Ranking the top 5 moments from “Riverdale” season 2 episode 8: “It’s a Mad World”

Happy Thursday TV fans!  After watching the CW’s Riverdale season 2 episode 8 last night, I am left with the haunting melody of “Mad World,” playing in my head, wondering if the passionate and intense feelings of Archie and Veronica are enough to overcome dodging those three powerful words that have now ripped through their bond.  Please note spoilers are ahead if you have not gotten a chance to watch yet.  In last night’s episode, Betty lets her pony-tail down and embraces her naughty side to try and fit into Jughead’s world, Archie and Veronica take a turn at playing detective, and FP contemplates retirement from the Serpents.  Seeing FP waiting on Cheryl Blossom at Pop’s diner puts things into perspective, however; as this is no place for a king.  Meanwhile, Cheryl continues to cling to Josie’s shadow while Alice Cooper breaks out of her cardigans to bring on the leather, and Archie gazes out his window at an unsuspecting Betty to wonder what could have or might still be.  My top 5 moments from Riverdale season 2 episode 8 are:

5

A connection is confirmed between the Riverdale Reaper and the Black Hood.  In the beginning of the episode, Jughead sits down with Betty to discuss his research done at city hall.  They learn about the “house of horrors” and the tragedy that happened to the Conway family, begging the question, how does this fit in with the Black hood now?  Betty makes the connection that this house is the same one that the Black Hood lured her to, realizing that it is an important part of the equation.  Research does pay off, but what’s the next step from here?

4

FP is released from jail.  Jughead is ecstatic to learn that his father is finally free from this nightmare and anxiously awaits his release with supportive Betty and who else but the witty Alice Cooper. Alice is not about to let things slide, however; continuing to pass her judgment on FP.  She asks him what his plans are now and FP jokingly calls her “Warden Cooper,” which doesn’t seem too far off for our tough cookie, Alice.  Now that FP is out of jail, he is left with the important decision of what to do with his freedom.  He decides retirement is the answer and even accepts a humble job waiting tables at Pop’s diner to prove to Jughead that he is serious about turning his life around.  But how long will this last?

3

Archie and Veronica pick off where Betty left off.  “So you want us to be you guys?” Veronica asks with skepticism.  Veronica and Archie are already skating on thin ice as it is, when Archie tells her he loves her and she says nothing in return.  This brings up Veronica’s own insecurities, but the two need this distraction to find out more about the Black Hood and the connection to the Conway murders.  After some investigation of their own, they learn that the Conway family wasn’t of 4, but of 5 and that there is a third child who made it out alive.  They later discover this is none other than school custodian, Mr. Svenson, but quickly rule him out once Archie looks into his eyes and realizes he is not staring back at the Black hood.  More clues are falling right into their laps and they are hard to ignore.  Did Mr. Svenson get his justice in the past, or is there something else he is not telling us?

2

FP is here to stay and he wants Jughead out.  At the end of FP’s retirement party, he quickly announces that he is there to stay to Jughead’s dismay.  He explains to Jughead that he did the one thing he asked him not to, which was to get stuck in the middle of a drug trafficking operation.  When FP reveals that he now has to clean up this mess and that Jughead has broken his heart, it clearly destroys Jughead.  Jughead realizes that his mistake has now cost his father a chance at having a clean slate, forcing him back into a world that he may never get out of now.

1

Betty and Alice Cooper’s entrance into the party.  Both ladies have their hair down and prove they are a force to be reckoned with.  Alice’s ensemble is wild and she even pokes fun at Betty’s outfit, not realizing that she is about to strip off almost every layer to perform the Serpent dance.  Jughead is not pleased with this, begging her to stay away from him, as the mistakes he made with his father are now bleeding into his relationship with Betty.  Although the dance doesn’t have the impact Betty was hoping for, it does allow her to free her inhibitions and step out of her cookie-cutter mold of perfection.  Archie sees a new side of her when he gazes out the window and he’s not alone.  We salute you Betty!

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Riverdale below.  Happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

My top 5 questions from “Riverdale” season 2 episode 7. Theories and spoilers ahead. Bobby pins required.

