let’s get to the action.

Archie’s Return and the Others Reactions

So how did Archie get back?  A question I will include later!  He’s back and Mr. Weatherbee doesn’t think he’s ready to graduate.  Truthfully in Riverdale, do they even have a high school?  Another question for later.  Anyway, Jughead and Betty help him study but he’s having problems.  On top of that, Riverdale wouldn’t be complete without its power couple of Archie and Veronica.  But wait!  That’s Reggie and Ron now.  Unfortunately, Ronnie is feeling guilty and decides to throw Archie a party.  While all looks good, Archie leaves as he flashes back to his “vision” about dying (or not) in Canada.

As Archie’s story progresses, we learn that no one knows about the bear attack.  The claw marks surprise Reggie but not enough for us to get any answers on that.  As the show progresses, Archie learns everything about Ron and Reggie when Archie asks Reggie how to cheat on the SAT.  Archie goes to Ron and asks for one final night.

On the day of the SATs, Archie just can’t take the test and leaves.  He goes to the bathroom and flashes back to the “vision” of him putting a knife in Hiram Lodge’s stomach.  As Archie smashes the mirror, we see Hiram get shot.  Ron thinks that Archie did it?  Only time will tell.

Betty’s Woes Just Keep Getting Worse

Not only is Betty preparing for the SAT’s but she has just learned that her mom has forged Hal’s signature to Betty’s college fund.  Alice has withdrawn every cent Betty had for college.  What else would a good Riverdale mom do?  Whatever reason Alice has, it seems to be tied to the “Farm.”  Guess Alice drank too much of that Kool-Aid if she puts it before her daughter.

Betty visits Hal in jail and he admits that he didn’t sign the document.  Hal agrees to sign an affidavit to this fact then convinces Betty he knows all about Ascension Night.  He tells her that he knew about the Midnight Club and showed up as the Gargoyle King to kill as many members of the Midnight Club as he could with poison.  The guard tells Betty that Hal has had visits from Alice.  Say what?  Alice hates Hal and loves “The Farm.”

At home, Betty confronts Alice with what she’s learned.  Alice is too busy to talk but says she never spilled anything to Hal and he knew nothing about the Ascension Night event.  And now, folks, we get another tie-in to Penelope Blossom.  Betty meets with her and learns that Penelope has been seeing Hal for conjugal visits.  I’m confused again.

Later Betty gets her affidavit about Alice’s lie and confronts her father with her knowledge about Penelope.  She asks Hal why he lied.  He explains that he only wanted to talk to his little girl.  He asks her about the SATs and wants visits because he misses her.

When Betty returns to Riverdale, she finds a party going on at the house with Evelyn, Polly, and others from “The Farm.”  Betty learns that Alice, using Betty’s generous donation of her college fund has bought the “school” where the nuns kept the girls.  Wait a minute, didn’t Penelope want that for her brothel?

Hiram and His Schemes and Other Things

When we first see Hiram, or at least for me tonight, he is in a meeting with Claudius and Penelope and making plans.  While Penelope wants Sacred Heart for the brothel, Hiram has other plans and knows about “The Farm’s” desire to buy it.  Claudius is complaining but Hiram has plans for him.  Claudius will be sheriff and Hiram tells Hermione to make it happen.  She refuses but Hiram insists.

Later in the episode, he has sent Claudius to meet with the Serpents to get Archie (more on this shortly). Claudius gets caught.  Meanwhile, Hiram gets shot and ends up in the hospital.  Will he live or die?  And just who shot him?  Well, he must wait for that.  While Hiram lies in the hospital after surgery, Veronica confronts Archie and asks if he shot her father.  He denies it and no more Veronica and Archie.  Reggie shows up with balloons and flowers to comfort Ron.  Meanwhile, Hermione is up to something else.  She makes FP the new sheriff.

Jughead and the Serpents and Other Matters

Even though Jug has to worry about the SATs like all of the Riverdale crew, he still has the Serpents to lead.  He meets with Sweet Pea and finds out that there is a ceremony to make Sweet Pea a member of the Gargoyles.  Jughead sets up an ambush at the ceremony and takes the Gargoyle King down.  It’s none other than Tall Boy.  Jughead and FP decide to use Tall Boy to draw out the Man in Black (Hiram Lodge).  After Tall Boy calls Hiram and tells him that he has Archie for him, Hiram sends Claudius to meet Tall Boy to get Archie.  Instead, Claudius is brought down but denies that Hiram is involved (yeah right?).  He’s taken to the bunker where Jug and company find Tall Boy dead.

Word has spread about Hiram’s shooting.  FP goes to the hospital to see Hermione and is appointed sheriff.  Jughead has designed a celebration for Sweet Pea’s return and somehow conceal Tall Boy’s death.  Instead, the sheriff shows up revealing that he is FP Jones or Sheriff Jones now.

Everything’s Archie

At the end of the show, we return to find Archie punching the stationery bag and waking Fred.  It seems that Archie has a slight new problem — alcohol.  Archie tells Fred that he will be alright.  He has figured out how to survive.

Questions!  Questions!  I Need Answers

Some of these have been simmering for weeks!

• How did Archie get back to Riverdale?
  
  
• How did FP and Jughead get back into Riverdale after the quarantine?

• Since when did the Riverdale High School reopen?  Hiram had plans for the building and closed it?
  
  
• What is “The Farm”?  I know it is some cult organization but what is its hold over Alice?
  
  
• Who got rid (or shot) the following:  Hiram Lodge, Claudius Blossom, and Tall Boy?  Could Penelope have more of a hand in the Gargoyle King than some thought?  I always thought she had ties to that character.
  
  
• And finally, will Ronnie and Archie ever reunite?

That’s it for tonight.  Let me know if you have any answers for me.