S04.E11: Chapter Sixty-Eight: Quiz Show

[Bort]

Quote

Determined to give Frank a second chance, Archie gives him a job at Andrews Construction; Betty is determined to take down Bret and defeat Stonewall Prep at the Quiz Show Championship; Veronica and Cheryl team up for an unlikely business venture.

Airdate: Wednesday, January 29, 2020

[SeanC]

Not to side with Brett the alpha douche, but he’s completely within his rights to believe Betty cheated to win.

[Advance35]

If they do the telegraphed Archie/Betty/Jughead triangle, I need them to commit to it.  

Veronica hates all three with a seething passion and fully embraces her Lodge roots, no more moral outrage at how Hiram and Hermione treat other people.   Minus the attempted murder, she grows as indifferent to others as her parents and is only interested in her own wants and pursuits.  Teaming up with Cheryl, Toni, Reggie and Kevin when the occasion or storyline calls for it.  All this comes about when Hiram has finally given up on her, leaving her stranded in the dead end town that is Riverdale. 

Whomever wins in the triangle (Archie or Jughead), the loser doesn't try to remain friends with the other two.  In competition, someone always has to lose and it's not always pretty.  I need the writers to show that.

I dislike Betty and Jughead but can't deny this could truly shake up the canvas.  Potentially, in a good way.

[Lady Calypso]

You know...there have been some really weird stuff happen on this show. But tickle porn? That absolutely cracks the top five weirdest things to happen on Riverdale. Seriously, WTF is that? THAT'S what you give Kevin? Poor Casey. I feel so bad that he had to even maintain a straight face throughout that. 

Frank better be a bad guy, because he's creepy, at the very least. He feels like he's easily playing Archie, and I want Archie to be wrong about Creepy Uncle. Frank keeps saying that Archie is so much like Fred, that it started to sound like a bad thing at the end. Well, in terms of how Frank may have really felt about Fred. I bet there's jealousy issues there. 

Betty, Betty, Betty. Have you learned nothing from all the shit you've endured for three and a half seasons? Don't just throw incriminating evidence in a public trashcan! Take that shit and burn it! Gawd, it's like she's never had to hide evidence before.

The Cheryl/Veronica maple rum plotline was laughable. It's just the same Hiram vs Veronica dance over and over and over again. He's just going to catch their secret location in a couple of episodes, so who cares? None of it is going to stick. Neither side will win. 

I'm pretty convinced now that all of the flashforwards are just snippets into Jughead's novel. Having him try to pitch stories to the Brotherhood, or whatever they're called, just further that theory. Because it's ridiculous for the show to ever assume that the audience buys that Jughead is dead. 

[Diapason Untuned]

Just when I think I've plumbed the depths of this show, it surprises me yet again. Tickle porn, of all things. I just know the writers were giggling like mad when they came up with that. I fully sympathize with Kevin wondering why every date he goes on ends up weird AF. Come on now, show. 

On the subject of Frank, I don't think he's yet another creepy relative out to screw over a teenager. I think he's actually sincere in his desire to be better, only he's going to screw up down the line, which would actually be surprisingly normal for this show.

The signs are all there: the dependence on shortcuts to get what he wants, keeping secrets, extremely thin skin, the drinking, the gambling. He's OK now because the shortcuts are working, but when he messes up, which is bound to happen, he'll spiral and run, probably robbing the place on his way out and breaking Archie's heart (and bankbook). 

I remember when that counselor was around (lo for that brief moment of sanity) and she told Veronica to step away from this creepy relationship with her dad. Veronica sadly didn't listen. Everything she did this episode came across as a misguided cry for Hiram's attention, which Hiram having the maturity of a 5 year old responded to in all the worst ways, which only drives Veronica deeper into the spiral. I mean come on girls, putting Mrs. Blossom in charge of your rum bar you're running out of a brothel? How can you think that'll go well? 

And Betty. All I can say is that she deserved better parents. 

 

Edited January 30, 2020 by Diapason Untuned

[thuganomics85]

Seriously, why do I keep getting surprised by this show?  I really should know by now that everything is on the table at this point, but even then, Kevin somehow getting involved in the world of tickle porn just completely made me shake my head and go "What?!!"  I know it has been said before (and not just with this show), but sometimes I really do wonder if the writers just have random scenarios in a hat, and drawl one out once they're stuck with what to do with one of their side characters at that particular moment.

