Review of “Riverdale” Season 7 Premiere on The CW: The gang time travels…again

*Please note that some spoilers are ahead.*

“The year is 1955…”

Riverdale season 7 premiered on March 29th 2023 on The CW. The final season will feature twenty weekly episodes. It stars Lili Reinhart, Cole Sprouse, KJ Apa, Camila Mendes, and Madelaine Petsch. Each episode runs for approximately 42-46 minutes.

After Bailey’s Comet threatened to destroy Riverdale for good, the gang got transported back in time to when the Archie Comics first took place. Only no one remembers what their lives were like before except Jughead.

Here is the trailer:

Riverdale was one of my favorite series for the longest time with crazy plot twists, insane cults, and love triangles that made our heads spin. As the seasons continued, the show became really far-fetched and lost its way, but the final season may be able to finish the series strong after all. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

This time jump is a lot more promising…

I wasn’t a huge fan of the time jump into the future after the gang finished high school. It felt forced and it never really worked for me personally. Well, the gang gets a second chance at high school…only this time they are back in 1955, which will give fans of the original comic series something to be excited about.

The costumes and music are a lot of fun and the series is even tackling important issues during this time period.

Old characters return.

The parents of Riverdale were pretty much phased out after the first time jump, but now we get to see some familiar faces return, which has actually been a lot of fun so far. I’m curious to see who else will come back for the final season since many of my favorite characters left the show at various points.

There also seems to be some hints at one of my favorite ships reigniting. Fingers crossed Choni fans!

We’ll have to see how all of this works out and things might get messy when the gang finds a way back to their original time…or universe.

The Cons:

Some characters regress…

While I was super excited to see Toni getting some well deserved screen time, other characters like Tabitha were barely around, which was slightly worrisome. I’m also not sure how I feel about Veronica’s character dealing with more nonsense surrounding her family when she worked so hard to break free of that.

Cheryl and Kevin are back in the closet and Betty doesn’t have the same fire within her that I’m used to seeing.

I’m hoping that our characters can remember who they are because they are all so fantastic to watch, but I’m worried about certain plots feeling recycled…just merely in a new time setting.

Our characters deserve better than that.

So am I in or out?

I’m in about 75 percent…

Season 7 starts off with a lot of potential and I’m hoping that this show can redeem itself and finish strong, but we still have a ways to go.

Either way, I’m a lot more excited about this season and it’s already a lot stronger than the last two seasons I watched so there’s definitely some hope here!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Riverdale season 7 in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

This competition is killer…

When former friends, Shay and Adriana team up to participate in a Halloween scavenger hunt with a cash prize, they temporarily put their differences aside to outsmart their opponents. However, they soon start to realize that a dangerous threat is playing their own version of the game, stalking them during each hunt.

Winning is now a necessity as their lives are at stake. As old wounds and memories re-surface, Shay and Adriana attempt to unmask the threat before the night is over, but soon learn that Scream Hunt is not done with them just yet…

My young adult horror thriller is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Scream Hunt is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe. Thanks for your support!

Ranking the top 5 moments from “Riverdale” Season 5 Episode 10: “The Pincushion Man”

Happy Thursday TV fans! After watching The CW’s Riverdale season 5 episode 10, I learned that when people are dying, you sometimes need to make time for a term paper.

Please note spoilers are ahead if you have not gotten a chance to watch yet.

In episode, “Chapter Eighty-Six: The Pincushion Man,” Betty and Alice’s party is crashed by some familiar faces. Meanwhile, Jughead and Tabitha grow closer, but it looks like Betty may be the only one truly on his mind, and Veronica’s ex is determined to make her life a living hell.

My top 5 moments from Riverdale season 5 episode 10 are:

“You follow the order.”

Archie is surprised to hear that his commanding officer wants to present with him with the Silver Eagle award because he doesn’t feel right about what happened on the mission. We later discover that perhaps this was a dirty mission after all and Archie doesn’t feel right about just following orders.

We know that Archie is always going to stand up for what he feels is right, but is he in over his head here?

“You don’t owe him anything.”

Chadwick rears his annoying head and Veronica decides to go out to New York for closure. She talks more about the helicopter crash and tells Archie that she initially wished for Chad to die and feels horrible about what happened. Archie reminds Veronica that she doesn’t owe Chad anything, but she feels like she needs to do this.

Meanwhile, Chadwick has a romantic dinner at home planned for her and tries to bring some nostalgia to their final date, which leads to some extremely poor decisions by Veronica. They kiss and more is implied, but what about Archie?

Also, you are the “She-Wolf” of Wall Street, but you couldn’t tell that Chadwick was playing you?

Chadwick reveals later that he made some bad investment decisions that involve Veronica’s company and that if she divorces him, he will sue her. I can’t say that I am surprised by these actions, but now Veronica is stuck staying in New York to handle things.

Chadwick is a mini Hiram, but Veronica needs to step up her game so she can truly move on with her life.

Your move, V.

“There is no curse.”

We get to witness a lovely date between Cheryl and Minerva as she takes her out to the maple groves, but we discover that they are dry and Nana Rose tells her it’s because of the curse.

