"Riverdale's" Luke Perry Tribute Episode Will See Archie Andrews Receive a Life-Changing Phone Call
The untimely passing of Luke Perry earlier this year was a shock that the cast of Riverdale wasn't prepared to deal with. Luke played Archie's caring father, Fred Andrews on the series. Not only was the cast devastated to learn of his death, but they were also unaware of how the show would proceed without Luke's character. Riverdale's producers decided to leave the loss of Luke's character untouched until season 4 to give it the thought and attention it deserved. Instead, the show tackled Luke's absence by having Archie's mom announce to Archie that she would be staying with him while his father was "out of town." Now with season 4 premiering in less than a month, we're getting a hint of how the show will honor Luke Perry.
In an interview back in March with Entertainment Tonight, the show's executive producer, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa said that everyone on the show needed time to process and grieve, but that he knew the show would have to explain Fred's absence in some way.
"We know that we have to address it in some way, but we’re giving ourselves a little bit of time and space before we figure out the best way to honor him," Roberto said.
It seems the show's producers took time to create an episode that will pay tribute to Luke properly. The CW just released an official synopsis for what will be Riverdale "Chapter Fifty-Eight: In Memoriam."
The official synopsis for the episode also includes a list of the cast members that will participate in the show. "A FAREWELL TO FRED ANDREWS — As the residents of Riverdale prepare for its upcoming Independence Day parade, Archie (KJ Apa) receives a phone call that will change the rest of his life forever. Lili Reinhart, Camila Mendes, Cole Sprouse, Madelaine Petsch, Marisol Nichols, Madchen Amick, Mark Consuelos, Skeet Ulrich, Casey Cott, Charles Melton and Vanessa Morgan also star. Gabriel Correa directed the episode written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa."
The episode will also feature an appearance from Luke's Beverly Hills 90210 castmate Shannen Doherty. Shannen was a life-long friend of Luke's. There's no word on who she will play, but according to Comicbook, her character is said to have played a significant role in Fred's life.
Roberto said that Luke wanted Shannen to appear on the show since season 1. "They were such good friends, and when we were putting together this tribute episode, we wanted to make it as special as possible, and so we asked Shannen to do a pivotal, super-emotional role. She read the script and immediately said ‘yes.’ It’s very impactful."
Fred Andrews' farewell episode is set to premiere October 9 and there's no doubt that it will be an emotional one.
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