Ranking the top 5 moments from “Riverdale” Season 5 Episode 1: “Climax”

Happy Thursday TV fans! After watching The CW’s Riverdale season 5 episode 1 season premiere, we were reminded how quickly life on Riverdale can turn into a Jamie Lee Curtis movie…

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

In last night’s episode, “Chapter Seventy-Seven: Climax,” everyone gets ready to attend the prom, but is this the end for some of our favorite couples? Meanwhile, the videotape killers continue to wreak havoc while Betty and Jughead try to get to the bottom of everything.

My top 5 moments from Riverdale season 5 episode 1 are:

5

“I’m beating it.”

I think it’s worth mentioning that Hiram Lodge is now suddenly getting better because he is beating up everyone in town. Veronica calls the doctors to confirm, but we know it’s only a matter of time before Hiram sinks his teeth into some other dark scandal.

4

“So you’re my competition.”

After the cancellation of Katy Keene, we knew we would be seeing some of the characters from that spin-off show pop up in Riverdale and K.O. Kelly is the first one. Veronica suggests that they have an exhibition boxing match so that Archie can prove his worth to the navy scout.

Archie and KO Riverdale

Images courtesy of The CW

Archie really puts up a fight and he may have actually been the winner in my book, but K.O. takes the victory and Archie has a fit, saying he won’t apply in the future.

I think Archie needs to find his true calling before he spins out of control…

3

“This one’s for you Archiekins.”

Poor Veronica. After finding a song that Archie wrote, he throws it in the trash and tells her that it is no good, but of course we know that she is going to get up on stage and perform the song that he actually wrote for Betty to make things extremely awkward for everyone.

Riverdale Veronica Lodge season 5 episode 1

Images courtesy of The CW

Betty and Archie exchange a few glances and ultimately, Archie breaks up with Veronica at prom. He tells her about the kiss, but they decide not to tell Jughead, but it looks like Varchie will be heading in different directions after graduation.

I have a feeling that Hiram is going to take away that “deputy mayor” offer pretty quickly…watch out, Archie!

While I’m sad about this break-up, I think that Archie really needs to find out who he is without someone. Maybe he needs another spiritual road-trip or something…

2

“Was there ever any doubt?”

Varchie is not the only couple to have some major obstacles to get through during prom. We start off with some cute and hilarious moments with Choni, as they petition to be co-queens of prom.

They have my vote for sure!

Later on, Cheryl asks about meeting Toni’s grandmother and is upset to find out that she has to pretend that she is not her girlfriend. Cheryl takes things into her own hands and goes to see Toni’s grandmother, which leads to more drama.

We find out that Toni’s grandmother doesn’t want her dating Cheryl because she is a Blossom and they have wronged their family for too many years.

Choni Riverdale season 5 episode 1

Images courtesy of The CW

Toni is able to show up to prom with Cheryl and we watch them become prom queens, but the moment is short-lived.

Toni tells Cheryl to give her some time, but Cheryl broke my heart when she was crying in Nana Rose’s lap, explaining that she is destined to be alone.

I really hope that Cheryl and Toni find a way back together, but if I’m being honest, they needed this. There hasn’t really been a lot going on in their relationship lately and perhaps this will allow them both to grow as characters and I’m hoping that they can find a way back to each other.

All hail, Choni!

1

“To surviving this town…”

While all this drama is going on, we also get Betty and Jughead teaming up to bring down the videotape killer or killers. They even go to visit Bret in jail to get some intel and are told to make a snuff movie, allowing us to witness Cheryl and Reggie show off some of their acting skills. Loved the wig, Cheryl!

Riverdale season 5 episode 1

Images courtesy of The CW

David at Blue Velvet Video knows that it is a fake, but Betty turns over the tape of her father when he was a young boy and says he is the Black Hood. They get the invite they have been looking for and end up crossing paths with Jellybean (what?) while trying to figure out who the director behind the curtain is.

During prom, the music is cut short and we witness another film where masked strangers are murdering Dave, proving it is not him. I have to say that these killers have been giving me some Purge vibes and I want to know more.