Cheryl is determined to point out that there is no curse as she is finally taking ownership back of her life. Later on, Reggie and Hiram make amends and Nana Rose sells the groves to them, but apparently this deal is void because Cheryl had her declared senile years ago.

Reggie decides to light the groves on fire, but maybe the curse is real after all…

The Blossom ladies pray for wind and not all of the groves are damaged.

But, why does Hiram want to control them and what is the deal with Reggie?

As much as I like to see Cheryl happy, I also am still rooting for Choni in the end. Let’s just hope it’s not too late for them.

“Let’s just be friends.”

In the beginning of the episode we see Jughead and Tabitha dancing at Pop’s and they actually share a kiss. However, Jughead tells her that his life is complicated and wants to just be friends, which Tabitha actually seems OK with.

Meanwhile, Jughead needs to produce some pages and tells her that he needs to do some “Maple Mushrooms” so he can write something brilliant. I’m not making this stuff up…

Tabitha handcuffs Jughead to his desk so he can get some work done and checks in on him periodically, but Jughead’s trippy hallucinations reveal that he is not over Betty just yet as we actually get a steamy and passionate Bughead scene.

The hallucinations turn bloody; however, as Jughead then starts seeing the Mothman and Tabitha later finds his bloody handcuffs left on the desk and Jughead has disappeared.

So, what did Jughead see?

Was he truly taken by something or did he wander off on his drug trip?

We’ll have to wait to find out, but this mystery surrounding Jughead is getting weirder and weirder.

At least we had that Bughead scene though and I actually really feel bad for Tabitha. She has a lot of patience!

“Let’s just get through whatever this is.”

Easier said than done, Alice. We find out more about Glen as we discover that he is actually writing his dissertation on serial killers in the Cooper family. Betty is extremely upset and rightfully so and Glen gets a slap in the face.

However, that’s not all. After Hiram decides to shake things up with an intentional prison break, we start to remember just how many family members are locked up behind bars. Uncle Frank helps out Archie and Penelope is back in the fold, but Charles and Chic have some serious plans.

They break up the birthday party for the twins and want to be married by Alice and she actually begins the ceremony. You gotta love Alice.

Glen walks in with bad timing and Charles decides that he wants to play “The Pincushion man” and wants one of the twins to stab Glen.

Betty tries to get him to see reason and says that she will do it to spare the innocence of her niece and nephew. Betty actually stabs Glen, but purposely gives him a flesh wound and turns the tables on Chic and Charles.

We know that Glen and Charles both went to the hospital and Betty is still motivated to find out what happened to Polly even though the case has been re-assigned.

Is Polly still alive?

I’m thinking so and I can’t wait to follow Betty on this journey, but we’re going to have to wait a while for a new episode.

This was a jam-packed mid-season finale, but I still have so many questions that will remain unanswered for quite a while.

New episodes return August 11th!

Stay tuned, Riverdale fans!

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Riverdale in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

PLAY BY THE RULES…STAY ALIVE…

A harmless night of fun turns deadly for six college friends but the game has only just begun. Take a mystery thrill ride right from your own living room. Dash and Seek is out now!

Play if you dare…

Dash and Seek is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe. Thanks for your support!

Ranking the top 5 moments from “Riverdale” Season 5 Episode 9: “Destroyer”

Happy Thursday TV fans! After watching The CW’s Riverdale season 5 episode 9, I learned that “either we are alone in the universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.”

Please note spoilers are ahead if you have not gotten a chance to watch yet.

In episode, “Chapter Eighty-Five: Destroyer,” Betty gets some disturbing news that causes her darkness to re-emerge. Meanwhile, Archie and Veronica try to promote some school spirit while Kev has a breaking point.

My top 5 moments from Riverdale season 5 episode 9 are:

“So why don’t you all show some school spirit?”

The Bulldogs are not great, but Archie sees the potential in each and every one of them. Veronica tries to spark some incentive and get the town motivated by flashing some cash and her connections, but Archie truly cares about his players and wants to make a difference.

It looks like he has done enough to make Hiram mad, which even prompts Reggie to switch sides, but can Reggie really be trusted?

Hiram somehow knows how to do everything and brings his team to victory, but Archie’s team shows a spark of life, proving that the town of Riverdale is not dead just yet.

“I think I’m ashamed of myself.”

Meanwhile, Kevin has a breakthrough after getting beat up in a steam room. He confides in his dad, who is always there to support him, and starts to break down why he goes cruising in the woods.

I think Kev has finally realized the root cause of his issues, but hopefully he will realize that he deserves to be loved. I’d love to see him and Fangs live happily ever after!

“I’ll even come out of retirement.”

And we’re so glad you did, Cheryl. Cheryl puts on a show-stopping number with the Vixens to really show some school spirit and it’s about time. Our Queen Bee is back and it looks like she is ready to bring her team straight to victory. Go Cheryl Bombshell!

We don’t get any further mention of Minerva, but I’m sure we’ll see that in the later episodes. Although, I really want Choni to mend things.

“Sometimes a story is just a story.”

