Dial M for Maple

So it's come to this: The end of Dial M For Maple. Though Riverdale's fifth season returns this week from its extended hiatus, our humble podcast has reached a point where it's no longer sustainable for us to keep going on a weekly basis. We've so enjoyed following along with every loopy twist and turn of this show that's brought us so much joy, so it was a very difficult decision to have to make. Alas, the time has come. In a final mini-sode, hosts Marah and Cameron reflect on the podcast's journey and all the amazing things we've gotten out of the show thus far. But, most of all, Dial M For Maple's last hurrah is a thank you to the loyal listeners and Riverdale fans who've given us so much love and support (and juicy theories!) along the way—we simply couldn't have done any of this without you. Though the podcast has come to an end, if you'd like to continue chatting with us about the show , you can follow us on social media at @marahe and @cameronscheetz, where we'd be thrilled to talk all things Riverdale. We can't wait to see where the show takes things from here. Bye bye, bulldogs!!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is it the maple mushrooms talking, or was that an especially trippy episode of Riverdale? Though it feels like season five's post-time jump plots were just heating up, the show sends us off on hiatus with “The Pincushion Man,” one hell of a mid-season finale with surprises to spare. On this week's Dial M For Maple, we break down the episode, twist by twist, tracing the shockwaves sent through town from Hiram's explosive—and surprisingly successful—prison break. Hosts Marah and Cameron wonder if some of Jughead's maple mushroom-induced visions were real, praise the return of loopy lovebirds Charles and Chic, and share their excitement over Penelope Blossom's newfound religious fervor (but which religion is it?). And, finally, in this week's edition of The Blue & Gold, we fawn over some cast hiking photos and get giddy about some Riverdale-adjacent real estate listings.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Between a long-awaited emotional arc for Kevin Keller and a surprise “Stupid Love” performance by Cheryl Blossom and the River Vixens, it seems this episode of Riverdale was hoping to give they gays everything they want. Unfortunately, “Destroyer” misses the mark—it may have some important things to say about trauma, but the results feel especially bleak, putting Kevin, Betty and company through the ringer once again. Nevertheless, our podcast Dial M For Maple breaks it all down beat by beat to ponder where Riverdale could be taking us for its midseason finale. Also in this episode, hosts Marah and Cameron go gaga for Cheryl's trip to Chromatica, explain why Betty's FBI cohort (and ex?) Glen is not to be trusted, and share their theories on the origins of “Lerman Logan.” And, finally, in this week's Blue & Gold, an update on the Archie-verse's Who-y “it” couple, and a funny glimpse at the future circa 1990s Archie Comics.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Are key parties still a thing? They are in Riverdale, or at least in Cheryl Blossom's twisted imagination, where she's concocted a plan to throw Toni, Kevin, and Fangs' modern family into chaos. But when she invites this semi-estranged group of friends to her gothic manse for a night of swinging, no romantic pairing is left unshaken, finally bringing everyone together, if only to shift the status quo yet again. That's the main crux of “Lock And Key,” and our recap podcast Dial M For Maple parses through it all, ‘ship by ‘ship. There's the inevitable return of Varchie—'shippers rejoice—Tabitha's unfortunate turn as Jughead's caretaker, unintentional homewrecker Rick, and so much more to discuss. And then, in this week's The Blue & Gold, we give a listen to KJ Apa and Hart Denton's new song and deem it: Appropriately chill.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Mothman cometh! Well, eventually. But until then, Riverdale seems to be spinning its wheels in “Fire In The Sky,” an episode largely muddled in busy work with just enough teases of the paranormal to leave us intrigued. Archie's on another crusade to save the town via firefighter, Veronica's got another harebrained scheme masked as an economics lesson, and Betty finds herself on the tail of another serial killer. Thankfully, Jughead and Tabitha's Mulder and Scully cosplay keeps things fresh, delivering both a rousing UFO-sighting flashback from Pop Tate and some hot alien gossip from Nana Rose. Nevertheless, our Riverdale podcast Dial M For Maple returns to recap it all, theorizing about Hiram's master plan and declaring our own winner of the HBIC dance-off. And, in this week's edition of The Blue & Gold, hosts Marah and Cameron wonder what kind of tunes super-bros KJ Apa and Hart Denton have been cooking up.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Now that our (former) teen heroes of Riverdale are settled back into their lives in the (former) Town With Pep, the show's fifth season begins to set the table for the mysteries to come. There are skeevy truckers, estranged husbands, mothmen aliens, a conniving school secretary, and so much more in the latest episode, “Back To School,” and our recap podcast Dial M For Maple is here to unspool each plot thread. Hosts Marah and Cameron share their suspicions about Cheryl's new art forgery gig, wonder what made Veronica fall for the greasy Chad Gekko in the first place, and sing the praises of Hiram's gorgeous bag of Doritos. And then, in an extra juicy edition of The Blue & Gold, we gab about Skeet Ulrich and Lucy Hale's apparent May-December romance, and pour through KJ Apa's intriguing interview with his Songbird costar Demi Moore.