Riverdale (TV Series) Chapter Ninety-Four: Next to Normal (2021) User Reviews

What is this now-Glee??

[jmdanley · 2/10 · 6 October 2021]

I wish IMDB would let us use an eye-roll emoji.

OK, so, yes, yet ANOTHER musical episode of a show that's supposed to be a "drama," and at least they chose a musical that's close to the story line, using the score of "Next to Normal" as way to delve into Alice's depressed state of mind.

But dear lord, then other characters unassociated with that story also break into song! WHY???

This story could have highlighted some very creative writing (in fact the scenes with Betty and Alice ARE very good), but instead it turns into lazy writing regarding other characters. Why bother scripting your own original dialogue when songs from a good musical can replace it all, even when it has nothing to do with the story?

I can't emphasize enough - this show needs to be canned. If it was a pet, it should have been put to sleep 2 years ago.

Oh not again

[arnomayer · 3/10 · 30 September 2021]

What did we do to get another musical episode this season? One musical episode per season is more than enough - but if you ignore these parts it was okay, not good but we had much worse episodes this year.

Another musical episode?

[etyrrell12 · 3/10 · 30 September 2021]

Riverdale is becoming a joke, i used to really enjoy it! Now my eyes roll every time one of them start singing. The TV show was great, it needs to be over now.

What in the world?

[krgoldman-56448 · 1/10 · 1 October 2021]

Downhill slide is an understatement for this show. In fact for most of the CW shows fall into this category.

1 for wasting my time

[nejfiser · 1/10 · 30 September 2021]

So mom loses daughter and decides to sing? LOL. Just lower episode count instead of filler episodes like this one. You're wasting everybody's time.

Musical again? Really?

[Tulip88 · 1/10 · 30 September 2021]

OMG just cancel the show already...Please.... I really don't understand how people hate musical episodes and they just keep making more and more... This season started ok but turned bad real quick...There isn't any good story any more and the writers are all out of ideas... Just cancel it please.

This isn't glee !

[xo-sara-michelle-ox · 1/10 · 30 September 2021]

IM SO OVER RIVERDALE AND THEIR MUSICAL EPISODES ! They are terrible they have way more musical numbers than a damn musical on broadway or even glee which IS A MUSICAL SHOW. Ugh I'm so losing interest quick, they better staaaahp.

Dear writers, listen to the viewers for once!

[christopherhansford · 1/10 · 2 October 2021]

Stop with all the musical episodes, we're all sick to death of them. End of. Enough is enough. There's a much better way to tell the story without everyone breaking out into song. If someone you love just died, your relationship is fractured or your struggling, you don't start singing. It prevents the viewer from taking the emotions of the characters seriously.

musical episodes just ain't it

[Splarke22 · 1/10 · 30 September 2021]

Jabitha was the one redeeming aspect of this episode.. At least we have the next episode to look forward to, which looks good if you're a Barchie and/or Veggie shipper!

The lowest rating episodes are musicals

[dchchaman · 1/10 · 2 October 2021]

Nobody likes musicals. The story get lost and episodes get boring. And above all that you don't turn a tragedy to highschool level musical.

Faithful Adaptation of Next to Normal not without its Flaws

[cnhomlitas · 8/10 · 30 September 2021]

Riverdale Episode 5x18 was a nice take on the wonderful heart wrenching musical play Next to Normal about a family ripped apart by the grief and trauma of a Mother not dealing with the loss of her son and the father's refusal to knowledge that anything is wrong while their teenage daughter feels she can't compete with the ghost of her long dead brother. And while this episode of Riverdale covers many of the same topics while Alice deals with the resent loss of Polly and Betty works to pull her back from the brink, it does fall short with a few of the songs.

While every song sung between Alice (Mädchen Amick) & Betty (Lili Reinhardt) was a beautiful reimagining of some of the best sons from Next to Normal and works wonderfully throughout the episode and Casey took on the role of the dr and really shined in his element (yes I may have swooned a bit at his singing) there where a few songs that did not, hence the 8/10 rating.

The song Superboy and the Invisible Girl which was about the daughter feeling like she just can't compete with her brother's ghost and thus invisible to her mom who just can't love her the same; was turned into a mockery of Veronica (Camilla Mendes) feeling lonely cause Archie (KJ Apa) had to work. This is one of my ultimate favorite songs from Next to Normal so for me this was a massive shame to see it used as nothing more then a pity party for the rich and arrogant.

Then the song Haven't I Seen This Movie was change from being about a mad doctor and a coocoo's nest (in the play the mother was getting ready to have Electric Shock Therapy and was having second thoughts) to a Priest and an exorcist just so Cheryl could kick her mother out of the house after some altercation over this " Ministry". Felt the song was contrived and used as a means to end end, ie to give Cheryl (Madeline Petsch) something to sing but didn't quit fit.

And lastly, while I wasn't at all surprised with Tabatha & Jughead singing Perfect For You, I felt he butchered the song. Sorry not sorry to all the Jughead/Cole Sprouse fans but for being an ex Disney star, that boy just can't sing. And after watching this episode I can understand how and why Casey Cott's (Kevin) voice was intermixed with Cole's for the song Seventeen and in fact can pick out Casey's easily in it after hearing him really sing this week (felt he was more screaming in Hedwig then actually singing). Lol. I still feel Perfect For You is a beautiful song and that Tabitha (Erin Westbrook) wasn't half bad, but Jughead/Cole bless his heart is no singer.

The rest of the episode was beautiful and spot on with the play and I really enjoyed seeing Polly (Tiera Skovbye) again and felt she sounded a lot like Betty when she sang, it was quite uncanny how similar they sounded. But the most impressive Cooper was actually Charles (Wyatt Nash) who I wasn't expecting to see at all but was a pleasant surprise and that boy can sing well too (who would of thought seeing as we had never heard him even hum before).

Over all I recommend watching it and I myself will Definitely will be rewatching this near perfect rendition of Next to Normal in the near future (and I haven't done much of that with this show in recent days), I will just be fast forwarding those misssteps and flaws is all.

Oh dear...

[confidencegame · 30 September 2021]

This episode could have actually been passable, even as a musical, had it only focused solely on Betty and Alice.

But it turned out to be a disaster... Jughead once again performed even if it makes zero sense for his character to do so. Tabitha might be the WORST singer I have ever heard... And poor old Britta. She has now been dumped into the hands of the most narcissistic person out there. Cheryl is a not a fit guardian... At all.

Accurated but nope at same time

[rochiimeliimeliirochii · 6/10 · 1 October 2021]

Im a big fan of next to normal, but a WHOLE musical episode about next to normal is TOO MUCH I like tabitha and jughead together, and their songs were ok but so out of context... Superboy and invisible girl was a scribble... Poor Cami Mendes Also I didnt see this movie made me LAUGH, was ridiculous The things that happened in Coopers house and Casey were who saved the musical parts of this episode In continuity with the plot, jug and tabitha getting together and veronica leaving archie for once were a big YES for me.

Again.

[verneaux · 1/10 · 30 September 2021]

Another adventure in auto tune. I wonder who pushes for these things: is it the cast or the production people?

So so so so bad

[curtisanderson-orris · 1/10 · 1 October 2021]

Another musical episode? Really? Have we not learned that theses are absolutely god awful and no one likes them. Stop the musical episodes!!!!!

Dreadful waste of time

[chatch-958-267339 · 1/10 · 30 September 2021]

A poor musical, a total waste of time watching. Pointless.

The River runs DRY....

[gbyzp · 3/10 · 1 October 2021]

What happens when the writers run out of ideas - they go MUSICAL.

Don't get me wrong, in some instances a musical episode makes sense.

In this case - it felt like the writers needed a way to fill space and the best way to drag out scenes was to insert musical numbers.

I have said it before and I will say it again -

This show USED TO BE GOOD.

CW please decide if you are going to fix what is wrong or just put this show out of its misery and replace it with a better show.

Just stop torturing those who've stood by the show since day one.

Stop the musicals

[daphne-zindili · 3/10 · 30 September 2021]

Why. This was horrible. Cringe and pointless. The musical episodes are the worst ones and i just dont get them. The plot is boring already, why do the need to add the music?

UGH !

[ChaosWiTChy · 1/10 · 2 October 2021]

I'm getting upset how riverdale has been failing down... the episodes are just wtf how we get here... Where's the trash bag killer story ? That would be more interesting.

Shocking

[rahulrchandra · 1/10 · 2 October 2021]

Wow...I can't believe the writers of this show have led us to endure yet another horrendous musical episode, or rather a collection of god awful sounds compiled in the most offensive of ways. I feel bad for Lili, you can see the disgust she holds for herself in her eyes as she's forced to sing and dance as if she's in The Muppets Movie. Do the writers never learn? Five seasons we have had to put up with this and every single time the "musical" episode results in a ratings plummet. I'll start shopping for my ear muffs before the inevitable cat screeching returns in Season 6.

Predictable Riverdale

[mattfrancis-03963 · 1/10 · 24 October 2021]

There's nothing more annoying than a cast that can't act or sing yet burst into song awkwardly and also break character by either laughing, messing up their mime being too lacklustre. I see a lack of cohesion, direction and too much ridiculousness to keep taking this series seriously. Yes Betty is pleasing on the eye but her skills as an actress and singing leave a lot to be desired. Then there's Jughead, who the makers seemingly care less of every week. Don't get me started on Veronica. Why oh why do they allow her to be so revealing and full of herself, does this girl not have another level? Get over yourselves and bring back some decent stories. Another thing Archie being a man with all the boxing the army now a fire worker. We get it your clueless as to how you can make his character more attractive and meaningful but your just desperate,

Great!

[autumnkeely · 10/10 · 30 September 2021]

Lili's voice was phenomenal and I'm not usually crazy about musicals. It was a little wild, but overall beautifully written! Veronica and Archie are on different paths. She doesn't want to stay in Riverdale, but he does. It's nice to finally see this show moving away from the high school aspect of things.

The dumpster fire burns hotter.

[michaelg_ · 8 October 2021]

This show is such a disaster these days but I'm sure that's why people suffer through it. But wow, when they decide to force another musical episode onto everyone it's just so, so hard to watch.

In fact, I stopped watching once the singing began. It just isn't worth it.

it was alright.

[moreiradrew-37278 · 7/10 · 1 October 2021]

For riverdales musical episodes this was alright ! I didn't hate it and it kinda felt like old riverdale which is what i missed.

Hear me out.

[flife-38327 · 4/10 · 30 September 2021]

Okay, hear me out, i dislike the musical episodes, a lot. But i don't think this one was THAT bad. Loved jabitha, alice and betty broke me. I liked the storyline, but the singing here just felt more out of place and random than the last 3 musical episodes. I didn't like that. Wish we got more of tabitha's parents, heard that a scene between her dad and jughead was cut. I do think the musicals need to stop, but this one was emotional and i liked the story alongside the random inputs of songs, literally could not tell if a song was the same song as the one before it or not. I think this is one of the better musical episodes out there for the show but it's not the best for me, and they just need to stop.

Lili once again proving she's the best female singer on that show, the ending scene was beautiful.