Sure, but sometimes a story can be the key to some other phenomenon and Jughead is clearly obsessed with discovering the truth behind these alien Moth Man claims. Jughead reads a story from one of his students named Lerman which seems to point directly to a possible encounter with the Moth Man.

Jughead goes a little too far to get the truth and Lerman’s parents are very upset along with the principal. Later on, we get a Bughead team-up (loved this) to uncover the truth and learn that there may be a connection between Lerman and the missing girls since he lives by the Lonely Highway, but Lerman takes off and leaves town with his parents before they can really get any concrete answers.

“I’ll be damned if I let it happen to anyone else.”

Poor, Betty. She gets a phone call from her FBI friend/boyfriend Glen who tells her that the blood found was a match for Polly’s. It’s not 100 percent certain, but it’s fairly likely that Polly is gone.

Betty goes to Cheryl for advice because she wonders if knowing the truth is actually better in this situation and goes against her better judgment and lies to her mother.

Betty’s rage/darkness re-emerges later on as she begins striking her own form of justice into the creepy truckers on the highway. Betty kicks them all out of their trucks and tells them to leave.

Things go too far when she drags the man they spoke to before into the woods and almost shoots him, but Jughead calls her in the nick of time.

As much as I love seeing Betty kick some ass, when did she become Buffy the Vampire Slayer overnight? You would think that one of these guys might be able to overpower her, but they somehow just take it?

Anyway, Betty returns home later and finds her mother in tears. Glen is there and says he is taking over the investigation. Alice is very upset that Betty kept this news from her, but this really made me start to wonder about Glen’s involvement.

I don’t think he can be trusted at all and while he may not be our killer, there’s something certainly off about him.

Meanwhile, I really enjoyed seeing the sleuth team-up again between Bughead and while I don’t think they should jump back into a romantic relationship like over-eager Varchie, their friendship is a strong one and I think they can both help each other through this.

I also am still convinced that Polly is actually alive and maybe she wasn’t taken by the trucker killer, but by whoever this “Moth Man” mystery man or woman is. I’m still piecing together a few theories, but I don’t want to commit to her being dead just yet.

Stay tuned, Riverdale fans!

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Riverdale in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

PLAY BY THE RULES…STAY ALIVE…

A harmless night of fun turns deadly for six college friends but the game has only just begun. Take a mystery thrill ride right from your own living room. Dash and Seek is out now!

Play if you dare…

Dash and Seek is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe. Thanks for your support!

Ranking the top 5 moments from “Riverdale” Season 5 Episode 8: “Lock & Key”

Happy Thursday TV fans! After watching The CW’s Riverdale season 5 episode 8, I learned that the “more things change, the more they stay EXACTLY the same.”

Please note spoilers are ahead if you have not gotten a chance to watch yet.

In episode, “Chapter Eighty-Four: Lock & Key,” Cheryl decides to throw a key party to throw a little chaos at the drama brewing between the group. Meanwhile, Kev and Fangs contemplate the future of their relationship, Veronica wants a change, and Betty and Alice get a disturbing phone call.

My top 5 moments from Riverdale season 5 episode 8 are:

“I lost a lot of time.”

The extreme weirdness continues with Jughead’s plot as he begins to hallucinate. He thinks he is seeing the alien specimen lurking around, but is it all in his head?

Jughead even joins a support group to talk about it, but he decides to walk away from it when things get to be too much.

Just like I predicted, Tabitha clearly likes Jughead and even suggests that they go out on a normal date, but Jughead is too much in his head to even really hear her and decides to get drunk instead.

Tabitha actually may be the right choice for Jughead, but he has to get his addiction under control before he screws up this opportunity for good.

Or I guess some alien will take him away and probe him…

“What in the actual….”

Yep. You took the words right out of my mouth, Cheryl. Another theory of mine came true when we learned that Toni is actually the surrogate for Kev and Fangs. Cheryl is floored by the news, but Toni tries to tell her that she still cares about her deeply.

Cheryl’s stubbornness shines through; however, as she decides to throw a key party instead to shake things up. Everyone has to pick someone’s key in a bowl and have at it with their wildest dreams and fantasies.

Images courtesy of The CW

Parties don’t go so well at Cheryl’s house so I already could see the chaos swirling around everyone. Cheryl and Toni do end up picking one another, but Toni is upset by Cheryl’s behavior. Cheryl tries to surprise her with a nursery at Thornhill, but Toni reminds her that she doesn’t want her and her baby to stay locked away from everything and apologizes for leading her on.

Even though the Choni fan in me is rooting for these two to get together, things take time and it looks like Cheryl will be busy with Minerva. If Minerva looks familiar, it’s because she played Agatha on Chilling Adventures of Sabrina so I’m always happy to see a familiar face pop up in the Archie universe.

“A window of light in the dark.”

Even though the beginning of the episode presented us with some hot and steamy scenes between Barchie, these two are having mixed feelings once again. Archie tells Betty that he does still have lingering feelings for Veronica (really?) and Betty tells him that she needs to focus on Polly’s disappearance and she doesn’t want to bring Archie into her darkness.

