Riverdale (2016–…): Season 3, Episode 1 - Chapter Thirty-Six: Labor Day - full transcript

Previously on
Riverdale...

Ladies, gentlemen, it's been
months in the making,

but we're finally here.
Welcome to New Southside.

Are you asking me
to join the Serpents, Jug?

Just wondering how you felt
about being my queen.

I'm willing to sell
the Whyte Wyrm to you

- for Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe.
- No more evil.

You have
no power over me.

I have someone
who can help you.

Mom, from the farm.

It needs a lot of work, Dad,
but I'm up for it if you are.



Your new student
body president, Archie Andrews.

You got Andre to kill that boy
at Shadow Lake, Cassidy.

And when I do prove this,
I'm just gonna come for you.

Steps have been taken to dissolve
the very glue that holds them together.

Sheriff Minetta,
what are you doing?

You're under arrest for the murder
of Shadow Lake resident Cassidy Bullock.

It's the calm
before the storm.

The summer before your junior
year in high school.

And how do you spend it?

Working some brutal summer job

that actually makes
you look forward

to going back to school.

Or maybe you have an internship
that doesn't pay much.

That's okay,
because it's for a good cause.



Or maybe you spent it
at Sweetwater Swimming Hole.

You... And the best friends
you'll ever have.

Or maybe you spent most of
June-July-August in a courtroom,

Supporting our pal,
Archie Andrews,

who was on trial
for a murder he didn't commit,

despite the DA's
closing arguments.

Ladies and gentlemen
of the jury,

the evidence
and testimony that was

presented in this court

tell a dark story.

That Mr. Andrews has
a history of violent behavior.

That he started not one,

but two masked
vigilante groups.

That he assaulted
an innocent boy

who was helpless
with two broken legs.

That he went "wilding" in the south
side of town and threatened

to shoot a young man
in the face.

That while partying with his friends
in the town of Shadow Lake,

Mr. Andrews ran into the woods
and shot the victim, Cassidy Bullock,

point-blank in the head.

Now, Mr. Andrews claims

that it was his girlfriend's father's
doorman who shot Mr. Bullock.

A shot Mr. Andrews claims
to have heard, but not seen.

Who knows
the truth of what happened

that terrible night
in the woods near Shadow Lake?

I'll tell you who.

That man.

Archie Andrews may be
a varsity athlete

and he may be
a sensitive musician.

But he is also...

a cold-blooded...

Killer.

Ladies and gentlemen,

we know for a fact

that Archie Andrews
constantly puts the needs

of others ahead of his own.

We know that he helped to solve
the murder of Jason Blossom.

We know that he offered both friends
and enemies shelter

when they had
nowhere else to stay.

We know that he punched
through a river of ice

to save the life of his classmate
Cheryl Blossom.

Well, let me remind you that there were
no witnesses to the actual killing.

There was no murder weapon.
There was no motive.

At the end of the day,
all the prosecution has

is cloudy testimony
from unreliable people.

Now, it is
my solemn duty as a mother

to protect my son.

But as an attorney,

it's my duty
to adhere to the facts,

to the evidence.

There is
nothing here that proves

that Archie Andrews is anything
less than an innocent boy.

Thank you.

Thanks, Mom.

Ladies
and gentlemen of the jury,

the charge is
first-degree murder.

You may retire
to begin your deliberations.

All rise.

Okay, can you just
level with us, Mom?

What do you think
Archie's chances are?

Baby, I'd say... 50-50.

But if you had to come down
on a side, Mrs. McCoy?

You were great in there, Mary.

Thank you, Fred. It's only
the most important case of our lives.

You were amazing,
Mrs. Andrews. Really.

Betty, your help over the summer
was a godsend.

Have you guys seen Archie?

Archie?

There you are.

How you holding up, bud?

Yeah good, Jug.

What were
you thinking about just now?

How you're going to walk out
of this courthouse a free man?

No, I...

There was this place.

We've never
been before, Ronnie,

but Betty and Jug, do you guys remember
Sweetwater Swimming Hole?

How we went there
every summer?

- I was just thinking about that place earlier.
- Yeah, me too.

What made us stop going?

Uh, probably when we got
covered in leeches.

Was that us
or was that a movie?

- That was definitely us.
- That was us.

Oh.

I'd like to go.

Hopefully you can
take me, Archie?

Hopefully.

Guys, it's time.

The Judge just asked us
back into the courtroom.

The jury is
still deliberating,

but I've dismissed them.

They're sequestered

and I've instructed them not
to read anything about this case,

nor to discuss it with anyone.

We'll reconvene Tuesday morning
after Labor Day.

My advice to you, young man,

is to spend this weekend with your family
and your loved ones.

That's all.

Hey, Archie.

Have a terrific weekend.

Fred!

- Dad, stop!
- Hey, guys. Guys. Come on.

Stop.

Enjoy.

Thanks, Bob.

Dilton. Ben.
What are you guys playing?

- It's called...
- Shut up, Doiley.

If only we could find the gun

that Andre used
to kill Cassidy.

I've torn
the Pembrooke apart.

After the riots,
my father wiped

any and all traces of Andre.

Well, he wouldn't have brought
it back from Shadow Lake,

So that's probably
where he ditched it.

So, what? We go back
to Shadow Woods?

- We've looked.
- Well, let's look again

with metal detectors
this time.

If we get Andre's gun,

- we can plant it on...
- No.

I don't wanna do that. I don't want
to spend what could be my last weekend

looking for evidence
that isn't there,

planting it who knows where.

Archie, we have
three extra days

to prove that you're innocent.

What would
you have us do, Archie?

What the judge said.

After the worst summer ever,

I want us to have a great,
normal Labor Day weekend.

Can we do that?

If that's what
you really want, Archiekins.

It is, Ronnie.

So, what should we do?

Greetings, chums.

I wanted to let you know that after the three
amazing months I just had with Toni

riding our motorcycles
cross-country,

we're celebrating with an epic
end-of-summer pool party at Thornhill.

And you're all invited.
Of course,

given the fact that Archie will
most likely be walking the green mile

while the rest of us are
walking the stage at graduation,

I understand
if you're not up for it.

Invite whoever you want,
but give them fair warning.

I'm in the mood
for some hellraising. Toodles.

Ah, Betty!

Come, have
some milk oolong tea.

It's an incredible detoxifier.

No, I'm okay. Thanks.

Where are you off to, sweetheart?
Another therapy session?

No, Dr. Glass is tomorrow.
I'm just going over to Archie's for a bit.

Honey, before you go
back to school,

I think it's important
that you spend

some quality
family time together.

Edgar thinks it's important.

Oh, yeah, Edgar from the Farm.

No, yeah, we'll talk
about that later, Mom.

Can I just say,
Mr. Andrews,

watching you punch
Hiram Lodge in the face was...

incredibly cathartic.

It almost got me
landed in jail.

All right, give it a try.

You do the honors.

Oh, yeah. Give it some gas.
Yeah. There you go.

- We did it, Dad.
- Yeah, we did.

- We sure did.
- Just in time.

Guys, excuse me a second.
I'm gonna go in the house.

Betty...

I have to ask you a favor.

If I do go away,

will you check on my dad?
Invite him over for dinner?

Once my mom goes
to Chicago, he'll be alone.

Arch...

The jury is
still deliberating.

That's a good sign, okay?
You don't need to...

put your house in order.

Betty, promise me. Please.

Of course.

It's not
going to work, Daddy.

Your Iago-like attempt
to keep me and Archie apart...

- it'll fail.
- Veronica,

I have no idea
what you're talking about.

How about a refresher?

Framing Archie for murder?

Conspiring to keep him
locked away?

You set all of this in motion.

I know it, everyone knows it.
Only you can stop it.

So stop it.

Do it now.

But mija, I have
nothing to do with this.

That boy is a criminal

with a history of violence.

He's innocent!

You know he is!

He doesn't deserve this.

