Beverly Hills, 90210 and Riverdale had something very special in common: Luke Perry. The actor played Dylan McKay in Hills and Fred Andrews in Riverdale. Sadly, he passed away in March this year due to complications from an ischemic stroke.
In Memoriam
His character in Riverdale, Fred Andrews, was the father of Archie Andrews (KJ Apa), one of the main characters. Not too long ago, we discovered that the opening episode of the fourth season of Riverdale is going to be an emotional and an important one because it is dedicated to the memory of the deceased actor. Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, the showrunner, announced that the episode will be called “In Memoriam”. On Twitter (@WriterRAS), he said, “Probably the most important episode of #Riverdale we’ll do this year, if not ever. A tribute to our fallen friend. Thankful for this opportunity to honor Luke & Fred.”
A Proper Goodbye
Although Perry passed away during Season 3, his death was not touched upon in the remaining episodes. He was said to have gone on a business trip and his wife Mary (Molly Ringwald) stepped into the picture.
Aguirre-Sacasa did not want to trivialize Fred’s fate, but wanted him to have a proper send-off which was why he waited for Season 4.
Much like his onscreen character Fred, Perry was supportive of the young cast members and served as a friend and mentor to them. Apa told Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show, “We had a really close relationship. He would call my parents every week, and, like, keep them updated on how I’m going. He made such a huge effort from the very beginning and I was like, ‘I wish I could be like that.’”
Season 4 of Riverdale premieres on October 9 on Netflix. And be warned, if you loved Fred Andrews and Luke Perry, it’s going to get emotional.