Way to just fuck over your daughter, Alice!  Granted, Betty really should have just completely incinerated and buried the ashes of that cheat sheet; or, at the very least, but various parts in different trash cans; but that was still stupid as hell on Alice's part.  But, hey, at least she was trying to actually be helpful, so progress, I guess?  But, alas, Betty's win is tainted and nulled, and Bret continues to smirk for another day.

It's cute that Yale apparently think Betty being the daughter of a serial killer would distract other students.  I find it way more likely that they'll be too busy just obsessed with her being from Riverdale, period.  Serial killer dad almost sounds quaint when you are all "Oh, you are from Riverdale?  Isn't that the place that had to go into lockdown, that one time?  And had kids dying from a crazy-ass Dungeons & Dragons game on wrong?  How about that crazy cult shit, huh?  And isn't the mayor a former mobster?!  Riverdale sounds nuts, man!"

Oh, Archie!  I do think Frank might be sincere, but I have a feeling he is totally bad news and you are going to regret giving him chances.  At least it was nice seeing Marcus Keller again.

As I figured, the rum plot continues to be hilariously insane, but pairing Veronica and Cheryl together makes it even more delightfully wacky.  Camila Mendes and Madelaine Petsch seem to be enjoy working together.  Plus, they've somehow found a way to get Penelope involved!  Truly pure insanity here.

Yeah, either these "flash-forwards" are part of Jughead's story, or all of this is just one big ass act, because I don't really seem them making another attempt at Archie/Betty as a couple.

 

[UNOSEZ]

I pretty much read recaps and cruise the boards to figure out if I'm gonna watch the episode.. This one sounds like a "stash" and watch later I do wanna know of Toni was actually a member of this quiz team or did she just exist as the fourth member 

[Chaos Theory]

I keep thinking of the college cheating scandal when Betty’s story comes up.   The show made a point of saying she had a 4.2 GPA and extracurriculars so it was sketchy why she didn’t get in.   Jughead barely attended school. Probably has some gang activity on his file.   But has a singular talent in writing.  Before Shady prep school he might have gotten into Yale on a hella scholarship but now because of the prep school he gets in and Betty doesn’t.    
 

Brett if anything may be the polar opposite of Betty with a heritage that works for him while Betty’s works against her.   I can see that bringing a sense of entitlement.  It doesn’t matter what Brett does because he knows he is going to Yale so he can do whatever dumb thoughtless thing he wants.   In Betty’s case a sense of intense rage because her fathers actions may put roadblocks in her path regardless of how smart she is which may cause her to do truly dumb and thoughtless things.

 

I adore the character names on this show.  A chemistry teacher named Dr. Beaker.    I am  guessing next week an English teacher named Ms. Alcott.

Edited January 30, 2020 by Chaos Theory

[HeatLifer]

13 hours ago, Lady Calypso said:

I'm pretty convinced now that all of the flashforwards are just snippets into Jughead's novel. Having him try to pitch stories to the Brotherhood, or whatever they're called, just further that theory. Because it's ridiculous for the show to ever assume that the audience buys that Jughead is dead. 

I also think it’d be quite interesting if only Betty and Jughead (and maybe FP and Alice) were playing this elaborate game to sink Bret for good and Ronnie and Archie were being fooled in the process. Which would make for some hurt people and tie in a bit of reality. Or maybe they’re all in on this plan but something happens and it backfires in whatever way. I really think something has to be real in this story & legitimately effect these characters and cause a change/shift or it’s really just a waste of time. Like say it’s all Jughead’s book? What happens after that? “Great job, Jug, you’re so ~talented~, let’s all go graduate now!” 😴

 

 

[Lady Calypso]

Just now, HeatLifer said:

I also think it’d be quite interesting if only Betty and Jughead (and maybe FP and Alice) were playing this elaborate game to sink Bret for good and Ronnie and Archie were being fooled in the process. Which would make for some hurt people and tie in a bit of reality. Or maybe they’re all in on this plan but something happens and it backfires in whatever way. I really think something has to be real in this story & legitimately effect these characters and cause a change/shift or it’s really just a waste of time. Like say it’s all Jughead’s book? What happens after that? “Great job, Jug, you’re so ~talented~, let’s all go graduate now!” 😴

 

I mean...is it that out of the realm for Riverdale to give up on a plot halfway through and conclude it half-assed? 