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you thought Riverdale's seven-year time jump meant the end of high school drama, you were dead wrong. But, as this week's episode “Homecoming” proves, that's not such a bad thing. The CW series dives into—with gleeful abandon—the messy world of small-town politics and private schooling, while still making time for what Riverdale does best: Street gang shake-em-ups, steamy shower sex, and plenty of harebrained schemes. As ever, our podcast Dial M For Maple is on hand to break it all down, with hosts Marah and Cameron asking the important questions, like, “Just how old are Dagwood and Juniper supposed to be at this point?” and “If Riverdale High is low on funds, why does Toni have the most glamorous counselor's office we've ever seen?” And then, in the latest edition of The Blue & Gold, we pay tribute to Alvin Sanders—best known as the show's Pop Tate—by digging deep into his delightfully bird-heavy Instagram feed.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

So much and yet so little has changed in a week—er, seven years in Riverdale time. After tying up the loose ends of high school and season four, the drama finally makes its highly anticipated time jump in “Purgatorio,” catching us up on the adult lives of its cast before uniting them, once again, at the booth in Pop's Diner that started it all. In the latest edition of our Riverdale podcast Dial M For Maple, we survey the show's major shifts—Betty's letting her hair down, Cheryl's a haunted recluse, the Serpents are truckers—and discuss why it feels like maybe this won't be the total game-changer we expected. But one shift that hosts Marah and Cameron do commend is a more centralized role for one Toni Topaz, an exciting move considering the series all but sidelined her after she became Cheryl's girlfriend. Vanessa Morgan's always been one of Riverdale's most compelling actors, so we hope the change sticks. Elsewhere, in The Blue & Gold, we discuss the news that show's officially coming back for season six, and share our excitement over Diablo Cody giving The Powerpuff Girls the dark, gritty Riverdale treatment.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As the Riverdale teens go on, they remember all the times they had together. But as their lives change, come whatever, will they still be friends forever? That's the dark cloud of a question that hangs over the back half of “Graduation,” the episode originally intended to close out Riverdale's fourth season, which pretty neatly sets up the drama's next act: A time-jump into adulthood. But before everyone can go their separate ways, Dial M For Maple has an episode to recap, and it's an emotional one, full of breakups, goodbyes, time capsules, and moody covers of Green Day's “Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life).” Podcast hosts Marah and Cameron discuss what should have gone into said time capsule, reflect on the sad fate of “The Core Four,” and wonder exactly why FP and Jellybean had to leave town the same day as graduation. And then, in another edition of “The Blue & Gold,” we discuss what rumors of another spin-off could mean for the future of Riverdale.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Riverdale really seems to be wiping the slate clean ahead of graduation day and its long-awaited time jump, unmasking auteurs and unseating tyrannical businessmen in one fell swoop of an episode. Indeed, season five's second entry, “The Preppy Murders,” has its work cut out for itself as the drama attempts to wrap up last year's biggest mysteries so that the teens of Riverdale can move on with their lives—literally. This week, Dial M For Maple attempts to keep up with the show's breakneck plotting, from the pew-pew power of an armed Hermosa, to Archie's messy, punch-heavy emotional arc. Plus, as it turns out, hosts Marah and Cameron weren't too far off in their theories about “The Auteur,” though they do feel a bit odd about the dark implications of the culprit's identity. Kids really do the darnedest things! Then, in this week's edition of “The Blue & Gold”: Who was impersonating Lili Reinhart in that Seventeen magazine interview, and does the show realize Vanessa Morgan was shading its writing in that “Senior Year Time Capsule” video?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After an abbreviated fourth season and an extended hiatus, Riverdale finally returns to wrap up senior year—but it's not all proms and graduation-day promenades. In typical Riverdale fashion, the teens still have a major mystery to solve before they can time-jump to their twenties, and that's the identity of “The Auteur,” the voyeuristic villain whose eerie snuff films have got the whole town on edge (though, notably, they don't appear to have put anyone in real danger—yet!). As ever, The A.V. Club's Riverdale podcast Dial M For Maple is on the case, recapping the premiere episode, “Climax,” and running down the list of most likely—and most surprising—culprits. Hosts Marah and Cameron swap Auteur theories, wonder how Jellybean knew about the rave when Betty and Jughead didn't, and share what they've missed most about the show in its eight-month absence.