Riverdale was full of goodbyes this week, including one we never wanted

This was a week of too many goodbyes on Riverdale, from three official goodbyes within the show to the last moments filmed by Luke Perry.

This week was a wild ride on Riverdale. Not only did we get to see an intense round of Gryphons and Gargoyles, but there was also a twist or two from The Farm that we didn’t necessarily see coming. And while there really are plenty of things we could have discussed from the episode, it’s the goodbyes that were the most important.

We already knew going into this week’s episode that this would be the last time we’d see Luke Perry on Riverdale, as these were the final scenes he filmed before his untimely death. However, we didn’t expect to also lose three other characters.

Josie heads off to NYC

First up of the three official goodbyes was Josie. Her goodbye was expected, as she’s headed for the Katy Keene spin-off, but having her leave right now felt like it was almost happening prematurely. We can’t imagine her having much more of a storyline on Riverdale, but still, we love Josie and to see her go now is going to hit us in the feels regardless.

Goodbye, Gladys

The second goodbye was Gladys Jones. Again, it was unexpected, but after the events of the episode we weren’t exactly surprised. FP Jones learned the truth about Gladys and with the rest of Riverdale bound to find out what she had been up to while in town, it was time for her to move on. What’s sad about this goodbye is the fact that this means we are losing Gina Gershon, who has been an excellent addition to the series. Hopefully she pops back up in the future for more drama and excitement.

Hal Cooper is gone for good

The third goodbye was definitely not expected and happened off-screen. At the end of the episode, Betty learns that her father Hal Cooper has been killed in an accident during a prison transfer. And while it is possible that this is some form of subterfuge and he really is alive somewhere, for now, this is our third loss of the episode. Of course, when we think about all that Hal did over the course of three seasons, his loss is more something that will have an impact on Betty than a true sad moment.

And finally, the one we didn’t want to lose

This week, we had our unofficial goodbye in the form of Fred Andrews. With the scenes in this episode being the last ones that Luke Perry filmed before his death, this moment is a sad goodbye that did not feel like an end. We can only imagine how Riverdale will actually handle the loss of Perry, but in this moment, this was another opportunity for the viewers to say goodbye.

With three goodbyes written into the script and one unexpected real life loss, this week’s Riverdale was in many ways an emotional rollercoaster. And yet, we can’t wait to see what comes next as there is still a lot more story to be told.