The elephant in the room was addressed not long into the Season 4 premiere in which Archie learned his father (Perry’s character) had died.
The moment set the stage for a tribute episode and a cameo from Perry’s former Beverly Hills, 90210 costar Shannen Doherty.
Luke Perry passed away in the midst of Riverdale Season 3, and while the show was able to finish out the season with previously filmed footage of the actor, there was a question of what to do with Fred Andrews in Season 4.