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With just a little over a month to go until Riverdale's delayed 5th season, Dial M For Maple returns for a bonus episode to say, "Hey! Remember us?" It's been a long, stressful year, and 2021 is already looking up thanks—in small part—to a return to the Town With Pep, and a new teaser trailer has graced us with hints at what's to come (at least before the highly anticipated 5-year time jump). Hosts Marah and Cameron pick up where season 4 left off, and highlight some of the teaser's most intriguing details. Then, Cameron sits down with Cody Kearsley—a.k.a. Moose—to talk about his lead role in the new sci-fi movie Breach, and the pros and cons of playing a teen well into your late 20s. Of course we couldn't resist asking Kearsley what he knows about season 5, but this Moose's jaw remained shut.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

And so we close another chapter of Riverdale. The early episodes seem so long ago—that lovely tribute to Luke Perry, Julian the porcelain doll, Chad Michael Murray on a rocket—and, yet, there’s no denying the fact that season four wrapped things up a little too quickly. That being said, “Killing Mr. Honey” ends things on a satisfying note, bringing most of the principal cast together to take down their principal, the maybe-not-completely-wrong Holden Honey. As directed by Mädchen Amick, the episode offers up a fun take on the revenge fantasy while still leaving plenty of threads dangling in the mystery of the VHS voyeur (what’s a Riverdale season finale without a cliffhanger anyway?). As usual, Dial M For Maple recaps all of the madness, and ponders what lies ahead for our beloved show in these COVID-19-stricken times. Hosts Marah and Cameron share their elation with an overdue Nana Rose appearance, continue to stan Mrs. Bell, and wonder if Jughead has it in him to write something truly original. And, in our final Blue & Gold of the season, we evaluate Cole Sprouse’s quarantine facial hair and unpack the rumors of an early season six renewal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

And, just like that, we’ve reached the home stretch of Riverdale’s fourth season! With the COVID-19 pandemic halting production across the board, the show’s planned final three episodes have been shunted off to TV purgatory, and we’ve found ourselves at this chapter’s penultimate offering. While “Lynchian” intriguingly ups the ante on the long-percolating mystery of the voyeuristic VHS tapes, one can’t help but wonder: Is there any way next week’s season finale can possibly give us a satisfying conclusion? Regardless, Dial M For Maple is on hand to unspool the latest clues in this videotape whodunnit and deliver our post mortem on the “Barchie” that nearly was. Hosts Marah and Cameron dig through the episode’s hat tips to its titular director and wonder if anyone knows what an A/V Club even is anymore (beyond this very website, The A.V. Club, that is). Then, in The Blue & Gold, we check in on Kevin Keller’s visit to Katy Keene, recap Jordan “Sweet Pea” Connor’s visit to Celebrity Drag Race, and preview Camila Mendes new Netflix thriller, Dangerous Lies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you just say, “wig”? Well, someone in the Riverdale Hair & Makeup Department sure did, again and again and again! That’s right, it’s the most glorious time of the year: Riverdale’s spring musical episode, a tradition started back in season two with a bloody good take on Carrie: The Musical. And, in keeping with tradition, “Wicked Little Town”—the show’s ode to cult classic Hedwig And The Angry Inch—is another high point for the show, ratcheting up the interpersonal drama and giving our beloved Kevin Keller a true chance to shine. In this week’s Dial M For Maple, we unpack the “Wig In A Box” to highlight our favorite musical numbers and to toss out our theories about those eerie final moments. While hosts Marah and Cameron are no “Barchie” ‘shippers, they’re at least happy to see the show putting in the leg work to convince us that maybe these crazy kids really can’t keep their paws off one another. And, in The Blue & Gold, we catch up on the cast’s dispatches from quarantine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since Riverdale put a bow on the mystery of Jughead’s faux murder and went on a mini-hiatus, the whole world has changed. And while the situation is dark (like, “Riverdale dark”—remember when the town went under quarantine?), it’s important to find moments of levity and happy distractions to keep your mind off the doom and gloom. That’s why there’s no better time to catch up on The CW’s other “Archie-verse” series, Katy Keene, a pure escapist delight. Now that it’s aired the first eight episode of its inaugural season, our podcast Dial M For Maple decided to check in with the “high-fashion fairytale” to see what its cast of big-dreaming characters has been up to. Hosts Marah and Cameron weigh in on what makes the series so special, from its colorful view of the world, to its queer-friendly stories, to its guest roles for icons like Bernadette Peters and Shangela. Truly, its a blast. And then, in the latest edition of “The Blue & Gold,” we ponder what kind of impact the coronavirus-related delays will have on the current seasons of Riverdale, Katy Keene, and beyond. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Riverdale’s modus operandi seems to be, “when one mystery closes, another mystery opens,” so it’s all-together shocking—and wholly satisfying—that its latest episode finally put a bow on the season-long mystery of Jughead’s fake death. “The Locked Room” not only tells us the great lengths Betty and company went to convince everyone (including Riverdale’s viewers) that Jughead was dead, but also lets our favorite sleuthing couple boast to Dupont and the Stonewall Preppies that they’ve uncovered the murderous secrets of the Quill And Skull. Just like that, most of season four’s big questions have been answered, save for a dangling thread or two (we’ll call it a Hanging Chic). Our podcast Dial M For Maple returns to unpack each new revelation, and to herald the long-awaited reappearance of everyone’s favorite money-grubbing mortician, Dr. Curdle, Jr.! Elsewhere in the episode, Marah recommends some other tantalizing whodunnit yarns and Cameron shares his thoughts on the new KJ Apa-starring biopic, I Still Believe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a week away, Riverdale picks up right where it left off, the gang reeling from Jughead’s (apparent) demise (apparently) at the hands of his own girlfriend, Betty Cooper. But “How To Get Away With Murder” leaves little time to grieve their beanie’d pal, as Archie, Veronica, and Betty attempt to cross-reference their stories and cover their own tracks. It’s a lot to take in, so, with Marah out this week, Dial M For Maple had to call in the big guns for a guest host: None other than Cameron’s own mother, Andrea, joins the podcast to dish on the latest Riverdale. The pair shares their mutual distrust over Hermosa and tries to puzzle through some new fan theories about just who is in cahoots with who, exactly. And then, in The Blue & Gold, Cameron and Andrea break down the recent news of Skeet Ulrich and Marisol Nichols’ upcoming show departure, and gush over the cute new puppy in Lili Reinhart’s life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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We never imagined we’d be walking away from Riverdale’s big “Quiz Show”wanting to talk about tickling fetish videos, but here we are! Though this week’s episode throws a few curveballs at the audience, none were quite as wild and unexpected as what Kevin Keller gets into on his “Grind’em” date. As Dial M For Maple grapples with whether or not this plot finally gives us #JusticeForKevin, hosts Marah and Cameron dive into a twisty plot that shakes things up for the Bughead ‘shippers and sees Veronica and Cheryl’s maple rum business make some questionable choices. Elsewhere in the podcast, we break down Riverdale’s exciting Hedwig And The Angry Inch musical news, contemplate crossovers with Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina, and Cameron explains why the creepy documentary Tickled portends bad things for Kevin’s current situation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s January, and football season is over for most high schools, but not Riverdale, which kicks off 2020 with “the big game” against the Stonewall Stallions. The rivalry brings season four back into focus after the holiday break, and thankfully lets the teens again worry about typical high school things, like college applications, frustrating coaches, and bringing down your father’s rum empire by creating a new rum brand of your own. Yeah, just normal teen stuff! Dial M For Maple is back with its game face on, recapping “Varsity Blues,” and punting some new theories about Principal Honey and shifty Uncle Frank. Hosts Marah and Cameron discuss their favorite school sports movies and ponder why cheerleading seems to be the hot new trend in television this year. And, in “The Blue & Gold,” we review Charles Melton’s appearance in Bad Boys For Life, and we share our excitement for the Riverdale-verse’s upcoming Katy Keene series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In its final episode of 2019—and the decade, for that matter—Riverdale forgoes another seasonally-appropriate holiday episode and instead delivers a midseason finale largely concerned with moving on. The big theme of “Tangerine” seems to be setting the past on fire (quite literally) in order to push forward, with Betty laying Dark Betty to rest, Jughead accepting his fate with the Quill And Skull society, and Cheryl finally letting go of her beloved twin’s corpse. Dial M For Maple logs on—albeit a little later than usual—to recap another ambitious episode and to try to make sense of Evelyn Evernever’s deranged hypnotism scheme. Elsewhere, hosts Marah and Cameron introduce a new theory that makes Principal Honey seem even shadier, and the two cast their doubts on the arrival of Archie’s apparently forgotten uncle. Plus, we try to sum up Varsity Blues, and a Cole Sprouse-Adam Sandler reunion sends us on a trip down memory lane. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If this week’s Riverdale seems familiar to longtime listeners of Dial M For Maple, that may be because we pitched an episode just like this on our podcast last season. After nearly four years of serial killers, diabolical family members, cults, and bear attacks, the teens of Riverdale have some serious trauma to unpack. Thankfully, help comes in the form of guest actor Gina Torres—a.k.a. school counselor Mrs. Burble—whose straight talk and thoughtful insights provide the series with a much-needed center of gravity. Hosts Marah and Cameron break down each of Burble’s “cases” and discuss if they feel her advice to the teens is constructive (it is), and whether or not they take the advice to heart (they don’t). We also dive into the candy bowl of delicious fake brand names, and discuss the news that a future episode will see Veronica heading to New York City to officially introduce us to Katy Keene. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is Riverdale becoming one of those shows where its holiday episodes are its best? After a spooky Halloween outing this season, the series serves up another winner with its Thanksgiving cornucopia, “The Ice Storm.” Our podcast Dial M For Maple pulls a seat up to the dinner table to dig into a feast of plot, one that won’t leave any Riverdale ‘shippers hungry—Bughead, Varchie, Choni, and even Falice have their own stories this week! Hosts Marah and Cameron are on hand to recap the madness and ask the important questions like: What’s really behind Julian’s glass eyes? Does Mary Andrews have too much fresh produce? And how old is Dodger supposed to be anyway? Elsewhere, we check in on the ascent of Lili Reinhart: Movie Star and Cameron shares why he used to always hate when people called it “Turkey Day.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our Riverdale podcast Dial M For Maple returns from its bye week to discuss the rapidly escalating drama of the show’s latest outing, “Hereditary.” Hosts Marah and Cameron recap an episode that once again spreads its heroes to the wind, leaving each to fend for themselves against shady long-lost brothers, shady long-lost sisters, and porcelain dolls that may or may not be housing the soul of an unborn triplet (yes, there’s a lot of bad blood amongst the siblings of Riverdale right now). We also recount our night at the The People’s Choice Awards, which brought us mere inches away from KJ Apa, and lead us to conclude that poor KJ Apa probably doesn’t like red carpets all that much. And, in “The Blue And Gold,” Cameron wonders whether or not Marisol Nichols knows how to do an Instagram Takeover. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Despite the past three seasons of costumed killers and eerie unwanted phone calls, “Halloween” marks Riverdale’s first proper episode tied to the titular holiday. To celebrate, the show divides up its main cast and forces most of the teens to live through their own personal hell; it’s a proper goodie bag of “fun size” horror plots! This week, Dial M For Maple tunes in to recap the scariest (Veronica’s run in with the “Family Man Killer”) and weirdest (Mr. Honey’s fascination with Reggie and Kevin) moments of the night, and sits down for a seance with Nana Rose to figure out what’s really going on at Thistle House. Hosts Marah and Cameron debate the logistics of the VHS surveillance plot, and share their confusion over Charles Cooper’s true motives—if that’s even his real name. Plus, Cameron attempts to update us on the Riverdale cast’s TikTok presence, but ends up confused by the app all over again Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Betty’s quest to free her mom from the clutches of The Farm leads to an especially loopy episode of Riverdale, one that has Dial M For Maple wondering if Edgar Evernever ever had a plan in the first place. Hosts Marah and Cameron are on hand to recap the madcap “Dog Day Afternoon,” and the pair attempts to sniff out which of the shows shady new characters is the shadiest of them all. Marah also ponders the logistics of Betty’s passport procurement plan, while Cameron is just happy to see beloved social worker Miss Weiss again. Plus, a listener points out that we should take a closer look at Donna Sweet, a Stonewall Prep student with a name suspiciously similar to Donna Tartt, whose debut novel may hint at where the season is headed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After last week’s moving “very special episode,” Riverdale jumps ahead to the start of the school year and, refreshingly, takes things back to basics. That’s right: At least for a little while, that gang’s biggest concerns are boring summer reading assignments, football practice, and throwing raging parties. Normal teen stuff! But it’s in the small details that the show starts to hint at the inevitable rollercoaster of a season it has ahead, and that’s where Dial M For Maple’s gears start turning. Beyond the elephant (Jason Blossom’s body) in the room, hosts Marah and Cameron ponder the ulterior motives of Riverdale High’s new principal, Mr. Honey (Dawson’s Creek’s Kerr Smith), and theorize who might be behind the gossip on the perfectly named Rumordale.com. Plus, we share our confusion over the show’s steamiest scene yet, and theorize what a new supporting character’s name could signify about the shady Stonewall Prep. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No matter how zany the last season of Riverdale got, it was always under the somber shadow of the sudden and untimely passing of Luke Perry. Perry’s performance as Fred Andrews was like a constant warm hug, which made him the true beating heart of Riverdale. Respectfully, the show proceeded as planned with season three, taking its time to craft a proper goodbye to the actor who felt like a father to the entire cast. Which brings us to “In Memoriam,’ Riverdale’s fourth season premiere that doubles as a loving ode to Luke Perry, written by showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. As is tradition, our podcast Dial M For Maple returns with the season to recap the moving episode and to say goodbye to Perry. Plus, hosts Marah and Cameron piece together clues from the summer about what’s in store for the gang this year, and Cameron shares a story about his momentary brush with Lili Reinhart. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Riverdale's on hiatus, and the (Mad) Dog Days Of Summer have come early for Dial M For Maple since we had a chance to sit down with Mad Dog himself, Eli Goree. The actor's been busy promoting his work on Pearson — USA's new Suits spin-off — but he took some time to sit down with host Cameron Scheetz to talk about his Sesame Street days, the possibility of following in Meghan Markle's royal footsteps, and getting ripped for Riverdale. As for season four, he was a little coy about his involvement, but we have a hunch we'll be seeing more of him soon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

School's out for summer on Riverdale, but Dial M For Maple returns to the halls fo Riverdale High for one final look at the show's wildest season yet. Hosts Marah and Cameron revisit the season's highs and lows—including that insane speech about "the epic highs and lows of high school football"—and hand out superlatives for "Funniest Scene," "Most Improved Character," "Worst Archie Decision," and more. Plus, we turn our attention to our listeners, answering a few fan questions and dialing in the podcast's biggest fan: Cameron's mom, Andrea. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who saw that one coming? In its season three finale, Riverdale finally unveils the true identity of its Gargoyle King, the puppet master behind two years worth of serial killers, addictive role-playing games, and intergenerational family trauma. Was it obvious? Sure, but it's also wholly satisfying, and it clears the table for the season ahead. Dial M For Maple re-examines the trials and tribulations of The Core Four in "Survive The Night," and celebrate the return of icon Nana Rose. Plus, hosts Marah and Cameron name their MVPs of the season. And that’s a wrap on Dial M For Maple for the season! We know that all of Riverdale’s third season will drop on Netflix on May 23, so, if you’ve got friends catching up, please encourage them to follow along with Dial M For Maple, too. We’ll be taking a bit of a hiatus for now, but we hope to return when Riverdale—and maybe even Katy Keene—starts back up in the fall. In the meantime, we've got big plans for a special episode coming in June, and don't forget to follow us on Twitter at @DialMForMaple for all of the latest Riverdale-related news and updates. On behalf of Cameron and Marah, thank you to everyone for tuning in! We love talking about Riverdale, but it’s really hearing from our listeners that makes Dial M For Maple worth it.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've been wondering for weeks what The Farm is really up to, so it was to our gleeful surprise that the secret to the hippie-chic cult was right there in its name the whole time. Oh, they're farming alright! With "The Dark Secret Of Harvest House," Riverdale finally fills in some blanks as it approaches its season three endgame, and it has a blast doing it, thus producing one of the best episodes of the season. Maybe ever? As always, Dial M For Maple is to here to recap every twist, turn, and hacky sack kick. Plus, hosts Marah and Cameron turn their attention to this week's Met Gala, picking their favorite cast looks from the annual fashion celebration and making the case for why Riverdale is at its strongest when it goes "full camp." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Riverdale's "Prom Night" may have undergone a last-minute theme change, but the night was going off without a hitch until two uninvited party-crashers showed up. Yes, a supervillain team-up caps off a satisfying and scary episode also packed with the return of Mary Andrews, the gospel of The Gargoyle King, and some lame infinity tattoos. Dial M For Maple hosts Marah and Cameron wonder how Riverdale High students were supposed to interpret the "Fire & Ice" theme, and share their own prom memories. Plus, in the Speculation Booth, we introduce two spicy new theories have us questioning Betty's sanity and Veronica's loyalties. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Join us! We welcome you!" Just when you think Riverdale can't get any weirder, The Farm fully lets its cult flag fly in "Fear The Reaper." This week, Dial M For Maple is thrilled to welcome back special guest host, LaToya Ferguson! Though LaToya used to write The A.V. Club reviews for the series, she tapped out earlier this season, so Cameron does his best Edgar Evernever impression to draw her back into the cult of Riverdale. Plus, we say goodbye to Josie McCoy—one of the show's only characters with any common sense—and LaToya shares her well-founded research on all the ways Riverdale actually mirrors Glee. *a quick note: Apologies for the lower audio quality this week—we had to record on the fly in an irregular space. We'll step it back up next week, we promise! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The bobbed wig may be gone, but Dark Betty is back in full force on this week's Riverdale. Yes, it's a tense episode all around with Betty's mom-napping, Archie's roughest boxing match yet, and a new threat in the form of rabid, drugged-out townsfolk inching us closer to our Afterlife With Archie zombie fantasies. In this week's Dial M For Maple, we heed Dr. Curdle, Jr.'s ominous warnings and make the case for still being "Team Betty." Plus, Marah and Cameron speculate: There's no way Edgar and Evelyn Evernever are the people—or the ages—they say they are, right? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Never say Evernever! On this week's Riverdale, we finally get our proper introduction to Chad Michael Murray's Edgar Evernever and, as expected, this guy's a charmer! But he and the Farmies have other tricks up their sleeves: Apparently they're helping Cheryl, Alice, and others talk to dead people? We have no idea how that works, but nevertheless, Betty "Snooper" and Dial M For Maple are on the case. Hosts Marah and Cameron theorize The Farm's ulterior motives, ponder when they'll be seeing Hal Cooper again, and praise the episode's bravura drug raid scene. Plus, the surprising inclusion of a new Grimes song inspires Marah to tell the tale of a poorly attended Coachella cruise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"How very," indeed! For this season's big musical episode, "Big Fun," Riverdale pulls out all the stops with a tribute to Heathers: The Musical. This is the show at its campiest and its most emotionally raw, and Dial M For Maple cannot get enough. Hosts Marah and Cameron kick off the podcast by discussing their favorite moment—it's "Seventeen," in a landslide—and proceed to explain why they think the musical genre suits the show better than any other. Plus, Cameron argues that Cole Sprouse is the Ewan McGregor of the episode, and Marah wonders if Evelyn Evernever is "pulling a Never Been Kissed" on Riverdale High. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy 50th episode, Riverdale ! This week, the show celebrates the milestone with "American Dreams," an episode chock-full of the Joneses, semi-breakups, and kinky blindfold action. Yes, this may be the steamiest Riverdale yet—thanks to one killer Choni scene—but that doesn't mean it's smooth sailing for our favorite 'ship. Dial M For Maple also takes a moment to assess the status of "Falice" and "Veggie," and we preview Cole Sprouse's first movie-star role in Five Feet Apart. Plus, Cameron threatens to learn all the dance moves from Robyn's "Call Your Girlfriend" music video. And a quick note: Apologies for the delay and the poor audio quality this week—our hosts were on the road and had to use Skype in a pinch. Things should be back in fine form next week. Thanks for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

R.I.P. Luke Perry. It's been a tough week for many in the wake of such heartbreaking news, but Riverdale nobly marches on. And while Dial M For Maple dutifully recaps the fiery "Fire Walk With Me" (a surprisingly literal episode title), our podcast cedes much of its time to honor the life and legacy of the late, great Luke Perry, Riverdale's very own Fred Andrews. Hosts Marah and Cameron tell stories from when they were lucky enough to bask in the actor's warm, generous glow. Plus, we share some writing from the cast and the internet at large that truly highlight what a unique, charming, and selfless person Luke Perry really was. He will be sorely missed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gangs are running amok in Riverdale—really, it's hard to keep track—but it’s looking like the most dangerous group of all just might be The Farm. In this week’s Dial M For Maple, we dissect the countless threats of “Requiem For A Welterweight,” from the Gargoyles’ new junkie leader to Elio’s sharp cheekbones to (our personal favorite) Evelyn Evernever. Hosts Cameron and Marah try to start their own insane Riverdale gangs, and we ask the most important question of all: What the heck is the deal with 23 Hour Fitness? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Riverdale's taking a few weeks off, so Dial M For Maple decided there was no better time to unplug, unwind, and cozy up to a book. But, as all you Bulldogs know, there's always more to discuss, which is why we're offering up a special "Book Club" edition of the podcast to dig into the official Riverdale prequel novel, The Day Before. Hosts Marah and Cameron examine the pre-"Core Four" days of your favorite characters, wonder what Jughead has against lettuce, and dish on the show's swoon-worthy casting of Chad Michael Murray. Plus, we play another round of the Instagram-stalking sensation, "In The Hot Skeet." A NOTE: This week's episode was recorded prior to the heartbreaking news about Luke Perry, but we're devastated to hear about the situation, and hoping for a speedy recovery. Keep Luke and his family in your thoughts during this difficult time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After offering up musicals, heists, and flashback episodes, Riverdale finally gets back to basics to spend some time with its beloved secondary characters in the charming "Bizarrodale." And while it's nice to see more of Josie and Reggie, Dial M For Maple is especially thankful for meaty plot lines for the show's LGBTQ characters, Cheryl, Toni, Kevin, and Moose. Hosts Marah and Cameron commend the realism of the Choni drama, sing the praises of Gina Gershon, and wonder how much longer 'til Josie leaves Riverdale for The Big Apple. Plus, Cameron's mom has got us theorizing about the return of the artist formerly known as Chic Cooper. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Noir has been in the DNA of Riverdale since the beginning, so it should be no surprise that the noir-tastic "The Red Dahlia" is a blast—an episode that doubles down on whodunnits, double-crosses, and dames to kill for. This week, Dial M For Maple pieces the clues together to figure out where the show will go from here, and wonders whether or not Archie should've just gone through with his plan. Plus, hosts Marah and Cameron make a case for Maximum Security Prison Hal, and demand to see more of Kelly Ripa's Ms. Mulwray in the future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After immediately brushing off last week's cliffhanger, Riverdale tears through plot at a thrilling pace in "The Stranger." The show reunites Betty with her father, tackles the Varchie/Veggie conundrum head on, and finally unmasks the Black Hood—and that's only the first half of the episode! Hosts Marah and Cameron share their theories on what Hermione might be scheming, and go deep on the reasons for Archie 2.0. Plus, Dial M For Maple announces the winner of its Book Club giveaway. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With its first episode of 2019, Riverdale slinks into the new year like a feline-masked cat burglar quietly hunting for a Glamourgé Egg. The town quarantine is five weeks in the past, and everyone is adjusting to a life thrown out of balance—the Serpents are out of work, the Cooper household is now a makeshift orphanage, and Archie's just trying to make the most of the "Canadian Hinterlands." As always, Dial M For Maple is on hand to discuss what really matters: Nana Rose is looking fierce! Hosts Marah and Cameron also recap their favorite photos from the cast's winter break, and introduce the upcoming Dial M For Maple Book Club. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Riverdale's mid-season finale feels so epic it's "practically biblical," as Hiram would put it. But beyond that, it's a ton of fun, thanks largely to a visit to The Jones Yard and a much-needed injection of Cheryl Bombshell. In this week's Dial M For Maple, Marah has suspicions about Gladys Jones, and Cameron ties it all back to the plot of Batman Begins. Plus, we wonder how these characters would fare in the event of an Archie Comics-inspired zombie outbreak. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Riverdale's "core four" may be scattered to the wind, but that doesn't stop Hiram Lodge from making all of their lives more complicated. The titular "Man In Black" is the connective tissue of a particularly loopy Riverdale, which sees Archie fantasizing about farm life, Veronica downing virgin martinis, and Betty fighting for her sanity. Hosts Marah and Cameron ponder the science of "bullio lapis" and try to piece together Hiram's master plan, as Dial M For Maple looks ahead to the show's mid-season finale. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Parents! What's the matter with parents today? When they're not busy handcuffing their kids to a fridge, or shipping them off to the Sisters Of Quiet Mercy, the moms and dads of Riverdale seem to be up to some pretty shady stuff lately. In this week's Dial M For Maple, hosts Marah and Cameron recap "Manhunter," which throws out a few hints that the original "Midnight Club" knows more than they're letting on. Could one of them be The Gargoyle King? We work out some new theories, plus we pay our respects to Dr. Curdle, Jr. and finally learn how Dungeons & Dragons works. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever since Archie first picked up his guitar, Riverdale's musical performances have been a hot topic of discussion on Dial M For Maple, but it's time to settle the "score": Composers Sherri Chung and Blake Neely are the show's symphonic secret weapons. Last week, hosts Marah and Cameron were lucky enough to sit down with half of that dynamic duo, Sherri Chung, a prolific film and television composer who's work can also be heard on Blindspot, Family Guy, Legends Of Tomorrow, and more. In this special interview, Chung—who is just as big of a Riverdale fan as we are—tells us how she got involved with the series, her favorite scenes to score, the "swamp goth" inspirations of The Gargoyle King, and what it was like to create the throwback theme for "The Midnight Club." All of that and more (but no spoilers!) in this exclusive interview episode of Dial M For Maple. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A heist is afoot! In an homage to crime capers, this week's Riverdale assembles the team to bust Archie out of prison, and it feels like the show firing on all cylinders. There are wigs, and abs, and motorcycle chases, and over-the-top Jughead narration—what more could you want?  After Dial M For Maple debriefs the mission, Cameron and Marah say goodbye to the warden and praise Hermione's for calling out her family's "Archie obsession." In The Blue And Gold, we discuss Tom Hanks' Mazes And Monsters and try to figure out which Riverdale cast member would make the best Drag Race judge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices