Riverdale | Season 1

"Chapter One: The River's Edge"

Archie Andrews discovers his passion for music after a tumultuous summer in Riverdale, marked by the supposed drowning of quarterback Jason Blossom. As Archie begins his sophomore year, he confides in Betty Cooper about his newfound love for music. Betty, who secretly harbors feelings for Archie, learns about his Fourth of July rendezvous with the music teacher, Ms. Grundy. Veronica Lodge, the daughter of wealthy parents facing legal troubles, arrives in town and catches Archie's eye, creating a love triangle. Despite the romantic entanglements, Betty and Veronica become fast friends, bonding over shared challenges. Cheryl Blossom, the cheerleading squad captain, harbors secrets related to her brother's death. Jughead Jones, Archie's former best friend, starts writing a novel recounting the summer events. Kevin Keller and Moose Mason make a grim discovery by the lake - Jason's lifeless body, revealing a gunshot wound to the head.

"Chapter Two: A Touch of Evil"

Veronica's kiss with Archie strains his relationships with both Betty and Veronica. Miss Grundy insists on secrecy regarding the gunshot they heard after discovering Jason's body. Kevin, disturbed by the grim discovery, rejects Moose's affections. Jughead accidentally discovers Archie and Grundy holding hands, leading to a confrontation. Archie seeks advice from his father, Fred, and decides to confess to the sheriff, Kevin's father. Cheryl befriends Betty but blames Betty's sister, Polly, for Jason's death, ending their friendship. Cheryl's hallucination of Jason at a pep rally prompts a revelation to Veronica about Jason's supposed return. Against her mother's wishes, Betty renews her friendships with Archie and Veronica. Cheryl is arrested during science class based on autopsy evidence revealing Jason's murder occurred a week after the Fourth of July.

"Chapter Three: Body Double"

Cheryl confesses to Sheriff Keller and her parents, Clifford and Penelope, that she helped Jason fake his drowning as he wanted to run away. Upset with Alice's attacks on the Blossom family, Betty revives the school newspaper, The Blue and Gold, sending Jughead to interview Adventure Scouts who found Cheryl at Sweetwater River. Veronica discovers she's being slut-shamed by Chuck Clayton and, along with Betty and Cheryl, exposes evidence linking him and others, including Jason, to the shaming. Jughead uncovers that the gunshot on the Fourth of July was from a training exercise by Scoutmaster Dilton Doiley. Betty and Veronica take drastic measures against Chuck, Jughead pressures Dilton to confess, and Fred builds Archie a studio. Betty and Cheryl destroy evidence, but Dilton's revelation about Miss Grundy's car puts Archie's secret in jeopardy.

"Chapter Four: The Last Picture Show"

Jughead faces despair as the local drive-in, where he works, is closing. Betty confronts Archie about his relationship with Miss Grundy, leading to an investigation with Veronica. Hermione denies any wrongdoing when questioned about her connection to a gang leader. Betty and Veronica discover that "Geraldine Grundy" doesn't exist and find a gun and ID with the name "Jennifer Gibson" in her car. Grundy reveals her true identity and motive to escape an abusive relationship. During the drive-in's final night, Veronica witnesses Hermione meeting the same man from before. Alice threatens to expose Archie's affair but agrees to back down if Grundy leaves town. Sheriff Keller realizes his evidence on Jason's murder has been stolen. Jughead, leaving his temporary home, vandalizes the projectionist's booth, revealing the gang leader as his father.

"Chapter Five: Heart of Darkness"

Cheryl, rejected by her parents, speaks at Jason's memorial, breaking down during her speech. Archie and Reggie compete for the team captain position set by Coach Clayton. Archie meets a potential songwriting mentor, but the mentor declines. Betty discovers Jason's secretive behavior and rumored drug involvement from Trev. Jughead suggests searching the Blossom mansion for clues during the memorial dinner, revealing Jason's engagement to his grandmother, Rose. Hermione finds a snake-filled box, a warning from the Serpents, while Betty learns of a historical feud between her family and the Blossoms. Archie declines the team captain title for his music. Jughead and Betty suspect Betty's father, Hal, stole the sheriff's evidence.

"Chapter Six: Faster, Pussycats! Kill! Kill!"

With the annual variety show at Riverdale High approaching, Valerie's assistance to Archie creates tension with Josie. Betty and Jughead's investigation leads them to Betty's pregnant sister Polly, held at the Sisters of Quiet Mercy. Veronica realizes her mother, Hermione, is using her while building a connection with Fred at Andrews Construction. Josie faces family pressure during her father's visit for the variety show. Betty confronts her parents about Jason's death but finds no answers, growing closer to Jughead and sharing a kiss. They discover a hidden car in the woods with drugs and Jason's belongings, but an unknown perpetrator destroys the evidence. Simultaneously, Polly escapes from the home.

"Chapter Seven: In a Lonely Place"

Cheryl alerts Sheriff Keller about Polly's escape, prompting a town search that fails. Tensions rise between the Blossoms and Coopers. Betty discovers Polly hiding in the attic, and Cheryl offers to help care for her. F.P. reveals he and Fred founded Andrews Construction, but Fred kicked him out for stealing money and substance abuse. Jughead is briefly a murder suspect, but Fred provides an alibi. Cheryl fears her parents' intentions for Polly, leading Polly to move in with the Lodges. F.P. is found with Jason's jacket in his trailer, raising suspicions.

"Chapter Eight: The Outsiders"

Polly discloses to Sheriff Keller that Jason was involved in a drug delivery for a biker gang, likely the Southside Serpents. Veronica suggests a baby shower for Polly, while Fred faces challenges in his construction project. Archie recruits friends to help, but Moose is attacked, leading to a confrontation with F.P. Jones, revealing Jughead's father as a Serpent. The baby shower becomes a battleground for Polly's custody, with Alice learning of Hal's threats and kicking him out. F.P. recruits Serpents to replace Fred's crew, revealing Hiram's involvement in the construction site attack. Polly decides to live with the Blossoms.

"Chapter Nine: La Grande Illusion"

As the Blossom family's maple tree-tapping ceremony nears, Cheryl asks Archie to be her escort. Penelope offers to help him get into a music school if he agrees. Veronica befriends Ethel, but Hermione's revelation about her father's suicide attempt distresses her. Alice plans an exposé on the Blossoms, leading Hal to fire her from the paper. Betty discovers Polly moved in with the Blossoms to uncover Jason's death truth. Betty and Jughead decide to write an exposé for The Blue and Gold and invite Alice to join. Realizing the Blossoms' manipulation, Archie tries to reconcile with Val, who breaks up with him.

"Chapter Ten: The Lost Weekend"

Fred departs for Chicago to finalize his divorce, leaving Archie alone. Betty discovers Jughead's upcoming birthday and convinces Archie to let them throw him a party. Hiram pressures Veronica to testify on his behalf, threatening Hermione. Veronica is elected captain of the Vixens, leading Cheryl to crash the party with Chuck. F.P. arrives after Betty's insistence, and tensions rise. A game orchestrated by Cheryl forces participants to reveal secrets, escalating into a fight between Jughead and Chuck. F.P. ends the party, urging Jughead to reconcile with Betty. Archie and Veronica share a kiss. Veronica decides to testify for Hiram. Archie's surprise awaits as his father returns with his mother, Mary.

"Chapter Eleven: To Riverdale and Back Again"

Archie and his mother reconnect, while Veronica discovers Hiram might soon be released from prison. F.P. questions Jughead's novel's purpose, advising him to move on. To uncover the truth about Hiram, Veronica investigates F.P. as a possible suspect in Jason's murder. The Blossoms forbid Polly from their master bedroom. Fred and Mary plan to attend homecoming together. Polly and Cheryl find Polly's engagement ring in Penelope's collection, leading to a confrontation. At dinner, Alice questions F.P., who shuts her down and reveals they are moving to Toledo. Archie and Veronica perform at homecoming, but police find a gun in F.P.'s trailer, arresting him for murder. Jughead disappears, and Archie and Veronica suspect someone is framing F.P. for Jason's death.

"Chapter Twelve: Anatomy of a Murder"

Jughead's mother refuses to let him move in with her. F.P. confesses to everything, including Jason's murder. Betty and Alice catch Hal trying to destroy evidence, revealing a family secret: the Coopers are actually Blossoms by blood, making Jason and Polly's relationship technically incest. The Coopers take Polly home. Mary, posing as F.P.'s lawyer, advises Jughead, who is told never to visit his father again. With Joaquin's help, the group finds one of F.P.'s associates dead. The police discover a bag of money with Hermione's initials. Hal and Hermione are cleared as suspects, prompting Jughead and Betty to investigate a lead from Kevin, finding Jason's varsity jacket with a thumb drive inside. They discover Clifford murdered Jason and inform Cheryl. Despite this, Jughead's father still faces charges. Veronica learns Hiram is released, and Mary returns to Chicago. The police find Clifford dead by hanging in the syrup distillery when trying to arrest him.

"Chapter Thirteen: The Sweet Hereafter"

Clifford's involvement in the drug business is revealed, leading him to kill Jason to protect the family secret. F.P. is cleared of murder charges but remains in custody. Alice discloses to Betty that she gave birth to a baby boy in high school, whom she put up for adoption at the Sisters of Quiet Mercy. Jughead is placed with a foster family and transfers to Southside High. Cheryl, devastated by her father's secrets and suicide, attempts suicide in Sweetwater River but is saved by Archie, Veronica, Betty, and Jughead. Cheryl later burns down Thornhill mansion. Jughead is invited to join the Southside Serpents. The next day at Pop's, a masked gunman arrives, demanding Fred's wallet. When Archie intervenes, the gunman shoots Fred.