All the Riverdale references and easter eggs in Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
30 October 2018, 17:27
From the blatant name drops to the subtle background props, here is every single Riverdale reference and easter egg that Sabrina season one has to offer.
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina has taken the TV world by storm and it's barely even been a week since it dropped on Netflix. The incredible casting, the terrifying tone and those hilarious memes have had viewers raving on social media but now it's time we talked about all those sneaky Riverdale references that were thrown in during the first season.
As we know, Greendale has been mentioned LOADS of times within Riverdale and we've even taken actual trips to the mysterious town which is on the other side of Sweetwater river. Greendale was where Ms Grundy was murdered in the first episode of season two, and it's where Jughead and Archie had to deliver a crate on the orders of Penny Peabody in episode seven.
But what did Sabrina throw at us in terms of references to the over-dramatic non-magical town on the other side of the river? Well, turns out, there's quite a few. And if the harvest of references for season one is anything to go by, we could be looking at an even bigger, juicier and more important Riverdale/Greendale crossover in season two.
For now, here's all the Riverdale references, connections and easter eggs from season one of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina:
Chapter One: October Country
The first nod to Riverdale comes right off the bat in the opening credits of the show. Towards the end of the iconic comic strip sequence, you can spot classic comic book Archie and Betty on the TV. While it's not actually a reference, it's a cute reminder that ol' Archiekins, Betts and 'Brina are all part of the same universe.
The second very subtle reference to the Archie Comics (and Riverdale) arrives later on in the first episode. Around 38 minutes into episode one, we see Sabrina having a lil' walk and talk with Harvey and Roz. In the scene, she's carrying a thermos flask that just so happens to have Principal Weatherbee and the gang illustrated on it.
But that doesn't make any sense, does it? Surely the characters can't own merchandise from the comic books they're actually based on? Well, no, it doesn't make any sense at all. But we are talking about the wider Riverdale universe here, when has anything made sense? And besides, in season one of Riverdale, FP Jones can be seen clutching a Chilling Adventures of Sabrina comic book while he's in jail so the boat has already sailed on this one.
Chapter Two: The Dark Baptism
Episode two contains one of the more obvious references to Riverdale, mainly because one of the Baxter High jocks actually name checks the school. (Yeah, it's that simple and it's that obvious. A whole reference.)
When Sabrina joins forces with the Weird Sisters to torment the jocks who bullied Susie, one of them asks if the sisters were from Riverdale, because he hadn't seen them around. Of course, they're not... they're from Greendale Hogwarts, but those pesky fuckbois didn't need to know that.
The whole 'tormenting the boys on the football team because they did a really shitty thing' is almost the same storyline as Riverdale too. Remember when Betty and Veronica got their own back on Chuck over the playbook? It's kinda the same sentiment, only with more magic, no hot tub and zero cabaret wigs.
(Side note: I wish the Weird Sisters went to Riverdale High. They'd spice up that boring ol' school a little bit, huh?)
Chapter Three: The Trial of Sabrina Spellman
In episode 3, there's a poster on the school's bulletin board that advertises an upcoming bowling tournament between the Baxter High Ravens and the Riverdale Bulldogs, due to take place "this" Friday at the Greendale Bowling Lanes. We haven't met Riverdale's bowling team, of course, but seeing as time doesn't really work like normal in either Greendale or Riverdale, here's hoping we get to see that tournament in season two.
To quote Reggie Mantle: Go Bulldogs!
Chapter Seven: Feast of Feasts
In Episode 7, Madam Satan orders a pizza, as all scheming women do at midnight on a weekday after a long day of playing Satan. The door bell rings and who should be standing at the door, with a pizza in hand? It's Ben! Ben Button! The same Ben Button who literally just died in Riverdale.
While there are actors in CAOS that have also played different roles in Riverdale (Chris Rosamond, Harvey's dad, played Mustang and Reese Alexander, who played Josie's dad also plays Roz's dad), we're led to believe that Moses Thiessen is playing the same character - given that they shove his name badge in our face and everything.
It makes ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE but we're going with it anyway. Nice to see you again, Ben. May you rest in peace, twice.
Chapter 10: The Witching Hour
After the incident in the mines, Harvey tells Sabrina that his dad called the funeral home in Riverdale to make arrangements for his older brother Tommy's funeral, instead of going to the Spellman's who famously own a mortuary and organise funerals.
First of all, yep, clearly another reference to the town with pep. But secondly, where is the funeral home in Riverdale, who owns it, why haven't we met them yet and how long until Hiram Lodge tries to buy it?
Will a genuine crossover between the two shows ever happen?
Well, both Sabrina and Riverdale do exist within the same universe, that much is true, but do they share the same timeline? That's a whole different conversation. Show creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa has, however, teased that a crossover could be done fairly easily. While Riverdale is not a magical town, we know that mortals can live and experience the weird goings on in Greendale.
As for what his envisioned crossover might entail? "I always say that the Riverdale kids on a dare could like break into the haunted house in Greendale and it's, ya know, the Spellman house on Halloween," said Aguirre-Sacasa to Screen Rant.
Great. We love it. Have the script on my desk by Monday morning at the latest. Let's get this crossover moving.
