‘Riverdale’ Debuts a “Jailhouse Rock” Music Video

While nearly everything about The CW’s Riverdale is dark, gritty, and dangerous, apparently being locked up in Juvenile Detention Center is none of those things. The new nearly two minute music video released in support of the October 17, 2018 episode features Veronica (Camila Mendes), Josie, and Cheryl (Madelaine Petsch) along with the rest of the River Vixens performing Elvis Presley’s “Jailhouse Rock” to entertain Archie and the other inmates.

According to The CW, the “choreographed routine takes place during a clean, fair football game designed by Archie to bring together the Ghoulies and the Serpents. Both Warden Norton and Veronica’s father, Hiram Lodge, are less than pleased by Veronica’s attempt to bolster Archie’s spirits, leaving her to find a new way to visit Archie at the Juvenile Detention Center.”

The video has a real Cry-Baby-ish vibe. For those not up on their John Waters films (or too young to get the reference), 1990’s Cry-Baby starred Johnny Depp as a jailbird and Amy Locane as his gorgeous girlfriend from the better side of the tracks. The 1990 release featured a lot of singing and dancing by those incarcerated and those outside the jail’s walls.

The October 17, 2018 episode (season three episode 2) with the “Jailhouse Rock” number is titled “Chapter Thirty-Seven: Fortune and Men’s Eyes.” The episode was directed by Jeff Woolnough from a script by Michael Grassi.

The cast of Riverdale season three includes KJ Apa as Archie Andrews, Lili Reinhart as Betty Cooper, Camila Mendes as Veronica Lodge, and Cole Sprouse as Jughead Jones. Madelaine Petsch is Cheryl Blossom, Marisol Nichols is Hermione Lodge, Mӓdchen Amick is Alice Cooper, and Luke Perry is Fred Andrews. The third season also stars Ashleigh Murray as Josie McCoy, Casey Cott as Kevin Keller, Mark Consuelos as Hiram Lodge, Skeet Ulrich as FP Jones, Charles Melton as Reggie Mantle, and Vanessa Morgan as Toni Topaz.

Riverdale is based on the Archie Comics and was created by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. Aguirre-Sacasa, Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter and Jon Goldwater are the executive producers.

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