Ranking the top 5 moments from “Riverdale” season 3 episode 3: “The Real Game Is Just Beginning”

Happy Thursday TV fans!  After watching the CW’s Riverdale season 3 episode 3, Hiram Lodge reminded us, “Don’t make enemies of the people trying to help you,” but it’s difficult to determine who is a friend and who is a foe in Riverdale.  Please note spoilers are ahead if you have not gotten a chance to watch yet.  In last night’s episode, “Chapter Thirty-Eight:  As Above, So Below,” Jughead begins his first game of “Griffins and Gargoyles.”  Meanwhile, Betty tries to talk to Evelyn, Veronica opens her club, “La Bonne Nuit,” and Archie becomes a star.  My top 5 moments from Riverdale season 3 episode 3 are:

5

“I couldn’t have done it without my favorite power couple.”

I think it’s safe to say that Cheryl and Toni, otherwise known as Choni, may be everyone’s favorite power couple.  At least they are definitely mine.  Veronica approaches Cheryl and Toni, initially looking for Jughead, and Cheryl hilariously says, “You mean True Detective?  He’s busy canoodling Nancy Drew no doubt.”  Seriously Cheryl is laugh out loud funny.  Veronica is looking for some material to blackmail her father and Toni has an in on where one of the Jingle Jangle drug labs are.  My favorite trio is back, reminding me of when Toni and Veronica teamed up to rescue Cheryl last season, as the three put their own sleuth skills to the test, capturing the drug lab on camera while looking absolutely fabulous.  It was nice to see some more air time for Cheryl and Toni, who definitely know how to make an entrance together.

4

“I’m shaking you down.”

Betty gives Veronica some really great advice when she tells her to focus on herself for a change.  Veronica has been so worried about Archie, but she does have a business to run.  Veronica decides to open up her club, “La Bonne Nuit,” but things get complicated when she gets a visit from Penny, a delivery of Jingle Jangle, and her father snooping around.  Veronica is not threatened; however, and she tries to get some leverage over her father, only he pretty much anticipates her every move.  Either way, Veronica’s opening night is a success, as Josie performs and Kevin gets his moment in the spotlight as the MC.  Congrats Veronica!

3

“That kid is a star.”

Archie initially turns down the warden’s request to be the next “mad dog,” but changes his mind when the warden initially uses Joaquin.  Archie is always trying to do the right thing and agrees to take his place, which involves some kind of fighting pit for entertainment.  Archie starts winning fights, but the warden reminds him that he wants him to put on more of a show.  Archie ultimately decides to take several punches before ending the fight, giving the warden the entertainment he is looking for without beating his opponent badly.  The warden approves and recognizes Archie’s star potential, but Archie realizes that he needs to get out of there before things escalate further.  Archie has clearly been watching one too many episodes of Prison Break, as he decides that they will need to plan their escape from jail.  Good luck Archie.

2

“We know all each other’s secrets.”

Betty decides to approach Evelyn, even though she gives off a major creepy vibe, to find out more information about the farm and its possible connection to the game.  Betty is surprised when Evelyn and some members of the farm show up at her house, ready to find out all of Betty’s secrets.  Although I’m not sure there is much left to tell since they already know about the body in the kitchen and Betty’s “webcamming” past.  Alice has disclosed all of their family secrets, but does she know what she is doing?  Betty requests an audience with Edgar, but is turned down.  She tries to make a connection to the seizures, but no one seems willing to open up to her.  Alice even tells her daughter that she trusts the farm more than her, which is heartbreaking to hear.  Betty recognizes that the farm is a threat, but will she be able to find out what is really going on there before it’s too late?

1

“Welcome to your first game.”

After approaching Ethel again after her seizure, she determines that Jughead is worthy to play the game.  Ethel agrees to hand over the rule book or the “scripture” only after he completes his first test.  You would think possibly drinking poison would be punishment enough, but Ethel tells Jughead that he also needs to kiss her in order to obtain the rule book.  Poor Jughead.  For some reason, Ethel decides to drink from the other cup and winds up in the hospital again, but is OK for now.  However, she is having conversations with “The Gargoyle King” and explains that she found him someone truly worthy to play, meaning Jughead.  Later on, FP and Alice discover the rule book and burn it, not wanting their children anywhere near it.  Betty and Jughead quickly realize that their parents know something about the game, but we still don’t get any concrete answers here.  Later on, everyone gets their very own copy of the rule book placed in their school lockers, revealing that “the real game is just beginning.”  New episodes return November 7thStay 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 would love it if you would take a moment to check out my Whizbuzz Book page via the link below for everything you need to know about my new book, The Search for Alice, including my author bio page and links to my website and social media sites!  Thank you!

