07x14 - Chapter One Hundred and Thirty-One: Archie the Musical

[bunniefuu]

[ALARM RINGING]

♪ Please tell me it's Sunday ♪

♪ There's still one more fun day ♪

♪ Another day of summer ♪

♪ Please give me one more day of fun ♪

♪ Not this bummer one ♪

♪ Why is life so cruel? ♪

♪ Today I'm heading to school ♪

♪ The first day ♪
♪ The worst day ♪

♪ The same old teachers ♪

♪ Yapping in our ears ♪

♪ The worst day ♪
♪ The first day ♪

♪ But at least it's our senior year ♪

♪ It's finally here ♪
♪ I've waited so long ♪

♪ For this one day ♪
♪ Monday, yeah ♪

♪ I hope it won't go too fast ♪

♪ Last year was nothing but good times ♪

♪ Nothing but fun ahead ♪

♪ My final page in the yearbook ♪

♪ Come on, nothin' to fear ♪

♪ Lookin' ahead and I can see ♪

♪ I'm the model "A" student ♪

♪ I'll be perfect and prudent ♪

♪ Come on, world I'm takin' you on ♪

[BOTH] ♪ The first day ♪
♪ Our first day ♪

♪ Monday, senior year ♪

♪ Riverdale ♪
♪ Are you ready for me? ♪

♪ 'Cause this new
girl is coming in hot ♪

♪ With looks and style
and brains and class ♪

♪ And money ♪
♪ Well, I do have a lot ♪

♪ Mirror, mirror on the shelf ♪

♪ Have I outdone myself? ♪

♪ Usin' Versace, Prada, Klein ♪

♪ Lookin' fine ♪

♪ I'm gonna tag him, bag him ♪

♪ Make him mine ♪

♪ Four years, feels like
I've done it before ♪

♪ Four years, feels like so much more ♪

♪ Four summers spent so cruel ♪

♪ No more summer ♪
♪ No more summer school ♪

♪ Ready, set and blast it ♪
♪ Steppin' up, I passed it ♪

♪ And I'm takin' my place ♪

♪ Kickin' back with my
pals and finding myself ♪

♪ And finding pizza boxes under my bed ♪

♪ Lunchtime ♪
♪ So many more cafeteria ♪

♪ More burgers aplenty ♪
♪ More eating for ♪

♪ Twenty more minutes till breakfast ♪

♪ Eggs and bacon it ♪

♪ Making it all we can ♪
♪ Sandwich ♪

♪ Bow down, freshies ♪

- ♪ I shan't repeat ♪
- ♪ All hail ♪

♪ Your new River Vixen Queens ♪

♪ High school is a pyramid of mean ♪

♪ We run the halls ♪

♪ So act accordingly ♪

♪ Tip-off, ready to score ♪

♪ Playing to win one more ♪

♪ Seniors, let's go ♪

♪ Go, seniors ♪

♪ Last batch of high school prudes ♪

♪ Next year it's college girls ♪

♪ College girls with attitude ♪

♪ Sophomore, junior ♪
♪ Soon you're rulin' the school ♪

♪ Partyin' supreme year ♪
♪ Senior ♪

♪ Slam dunk, homecoming king ♪

♪ Class ring... ♪

♪ No look pass ♪
♪ Last sh*t, cue the band ♪

[ALL] ♪ Varsity State champs ♪

♪ Most likely to be year, me year ♪

♪ My year, school year ♪

♪ I rule year ♪

[ALL] ♪ And our band on the stand ♪

♪ And my friends, amazing ♪

♪ Our song plays on the radio ♪

♪ Our song plays on the radio ♪

♪ These are the days ♪

♪ These are the days ♪

♪ These are the days ♪

♪ These are the days ♪

♪ All our friends till
the end come together ♪

♪ We'll make it one day ♪
♪ Monday, senior year ♪

Wow, that was incredible.

Was that not so incredible, Clay?

For first sing-through,
that was the most monster!

You two wrote this song?

And all of the songs you'll
be rehearsing this week.

This is a lot of music to learn.

Well, for the first time
ever, Principal Featherhead

is open to doing an
original musical this spring,

as opposed to, say, Oklahoma!
for the millionth time.

So, Kevin and I decided
to write a show about,

well, all of us and our
lives at Riverdale High.