Archie gets a video at his doorstep and it looks like this is going to unlock even more rage inside of him so we’ll have to see how this plays out.

Overall, the season 5 premiere felt slightly chaotic and all over the place. I realize this episode was actually supposed to be part of season 4 before shooting was put on hold because of the pandemic, but I’m feeling a little overwhelmed and I’m hoping we can put some of the drama aside and focus on the mystery at hand.

I did love seeing everyone dressed up for prom and Betty’s dress was my favorite! But, do you think Jughead could have taken off his hat just this once?

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!

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Ranking the top 5 moments from “Riverdale” Season 4 Episode 12: “True Honor”

Happy Thursday TV fans! After watching The CW’s Riverdale season 4 episode 12, I learned that sometimes you win and sometimes you lose, but it’s usually a draw. When it comes to true honor, winning isn’t always the answer.

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

In last night’s episode, “Chapter Sixty-Nine: Men of Honor,” Jughead and Bret prepare for a duel, but Betty and Alice have a side mission of their own that may be more important. Meanwhile, Archie gets caught in the middle of Uncle Frank’s past, an old nemesis returns, and Veronica heads out to New York to catch up with Katy Keene.

My top 5 moments from Riverdale season 4 episode 12 are:

5

“New York is my town.”

Veronica takes a trip out to New York for a college interview and spends some quality time with her old friend, Katy Keene, presenting us with a fun crossover to prepare us for the premiere of the spin-off series.

Riverdale The CW 7
Images courtesy of The CW

After witnessing a super fun shopping spree with these two, Katy reveals that her mother is very ill, causing Veronica to have her own moment of self-reflection.

After Hermione reveals that Hiram is also very sick, Veronica decides to change her name back to Lodge. It may seem like a small gesture, but Hiram is clearly pleased with this.

Veronica was missing something, but will she find it in New York next year or will she stick around in Riverdale? We’ll have to wait and see, but it looks like we will get some serious Varchie screen time in next week’s episode.

4

“Bret is afraid of me?”

I mean, you are pretty intimidating, Betty, especially after smashing that headstone to pieces, but I am loving the rivalry between our girl and annoying Bret. In this episode, we get the team-up we fell in love with before, as Alice decides to tag along for Betty’s mission.

Riverdale The CW 5
Images courtesy of The CW

Betty and Alice meet with Mrs. Chipping, trying to piece together what happened to her husband and we finally discover that Moose left because Bret threatened him with a sex scandal video tape.

Betty fears that there may be a tape of her and Jughead as well and is determined to find his collection, but Bret is not making things easy with his secret alarms.

3

“And may the best man win…”

The duel between Jughead and Bret is quite eventful, as we get three rounds to determine who the best man truly is.

Riverdale The CW 6
Images courtesy of The CW

Round one is fencing and Bret takes the point, but Jughead literally knocks Bret out in round two, which was quite entertaining to see.

The final round is a chess match, but Jughead ultimately decides to throw the match, explaining that he is done playing this game. Even though Jughead doesn’t win the match, he is a winner in our books as he takes the moral high ground here.

However, it’s only a matter of time before we discover how Jughead meets his untimely demise (or not) and it’s hard to pinpoint the exact motive, but it looks like the Baxter Brothers book series may still be at the center of it.

2

“I will ruin you…”

Cheryl and Toni (Choni) seem to be quite the hit with their new Maple Club, but things get complicated when Nick Sinclair shows up. Cheryl spots him from behind the curtain and this brings up a lot of horrible memories for her. In case you forgot, Cheryl was drugged by Nick during her sophomore year and Veronica and the Pussycats came to her rescue.

Riverdale The CW 4
Images courtesy of The CW

Cheryl really opens up to Toni about what happened and we also learn that Toni went through something similar in her past as well. She shows her love and support for her girlfriend, but she also takes things one step further and decides to teach Nick Sinclair a lesson.

Toni teams up with Kevin and Fangs with their side hustle and videos Nick being tickled. Toni tells Nick that she will ruin him and saves the day, proving once again why Choni is such an incredible couple. I love these two so much! Go Toni!

1

“I think we need to be more worried about Donna.”