It’s clear that these two will still remain friends, but I can’t say that I’m not disappointed. I don’t think we were given enough time to actually explore this relationship after seven years and now it seems like we’re right back where we started again…

“I will be fighting fire with fire.”

Veronica wants a change and she starts by having her entire apartment redone to really spark this change. But the real change Veronica is looking for is within her marriage. After Chadwick forces them to leave the party early, Veronica asks for a divorce because she is also not over Archie and these two are back together again?

Images courtesy of The CW

I’m sure the Varchie fan is excited for this, but I honestly thought this felt extremely rushed and out of place. Whether Archie has feelings for Veronica or not, he was just with Betty and I appreciate that he told Veronica about that, which shows that he has matured in some ways.

But on the other hand, Veronica is still married. She didn’t get divorced overnight and I have a feeling that Chadwick is going to team up with Hiram somehow to bring forth more drama and destruction.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you Varchie…

“She’s alive.”

Betty continues to deal with nightmares surrounding TBK, but we still have some time before we explore that plot fully. Meanwhile, Alice tells Betty that she received a call from Polly, but Betty is not so sure.

Images courtesy of The CW

Later in the episode, Betty actually picks up the call and Polly asks for their help, claiming she is on the side of the Lost Highway. Betty and Alice rush out to help her (with no back-up). This is when FP would really come in handy…

Only they don’t find Polly, but the phone booth she was in is broken and filled with blood.

We know that Polly was alive, but is this really it for her or is there still a chance that Betty can catch this roadside killer before it’s too late?

I’m ready to find out and next week’s episode looks fantastic already. We need a Betty-centric episode now!

Stay tuned, Riverdale fans!

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Riverdale in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

PLAY BY THE RULES…STAY ALIVE…

A harmless night of fun turns deadly for six college friends but the game has only just begun. Take a mystery thrill ride right from your own living room. Dash and Seek is out now!

Play if you dare…

Dash and Seek is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe. Thanks for your support!

Ranking the top 5 moments from “Riverdale” Season 5 Episode 7: “Fire in the Sky”

Happy Thursday TV fans! After watching The CW’s Riverdale season 5 episode 7, I learned that you actually fight fire with a fire department….

Please note spoilers are ahead if you have not gotten a chance to watch yet.

In episode, “Chapter Eighty-Three: Fire in the Sky,” Archie attempts to recruit the new volunteer fire department for the town. Meanwhile, Cheryl and Toni continue to clash over the Vixens, and Betty discovers a pattern involving Polly’s disappearance.

My top 5 moments from Riverdale season 5 episode 7 are:

“Who’s with me?”

After Archie’s family home is set on fire, Archie feels motivated to get the Riverdale fire department running again, but he strikes out when he asks some of his own friends. However, he is not out of luck because some of his new students seem up for the challenge.

Later on, Archie risks his life to try and save someone and has clearly not shed his hero complex over the years. While I love Archie’s heroic side, he needs to remember that he is not alone.

Plus, Veronica just bought that shiny new fire truck. However, I’m not sure how practical it is…

“This is personal.”

The feud continues between Veronica and Hiram. Veronica is not going to let her father ruin Riverdale and decides to work on a project with her economics class that involves her circulating “monopoly money with her face on it” in town.

Seriously, the funniest thing Jughead has ever said.

The concept seems to be working and it is certainly boosting morale, but things go south when someone inflates the cash and Veronica suspects her father. Only we discover that it was some of the students in her class and they actually feel pretty bad about it.

Well, at least they have been recruited to pick up the trash left out in Riverdale…

“The bitch is back in town.”

We have missed you Cheryl Bombshell! Cheryl makes a grand entrance and we watch an epic dance-off between her and one of Toni’s Vixens. Cheryl agrees to co-captain the team with Toni, but it’s clear that they have very different approaches to leadership.

Later on, Toni hits Cheryl with some hard truth and it looks like she has a new problem to face when she is exposed for trying to sell a counterfeit painting of her brother. I’m not really sure what this buyer wants from Cheryl and Nana Rose, but she’s not going to go away quietly.

Either way, I was really happy to see Cheryl break out of her shell again. The quiet/crazy version was not doing her any favors.

“What do you think it was?”

I didn’t realize that Riverdale had crossed into the sci-fi genre, but this Mothman mystery seems alien in nature. Jughead finds out more and learns that Pop and Nana Rose saw an unexplainable light many years ago outside of Pop’s.

Nana Rose actually kept the body in maple syrup that she discovered and Jughead and Tabitha are beyond confused, but things get even more strange when Jughead witnesses the same phenomenon and then the body mysteriously disappears.

So, is it government testing, aliens, or something else?

I’m not sure, but I have to say that I’m digging Jughead’s new look with the glasses. Although he needs to cut out his drinking…that’s going to become a bigger problem soon.

“Three’s a pattern.”

Meanwhile, Betty continues to investigate Polly’s disappearance and Hiram is less than helpful when he refuses to let them search his land on Swedlow Swamp. An unidentified body is discovered and Betty also learns about a girl named Margaret Harper who went missing three years ago.