But Featherhead needs to
see a workshop presentation

before he gives it
the official go-ahead.

But why the heck are we
playing seniors in the show?

I mean, we're juniors in real life.

Well, senior year is just so much
more kickin' for the storyline.

Teens on the cusp of
the rest of their lives.

But dramaturgically I'm
still the "new girl"?

"Coming in hot"? Does that make sense?

And why am I a bit player?

And know your groceries, I'm the
best singer in this damn school.

Fangs is the best singer in the school.

I'm the best singer in the school.

You're also Archie's
understudy, Julian. Don't forget.

And Archie is the main character.

But you just said the
show was about all of us.

Yeah, and Cheryl and I aren't here
to play glorified chorus girls.

[CHUCKLES NERVOUSLY] Everyone's
gonna have at least a solo line or two

in the closing number,
which is all about,

wait for it...

Prom night!

[MIDGE EXCLAIMS]

[WHISTLES] And I am out.

I am sorry, Kevin, Clay.

I cannot in good conscience
participate in this.

In my opinion, there
is no lower art form

than American musical comedy.

[REGGIE] Yeah, I'm
gonna back-window it too.

I've got the looks for
acting, but I'm not much

for singing and dancing.

Okay, that's fine. Not ideal.

Clay and I will write
you both out of the show.

In the meantime, everyone else
is dismissed until tomorrow.

Except for Archie and Julian.

We are going to workshop
Archie's "I want" song.

So hang back, fellas, would you?

Traditionally, the "I
want" song in a musical

tells the audience what
our hero is searching for,

their innermost dreams or desires.

[CLAY PLAYING "ARCHIE'S ALL-AMERICAN"]

♪ I just turned ♪

♪ I'm master of my scene ♪

- ♪ Still something's sorta not completely cool ♪
- Julian.

♪ Guess I'm talkin' bout
the problem that I got ♪

♪ When things get chilly ♪
♪ That is when I want them hot ♪

♪ It might sound silly
but it bothers me a lot ♪

[BOTH] ♪ Archie goin' left ♪

♪ Archie goin' right ♪

♪ Archie runnin' any
road that he can find ♪

♪ Archie never making up
his All-American mind ♪

♪ Making up his All-American mind ♪

♪ I look at other guys
with fire in their eyes ♪

♪ They know their way their
whole lives will play out ♪

♪ Me, I don't have a clue ♪

♪ Of what I'm gonna do ♪

♪ Or even what my story is about ♪

[BOTH] ♪ Think it's time
I make a big decision ♪

♪ att*ck my problems
with a slick precision ♪

♪ Only then can I get
rid of the vision of ♪

♪ Archie goin' left ♪

♪ Archie goin' right ♪

♪ Archie runnin' any
road that he can find ♪

♪ Archie never making up
his All-American mind ♪

- ♪ Making up his All-American... ♪
- No, stop, stop, stop!

Hell, man, we were humming.

I don't wanna be a drip,
but it's super distracting

when my understudy is singing

- literally at the same time as me.
- Oh...

Also, I'm not really
jibing with this song.

That's funny, I am.

Well, Archie, as we said,
this is your "I want" song...

It seems more to me like an

"I don't know what I want" song.

Not to worry, we can
figure something out. Um...

What do you want your "I
want" song to be about, Archie?

What do you, Archie Andrews
want to do in real life?

What's your secret passion or dream?

I... want...

Who is Archie Andrews?

Do you even know what you want?

Is it romantic? Do you wanna date Betty?

Do you wanna date Veronica?

Do you really wanna be
on the basketball team?

Or do you wanna write poetry?

What is it? All of these things?

Well, I don't know.

But, yeah, I mean,
maybe... Maybe all of them.

No, I'm sorry. That doesn't work.

The "I want" song can
only be about one thing.

Otherwise, it confuses the audience.

Not to mention it means you have
a poorly defined main character.

No biggie, though. Kevin and I can take

another s*ab at your
"I want" song, Archie.

But if I don't really know
what I wanna do with my life,

how are you gonna write a song about it?

Listen, we'll figure it out.

And you are gonna love it. I promise.

[EXHALES]

[SIGHING] Golly, is there
anything more stressful

than workshopping a new musical?