Greetings TV Fans!  I have to say I am absolutely thrilled to have a new episode of the CW’s Riverdale back after the break from last week.  After last night’s episode, so many new questions and mysteries have emerged.  Secrets and lies are creeping to the surface, Archie is at a crossroads…literally, and Betty might be pushing things out into the open too far.  Please note spoilers are ahead if you have not gotten a chance to watch yet.  The episode is split into three parts from the perspectives of Archie & Jughead, Josie, and Betty & Veronica.  All three parts are occurring at the same time and intertwine along the way.  My biggest takeaway is to always have a bobby pin handy!  You never know what locked doors need opening, but will you like what you discover?  My top 5 questions from Riverdale season 2 episode 7 are:

5) Has Chuck truly turned over a new leaf?  When we get to Josie’s storyline, we find out that she has a secret admirer, which sounds harmless enough, but starts escalating into stalker territory.  Chuck is introduced back into the mix and Josie questions whether or not he has changed.  He offers to give her a ride home and they grab a quick bite at Pop’s diner.  Not only does Chuck reveal that he goes to church, but he is not a bad dancer either.  Just as we are starting to think that perhaps he really has changed, Josie’s mother bursts in and Josie receives a threatening note the next day.  She accuses Chuck of being her stalker, but this seems farfetched.  Is Chuck a good guy now?  I’m not sure I am buying the charming act either especially because we know the black hood targets sinners.  Is his new found religion a clue that he could be the black hood?  You never know but I’ve got my eye on Chuck for now.

4) Is Sheriff Keller off the hook?  When we get to Betty and Veronica’s storyline, both girls are anxious to get to the truth about Sheriff Keller.  Betty is convinced that he is the black hood and Veronica thinks that he is having an affair.  Veronica strategically plans a sleep over at Kevin’s but only ends up discovering Sheriff Keller’s secret of working out in the basement.  Betty has a little more luck when she breaks into his office, but he catches her in the act.  All of the information he has on the black hood relates to the case, which makes sense, but perhaps that is so he could easily be ruled out.  Betty is not buying it and spies on him with Veronica outside a motel.  They discover that he is in fact having an affair with…Josie’s mom!  It seems that we have discovered his scandalous secret, but is he hiding anything else?

3) Is the black hood connected to the Riverdale reaper?  When we are involved in Archie & Jughead’s story, Jughead leaves his better judgment behind and takes a ride from a stranger so he can move his illegal crate to his destination in time.  The stranger is certainly mysterious and has a creepy vibe going for him with his hidden dead animals in his truck, but does reveal some important information.  He informs Jughead that Riverdale once saw a killer like the black hood before and talks about what happened with the Riverdale reaper.  However, how has no one in the town heard about this before?  What are they covering up?  What else does this stranger know?  The questions are endless, but it looks like the boys will need to get caught up their town’s history pretty fast if they want to stop the black hood.

2) Is Cheryl Josie’s stalker?  When the stalker threatens Josie and sends her a portrait, we can quickly rule Chuck out.  It just seems too easy that it is him so who else could it be?  Cheryl has been clinging to Josie lately and is clearly very thankful that she helped stop her attacker, but has this gratitude gone too far?  Cheryl is shown drawing a very similar sketch of her and Josie, which seems like all signs are pointing to yes that she is the one threatening Josie.  Has Cheryl hit a breaking point?  Is there any chance it’s not her?  Just as Cheryl has been starting to display some redeeming qualities, she is being dragged back down by obsession.

1) What are the consequences of failing the black hood’s test?  At the end of the episode, all of the intertwining stories have caught up to one another and all parties are present at Pop’s diner.  Pop receives a phone call and reveals that it is the black hood and he said that they all failed his test and that the day of reckoning is upon them.  What exactly was the test and what is going to happen now as a result?  We know that the black hood is capable of murder, but does he or she have something else in mind?  We will have to stay tuned for more answers, but it doesn’t look like the black hood is finished with Riverdale just yet.

I hope you enjoyed my top 5 questions and please feel free to post your own theories and questions from Riverdale below.  Happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl