Riverdale – Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Seven: American Graffiti

Sheriff Keller (Martin Cummins) asks Jughead (Cole Sprouse) about his theory of Brad Rayberry’s (Christopher Shyer) death. Ultimately, Jughead decides to help Keller investigate the case to determine cause of death. But first, time for Jughead to dig up information on his favorite author. 

Andrews residence, Archie (KJ Apa) and Reggie (Charles Melton) have become the closest of bros….especially when Uncle Frank (Ryan Robbins) returns Archie’s car keys for his improved grades. Archie then shows Reggie his beloved hot-rod in the garage. Reggie is entranced by the car and Archie tells him about how he fixed it up with his father Fred before he died. When Reggie asks how fast the car goes, Archie decides that they can play hooky and take the car out for a joy ride.  

Jughead heads to Pep Comics and asks Fieldstone (Garry Chalk) about Rayberry. Fieldstone does not know much about him but does know he would send half of his paycheck to South Carolina. Jughead asks for the address but is only provided with a P.O. Box. Later, Jughead talks to Tabitha (Erinn Westbrook) about the information Fieldstone gave him and she agrees to help him in his investigation. 

Toni’s (Vanessa Morgan) literary club Black Athena has started to gain traction. With Tabitha, Clay (Karl Walcott), and a handful of other black students, they really start to delve into the story “Invisible Man”. While the club is monitored by one of the teachers, the discussion does get deep. As everyone contributes to the conversation, Cheryl (Madelaine Petsch) walks by and peeks through the window. When the two have time later in the lounge, Cheryl expresses how much she misses Toni and wishes that she could spend more time with her…possibly attending a meeting. Toni is reluctant to mix her two worlds and explains this to Cheryl. It isn’t until Cherly finds out that Kevin (Casey Cott) attended a meeting to watch Clay recite a poem that she confronts Toni and is told she can come to the next meeting, where they will be discussing the novel “Native Son.” 

Trying to make a go of his music career, Fangs (Drew Ray Tanner) has snagged a gig in Centerville that will have a lot of music executives present. He tells this to Midge (Abby Ross), who wants to attend and support her boyfriend. But Fangs is reluctant, especially since the gig is in a less than favorable part of town and Fangs wants to keep both his babies safe.  

Betty (Lili Reinhart) and Veronica (Camila Mendes) are catching up on each other’s lives while also discussing the merits of Marlon Brando versus Paul Newman. Also relishing in the freedom from her mother, Betty finally feels free in her house. But as Archie and Reggie pull up in the hot rod, Betty and Veronica set their sights on the two boys and decide to snag themselves some dates.  

Veronica apologizes to Reggie for keeping him waiting at the Babylonium and entices him with the idea of a date. He agrees and later asks Archie if he can borrow his car. Reluctantly, Archie gives him the keys. Later, Betty asks Archie on a date to Pop’s and he agrees….even though they will have to walk there.  

Deciding to try and find more evidence, Jughead and Tabitha go to Rayberry’s apartment and try to find information about the mystery address. Tabitha finds a picture of a black woman named June Simpson (Robinne Fanfair), along with her contact information. Since June probably does not know what happened, Jughead calls to break the bad news of her husband’s death. June thanks Jughead for the information and informs him that she is on her way to Riverdale. 

As Betty and Archie are on their date at Pop’s, the time is anything but relaxing. Betty is eager to tell Archie all about her freedom, but Archie is more concerned about his car than his date. Later when Reggie returns to the Andrews residence, Archie is waiting up for him like a concerned parent…except the concern is over the car rather than Reggie’s well-being. When Uncle Frank talks to Archie the next morning, he tells the redhead to ease up on Reggie a little as he gave up a lot to come to Riverdale…including being away from his family.  

The next day at school, Betty and Veronica talk about their less-than-stellar dates with the boys. While Betty dealt with a preoccupied Archie, Veronica also took notice that Reggie ended their date early. With this information, the girls form a new game plan: double date! The next time they see Archie and Reggie, they propose that the four of them go to the show Fangs is playing over in Centerville. 

After locating correspondence between Rayberry and June, Jughead and Tabitha learn that there was more than meets the eye to the author. With their interracial relationship under scrutiny, Rayberry left June so that she and her family would be safe. Ultimately, he sent money to June so that once her family was safe, they would have enough money to go to Paris and live out the rest of their lives there as ex-pats. From this information, it is clear that Rayberry had more to live for and wouldn’t think of killing himself.  