Especially when it's about your friends?

If there is, it beats me.

But you're handling it all like a champ.

Especially given everything
you're going through

at home with your folks.

Listen, the only reason I'm
getting through any of this

is because of how supportive
and incredible you are, Clay.

♪ Heaven sent me an angel ♪

♪ In my soul ♪
♪ A mystery unfolding ♪

♪ Nothing more than chances ♪

♪ I miss you yesterday ♪

♪ Collecting midnights ♪

♪ And the evening is gone ♪

[BOTH] ♪ The world so far away ♪

♪ When I stand with you ♪

♪ This ain't no ordinary feeling ♪

♪ This is love ♪

♪ This is love ♪

[CLAY] ♪ Time takes a picture ♪

♪ And we vanish in the light ♪

[BOTH] ♪ This dream ♪

♪ This moment ♪

♪ All it wants is you ♪

♪ You came my way ♪

♪ And stole my heart ♪

♪ I wanna be your shelter ♪

[BOTH] ♪ The wonder of you ♪

♪ This ain't no ordinary feeling ♪

♪ This is love ♪

♪ This is love ♪

♪ This ain't no ordinary feeling ♪

♪ This is love ♪

♪ Baby, this is love ♪

I know who I'm hoping takes me

to the Valentine's Dance on Friday.

But who are you fuzzy ducks chasing?

[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ I'm not the kinda girl ♪

♪ Who's gotta twist and twirl ♪

♪ Every boy 'round my little finger ♪

♪ There's just one special guy ♪

♪ Who always catches my eye ♪

♪ In my heart ♪
♪ He always lingers ♪

♪ He needs a Betty ♪

♪ All set and ready ♪

♪ He and I make the perfect pair ♪

♪ Beware to a certain beauty queen ♪

♪ Who comes between us ♪

♪ The girl for him is me ♪

♪ I'm not the kinda girl ♪

♪ Who comes in second place ♪

♪ I don't sit and wait for a date ♪

♪ I serve it up on a silver plate ♪

♪ Somewhere chic and fun ♪

♪ If that doesn't work ♪

♪ I bring out the big g*ns ♪

♪ He needs a Ronnie ♪
♪ I bring it on ♪

♪ He and I are the perfect pair ♪
♪ Beware ♪

♪ Goody goody ♪

♪ Why would he with you ♪

♪ When the girl for him is me ♪

[BETTY AND VERONICA] ♪ The boy is mine ♪

♪ Next Friday Valentine's dance ♪

♪ My chance of ending the chase ♪

♪ Can't hardly wait ♪

♪ To be the one, hot fun ♪

♪ Next Friday, Valentine ♪

♪ Archie's mine ♪

♪ P.S. I must confess ♪

♪ Archie met me at Pop's yesterday ♪

♪ He asked for a ride on my bike ♪

♪ He's looking at me ♪

♪ In that certain way ♪

♪ I sped around all over town ♪

♪ Yesterday with Archie ♪

- ♪ I bet you heard my engine rev ♪
- [ENGINE REVVING]

[CHERYL] ♪ Toni, please ♪

♪ FYI, Archie was at my house ♪

♪ Day before yesterday ♪

- ♪ There must have been a storm outside ♪
- [THUNDERCLAP]

♪ 'Cause whaddya know ♪

♪ The lights went out ♪

♪ And me and Archie got close ♪

♪ His hand in mine ♪

- ♪ We had a good time ♪
- [SNAPS FINGERS IN RHYTHM]

♪ I pulled out my pompoms ♪

♪ My moves were sublime ♪

♪ And Archie leaned in ♪

[ALL] ♪ The boy's mine ♪

♪ Tomorrow Valentine's dance ♪

♪ My chance of ending the chase ♪

♪ Can't hardly wait ♪

♪ To be the one, hot fun ♪

♪ Tomorrow ♪

♪ Valentine ♪

♪ Archie's mine ♪

♪ One boy ♪

♪ Plus four best friends ♪

♪ Pretty girls getting ugly ♪

♪ Scratch and fight ♪
♪ Kiss and hug me ♪

♪ Best frenemies ♪

♪ Me and my best frenemies ♪

Yowza, so fun, right? What a bop.

A bop on the head maybe, you twit.

[VERONICA] Kevin, what is this?

We're all friends, not frenemies.

And what does that word even mean?

- I invented it.
- Is this how you see us?

Vapid, khaki-wacky girls
fighting over some guy who

doesn't have any interest in any of us?

Don't worry, we can work up a new song.

No, we will.

We deserve a song with more depth,

written from our point of view.

Since when do you two write songs?

Oh, we're not gonna write it.

I'll get one of my Oscar and/or
Tony winning pals to write it for us.

I'm thinking Cole Porter.

Also, not to pile on,

but this song was obviously intended

to be a Betty and Veronica duet.

Which you clearly added
us to at the last minute.

Well, to be fair, you did
ask for more stage time, so...

You know what?

I'm challenging you to
write something truthful.

Not just about Toni and I,
though that would be lovely.

But something more honest
about you two, as well.

[BELL RINGING]

All right, we heard your notes, Archie.

Wow. I didn't really have any notes.

And we wrote you a new "I want" song.

Strong musicals always
have a romantic core.

So that's why we decided

to focus on your quest for love.

My quest for love?

You wanna give it a
whirl? See how it fits?

Sure, jelly. Let's roll.

♪ I've never been the
type to know for certain ♪

♪ I'm always looking for a better view ♪

♪ I'm wondering what's
behind that other curtain ♪

♪ I wanna have my cake and eat it too ♪

♪ All this talk about growing up ♪

♪ Well, I can't help
feeling a little stuck ♪

♪ Between wanting and needing ♪

♪ Living and dreaming ♪

♪ All I ever wanted was a
love that's so, so true, yeah ♪

♪ And I got two ♪

♪ I could have a penthouse in the city ♪

♪ Be in the suburbs
with a picket fence ♪

♪ They're both so different ♪

♪ But they're both pretty ♪

♪ It's hard to choose ♪

♪ I guess it just depends ♪

♪ Sometimes I crave a
little cotton candy ♪

♪ Sometimes I wanna
have some onion rings ♪

♪ They're both delicious ♪

♪ Please understand me ♪

♪ How can I choose between
two perfect things? ♪

♪ Like wanting and needing ♪

♪ Living and dreaming ♪

♪ Gotta make a choice ♪

♪ But I don't know what to choose ♪

♪ 'Cause I want two ♪

- [RECORD SCRATCHES]
- I'm sorry, guys, can we stop?

I just, I'm at sixes and sevens
by what you asked me last time.

I mean, "Who is Archie Andrews?"

"What does he really want?"

Yes, that's why we
focused your "I want" song

on choosing between Betty or Veronica.

But it's not that simple.

I mean, that's not
really the big question

that I'm wrestling with here.

In our musical or in real life?

[EXHALES]

Fellas, I'm sorry to do this to you,

but I have to step away
from this musical for a while

for my own mental health.
It's too real, too raw,

and... [INHALES DEEPLY]

I have to figure out some
major stuff for myself.

Really, Archie?

[CLAY] Good luck to you, Archie.

I hope you make the
right decision about...

whatever it is you need to decide.

[VERONICA] Excellent news, Bee.

I just got off with Cole Porter.

And he is willing to
take a cr*ck at writing us

a little ditty for Kevin's musical.

Wow. I'm sure whatever Cole
comes up with will be the tops.

Much better than "Friday Valentine."

Betty, Kevin's royal shaft of a song

did bring up something
that's been eating away at me.

Oh, no... [CHUCKLES NERVOUSLY]

What is it?

You recall when the
Red Scare came to town?

- Yeah.
- Well, in a moment of weakness...

Archie and I kissed.

Do you like him?

I... I do.

But...

I like you more.

I feel closer to you than
anyone else in this town.

I've known Archie my entire life,

but I feel the same way.

Maybe this is the universe
telling us to swear off Archie

and...

focus on our friendship...

right now.

[BOTH CHUCKLE SOFTLY]

So, Dad, how is the new
cot? More comfortable?

Yeah. I'm used to it by now.

How's your mother doing?

All right, I guess, considering.

- What about school?
- It's fine.

I'm working on that new
musical I told you about.

The one about you and your friends?

Yeah.

It's... It's just a workshop right now,

but if Principal Featherhead digs it,

- we'll do a full production in the spring.
- Uh.

I keep imagining you, me
and Mom in the audience

celebrating my opening night together.

Why don't you just come home, Dad?

Or just... just come to dinner?

Heck, one meal, that's all I'm asking.

So you can talk to Mom.

There's, uh... There's more to the
situation that you don't understand.

Like what? I... I want to understand.

It's adult stuff, serious
stuff between your mother and I.

You, uh... You stick to your musicals

and your... your singing and dancing.

[SIGHS]

Thanks for coming back in, ladies.

We heard your feedback.
Accepted your challenge.

And last night, after a...

fraught dinner with my father,

Clay and I regrouped

and cooked up a new
song for the four of us.

We wrote it from the
heart, about people like us,

who have to be careful
about who we love.

We'll kick it off and then you two

should just feel free to join in.

We'll see what happens.

♪ Do you know what it's like ♪

♪ To be in love with you ♪

♪ To have my heart still love you ♪

♪ When my mind knows it can't be true ♪

♪ Do you know what it's like ♪

♪ To be in love with you ♪

♪ Not to remember
what my life was like ♪

♪ Before I first met you ♪

♪ Do you know what it's
like when I lie in bed ♪

♪ And I think of you and
the things you've said ♪

♪ How they're almost exactly all
the things that I've said too ♪

♪ Oh, do you know? ♪

[KEVIN AND CHERYL] ♪ I know I'll
never find your lovin' in anyone else ♪

[TONI AND CLAY] ♪ In anyone else ♪

[CHERYL AND KEVIN] ♪ Though I'll try ♪

[ALL] ♪ Oh, and I'll try ♪

[CHERYL AND KEVIN] ♪ And I know I'll
never find your smile in anyone else ♪

[TONI AND CLAY] ♪ In anyone else ♪

[CHERYL AND KEVIN] ♪ Though I'll try ♪

[ALL] ♪ Oh, and I'll try ♪

[TONI AND CLAY] ♪ If someone
were to come up to me ♪

♪ And say that they knew how ♪

♪ To love you better ♪

♪ I'd say, buddy ♪

♪ Step into the ring ♪
♪ You're going down ♪

[CLAY] ♪ I'd fight a guy for you ♪

[TONI] ♪ I'd fight a girl for you ♪

[ALL] ♪ I'd fight myself ♪
♪ You know I would ♪

♪ If I thought It'd do any good ♪

♪ Oh, do you know? ♪

♪ Do you know what it's
like when I lie in bed ♪

♪ And I think of you and
the things you've said ♪

♪ How they're almost exactly all
the things that I've said too ♪

♪ Oh, do you know? ♪

[CHERYL] ♪ How to look into your eyes ♪

[CLAY] ♪ To let go of your hand ♪

♪ To start another life ♪

♪ I just don't ♪

♪ Understand ♪

[LAUGHING] Kevin and Clay. Wowza.

You completely captured the longing

of being in a q*eer, interracial
relationship in the s.

[CHERYL] Dare I say this is going to be

extremely powerful
once we put it on stage.

Oh, um, Clay and I
wrote this song for you

and... and for us to
sing and enjoy in private.

It's... It's not gonna
be in the musical.

- Why not?
- Why the hell not?

Riverdale's too provincial.

I'm under enormous
pressure from Featherhead

to deliver something that's
mainstream and commercial and...

But maybe one day, when the
world's caught up to our song...

In that case, Kevin, Clay,

when the world does catch up,

and this beautiful song is
included in your musical,

Toni and I will be there too.

But in the meantime...

we do enough play-acting
in our real life.

So with all due respect, Cheryl and I

would like to be written
out of Archie: The Musical.

Until we can act as our
authentic selves in it.

[POP] Soup or salad?

Archie?

What would you like with your
grilled cheese, soup or salad?

I...

I don't know, Pop.

I...

I just... I don't know.

Oh, we'll just take both, Pop.

- Thanks.
- [SOFTLY] All right.

You were saying?

Kevin's writing this musical about me,

and I don't know why.

I mean, the character he's
writing isn't the person I am.

Like he's got me picking between

Betty and Veronica in the show,

but for me, in real life,
the choice is actually

between basketball and poetry.

Ah, the classic conundrum.

You, my friend, are cuttin' a rug

on what Camus would call
"an existential crisis."

