Riverdale is back with a vengeance in its third season. Here’s our review of the season 3 premiere.

Romance, absurd mysteries, and a melodramatic red head? It’s official. The Riverdale we all know, love, and endlessly obsess over is back!

Out of the court room and into the Farm, season 3 has already laid the groundwork for some amazing story lines. Somehow after two jam-packed seasons, they’re still keeping us on our toes.

Because we’re Riverdale fans, let’s start with the ships. Thanks to the Riverdale justice system being extremely trusting of first-degree murder convicts, Archie was allowed to have one last free weekend with his loved ones before his fate was decided.

Veronica and Archie definitely had their ups and downs in season 2, but they made it through stronger than ever. That’s why it must be torture for Veronica to watch Archie face jail time at the hands of her father. These two are so good to each other, it was beautiful to see them have one more loving moment before things get even harder for them. Sure, Veronica has vowed to stand by him, but they’ll certainly have a bumpy road ahead.

As high stakes as the Varchie scenes in the season 3 premiere were, Bughead still took the crown this week…literally! After Jughead asked Betty to be his Serpent Queen in the season 2 finale, this was a perfect way to finish that conversation. Jughead’s hat is so iconic, and for Betty to now share it is pretty symbolic for fans of the Archie universe. It’s a perfect way to symbolize their beautiful partnership. Now, I’m just dying to know who the hell made that hat!

Although the Labor Day weekend couples took center stage in the Riverdale season 3 finale, they weren’t the only ones getting hot under the September sun. I also loved the Toni and Cheryl moments and that hint toward Kevin and Moose’s future in season 3. Hopefully we finally see these two move forward this season, and based on what the showrunner told us at NYCC, we could be in luck.

After all that romance, unfortunately, Archie won’t be feeling so much love for the next couple years. Despite not actually killing anybody, he’s feeling incredibly guilty for everything he did in season 2. So much so, that not only is he having hallucinations of blood on his hands, but he also pleaded guilty to a crime that he absolutely didn’t commit.

This is going to be a very interesting season for Archie if they don’t manage to get him out soon. He may have a serpent tattoo now, but he’s still a soft-hearted kid who’s in for a very difficult time. However, if being in Juvi keeps him safe from all the other craziness happening in the town, maybe it’s for the best.

Ghoulies and Gargoyle Kings, oh my! My favorite part of the Riverdale season 3 premiere was the amazing set of cliffhangers that set up the rest of the season. I love how the new mysteries feel so different than those in the previous seasons.

Betty’s family’s cult drama is a big shift for the show, but makes perfect sense for where Polly and Alice have been heading since the show began. Polly’s always been a wild card when it came to the family, and although Alice began the series as the judgmental mother obsessed with the perfect family image, everything we’ve learned about her past has proven there’s more to her than meets the eye.

Also, with everything she’s been through, it makes sense that she’d be susceptible to manipulation by someone who makes her feel safe and important. She’s also so desperate to hold on to the family she has left that of course she’d get caught up in something that Polly wanted her to get involved in.

I really have no idea what to make of the whole baby throwing scenario, but I think the most likely explanation is that it was a delusion brought on by Betty’s frail state at the time. It was terrifying seeing her collapse like that, and I absolutely didn’t see it coming.

As intrigued as I am by the Farm, I’m most interested to see what happens to Betty in Riverdale season 3, episode 2. Out of all the new story lines that have already begun, hers is the one I found most surprising, so I can’t wait to see how it plays out and how it affects her.

A close second to the surprise of Betty’s collapse was the return of Dilton in a huge way. Who is the Gargoyle King and what is he doing with those boys? If Bughead is going to have anything to do with the investigation, we’re sure we’ll find out soon (or in approximately 21 more episodes).