My Whizbuzz Book Page

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

@TV_Fanatic_Girl

[twitter-follow screen_name=’TV_Fanatic_Girl’]

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!

I am so excited to announce that my book, The Search for Alice, is now available!  If you enjoy 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!

When Kallie Bennett, a jaded teenage girl plagued by her alcoholic mother and her peers molded out of sheer bubble gum perfection, chases after Alice in Wonderland herself, she ends up lost in her own version of Wonderland, which forces her to face her utmost fears and introduces her to familiar characters with a dark twist. Among these characters is Ches, a gorgeous vampire with a conflicted conscience, who becomes Kallie’s guide and blossoming love interest. She also crosses paths with Queen Hartley, a manipulative witch who has the power to strip away one’s memories and imagination, which brings a bone chilling new meaning to “off with their heads.” In The Search for Alice, Kallie starts to realize that her Wonderland is just as frightening as her own reality and that she cannot always run away from her problems. She must figure out a way to defeat Queen Hartley and return home before it is too late, but she soon learns that escaping Wonderland means leaving Ches behind forever.

Want to read more?  You can click the link directly below for a free preview.  Thanks for your support!

Free Instant Preview of The Search for Alice is available here!

The Search for Alice is available here!

The Search for Alice Cover

Ranking the top 5 siblings from television: Family is where the heart is.

As we are in the midst of the holiday season, it’s a time to re-connect with family and remember what’s truly important in life.  Many of us have an unspoken bond with our siblings, whether it is inside jokes or a similar laugh, which is natural when you have all grown up together and faced many of the same challenges and shared similar memories.  This really got me thinking about siblings on television and how difficult it must be to create that connection instantly.  The actors on these shows already have the complicated task of portraying their roles and diving deep into what makes that particular character tick.  However, when you also need to add on a believable and real connection as siblings, this becomes even more difficult to capture.  For today’s topic, I am going to be ranking my top 5 siblings from television.  The siblings I chose are not just cast well.  Rather, they become so believable as siblings that I have to bring up Wikipedia on my phone just to double check that the actors are not relatedPlease note spoilers are ahead.  My top 5 siblings from television are:

5

Brandon and Brenda Walsh from Beverly Hills, 90210.

The Minnesota Twins!

Who could forget when twins, Brandon and Brenda Walsh move from Minnesota all the way to glamorous Beverly Hills, California.  While the twins quickly realize that West Beverly High is not like any other high school they have ever seen, they fast-track into a superficial bubble where they are faced with difficult decisions.  Luckily, the twins have each other to support one another.  Some of my favorite moments on the show are when Brandon or Brenda would make a huge mistake and they would end up meeting in their Jack and Jill bathroom, relieved to see their other half so they could confide in them.  Brandon and Brenda share quite a bit of fights along the way and introduce new friends like Kelly and Dylan into the mix, but there is something about their bond as siblings that is wholesome and unbreakable.  Fans were disappointed when Brenda left the show, wondering where that would leave Brandon now that his beloved sister was gone.  While Brandon still kept viewers hooked with his charm and good sense of right and wrong, the earlier episodes with the Walsh twins had something truly special that could not be so easily replaced even with new cast members.

4

Fiona, Lip, Ian, Debbie, Carl, and Liam Gallagher from Shameless.

“Hey, sometimes life throws a couple swings at you. But we’re Gallaghers, okay? And there’s two things that we’re really good at:  knowing how to get back up, and knowing how to party.” (Shameless)

This list would not be complete without the Gallagher siblings we have watched grow up over the years.  Fiona has the difficult task of taking care of her five younger siblings since their parents are rarely present…and when they are it’s like they are children too.  While this forced Fiona to grow up very quickly, she has always made it clear that family comes first.  The Gallagher siblings may appear to be a group of untamed misfits, but at the end of the day they are truly there for one another.  The family faces many problems over the seasons ranging from losing their house to Fiona winding up in jail.  When Fiona was not around, Lip and the others recognized that they now needed to step up.  Whether that meant collecting money in a jar for the electric bill or making sure that Liam was actually fed breakfast, the siblings are forced to grow up fast in a world that seems to be against them, but they are resilient and strong.