Betty recognizes that three missing girls is definitely a pattern. Later on, Reggie actually helps her out and tells her he found another body. The body is revealed to be Margaret Harper and Reggie tells Hiram that if they let them search the land, he will look like the good guy.

But, what’s his real end game here?

Meanwhile, Betty learns that the Trash Bag Killer or “TBK” is back and we get a few more scattered flashbacks of when Betty was abducted. Honestly, I really hope they do an entire episode dedicated to this because I want to know what happened to Betty.

Are these two serial killers connected?

Is Polly still alive?

We’ll have to wait and see, but Betty is on the case!

Stay tuned, Riverdale fans!

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Riverdale in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

PLAY BY THE RULES…STAY ALIVE…

A harmless night of fun turns deadly for six college friends but the game has only just begun. Take a mystery thrill ride right from your own living room. Dash and Seek is out now!

Play if you dare…

Dash and Seek is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe. Thanks for your support!

Ranking the top 5 moments from “Riverdale” Season 5 Episode 6: “Back to School”

Happy Thursday TV fans! After watching The CW’s Riverdale season 5 episode 6, I learned that high school offers hope, but is that enough to bring a town back to life?

Please note spoilers are ahead if you have not gotten a chance to watch yet.

In episode, “Chapter Eighty-Two: Back to School,” the Barchie time jump continues to provide us with some passionate moments. Meanwhile, Veronica sings karaoke with her husband, Hiram eats a bag of Doritos in the most sinister way, and Betty investigates Polly’s disappearance.

My top 5 moments from Riverdale season 5 episode 6 are:

“What do you want to know?”

Images courtesy of The CW

Jughead wants to know more about the town for his next book and asks Tabitha if he can interview her. Tabitha Tate is the newest addition to the show played by Erinn Westbrook. Jughead starts to learn more about the “Mothman Mystery,” but I have a feeling that we may see a romantic story-line thrown our way between these two.

“What the hell?”

The Barchie time jump scenes do not disappoint in this episode. Betty and Archie realize that they need to be creative about where they get together and we witness a steamy make-out session in the car.

Images courtesy of The CW

Only, this is interrupted when some of the Stonewall Prep students decide to light a fire in Riverdale High.

Fear not because we do get some more Barchie action later on in the episode and I think that it’s safe to say that these two may actually be end game after all.

More please!

“Let’s see what you can do.”

Reggie continues to be annoying, but I actually really laughed out loud when Archie punched him in the face. You had it coming, Reggie. Archie decides to try and get the football team going at school, but he needs more funding and Cheryl has already done her part.

Images courtesy of The CW

Meanwhile, Toni re-ignites the Vixens and Cheryl is far from pleased. She takes a break from her counterfeit painting scam to tell Toni that she is not going to let her take the Vixens away and I think this is the spark we have been looking for.

Welcome back, Queen Cheryl!

Luckily Archie does get the funding from Veronica so it looks like the school spirit can continue, but I’m not sure if this will really resolve the Hiram Lodge problem just yet. Just keep eating those Doritos, Hiram.

“Have you and my father been talking behind my back?”

Chad is my least favorite character right now. It feels like Veronica just married a younger version of her father. I don’t trust him and I think she can do so much better.

Images courtesy of The CW

Sure, they put on a show-stopping karaoke number, but it’s all an act and I was proud of Veronica for telling him that they need some time apart at the end.

Although I can’t keep her name straight with all of these changes over the seasons…

“Polly’s missing.”

Betty and Kev start investigating Polly’s disappearance which was the most interesting part of the episode. Apparently Polly was selling Jingle Jangle and hooking up with truckers and Toni points Betty in the right direction on the highway.

Betty messages one of the truckers and asks him to meet, but it’s clear that he didn’t have anything to do with Polly’s disappearance. Betty enlists the help of Alice and they go looking for clues in Swedlow Swamp.

I didn’t even know that Riverdale had a swamp, but at the end of the episode we hear a cell ringing and see a corpse hand in a shallow grave.

Is it Polly?

I’m thinking it’s the body of Lynette Fields and they are going to connect this to Polly, but we’ll have to wait until March 10th for a new episode.

In the meantime, check out my feature for Mystery & Suspense Magazine on why the Riverdale time jump is exactly what we need here!

Stay tuned, Riverdale fans!

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Riverdale in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

PLAY BY THE RULES…STAY ALIVE…

A harmless night of fun turns deadly for six college friends but the game has only just begun. Take a mystery thrill ride right from your own living room. Dash and Seek is out now!

Play if you dare…

Dash and Seek is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe. Thanks for your support!

Ranking the top 5 moments from “Riverdale” Season 5 Episode 5: “The Homecoming”

Happy Thursday TV fans! After watching The CW’s Riverdale season 5 episode 5, I learned that coming home may seem difficult at first, but the more things change…the more they stay the same.

Please note spoilers are ahead if you have not gotten a chance to watch yet.

In episode, “Chapter Eighty-One: The Homecoming,” our core four adjust to life back in Riverdale. Meanwhile, Hiram attempts to destroy Riverdale for good, Veronica’s husband is proving to be a nuisance, and the potential truck killer returns.