A what now?

Your dilemma is real, Archie.

But it's not about having to decide

between basketball or poetry,

artist or athlete,

Betty or Veronica, no.

It's... Well, it's about
having to make a choice,

any choice, right now, today,

that could affect the rest of your life,

and that's... scary.

Especially for a cube like you.

Jeez, Jug, you're right.

That is why I'm so unsettled.

And I'll stay unsettled
until I make a decision.

[PIANO BALLAD PLAYING]

♪ 'Cause now it's time to take a stand ♪

♪ To pick a path ♪

♪ To be a man ♪

♪ Sometimes you gotta choose ♪

♪ And give it everything you've got ♪

♪ You only get one sh*t ♪

♪ And you can't pick two ♪

♪ I can't pick two ♪

Here you go, Archie. A
grilled cheese sandwich

with a soup and a salad, as requested.

Thanks, Pop. But, uh...

I only want the grilled cheese,
and make it to go, will you?

I gotta have a conversation
with my uncle that can't wait.

I'll take the soup
and salad. Thanks, Pop.

[JUGHEAD EXHALES]

[WHISTLES]

Uncle Frank, I'm not gonna be
on the basketball team anymore.

I wanna focus more on my poetry.

Is that who you are now,
some kind of beatnik poet?

So you're just gonna bail on the
Bulldogs halfway through a season?

Well, I need you on the team.

You got Reggie, Uncle Frank.

I mean, he is the team.

Well, I can't approve of it.

I won't approve of it.

You're gonna regret it.

Well, maybe.

Look, Uncle Frank, if
I don't follow my heart,

I'm worried I might
regret that even more.

Respectfully, I... I've made my choice.

[MRS. KELLER] Kevin?

Holy mackerel, we overslept!

[MRS. KELLER] Honey, are you awake?

Just... Quick! The window!

[MRS. KELLER] Can I come
in? Just for a quick chat.

Just a second, Mom.

[MOUTHING] I love you.

Good morning, sweetheart.

- Did you sleep okay?
- Um, yeah, I did.

I'm just, you know,
anxious about the musical.

Oh, I can only imagine.

But... But I was thinking.

What do you say the three
of us have dinner tonight?

You mean you, me and Dad?

At Pop's.

We think it would be good for us.

A... a good step.

Yeah, let's do it. Sounds great, Mom.

Wonderful.

Now, you get dressed and...
and I'll drive you to school.

So, Veronica, which one of your famous

Hollywood friends wrote this song?

Cole Porter did, as I knew he would.

And I trust you'll agree

it's worthy of our complexities.

[PIANO BALLAD PLAYING]

♪ Have you ever ♪

♪ Caught a glimpse of your reflection ♪

♪ In the mirror? ♪

♪ And wondered if the person
that you saw was even you ♪

♪ Everyone applauding ♪

♪ It's a perfect presentation ♪

♪ Nobody would ever have a clue ♪

[VERONICA]
♪ They look at me and figure ♪

♪ She's a girl who's got it easy ♪

♪ I cruise through life
while Daddy feeds me ♪

♪ With the silver spoon ♪

♪ But if they caught a glimpse ♪

♪ Of all my doubts and hesitations ♪

♪ Tell me, would they
sing a different tune? ♪

[BOTH] ♪ There's a universe inside ♪

♪ That no one else can see ♪

♪ A world inside ♪

♪ Where I'm alone with me ♪

♪ You can spend a lifetime ♪

♪ Looking deep in someone's eyes ♪

♪ And never see the universe inside ♪

♪ I'm scared to show what's underneath ♪

♪ I cover it with makeup ♪

♪ It's dark and petty, I know ♪

♪ But I need to be the best ♪

♪ And all they ever see ♪

♪ Is only part of the equation ♪

♪ Don't they realize I'm so much more ♪

[BOTH] ♪ If only I could find a way ♪

♪ To show them all ♪

♪ So they would say ♪

♪ How we want to see
the real you shining ♪

♪ Then I would never have to be ♪

♪ Afraid of nightmares or my dreams ♪

♪ So if you want me ♪

♪ You know where to find me ♪

[VERONICA] ♪ There's a universe inside ♪

- ♪ There's a universe inside ♪
- ♪ You must have one too ♪

- ♪ A world inside ♪
- ♪ Inside me ♪

♪ No one ever knew ♪

♪ I wish I noticed, but I... ♪

[BOTH] ♪ Never took the time ♪

♪ To look beyond the surface ♪

♪ And finally see the universe inside ♪

♪ Inside you ♪

♪ Inside you ♪

♪ I hope that someday ♪

♪ Someone looks into my eyes ♪

♪ And finally sees the universe inside ♪

That was... stunning.

What... what just happened?

[BOTH CHUCKLE]

Some kind of energy exchange, I think.

Yeah. A seismic one.

[KEVIN] I don't know what to say,

but I completely felt the pain

of your isolation, your...

your desperate need to be seen.

Now that that's squared away,

I think we should talk
about whatever just happened

- during that song.
- Okay. Yes. Super. We should.

It felt primal.

I felt the same, charged and intense.

All this time we've been thinking,

"When are we going to
climb Mount Archibald?"

- When in fact...
- Maybe there are other,

more... emotionally
complex mountains to climb.

There you both are!

I've been looking all
over to tell you something.

I've been doing some
soul-searching and, um...

Well, I realized I've
kissed both of you,

- and I'm fond of you both.
- [BOTH] "Fond"?

But I'm in a period of
growth and self-discovery.

So I'm gonna take a little time

and... and not kiss anyone for a while.

At least, I'm gonna try not to.

Okay, then. Later, gators.

So we've had a few speed
bumps but now we're jumpin'.

The new Archie, Julian,

he's even better than the real Archie.

Kevin...

We... We have to talk to
you about something serious.

[SPUTTERS] The papers are signed, Kevin.

It's all been finalized.

- Your, father and I...
- We're getting a divorce.

So that's it?

You're just... you're calling it quits?

This isn't something that
can be fixed, unfortunately.

Sometimes a man and a woman

come to find that there are

too many differences between them.

Sounds like you've
got it all figured out.

Well, if you will excuse me,

we are presenting to
Principal Featherhead tomorrow,

so I've got a lot of work to do,

and, yeah, thank you for a swell dinner.

- Kevin.
- Kevin...

♪ Come on everybody ♪
♪ Put your school books down ♪

♪ Come shake it up and feel all right ♪

♪ Summer's almost here
and it's senior year ♪

♪ Now, it's party time
at Riverdale High ♪

[ALL] ♪ No one's saying ♪

♪ But one thing is weighing
on everybody's mind ♪

♪ Sure is getting close to prom night ♪

♪ Shu bop, shu bop, ooh ♪

♪ We're getting ready ♪

♪ Shu bop, shu bop, ooh ♪

♪ So come along now ♪

♪ Shu bop, shu bop, ooh ♪

♪ Are you ready for the
greatest night of your life? ♪

♪ Shu bop, shu bop ♪

♪ I've been busy waiting 'cause
I don't know what he's thinking ♪

♪ But I'm praying that he asks me soon ♪

♪ Don't wanna seem needy ♪

♪ I'm just hoping it'll be me ♪

♪ And I don't know what to do ♪

♪ With his cool red hair ♪
♪ He's beyond compare ♪

♪ I've been waiting my whole life ♪

[ALL] ♪ Archie ♪

♪ Waiting for Archie ♪

♪ Meanwhile Jughead said ♪

♪ I plan on staying in bed ♪

♪ Chowing down on burgers and fries ♪

[JULIAN AND FANGS] ♪ Hey, Jughead ♪
♪ You're coming with us ♪

♪ To prom night ♪

♪ Hey, Arch ♪
♪ What have you been up to? ♪

♪ I've been writing an awesome song ♪

♪ Playing football out on the lawn ♪

♪ Got no worries, you know me ♪

♪ Everything is peachy keen ♪

[ALL] ♪ Shu bop, shu bop, ooh ♪

- ♪ We've waited so long ♪
- ♪ Shu bop, shu bop, ooh ♪

- ♪ We're gonna make it last ♪
- ♪ Shu bop, shu bop, ooh ♪

- ♪ Are you ready for the greatest... ♪
- ♪ Shu bop, shu bop ♪

- ♪ ... night of our lives ♪
- ♪ Shu bop, shu bop ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

[LAUGHING] Bravo.

Very well-sung.

Mr. Keller, may I see you in my office?

Kevin, I'll get right to it.

We're not going to produce
your musical this spring.

Wh... Why? May I ask why?

In this climate, so soon
after our brush with communism,

we think it's better to do
something more traditional.

Something people can get behind.

Furthermore, original musicals
are tough sells, Kevin.

I don't wanna say that
the drama club's funding

depends on your box office receipts,

but if you put up a sign

for Archie, The Musical,
will people come?

I don't know.

But if you put up a
poster for Oklahoma!,

I'm certain we'd have
a complete sellout,

all three performances.

Well, everyone, congratulations.

We're gonna be like every
other high school in the world

and do Oklahoma! this spring.

So, enjoy, um, singing about wheat.

Oh, Kevin, we're so sorry.

Are... Are you sorry?

Because all of you nitpicked

every song that Clay
and I wrote for you.

You questioned our vision at every turn.

And who knows, if you
actually supported me

even a little bit, we
might have pulled it off.

But you didn't. So, now, all that time,

and energy and effort,
it was all for nothing.

So, thanks for that.

- [CRASHES]
- Whoa! What snapped his cap?

That outburst wasn't
just about the musical.

Kevin was gonna give you the
lowdown after the workshop.

But, um, he recently found out

that his parents are getting a divorce.

That's why he's been pouring
everything he's got into this show.

[MRS. KELLER] I am so sorry all of this

- is happening at once, Kevin.
- Mom.

It isn't my fault, is it?

I feel like all this
fighting between you and Dad

started around...

when Betty and I were calling it quits.

No. No, Kevin.

What's going on between your dad and I

has nothing to do with you...

or who you are.

You have nothing to feel guilty about,

or ashamed of.

You are my son...

and I love you unconditionally.

[PIANO MUSIC PLAYING]

[HUMMING]

Hey, Kev, uh, you got a minute?

Well, I wanted to say thanks.

Thank you, buddy.

For what, Archie?

Well, I know I left you high and dry.

But working on your musical this week...

made me take a long,
hard look at myself.

Forced me to make some decisions that...

Well, that I needed to make.

Well, I'm glad some good came of it.

As I'm sure you've
heard, we're not doing

- Archie: The Musical in the spring.
- Yeah, I did.

I'm all broke out with
the blues about it.

And I was looking forward to seeing

how the whole she-bang would turn out.

And what was... What was
that you were playing before?

For the musical?

No, it's just something I
stayed up all night writing.

After my mom and I had
a long talk about stuff.

Well, come on.

Will you keep playing it for me?

[PIANO MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ An empty stage is set for all of us ♪

♪ But never before ♪

♪ Has home felt so far away ♪

♪ 'Cause never before
have I been without you ♪

[BOTH] ♪ Friends forever ♪
♪ Never say goodbye ♪

♪ And through the years ♪

♪ Friends for always You and I ♪

♪ Take a photograph ♪

♪ Tuck it away ♪

♪ These are the times ♪

♪ These are the days ♪

♪ These are the moments of us ♪

- [GUITAR CHORDS PLAYING]
- ♪ When we stand ♪

♪ On the edge of time ♪

♪ Don't you know I'm here ♪

♪ Holding on ♪

♪ With room to grow ♪

♪ Know that I'm waiting in the wings ♪

♪ So many memories are ♪

♪ Waiting in the wings
with happy endings ♪

♪ Since when has life
been so much change? ♪

♪ The buds don't show
when there's no rain ♪

♪ Since when has growin' up seemed ♪

♪ Not so very ♪
♪ Not so far away ♪

♪ Since when ♪
♪ Since I sing without you ♪

♪ It's not the song
that saved our world ♪

♪ But it's the song whose melody ♪

♪ It keeps you in my heart ♪

♪ It brings you back to me ♪

♪ This is our song ♪

♪ It's not the song
that saved our world ♪

♪ But it's the song whose melody ♪

♪ It keeps you in my heart ♪

♪ It brings you back to me ♪

♪ This is our song ♪

♪ It's not the song
that saved our world ♪

♪ But it's the song whose melody ♪

♪ It keeps you in my heart ♪

♪ It brings you back to me ♪

♪ This is our song ♪

♪ This is our song ♪

♪ This is our song ♪