In true teen-drama fashion, the adults are crazy and the teens are the voice of reason.
Riverdale 1×02 did not disappoint. Reeling from Kevin and Moose’s discovery of Jason’s murdered body, the episode revs up the suspicion of who, what, and why.
Cheryl keeps up her mean girl image, often channeling Regina George, and decides to hold the school’s pep rally despite the grizzly discovery. Meanwhile Betty is still dealing with Archie’s rejection. She struggles with the want to continue being friends with him, while at the same time needing the space. She pushes away her new friendship with Veronica, and with great stride Veronica doesn’t take it personally.
Riverdale has done a good job in dealing with the Betty/Archie/Veronica triangle. Betty’s attempt to continue to be friends with Archie after admitting he doesn’t have romantic feelings towards her is something most teens – and young adults – deal with all the time. Veronica puts it best when talking with Betty. He loves her as a friend and sometimes that’s all you need. Veronica and Betty have had their ups and downs, but their relationship is full of realistic feelings and struggles between the two friends, it doesn’t feel contrived for the show. The teens win again by teaching us how to deal with relationships, while the adults make us question everything…
Mrs. Grundy in particular. It is very clear Mrs. Grundy is manipulating Archie. Perhaps they were in love, but seeing the same flashback over and over of the make-out session by the lake…I don’t see love, I see lust. At least Jughead finds out about the situation and seems to put some sense into Archie to go standup to Mrs. Grundy and go against her wishes of going to the police.
Betty’s mom, Alice, has proven herself to be the local crazy by being very against Betty’s friendship with Archie and Veronica. Her disapproval of Cheryl at least is a little bit more understandable. Alice is shown paying the coroner to get the inside scoop of Jason’s autopsy. Assuming this is for the newspaper she and her husband run, it still seems very fishy indeed…
With a performance by Josie and the Pussycats, the pep rally is a success! Though Cheryl has a little break down, Veronica is close by to comfort her. It was a nice opportunity to give Cheryl some three-dimension in a so far two-dimensional mean girl persona. Also Veronica was there to hear Cheryl’s plead, “He was supposed to come back!” Hmmm…
The episode ends with a really nice scene of Jughead and Archie slowly repairing their friendship, and the two of them hanging out with Veronica and Betty at Pop’s.
Oh, and Cheryl is arrested. Can’t expect Riverdale not to end on a cliffhanger!