My top 5 moments from Riverdale season 5 episode 5 are:

“It’s good to see you…”

In the beginning of the episode, we get a somewhat awkward reunion between Betty and Jughead. They both agree that it is good to see one another, but it’s clear that they haven’t really talked much in years. I think that the reunion went well, but I didn’t really see any sparks flying between these two anymore…

Is the love triangle over? We’ll have to wait and see…

“When do we kick their asses?”

Archie is determined to get the Ghoulies out of his house and even goes to Reggie for help. Only Reggie seems more interested in testing out his latest hair gel product and he is loyal to Hiram Lodge now…but why? Does Hiram have something over him?

Images courtesy of The CW

It’s clear that someone warned the Ghoulies and they got all of the drugs out of the house, but Betty is not about to sit by and let this happen…especially when she finds out that Polly is hanging around with them.

Yep, Polly is back and Betty discovers that she is lying about her waitress job, but where is she getting all of that cash?

Images courtesy of The CW

Betty and the others form a raid and find what they are looking for and I loved seeing the team-up between Betty and Archie here…talk about sparks…

“Would you do it for me?”

Meanwhile, the school administrators are concerned because Hiram Lodge is trying to dissolve the town. That means that funding would be cut and it would basically be “the death of Riverdale.”

Toni is determined to stop him and they come up with a plan to make the school private, which would allow them to hire their own teachers.

Toni goes to Cheryl and even though she initially doesn’t want to get involved, she ends up putting up the money to help Toni.

I still believe in Choni and I hope that Cheryl can see that she can still do good in this town…

“What just happened?”

What just happened is, we got the hot and steamy Barchie scene we have been waiting for…wow!

Images courtesy of The CW

Afterwards, Betty and Archie seem just as confused and say that they are friends, but I think this is the start of a beautiful romance.

Jughead has been out of the picture for years and Veronica is married, but things might get a bit complicated if Jughead actually decides to move in with Archie…

Betty and Archie have grown up a lot and they finally get a chance to explore the feelings between them, but I have a feeling that the drama will never leave them alone completely…

“Bulldogs forever.”

After getting the funding, Hiram does still dissolve the town, but we learn that life continues anyway. Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead will be staying in town as temporary teachers and perhaps they can really bring this town back to life.

Meanwhile, Pop retires and we get a heartfelt speech about his influence over the town.

Images courtesy of The CW

The mystery isn’t over just yet; however, as we now see Polly running from the mysterious trucker that followed Lynette Fields at the end of episode 4.

So, who is this trucker?

Is Polly alive or dead?

In the meantime, check out my feature for Mystery & Suspense Magazine on why the Riverdale time jump is exactly what we need here!

I’m invested and I can’t wait to find out more. Stay tuned, Riverdale fans!

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Riverdale in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

PLAY BY THE RULES…STAY ALIVE…

A harmless night of fun turns deadly for six college friends but the game has only just begun. Take a mystery thrill ride right from your own living room. Dash and Seek is out now!

Play if you dare…

Dash and Seek is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe. Thanks for your support!

Ranking the top 5 moments from “Riverdale” Season 5 Episode 4: “Purgatory”

Happy Thursday TV fans! After watching The CW’s Riverdale season 5 episode 4, seven years may have gone by, but did everything truly change in the town of Riverdale?

Please note spoilers are ahead if you have not gotten a chance to watch yet.

In episode, “Chapter Eighty: Purgatory,” we jump seven years in the future as Archie returns home to learn that the Riverdale he knew and loved is not the same anymore. Meanwhile, we catch up with the rest of the characters and learn more about their new lives as a new mystery brings them back to town.

My top 5 moments from Riverdale season 5 episode 4 are:

“Women can have it all now.”

Great point, V, but I’m not sure if I’m really buying the fact that you used to be the “She Wolf of Wall Street.” Either way, it’s quite catchy and Veronica feels like she has been losing her edge with her new husband, Chadwick.

Married life may not be right for her, but a helicopter accident had her changing her tune slightly.

Even though Veronica’s life has changed and she appears to be settling down in a lot of ways, Archie’s phone call brings her right back to Riverdale.

“One hit wonder…”

It should come as no surprise that Jughead became a writer since it was his dream, but I didn’t expect him to become a drunk and a “one hit wonder.” Jughead is also on the run from debt collectors and meets a female stranger who seems more interested in having Jughead read her novel rather than being with him, which shows that his connections are few and far between now.

Images courtesy of The CW

Will there be any leftover sparks now that he has been reunited with Betty? We’ll have to wait and see…

“The Blossom curse runs deep.”

Toni is the first person Archie speaks to when he returns home to Riverdale. We know that Archie was in a war and is now being asked to revive the R.O.T.C. program in Riverdale and Toni is very…pregnant.

Images courtesy of The CW

But apparently the identity of the father is a secret…

I have a feeling she is a surrogate for Kev and Fangs, but we’ll see about that.

Meanwhile, Toni talks about what happened to Cheryl and it looks like Cheryl has truly become the weird loner of Thornhill. She spends her time painting and even when Toni tells her they could be together, she seems like she has accepted her fate to be alone.

I’m missing the fire from our Queen and I hope it returns soon. We need you Cheryl!

“How are the nightmares?”

Out of all of the flash forwards, Betty’s story is the most interesting. Betty joined the FBI and was held captive by the Trash Bag Killer or “TBK.”

She says she is over it, but it’s clear that she is still carrying around a lot of emotional damage from it. TBK escaped so is it possible that he made his way back to Riverdale?

Images courtesy of The CW

We know that our girl is no stranger to hunting down serial killers, but I have to say that I really miss the ponytail!

Betty has a new boyfriend as well, but what will happen now that she has been reunited with both Archie and Jughead?

Hmm…

Together again.

At the end of the episode, our characters are reunited and are determined to save Riverdale, which has become a lawless town. There is a new mystery surrounding someone named Lynette Fields that has captured their attention, but I have a feeling that a lot more secrets are about to be unraveled. Oh and of course Hiram Lodge is still causing trouble, but Reggie is his right hand man? Honestly Reggie, I expected more from you!

After watching the episode, I liked the vibe of the show. It almost seemed kind of like the sequel to “IT” when everyone returns home, but as long as they leave some of the ridiculous flash forwards behind (seriously Veronica’s future leaves something to be desired), we should be in good shape!

Oh and let’s get those Ghoulies out of Archie’s house…

Stay tuned Riverdale fans!

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Riverdale in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

PLAY BY THE RULES…STAY ALIVE…

A harmless night of fun turns deadly for six college friends but the game has only just begun. Take a mystery thrill ride right from your own living room. Dash and Seek is out now!

Play if you dare…

Dash and Seek is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe. Thanks for your support!

Ranking the top 5 moments from “Riverdale” Season 5 Episode 2: “The Preppy Murders”

Happy Thursday TV fans! After watching The CW’s Riverdale season 5 episode 2, reveals were made and second chances were given…

Please note spoilers are ahead if you have not gotten a chance to watch yet.

In last night’s episode, “Chapter Seventy-Eight: The Preppy Murders,” someone is targeting the group from Stonewall Prep, dangling clues for Betty and Jughead. Meanwhile, Cheryl attempts to redeem her family’s reputation, the Lodge women attempt to bring Hiram down, and Archie has a breakdown.

My top 5 moments from Riverdale season 5 episode 2 are:

“We’re shutting you down.”

After a close call with a group of Hiram’s enemies, Veronica is saved by…Hermosa. Yeah, apparently Hermosa carries a gun and knows how to use it. I’ll skip that and fast forward to the part where Veronica, Hermosa, and Hermione agree to team up to finally bring Hiram down.

Images courtesy of The CW

After several attempts, Hiram gives in and it looks like he is going to be taking a vacation for a while…only Hermione will not be joining him as she announces that she is divorcing him and becoming a Real Housewife of New York…talk about an exit!

“I’ve got some work to do here in Riverdale.”

Even though it seems like Toni is still trying to work on things with her family so that she and Cheryl can live happily ever after, this has ignited a fire within Cheryl and she is determined to make things right once and for all.

Cheryl tries to convince her family to let her re-brand the business so that she can finally do some good, but they don’t agree. This forces Cheryl to turn to Penelope Blossom, who apparently poisons her entire family…yep, don’t get on her bad side.

Cheryl is in charge and maybe she can finally do some good. Even though things are a little rocky for Choni, they did take that mini vacation together, but I was happy to finally see Cheryl in her element.

“You can’t just fight the pain away.”

Good point, Uncle Frank, but Archie is determined to. The video tape left for him has really brought all of his emotions and grief to the surface. Archie visits his father’s grave and struggles throughout the episode when his mother asks him if he would consider making a statement to help the kid who killed his dad.

Images courtesy of The CW

In the end, Uncle Frank comes to help out and lets Archie beat him up so that he can release all of the pain and it looks like Archie is finally coming out of this dark spot. He ends up writing a letter to help the kid as well, which was no easy task. He had me in tears a few times during the episode, but what comes next for Archie after graduation? Well, hopefully he can actually graduate…

“You got sloppy…”

I really love it when Betty takes someone down. After getting a cryptic phone call from Bret, he is found dead in his cell the next day and his eyes were gouged out…yuck. Betty gets a call from Donna and learns that someone is targeting them. Later on, we finally get the reveal that many of us guessed from the start.

The serial killer is…Charles. Apparently, Charles thinks that he is Dexter and only kills bad people…

Either way, Betty is not buying it and we also finally hear about his accomplice, Chic, who was the one who killed Bret in jail.

Mystery solved…except he is not behind the video tapes.

“Are you the one making those video tapes?”

So, we don’t have to wait too long to wrap up the other mystery as we discover that the person behind the creepy video tapes is…Jellybean Jones.

Yep, all of these weird appearances from Jellybean finally make sense and she is the one with access to pretty much everything.

Images courtesy of The CW

Jughead asks her why and apparently this was to keep him home. She thought that giving him a mystery would keep him close to her, but Jughead explains to his dad that he is not sure that she fully comprehends what she did and I’m a little worried about her well-being. Apparently, she was working with that weird kid Ricky we used to see her with.

