Hiram Lodge Is the Best Part ofRiverdaleRight Now, and That’s a Problem

There was a moment during this calendar week ’s Riverdale when I had a shocking realization : Hiram Lodge is my favourite character on the show at the moment . And that variety of suck .

Hiram is the father of Veronica Lodge , and he ’s play by Mark Consuelos . In the current storyline , he ’s being localize up as the giving bad guy because of some minatory underground stage business deals . It ’s so bad that an FBI agent has secretly leverage Archie , who is dating Veronica , to spy on him .

So last night ’s episode put most of its focus on Archie trying to pull ahead Mr. Lodge ’s trust and approval . The covering fire story is it ’s because he ’s Veronica ’s begetter . The reality is , it ’s so he can get more information for the FBI . In this plot line , Hiram is by far the most interesting player . We know he ’s a scoundrel . We know why Archie is seeking his approval . And whether Hiram realizes it or not , he ’s relishing the chess secret plan between the two . He ’s devious , he ’s mean , he ’s awesome .

Argentina’s President Javier Milei (left) and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., holding a chainsaw in a photo posted to Kennedy’s X account on May 27. 2025.

When discussing this in Slack , fellow io9 - er Charles Pulliam - Moore ask me “ Are Archie and Hiram dating ? ” I did n’t immediately have an answer . I intend , no , they are n’t , but Archie courting Hiram is immeasurably more interesting than anything else go on with the other independent fictional character . And that unattainable , evil streak in Hiram is making him the best part of the show .

That ’s also , part , because Consuelos seems like he ’s having so much goddamn fun playing this diabolical villain . He ’s toy not just with Archie , but the whole town of Riverdale too . And everyone else , the type and actor included , just feel like they ’re over it . Veronica ’s big storyline is she ’s taking over the Pussycats ? Betty gain the “ shameful ” discovery of her brother ’s side business ? Poor Jughead has what should be a enchanting plot line , of a real racial extermination in the township ’s chronicle , but it ’s made almost no impact .

Then , over here , there ’s an actor playing one of their parents who ’s masticate on the scenery , blooming with our main reference , and it ’s great . It ’s just unsatisfying that it ’s the best matter on the show when the rest of the mold is so rich and wild . I have trust in Riverdale . It ’s never been a serious show and the more absurd it acquire , the better . But right now , all of its most great craziness is concenter in the wrong home , and I go for it hurries up and bring forth back to where it should be : With the fry .

William Duplessie