I'm just saying, I could see it going either way (faked death or book snippets) and both would be as believable as the other. What isn't believable is Jughead actually dying.

[HeatLifer]

4 minutes ago, Lady Calypso said:

I mean...is it that out of the realm for Riverdale to give up on a plot halfway through and conclude it half-assed? 

I'm just saying, I could see it going either way (faked death or book snippets) and both would be as believable as the other. What isn't believable is Jughead actually dying.

I mean, I forever expect predictability from Riverdale. They don’t ever really do anything that shakes up the show in any way. So, yeah, it’s always possible that this whole thing is half-assed. 

And, yes, we know Jughead isn’t dead. Cole isn’t leaving, etc, etc. But a part of me knows the writers acknowledge we know this —it’s whether or not they care to write a story that doesn’t just end with “He’s alive” that’s the question. Did they develop this as a story that goes beyond the “Is Jug dead or alive” question.

[Josh371982]

14 hours ago, Advance35 said:

If they do the telegraphed Archie/Betty/Jughead triangle, I need them to commit to it.  

Veronica hates all three with a seething passion and fully embraces her Lodge roots, no more moral outrage at how Hiram and Hermione treat other people.   Minus the attempted murder, she grows as indifferent to others as her parents and is only interested in her own wants and pursuits.  Teaming up with Cheryl, Toni, Reggie and Kevin when the occasion or storyline calls for it.  All this comes about when Hiram has finally given up on her, leaving her stranded in the dead end town that is Riverdale. 

Whomever wins in the triangle (Archie or Jughead), the loser doesn't try to remain friends with the other two.  In competition, someone always has to lose and it's not always pretty.  I need the writers to show that.

I dislike Betty and Jughead but can't deny this could truly shake up the canvas.  Potentially, in a good way.

Really hope they dont. I REALLY DONT WANT an unneeded and unwanted triangle and I don't want to despise Betty and Archie 

[HeatLifer]

I’m all for Betty and Archie to be explored. And, actually, it’s the perfect conditions for it to happen in some way, especially if it is all Jughead’s book and fictional, to give one example. But obviously this will always be a hot topic because a lot of folks are attached to their ships, which is fine. I’ve been ready for change and other dynamics for awhile, but I know that’s not a popular opinion.

Whether it’s real or fake, the fact that someone realized that, “hey, maybe we can write a scene for KJ Apa and Lili Reinhart. Like, I think their characters should speak, right?” Already a win.

 

[rmontro]

So it turns out that Veronica and Cheryl are actually fermenting maple syrup to make the rum.  According to a link from Affogato in the last episode thread, that is not practical.  But hey, Riverdale stretching credibilty?  Say it isn't so.  I love that high school students are now running not only their own speakeasy and rum business, but have now taken over the local brothel and turned it into a gentlemen's club.

I have to admit I completely forgot Cheryl's mom was still locked in that bunker.  This show must be some sort of wish fulfillment fantasy for children wanting to control their parents.

I thought the tickle porn bit was hilarious. 

I don't really want to see Archie and Betty getting together, even though they hinted at such a triangle in the beginning of the show.  That was before Jughead turned out to be 1000x more interesting that Archie though.  I don't want to see Betty sullied with Archie.  But if she actually thinks Jughead is dead, or if it's fiction, that might make for a good rationale.

 

[allonsyalice]

15 hours ago, Lady Calypso said:

I'm pretty convinced now that all of the flashforwards are just snippets into Jughead's novel. Having him try to pitch stories to the Brotherhood, or whatever they're called, just further that theory. Because it's ridiculous for the show to ever assume that the audience buys that Jughead is dead. 

that's a really good theory. I'm jumping on this bandwagon. 

[Auror]

I truly believe that Barchie scene is about a book or they’re all in on it, making Bret and others believe Betty’s moving on while they fake Jughead’s death. There is a twist to all of these flash-forwards. Now is it possible maybe they do fake it and it revives some feelings between Barchie? Maybe. 