Sure, she didn’t harm anyone, but those video tapes really hurt people. Look what they did to Cheryl and to Archie…there need to be some consequences…like, send her to a family member’s place for a while? I mean…something?

Either way, the mysteries are solved and we can finally move on to graduation. This episode was jam-packed with quite a lot once again and it still had that erratic feel. I’m feeling a little rushed with all of this and I am anxious to get to a new mystery so that we can get back to the Riverdale I love and enjoy.

Stay tuned Riverdale fans!

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Riverdale in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

PLAY BY THE RULES…STAY ALIVE…

A harmless night of fun turns deadly for six college friends but the game has only just begun. Take a mystery thrill ride right from your own living room. Dash and Seek is out now!

Play if you dare…

Dash and Seek is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe. Thanks for your support!

Ranking the top Couples on Television for 2020: Ships that will warm your heart all year round!

As the New Year quickly approaches, it really got me thinking about some of my absolute favorite couples or ships on television. Whether it was a moment of passion, a first kiss, or a love built on friendship, there were many ships that had my heart skipping a beat, as I gasped for air and fell in love along with them.

It was difficult for me to narrow down my favorite ships for 2020 and I didn’t think it was possible for me to choose my absolute favorite one, which is where you came in!

I ran a three round poll (randomized tournament style) on Twitter and asked for fans to cast their votes for their favorite ships of the year on TV. Thank you so much for your participation and support, as the tournament was so much fun and actually really competitive!

*This was actually the biggest response I have ever gotten on one of these and we ended up having over a thousand votes in the final round! Amazing!

Round One featured the following ships/couples from 2020:

Cheryl & Toni from Riverdale (Ship name: Choni)
Betty & Jughead from Riverdale (Ship name: Bughead)
Veronica & Archie from Riverdale (Ship name: Varchie)
Ian & Mickey from Shameless (Ship name: Gallavich)
Murphy & Emori from The 100 (Ship name: Memori)
Villanelle & Eve from Killing Eve (Ship name: Villaneve)
Chloe Decker & Lucifer from Lucifer (Ship name: Deckerstar)
Dean & Castiel from Supernatural (Ship name: Destiel)
Harry & Macy from Charmed (Ship name: Hacy)
Dani & Jamie from The Haunting of Bly Manor (Ship name: Damie)
Nancy & Ned from Nancy Drew (Ship name: Nedcy)
Betty & Archie from Riverdale (Ship name: Barchie)

After your votes, the following ships/couples moved on to Round Two:

Chloe & Lucifer (Deckerstar)
Betty & Archie (Barchie)
Betty & Jughead (Bughead)
Veronica & Archie (Varchie)
Ian & Mickey (Gallavich)
Harry & Macy (Hacy)

Very Riverdale-centric but a few surprises as well!

After your votes in Round Two, the following ships/couples moved on to the FINALS:

Betty & Archie (Barchie)
Chloe & Lucifer (Deckerstar)
Ian & Mickey (Gallavich)

Most Spirited Ship Fans: Harry & Macy (Hacy) fans deserve some recognition here even though they didn’t make it to the final round. They really held their own and I can’t wait to see what happens next with Hacy in 2021! Ty for voting!!!!

Image courtesy of The CW

After your votes in Round Three, the FINAL results are:

3^rd place: Ian & Mickey (Gallavich)

It was a dream come true for Gallavich fans everywhere when these two were reunited and the final season is giving us plenty of reasons to ship these two all over again. Well deserved!!!!

Image courtesy of Showtime

2^nd place: Betty & Archie (Barchie)

Things really heated up between these two in 2020 and even though they are going back to their other partners, there was an undeniable spark ignited here that cannot be ignored!

Image courtesy of The CW

Drum roll please…

1^st place: Chloe & Lucifer (Deckerstar)

We have a new favorite ship for 2020 and I couldn’t be more pleased! The will-they-won’t-they connection was killing me and we finally got the moments we were waiting for and then some in 2020!!!!! So excited!!!!

Image courtesy of Netflix

Thanks to all the fans who voted! I wish you all the best for the upcoming New Year!

View Final Poll Results Here!

I hope you enjoyed the list and please feel free to post your thoughts and comments below on some of your favorite ships on TV from 2020. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

M	T	W	T	F	S	S
					1	2
3	4	5	6	7	8	9
10	11	12	13	14	15	16
17	18	19	20	21	22	23
24	25	26	27	28	29	30

The Pros:

The Cons:

So am I in or out?

Round One featured the following ships/couples from 2020:

After your votes, the following ships/couples moved on to Round Two:

After your votes in Round Two, the following ships/couples moved on to the FINALS:

After your votes in Round Three, the FINAL results are:

3rd place: Ian & Mickey (Gallavich)

2nd place: Betty & Archie (Barchie)

1st place: Chloe & Lucifer (Deckerstar)

3^rd place: Ian & Mickey (Gallavich)

2^nd place: Betty & Archie (Barchie)

1^st place: Chloe & Lucifer (Deckerstar)