‘Riverdale’ Pays Tribute to Luke Perry, Dedicates Remainder of the Series to the Star
[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Season 3, Episode 14, of Riverdale, “Chapter Forty-Nine: Fire Walk with Me”]
Just days after actor Luke Perry passed away following complications from a stroke, his TV family at The CW paid tribute to him in Wednesday’s Riverdale episode.
Perry, who has played Fred Andrews since the show’s premiere in 2017, appeared posthumously in the latest installment, “Chapter Forty-Nine: Fire Walk with Me.” Although brief, Perry’s screen time saw Fred doing what he’s become known for — protecting son, Archie (KJ Apa).
In particular, Fred assisted Archie when he was stabbed by Ricky (Nico Bustamante) — Joaquin’s (Rob Raco) little brother who is obsessed with Griffins and Gargoyles — after he mistakenly took the boy under his wing. And the onscreen father and son had a heart-to-heart about the situation.
As the episode ended, a title card honored Perry, before the credits ran. “In Memoriam, Luke Perry, 1966-2019,” the card read.
In addition to this tribute, the show’s creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, shared a touching dedication on Twitter.
“Going through pictures on my way to set,” Aguirre-Sacasa wrote. “From the early days. With Luke in the middle. Our heart, always. Tonight’s episode of #Riverdale finds Fred doing what he does best–helping Archie. It is dedicated to Luke, as all episodes will be for the rest of our run.”
Going through pictures on my way to set. From the early days. With Luke in the middle. Our heart, always. Tonight’s episode of #Riverdale finds Fred doing what he does best–helping Archie. It is dedicated to Luke, as all episodes will be for the rest of our run. 💔❤️🏆 pic.twitter.com/Nx8iCFBoMe
— RobertoAguirreSacasa (@WriterRAS) March 6, 2019
It’s nice to see that Perry’s TV family will honor his legacy in such a profound way. And although no word has been given on how the show will handle Fred’s exit from the show, Aguirre-Sacasa’s words imply that they’re back to work on the series after production was halted following the actor’s passing.
Riverdale, Wednesdays, 8/7c, The CW