At the next Black Athena meeting, Cheryl listens intently to the discussion around her about “Native Son.” But while the other students discuss it from the standpoint of black culture, Cheryl shares how she realizes her family is more like the Daltons in the story. When one of the other students asks Cheryl if this is her first reading of a novel by a black author, she admits that it is but is eager to grow and learn more. Clay offers her the same list of authors that he gave to Kevin, which she happily accepts. Later when Toni says that the meeting went better than she thought it would, Cheryl is glad that she went to the meeting and agrees to let Toni have her own space. But when it comes to any public events, she will be a supportive girlfriend. Touched by her words, Toni invites Cheryl to come with her and Midge to see Fangs play….and Cheryl happily accepts. 

When Jughead shares that he does not believe Rayberry killed himself to Sheriff Keller, the Sheriff is all too curious as to how he came to that conclusion. Jughead shares that he had learned a lot about the author and it doesn’t seem like who he is, but Keller is quick to dispel Jughead’s knowledge as he produces evidence that Rayberry had a Communist Party membership card, prior drug addiction, protested the war, and was in a hospital for a time. This leaves Jughead even more confused and disillusioned. 

June arrives in town and meets with Jughead and Tabitha at Rayberry’s apartment. There, she reads the final letter that he had sent her. The letter talks about him publishing his novel and finally having the money to realize their dream to be together. Still curious about the information Keller provided him, Jughead discusses what the Sheriff had told him and June is able to debunk those stories. Yes, Bradley had protested the war, but he also served and was injured during his time….leading to the opiate addiction that he checked into a hospital for. And as for the Communist Party membership, it was something that he had only attended a few meetings for when he was on a dark path in young adulthood. But her husband had worked hard to provide for her even when they couldn’t be together and was an optimist. 

Before June leaves, she encourages Jughead to continue investigating Bradley’s death and has decided to make her own plans to publish his novel to help her family. Jughead agrees to write the tribute issue at Pep Comics and donate all proceeds to her, which June appreciates. Before leaving though, June takes notice of Tabitha and Jughead’s relationship. She tells them to take care of one another before leaving. As they watch her walk down the hallway of the building, Tabitha glances longingly at Jughead. Later at Pop’s, Tabitha tells Jughead that June’s story has inspired her to go back out on the road and fight for justice. But this time, Jughead agrees to give her her homework….and send her a letter or two.  

The double-date is off to a rough start for Betty and Veronica as Archie and Reggie are oogling over a car magazine. While Betty can show genuine interest in cars, Veronica is bored and instead pushes the group to head to the show. Both boys grab for the keys, with Archie ultimately taking them. But on the way to the show, the car breaks down out of gas and Archie and Reggie are forced to walk five miles back to Pop’s to get gas. On the way, the boys get into an argument over the car once again and fight while trying to track down a car that can drive them to Pop’s. Luckily for Betty and Veronica, they are rescued while the guys are gone by none other than Cheryl, Midge, and Toni. All the girls head to the show. 

At Pop’s, Pop Tate (Alvin Sanders) notices the tension between Archie and Reggie and offers Reggie a jalopy that he has. Reggie eagerly accepts and the conflict is resolved. On the way back to the car, Reggie admits that he came home late that night because he went to see his family….because he misses them. Archie can relate to that and their bromance is rekindled once more. Unfortunately for them though, their chances with Betty and Veronica are less when they realize the car is now empty. 

The next morning, Fangs has become a local celebrity at Riverdale! After signing autographs, he follows Midge into the Blue & Gold and tells her how a music exec gave him his business card. Midge is excited for him and Fangs finally feels that he may be able to get on the good side of Midge’s family. 

Heading over to the auto shop, Archie sees Reggie beginning to fix up the jalopy that Pop Tate gave him. But Reggie doesn’t care, because he will finally have a car of his own. When Archie offers to help Reggie fix it up, he is fine with that but admits that he also asked Betty to help him. The Betty/Reggie dynamic seems to leave a sour taste in Archie’s mouth.  

But for Jughead, the investigation is just beginning. While continuing to go through Rayberry’s apartment, he hears a knock at the door. Rayberry’s former neighbor Mrs. Martin (Eileen Barrett) has stopped by as she is out of milk and was wondering if she could borrow some. When the fridge is shown to be virtually empty, Mrs. Martin is confused as she heard a late night delivery made to Mr. Rayberry. It is then Jughead realizes: the milkman (Matty Finochio) has struck once again.