"Riverdale" basically one-ups its own insanity every season, and most recently it achieved this by introducing the newest villain, Percival Pickens (Chris O'Shea). Percival comes to town at the same time that the main characters mysteriously gain superpowers. At first glance, Percival seems like he is cut from the same cloth as the town's previous antagonist, Hiram Lodge (Mark Consuelos). They are both sinister businessmen who mean to squander Riverdale's "heart" by buying it up and letting the debaucherous Ghoulies have the lay of the land.

Still, one thing sets Percival and Hiram apart; while Hiram operates like a Don right out of a mafia movie, Percival is more sinister and supernatural, like a villain from a Stephen King novel.

Hiram Lodge has powers of his own — money and fear. At the beginning of the series he is imprisoned, but he doesn't stay that way for long. He soon establishes...