He'll be alone in there.
He'll die in there.

- Archie brought that upon himself.
- No, you!

You can change everything.

- Please, Daddy.
- It's beyond my control.

I'm begging you,
as your only daughter.

Help Archie.

Save him.

Please.

It's simply beyond my control.

We know that Hiram Lodge
has taken over the Southside,

'cause he's been colluding
with the Ghoulies.

And I need to know
what he's up to exactly.

All right, Fangs, you're up.

I need you to find
the Ghoulies' new lair. Okay?

If you see them, I don't want
you to engage with them.

This is just a recon mission.

We can't be
risking another gang war.

I just need a confirmation
that whatever Hiram's up to

has nothing to do with the
Serpents or Riverdale High.

- Will do.
- You got it.

Hey, boy, come have a look.

Might be my best one yet.

Well, how does it feel
to be an honorary Serpent?

Feels pretty savage, Jug.

Archie, the first thing
I learned

at Southside High was
that you need

to roll
with a crew to survive.

There are gonna be Serpents
in juvenile detention.

Find 'em. Sit with them.

That tattoo is gonna get you in.
But it's also gonna get you protected.

Yeah, Jughead's right.

Up to a point.

That Serpent ink will help
keep your body safe

but you still gotta worry
about protecting this. Hey...

I speak
from experience, all right?

Your mind is
the first thing that goes

when you're locked up.
If you can keep your head on straight,

you can get through anything.

You just...

You gotta keep your
wits about you, Red.

Mom, what are you doing
with my diaries?

I was talking
to Edgar about them

and he feels and I agree,
you should burn them.

What are you
talking about? Why?

You've been filling
these pages

with so much pain
and suffering over the years.

You need to let that go.

Okay. Dr. Glass says journaling
is a perfectly healthy outlet.

And I respect what
your therapist says, Betty,

but these diaries
are your past.

And your past is crushing you.

- Edgar says that...
- What, Mom?

What does
some guru who's running

a Heaven's Gate commune
for pregnant runaways

and wives-of-serial-killers
have to say about my diaries?

We know that you look down
on the Farm, Betty.

But Edgar has done
nothing but help me.

He's encouraged me

to embrace everything
that I was ashamed of

and become
the best version of myself.

Mom, I can't...

- I can't deal with this right now.
- But...

isn't that the problem?
You're not dealing with it.

The trauma from last year,

what happened
with your father,

that Chic person?

You're running around
a mile a minute

and what you need
to be doing is sitting still.

Listening to what
your soul is telling you.

Okay, I'm
listening to my soul.

And what it's saying is get
the hell away from your mother

because she's
been body-snatched.

There's something else you
should know about Betty, Mom.

Hey, Josie,
never thought I'd say this

but I'm kind of excited
for school to start back up.

Mostly 'cause I'll get to see
you in the halls every day.

Uh, Sweet Pea, I told you
when we started this,

our summer fling was
gonna be just that.

A fling. With a three-month
expiration date.

Yeah, I know, but...

Haven't we been
having a good time?

Oh, I'm not saying we haven't.

But nothing,

not even a tall, cool drink
of sweet water like you,

is gonna distract me
from my music.

So, Moose,

you know those movies
where friends make a pact

to lose their virginity
by the end of the school year?

- Uh-huh.
- I've been thinking,

since we've been
hanging out all summer,

maybe we should make
a similar pact of our own,

but on a slightly accelerated
time-table.

Like, by Halloween
at the latest.

Reg, if I do go away,

you gotta step up
and lead the Bulldogs.

I'm already captain, Bro.

I'm not talking
about on the field.

I need you
to work with Jughead,

to keep the peace between the
Serpents and the Bulldogs.

No more circles,
red, dark or otherwise.

Done. That bloody chapter
is over.

Sick tat, by the way.

What you thinking about, babe?

Archie Andrews.

He saved my life, Tee-Tee.

What happened that day
on the river, Cheryl?

We've never talked about it.

I lost hope,

and I did something
really stupid.

Archie Andrews was
there to save me.

And now there's nothing I,
or anyone, can do to help him.

V,

are you okay?

I went to see Mrs. Andrews
and Attorney McCoy

to ask them
to put me on that stand.

I wanted
to get in front of that jury

to tell them
the truth about my father,

to see if that might make a difference,
but they said no.

That I was too late.

Maybe not, Veronica.

- Josie.
- Look, you didn't hear this from me,

but... the jury is being
sequestered at the Five Seasons.

Third floor, room 301.

The security's tight, but...

I think I can get you in.

What are you thinking, V?

That I only need
to get to one jury member.

To convince them that my Dad's
the villain here, not Archie,

for there to be a hung jury.

Which would give us more time
to prove Archie is innocent.

Jughead!

- What's up?
- It's the Ghoulies, Jughead.

Those bastards have Hot Dog.

Are you absolutely sure
that this was Hot Dog?

Hundred percent, man.

They must have
snatched him on Riot Night.

He looked skinny.

I don't think the Ghoulies
are feeding him enough.

We're lucky
those animals aren't

- slow-roasting him on a grill.
- What do we do, Jughead?

We'd be going behind
enemy lines, outnumbered,

open to attack
from all directions

and risking another gang war.

No Serpent left behind, right?

That includes
our spirit animal.

Okay, we're gonna
deploy after dark.

It's gonna be a stealth mission.
It's gonna be quick.

Jug, last time you went
into Ghoulie territory,

you were beaten
to within an inch of your life.

He'll have backup this time.

And we're gonna
be quick, Betty.

They won't even know
we were there.

- Okay, well, then I'm coming with you.
- No.

No. Don't you dare tell me
that it's too dangerous, Jug.

The Serpent Queen is
a warrior queen.

So if you're
on the frontlines, so am I.

Okay.

Let's bring
Hot Dog home, shall we?

We tried to stack
the jury in Archie's favor.

Women, mothers, but...

I don't know.
Maybe it backfired.

Well, you did
everything that you could.

I don't know, Fred.

Just think
if I hadn't left Riverdale,

if I hadn't gone to Chicago...

I was here and I couldn't stop Hiram Lodge
from getting his claws into our son.

Dad, Mom...

Don't blame yourselves,
for what I did.

Taking Hiram's side
against you, Dad,

was the biggest mistake
I've ever made,

but it was mine. It's on me.

You guys are the best parents
anyone could ask for.

Everything you've done for me,
I don't deserve it.

Whatever happens
to me on Tuesday,

that is what I deserve.

No, you are a good kid.

You got
manipulated by a mobster.

But you do not deserve
to be framed for murder.

You know, son,

your mother
and I will always love you.

Housekeeping.

Moonlighting, Miss Lodge?

Sheriff Minetta?

I have to say
your father knows you well.

He anticipated you might
pull a stunt like this.

Jury tampering?

Pero por Dios! What the hell
were you thinking?

What I've been thinking
for the past three months.

Archie. How do I help Archie?

Daddy's a monster, Mom.
You know he is.

But you just stand by him,

complacent, like some
Park Avenue trophy wife.

With all due respect, Veronica,
you're his daughter.

And that affords you
a certain amount of protection

that I don't enjoy.

He'll never harm
a hair on your head.

I can't say the same for myself.

I won't leave you alone
in the world with him.

- Mom...
- I'm a prisoner, Veronica.

But I am not his puppet.

It's been an hour
and no sign of anyone.

All right. Sweet Pea,

you guys keep a look out.

Hey. Hey, bud.

Hey.

Come on, buddy.
Let's get you outta here.

Hiya, Jonesy.

Welcome back to the Southside.

Chill. Not yet, cousin.

I thought this mangey mutt
might get you to show up.

- We need to talk.
- No, we don't, Penny.

I'm here for the dog.

If you didn't want trouble,
why have you been

sending spies all summer,

trying to get into
our business? Back off.

Unless you want
a replay of Riot Night.

Yeah, I've been
sending scouts.

I was looking for Hot Dog.

Now that I got him...

we're good.

Not so fast.

Your jacket...

The Southside isn't yours anymore.

That means you're no longer
the Southside Serpents.

Really, Penny? A jacket?

We could always just take
it off your limp dead body.

Oh, I also heard

Ponytail's a Serpent now,
your Northside queen.

Maybe we'll go after her next.

Fine.

You can have
the jacket as long

as you and the Ghoulies
stay out of the Northside.

Oh, you don't get
to make demands.

Cheryl!

Told you I was in the mood
for some hell raising.

That's it. Just kill 'em all.

Cheryl, aim your next arrow
right between Penny's eyes.

You and your Ghoulies take
one more step,

she's gonna
release that arrow.

Cheryl doesn't miss.

Congratulations.

You've just made
the Northside fair game.

Come on.

See you soon, Jonesy.

Come here. Hey, come here.

Come here, boy.

All right, let's go.

Wait, stop!

Hey!

Wait, stop!

That wasn't...

Hey,
Dilton came by to see you.

- He did?
- Mmm-hmm.

What for, did he say?

Nah, wouldn't talk.

Weird kid.

Okay.

So, how's Hot Dog?

Sleeping under the trailer.
But he's bouncing back.

Yeah?

How are you?

Uneasy sits the crown?

Well...

Penny's got
the Northside in her sights,

Cheryl's a loose cannon,

Betty is a target, and, uh...

We're not even the
Southside Serpents anymore.

No, screw the "Southside."

You're a Serpent,

by blood,

and no one can take that
from you or any one of us.

The pharmacy called.
Polly answered.

They can't complete
an Adderall prescription

that was requested
by your doctor

because you had one refilled

in Greendale two weeks ago.

Then they must have
mixed up their dates.

I don't know.
I'll call Dr. Glass.

Except there is no Dr. Glass.

Polly did some digging.
He doesn't exist.

You've been forging
prescriptions for yourself.

We're worried
about you, Betty.

You've been lying
about going to therapy.

Now you're making up
a psychiatrist

so that you can
scam medication.

Seriously, Mom?

You're going to give me a hard time
for trying to re-up a prescription

that you literally shoved
in my hands a year ago?

It was before Edgar explained
the dangers of pharmaceuticals.

Okay, enough.
You're actually buying this

Farm crap that some huckster named
Edgar Evernever is selling you?

He's helping us move on
and he can help you too,

- sweetheart...
- Oh, really?

Oolong milk and wanting to burn my
diaries is helping you get over the fact

that Dad murdered four people
and tried to kill us?

If you genuinely believe that,
you are in denial, Mom.

No, Betty, you are.

Do you realize that

that is the first time you've
mentioned Dad in months?

You call me
and my friends crazy,

but you're the one
with the secret life,

hoarding stolen drugs,
hiding from your pain.

You may hate the Farm,

but they healed me, and they healed Mom,
and they can heal you.

But first you need to admit
that you're sick.

Last one in
gets a sticky maple.

Guys, no matter
what happens in court,

this...

is the best last day of summer
a guy could ask for.

Archie...

What if you just
made a break for it?

Past that treeline,

there's a road that goes through
the mountains to Quebec.

- Jughead...
- There are Serpents north of the border

that will keep you supplied.

You don't deserve this, Arch.

- Any of it.
- Yeah, and what if I do?

Archie, why would you
say that?

Because I'm guilty.

I didn't kill Cassidy,

but I left him
alone with Andre.

If I hadn't walked away that night,
he might still be alive.

And not just Cassidy,
all of it.

All of last year.

I didn't kill anyone.

But I could have.

I have to
take responsibility for that.

Jug, I'm not ready

for summer to be over.

I don't think I can handle it.

What do you mean?
Sure you can.

Jug, this summer,
I haven't stopped

or slept a wink,

working on Archie's case.

I've barely looked up
since May, and...

My mom and Polly
think that I've been

hiding or avoiding,
and they're right.

Maybe I should
stop taking Adderall

and start seeing
a therapist for real.

Either way, come Tuesday,
it'll all be over.

And I'll have to
face everything. Everything...

that has happened,
everything that will happen.

All these things that
I don't have control over,

they terrify me.

Betty,

we're gonna get through it.

From now on, we're partners.

In Serpents, in life,

all of it. Okay?

Ronnie...

Whatever you're about
to say, Archie,

please don't make me cry.

If I do go away,
I don't want you visiting me

in that horrible place. Okay?

Oh, rest assured,

if the unthinkable happens,

I will be taking
the bus every week

with all the other
prison widows

and bringing you Magnolia
Cupcakes from New York...

as well as working
on your appeal. I promise.

That's exactly what I don't want.
I don't want you

spending the rest of your
high school waiting for me.

No, no, no, no. You are not breaking
up with me tonight, Archie Andrews.

- Ronnie, I...
- Archie!

I am not letting my dad take
away the one thing that I love.

It's not happening.

You know, it's weird, Ronnie.

The thing that keeps me up most nights
isn't that I might get shivved.

It's that I won't be able
to graduate with you guys.

It's stupid, right?

I don't think
that's stupid at all.

Are you ready, Archie?

Hey, come here.

You be a good boy, okay?

Good boy.

Hey, Mr. Jones,
is Jughead home?

I'll get the bikes warm.
Hurry up.

Look, Dilton, now's not really
a good time, okay?

Ben and I,

we thought it was just a game.
A stupid role-playing game. But it's not.

It's so much more.

- He's real.
- Who?

Who is?

Look, I gotta
get to Archie's trial.

The Gargoyle King.

Look, I can't talk right now.

You wanna wait here for a little bit?
Try and get some rest? Yeah? Okay?

All right. We can talk
about this when I get back.

- All right?
- Yeah.

All rise.

Has the jury
reached a verdict?

Your Honor, we haven't.

We're deadlocked. Six to six.

And it's not gonna change.

So be it.
The jury is dismissed.

Thank you for your service.

So, what happens now?

Judge will declare a mistrial.

We have to go through this again?

Your Honor,

in lieu of another trial, the State is prepared
to offer a deal for a lesser sentence.

Instead of prison, time served plus
two years in juvenile detention,

if Mr. Andrews will plead guilty
to the crime of manslaughter.

- Your honor.
- I'll take the deal.

- No!
- Archie, no. We have to discuss this.

Mom, I can't put you and everyone
else through this again.

Your Honor, I accept the deal.

Son, just so I have it straight,

though it's legally
within your rights,

you're ignoring the advice

of your counsel,
your own mother.

Yes, Your Honor. I'm guilty.

Mr. Andrews, the court accepts
your plea of guilt.

You'll be taken directly
from the courthouse

to the Leopold and Loeb
Juvenile Detention Center,

where you will serve out your
sentence beginning immediately.

This court is adjourned.

- I'm sorry, Mom.
- I love you so much.

Look, we're gonna
get you out of there, bud.

I love you, Veronica.

No, no, no.
You can't take him away!

He's innocent.
He didn't do anything!

Hey, I've already
written the appeal.

I'll file it from Chicago,
and as soon as we get a date...

We'll get him home, Mary.
One way or another.

You have our word.

I'm gonna prove that
Hiram Lodge framed our son.

And I'm gonna make
the son of a bitch pay.

Whatever it takes.

This is Mayor Lodge.

Are you happy now, Daddy?

It all worked out.
Just like you planned.

Archie didn't play
by your rules.

He threatened you,
so you punished him.

You destroyed his life.

You think I did all this
to hurt Archie, mija?

Because he threatened me? No.

It's because you betrayed me.

This is your punishment.

You chose that boy over blood.

My own daughter.

You don't have
a daughter anymore.

Dilton?

Dilton!

Dilton...

God.

Ben. Ben!

Ben! Okay, look.

Look. Stay with me.
Come on.

Help! Help!

Mom?

Polly?

Betty!

Betty! Help!

Greg, move your head.