Even though Bret stops Betty and Alice from taking his precious collection, Betty does manage to slip Donna’s tape by him. Betty discovers Donna’s confession, which is an identical speech about a teacher she had an affair with.

Betty recognizes that she is lying and has done this speech before, but what is Donna’s end game here?

Betty is right about suspecting Donna as the greater threat, but what does she want with Jughead?

Stay tuned!

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

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**Do you love television shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Once Upon a Time, Lost, Charmed, The Vampire Diaries, and Supernatural? Do you enjoy dark fantasy, fairy-tale retellings, paranormal romance, horror, and mystery? Then you may like my book series, Dreaming of Wonderland…available on Amazon! Thank you for taking the time to check it out and I appreciate any feedback as well. I really hope you enjoy!

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The 2020 Mid-Season TV Premieres I am most looking forward to: Bring on the new episodes!

Greetings TV Fans!  As we approach Mid-January, some of our absolute favorite shows will be returning with new episodes and we can also look forward to some brand new shows as well that have a lot of potential.  Looking to find out when they all start?  You came to the right place!

While some of our favorite returning shows already have 2020 premiere dates announced, others are still giving out a TBD 2020 response, as I vigilantly keep checking to see when they will be premiering.  It looks like we have several new shows with a lot of potential and some of our returning favorites seem very promising as well.

Without further delay, the 2020 Mid-season TV premieres I am most looking forward to are:

The Outsider

The Outsider HBO
Image courtesy of HBO

Premiere date:  January 12th 2020

Where to watch:  HBO

Based on Stephen King’s novel, this series will follow the murder investigation of a young boy, which leads a seasoned cop to question everything after discovering some supernatural forces and threats along the way.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (Part 3)

Sabrina Netflix
Image courtesy of Netflix

Premiere date:  January 24th 2020

Where to watch:  Netflix

Sabrina Spellman is back and we can’t wait to see what she does next!  Will she finally find a balance between being a mortal and a witch or will she lose herself to dark magic completely?

The Stranger

The Stranger Netflix
Image courtesy of Netflix

Premiere date:  January 30th 2020

Where to watch:  Netflix

Adam Price seems to have it all.  That is, until a stranger approaches him one night and reveals a shocking secret that will change his life forever.  This new mystery thriller looks binge-watch promising for sure!

Katy Keene

Katy Keene The CW
Image courtesy of The CW

Premiere date:  February 6th 2020

Where to watch:  The CW

A spin-off of Riverdale Yes please!  Oh wait and it stars Pretty Little Liars’s Lucy Hale?  I’m in!

Locke & Key

Locke and key Netflix
Image courtesy of Netflix

Premiere date:  February 7th 2020

Where to watch:  Netflix

Based on the graphic novel, this show follows a group of siblings who move into Keyhouse after their father is murdered, which leads to some creepy findings of their own.

Homeland Season 8 (Final Season)

Homeland Showtime
Image courtesy of Showtime

Premiere date:  February 9th 2020

Where to watch:  Showtime

It seems like it’s been quite some time since we’ve last checked in with Carrie Mathison, but it’s about time.  I can’t wait to see how it all ends!

The Haunting of Bly Manor (The Haunting of Hill House Season 2)

The Haunting of Bly Manor Netflix
Image courtesy of Netflix

Premiere date: TBD 2020

Where to watch: Netflix

The second season of The Haunting of Hill House already looks extremely promising based on the premise.  Much like the AHS anthology, we will see several of the stars return from season one as we are welcomed into a new story, which will loosely follow The Turn of the Screw by Henry James.  Can’t wait!!!!

Cursed

Cursed Netflix
Image courtesy of Netflix

Premiere date: TBD 2020

Where to watch: Netflix

A fresh take on the Arthurian legend starring 13 Reasons Why’s Katherine Langford?  I’m definitely in!  This show is based on Frank Miller’s novel and will center around the Lady of the Lake (Nimue) story in a re imagined way.

Lovecraft Country

Lovecraft country HBO
Image courtesy of HBO

Premiere date: TBD 2020

Where to watch: HBO

A Jordan Peele and J.J. Abrams team-up seems too good to be true, but that’s what we have here for this highly anticipated horror drama.  Based on the novel by Matt Ruff, this story follows Atticus Black, who is searching for his missing father.