3

Michael Scofield and Lincoln Burrows from Prison Break.

“I’m breaking out, and you’re going to make sure my brother goes with me.” (Michael from Prison Break)

How many of us would tattoo our entire bodies with the blueprints of a prison and commit a crime so that you could help break your brother out of prison?  Seems extreme, right?  But Michael Scofield is a genius and will not stop until he frees his brother, recognizing that his brother was framed for a crime that he didn’t commit.  While this show keeps viewers on the edge of their seats with each new challenge that gets in the way of the escape, what keeps you coming back for more is the undeniable connection between Michael and Lincoln.  Lincoln is the older brother and used to take care of Michael when he was younger.  Michael feels like he owes him and has guilt about turning his back on him previously when he asked for help.  He sacrifices everything to help him escape, redefining what unconditional love means in the process.  Michael and Lincoln always have each other’s backs and their physical resemblance is uncanny.  Even though they are not related, I found myself repeatedly searching online to see if perhaps they were distant cousins to no avail.

2

The Halliwell Sisters from Charmed.

“The power of 3 will set us free!” (Charmed)

Charmed has always been a guilty pleasure of mine.  I always enjoy watching shows that feature a supernatural premise, but this series goes beyond that.  The sisterly bond between Prue, Piper, and Phoebe Halliwell is so heart-warming that you truly believe they are sisters.  In moments where one of the sisters faces an unstoppable evil or comes close to death, their heart-breaking tears even get me crying.  Through all of the evil monsters and demons they face as witches, they take the time to bond and fight over things normal sisters would, such as trying to stealing the other one’s boyfriend or remembering to ask before borrowing a favorite outfit.  This light comedy combined with some intense drama and action along the way makes this show truly unique.  Much like 90210, Shannen Doherty left the show, which had fans wondering how Prue could ever be replaced.  You couldn’t just recast her because the sisterly bond is what captured so many viewers.  Fans would have been put off if they just tried to pretend like another actress was the oldest sister. The producers and writers were smart enough to add in a new story-line where Piper and Phoebe discover that they have a half-sister they never knew about previously who could help re-establish the power of 3.  Whether you were on board with this or not, Paige stepped in seamlessly to fill the void Prue left and the sisterly bond continued to stay strong.

1

Dean and Sam Winchester from Supernatural.

“You saved my life over and over.  I mean, you sacrifice everything for me, don’t you think I’d do the same thing for you?  You’re my big brother.  There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.”  (Sam from Supernatural)

So my number one pick for best siblings on television has to go to my favorite brothers, Sam and Dean Winchester.  The series has lasted for 13 seasons and is still going strong.  Like Charmed, this show features a supernatural premise…hence the title.  Sam and Dean are forced to grow up quickly when their mother dies when they are young and they follow in the shadow of their father’s footsteps to become hunters.  The brothers travel from place to place to take on cases and help save innocent lives, but deal with some powerful obstacles along the way.  Whether it is getting trapped in hell or purgatory or working with angels or demons, the brothers refuse to let death get in the way.  They support each other no matter what.  When one brother is going through a difficult time, the other recognizes that he needs to step up and help pick up the pieces.  Out of every show I have ever watched, the bond between Sam and Dean is the most real and uplifting.  You don’t doubt for a second they are brothers and you never give up on them.  What’s so great about the brothers is that they also have quite a few hilarious moments together as well, ranging from running away from an adorable Yorkie to reluctantly facing a child-hood fear of clowns.  This reminds viewers that the brothers are human and while their calling is to fight the good fight, they are not afraid to share some laughs too.  Fans love when the brothers show up posing as FBI agents, wondering what new dynamic duo they will pretend to be.  Like our own families, Sam and Dean portray the good, the bad, and everything in between, truly representing what it means to stick by one another through thick and thin.

I hope you enjoyed the list and please feel free to post your thoughts and comments below on some of your favorite siblings from television.  Happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl