Riverdale Round Table: Curtain Call
Justin Carreiro at .Jughead videotaped the behind-the-scenes drama of Carrie: The Musical, Alice broke down on stage, and Midge was murdered by The Black Hood on Riverdale Season 2 Episode 18.
Below, TV Fanatics Jack Ori, Paul Dailly, and Justin Carreiro debate Cheryl's revenge against Penelope, Alice's reconciliation with Hal, and the return of The Black Hood.
1. Betty went for the jugular in her comments toward Veronica during rehearsals. Do you think she went too far?
Jack: I get frustrated with Veronica too, but I didn't think that was the time or place for Betty to be making those comments.
Paul: I agree with Jack. Given the location, I would say Betty went too far. She should have at least saved it for somewhere quieter.
Justin: She definitely went too far! She brought out her Petty Betty side to hurt Veronica where it counts, knowing full well it would bring her back down to size. This move was only to cause a show in front of everyone.
2. Cheryl got her revenge against Penelope in a bloody dress while holding candles. React!
Jack: Cheryl is creepy when crossed! LOL. I was both equally freaked out and admiring her. That moment was a great homage to the Carrie story too.
Paul: Meh. Nothing shocks me with this show anymore, and I expected her to do something to get back at Penelope.
Justin: I loved the Carrie reference! She may not have been able to portray the character on the stage, but she did bring the character into the real world. Never mess with Cheryl and fire.
3. There were a lot of reconciliations during Riverdale Season 2 Episode 18, like Josie/Cheryl, Alice/Hal, etc. Which one were you the happiest to see?
Jack: I liked Betty and Veronica hugging. I prefer them as best friends. But my favorite was Archie giving back the Firebird and getting the junker to work on with Fred. It was nice to see Archie finally get a backbone and for Hiram's plan to backfire. Though, I'm sure Hiram isn't done.
Paul: Alice and Hal. While I'm not sure they will ever be fully back together, it was a good start. But, it's clear FP had feelings for Alice and that's going to cause problems.
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Justin: I agree with Jack about Veronica and Betty. It's no secret that I love this friendship! Josie and Cheryl's reconciliation also made me happy because their friendship is subtle, but you can tell that they love each other a lot.
4. From all of the songs during Carrie: The Musical, which performance did you like the most?
Jack: Alice and Midge's song during the rehearsals was my favorite. Very emotional and relevant to what Alice was going through outside of the play. I also liked Betty's opening song about trying too hard to be the good girl; also appropriate.
Paul: I'm with Jack on this one. It was the only performance I remotely enjoyed.
Justin: My favorite was the opening number. After its airing, "In" has been stuck in my head for days now. I've been listening to the track, as well as the Off-Broadway cast version.
5. Alice and Hal are giving their marriage another chance. Will it stick this time or could FP find his way into the picture?
Jack: FP sure looked jealous. I have a feeling he's going to try to interfere.
Paul: Yeah, FP is not going to let Alice go easily, and it's going to make for some more convoluted drama.
Justin: There's no way Alice and Hal will last. Their relationship is going to hit another major bump soon. Whether it's FP, Chic or something to do with the town drama is left to be seen.
6. The Black Hood has returned and killed Midge as a message. Why do you think he chose her as the victim?
Jack: The Black Hood wants revenge on all those who escaped. Midge survived his original attack and he can easily pin the murder on Ethel. Plus, she was probably pretty accessible backstage.
Paul: It was all circumstantial. Cheryl could have easily been the one killed if she was playing Carrie. It was all about making a statement. My theory is that Hal's the killer and he only got back with Alice so she wouldn't suspect him.
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Justin: While I want to go with the theory that he was finishing the job, I think this had to do with the role of Carrie itself. The Black Hood was adamant about changing the casting, so the target was probably inconsequential except for Cheryl. Whoever landed the role after her was going to die regardless.
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Justin Carreiro was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow him on X.