Westworld (Season 3)

Westworld HBO
Image courtesy of HBO

Premiere date: March 15th 2020

Where to watch: HBO

Season 3 will bring us into a whole new world and if Aaron Paul is around for it, I’m in!

Little Fires Everywhere

Little Fires Everywhere Hulu
Image courtesy of Hulu

Premiere date: March 18th 2020

Where to watch: Hulu

Starring the talented and amazing Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington, this limited series will follow the fears of suburban mothers, which may give us some Big Little Lies and Desperate Housewives nostalgia for sure.  I’m in!

Stay tuned for reviews, recaps, and top five moments!  I don’t know about you, but I am very excited for new episodes to return and I am really looking forward to exploring these new promising shows!

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post the shows you are looking forward to premiering in 2020 in the comments below.  I always love discovering new shows and that’s where you come in!  Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

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**Do you love television shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Once Upon a Time, Lost, Charmed, The Vampire Diaries, and Supernatural?  Do you enjoy dark fantasy, fairy-tale retellings, paranormal romance, horror, and mystery?  Then you may like my book series, Dreaming of Wonderland…available on Amazon!  Thank you for taking the time to check it out and I appreciate any feedback as well.  I really hope you enjoy!

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Ranking the top 5 moments from “Riverdale” season 3 episode 19: “Fear the Reaper”

Happy Thursday TV fans!  After watching the CW’s Riverdale season 3 episode 19, I realized that keeping secrets can be a dangerous game on its own.  However, when you also mix in playing G&G, things are going to get crazy.  Please note spoilers are ahead if you have not gotten a chance to watch yet.  In last night’s episode, “Chapter Fifty-Four:  Fear the Reaper,” Jughead teams up with FP and Gladys to try and rescue Jellybean.  Meanwhile, Betty checks up on Evelyn, Archie contemplates giving up boxing, and Josie makes a big decision.  My top 5 moments from Riverdale season 3 episode 19 are:

5

“We’re not end game.”

During the episode, Josie is excited that her father has come to town and she really begins to contemplate her own future.  Josie says, “I want to broaden my musical horizons,” but it looks like she has been searching for something of her own for a while.  After giving a dazzling performance, Josie’s father agrees to let her accompany him on tour and it looks like she could be heading off to NYC.

Josie tells Archie that they are not end game and that’s OK, but it looks like this is the end for Archosie.  Josie’s return to Riverdale is uncertain and it probably has something to do with her joining another Archie Comic spin-off series called, “Katy Keene,” which will also star Lucy Hale from Pretty Little Liars.  While we don’t know when or if the series will get picked up, it looks like Josie has the opportunity to really step into the spotlight now and I can’t wait to see what she does next!

4

“Check my file…I think I just might.”

I love when Betty gets her Nancy Drew on and this episode was no exception.  Betty may not have found out much about Edgar, but she does discover a lot of interesting information on Evelyn.  We discover that Evelyn has been pretending to be a seventeen-year-old Junior for over a decade at numerous schools and that she is actually 26.  If that’s not shocking enough for you, we also learn that she is not Edgar’s daughter, she’s his wife.  Still with me?  Betty is concerned because her mother is about to marry Edgar and he also wants to adopt Polly’s twins.

Betty goes to Hal for help and he suggests someone who is “uniquely motivated” to help her, leading her to Penelope Blossom.  However, it seems like Penelope is more interested in taking the boy twin and naming him Jason Junior, which doesn’t help Betty all that much.  As the secrets begin to unravel, it’s interesting to see how much of an impact Evelyn can have on the teenagers around her.  But what will happen when everyone finds out that she has been lying?  Are the members of the Farm too far gone or is there anything that Betty can do?

3

“Still wanna call me the reaper?”

After the dramatic boxing match in last week’s episode, Randy is pronounced dead and the guilt immediately begins to overwhelm Archie.  Fred gives Archie a heartwarming talk and tells him that he’s innocent and I just recently learned that this was actually Luke Perry’s final scene, which makes this talk that much more meaningful.  This is not the first time that Archie has blamed himself, but he is far from a reaper.  Archie thinks about giving up boxing, but ultimately decides to use his prize money to give to Randy’s family, which is a very generous gesture. 

Elio continued to get on my nerves, pretending that he didn’t juice Randy, but it’s all starting to make sense, as we see later in the episode that he is working for Hiram Lodge.  It was only a matter of time before this “truce” came crashing down between Hiram and Archie.  Now that Josie is making her exit, there is an even greater potential for a reunion between Archie and Veronica, but will that sever this truce for good?  Hiram is very dangerous and a master manipulator, but there’s something about Archie that brings out the worst in him and it looks like this is only going to escalate further.

2

“Join us.”

After getting nowhere with Penelope, Betty reaches out to Toni, hoping that she can sneak her into the Farm so that she can get the other twin out of there safely.  Only Toni has now crossed over to the other side.  Et tu, Toni?  Toni talks about how she always wanted a family and has now found one with the Farm and leads Betty right to the heart of it.  Was Toni brainwashed or is something else going on here?  I find it hard to believe that she was so against the Farm previously and now has become one of its puppets.

Betty asks the Farm why they are all smiling and her mother reveals that she already knows that Edgar is married to Evelyn, which makes their union that much creepier.  Betty seems like she is falling under the thrall of the Farm for a moment, but she snaps out of it. Betty remembers seeing the babies thrown into the fire before she had a seizure earlier in the season and she makes a run for it.  Even though we are learning a lot more about the Farm, there are still so many unanswered questions and I hope we get to the bottom of it before the end of the season, as we only have three episodes left!

1

“If we play and we win, we can get Jellybean back.”

Jughead has his own family drama to deal with in this jam-packed episode, as he agrees to play the game under creepy Kurtz’s orders.  And here are our players:

Deadeye:  FP

Hellcaster:  Jughead

The Alchemist:  Gladys

In the first round, secrets are out and FP learns what Gladys has been up to.  It was only a matter of time before he found out, but they need to put this aside to try and save Jellybean.  FP says that there will be a reckoning, which reminds us that he will definitely circle back to this anger, however.  The next task involves the Jones family robbing Pop’s Diner, which ends with FP getting shot.  In the next task, we see a Cyclops card and in walks Penny Peabody, who is definitely looking for some revenge.  Gladys and her fight, channeling their inner Elektra and Gladys is victorious, but definitely needs to go to the hospital as well, which means that everything is now up to our hero, Jughead.

Jughead is presented with two doors and is told to choose, as Kurtz mentions “The Lady, or the tiger,” which is a short story written by Frank R. Stockton.  The story is set in an ancient country and the king is put through a set of trials, much like Jughead.  He ultimately has to choose between two doorways:  one leading to the princess and one leading to death.  Jughead is faced with this same dilemma and ends up being trapped behind the door, as Kurtz gives the order to eliminate the princess.  Jughead is able to break free and saves the day, as I breathed a sigh of relief.  Yay Jughead!

Even though Jughead saves the day for now, we are still left with several unopened doors of our own.  Jughead came face to face with the Gargoyle King, but he didn’t have time to stay, as he rushed off to make sure that Jellybean was all right.  Gladys says that she is leaving town, but Jellybean will be staying behind, but what does this mean for the drug trade in Riverdale?

Also, Hiram is ready to step out of the shadows and it’s been quite a while since we have seen Hermione, which continues to stir my own suspicions.  Plus, we learn that while Hal was being transferred to Hiram’s new prison, there was an accident and no survivors.  Betty asked Hiram to transfer her father to his prison, but can you ever really make a deal with the devil?  Is Hal really dead or have we just released the former Black Hood back into society?  I’m not sure, but I can’t wait to find out.  Stay tuned! 

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!

**I am so excited to announce that my book, The Search for Alice, is now available!  If you enjoy dark fantasy, fairy-tale retellings, paranormal romance, horror, and mystery, then this might be the book for you or someone you know!  Thank you for taking the time to check it out and I appreciate any feedback as well.  I hope you enjoy!

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