I love Bughead but did like the possibility of Barchie in the very beginning. I just wanted what Betty wanted. So if they go there with Barchie, I just really hope it doesn’t mess up the friendships. At the end of the day, it is why I watch the show... the wacky insane mystery but also the friendships. I just don’t want the main dynamics screwed. 

Edited January 30, 2020 by Auror

[opus]

I'm not googling, but those tickle videos are real thing, right?

[ruby24]

I'm guessing that since this Hiram/Veronica thing just keeps going around in circles, what will eventually happen is that Veronica will end up teaming up with him, like he suggested. Since they haven't gone in that direction yet, and they keep saying stuff like he's not all bad (her sister who hasn't been seen again said that) and suggesting like in that therapy episode that Veronica secretly idolizes him or sees him as what she wants to be or something.

So I'm guessing she'll wind up embracing her family name and coming back into the fold by season's end.

By the way, are Archie and Veronica still together? I've forgotten.

[mtlchick]

Tickle porn? Um...I'm willing to believe it but who really hates Kevin that much?  

However, I did appreciate the nod to Mean Girls and "the limit does not exist."

[Josh371982]

3 hours ago, HeatLifer said:

I’m all for Betty and Archie to be explored. And, actually, it’s the perfect conditions for it to happen in some way, especially if it is all Jughead’s book and fictional, to give one example. But obviously this will always be a hot topic because a lot of folks are attached to their ships, which is fine. I’ve been ready for change and other dynamics for awhile, but I know that’s not a popular opinion.

Whether it’s real or fake, the fact that someone realized that, “hey, maybe we can write a scene for KJ Apa and Lili Reinhart. Like, I think their characters should speak, right?” Already a win.

 

I dont get why she has to go from one guy to his best friend. Shit like that turns me off and makes me despise characters and the writing that they have to have couple swapping among best friends. Like Writers are lazy and wanna destroy friendships cause freinds have to bang each other when they dont have to. 

[Chaos Theory]

I am truly bored with the Hiram/Veronica dance.   They just need to drop the presence and just have sex.   It’s Riverdale it wouldn’t even be the craziest thing that happened.   

Edited January 30, 2020 by Chaos Theory

[Snookums]

Quote

You know...there have been some really weird stuff happen on this show. But tickle porn? That absolutely cracks the top five weirdest things to happen on Riverdale. Seriously, WTF is that? THAT'S what you give Kevin? Poor Casey. I feel so bad that he had to even maintain a straight face throughout that. 

"Casey, guess what?"

*Heavy sigh* "What?"

"You've got a storyline again, and aren't just a glorified extra!"

"Really?"

"Here's your sides!"

*Reading* "Oh, SON OF A BITCH..."

Honestly, I'm starting to wonder who Casey pissed off. Even in the world of internet porn (please tell me Kevin is 18 at least so we don't have to go through the kiddie porn thing AGAIN, or he's going to end up borrowing the Dark Betty wig) I find it hard to believe that tickle videos with no sex and one guy keeping his shirt on is worth five grand a throw. I know those sites are a content grind, but come on. 

Guess what's more crazy than two underage girls running a speakeasy/making their own rum? Those teens doing it out of a bordello! And assuming that Penelope's clients, who used to show up for kinky sex with twenty year olds, can't wait to...stand around drinking rum while their former, TOTALLY RECOGNIZABLE hostess whom everybody is calling "mumsy" and "Mrs. Blossom" out loud in front of the entire crowd wears a clown mask and pretends...what? That this is feasible in any way? It would make a shred more sense if Cheryl and Ronnie were blackmailing the former members with that book of "likes and kinks" into investing and softening the blow with the whole hang out and drink free booze thing. But only a shred.

Is anyone else as sick as I am over the level of Idiot Plot being required now? Because to keep these stories going every single character has to either keep not learning lessons (Veronica being a tiny growly mouse to her delighted purring lion daddy, Jughead inexplicably still being within twenty miles of Stonewall and lying to Betty at every turn, let alone rooming with Brett The Most Punchable*) or totally defaulting on the brains they supposedly do have (Betty NOT TAKING THAT STUPID SHEET AND BURNING IT RIGHT THEN AND THERE, not getting that Charles is somehow setting her up [remember that?]) It's so Goddamn dumb it makes me yell at the TV. Throw in Archie's fifteenth go-round with "trust sketchy uncle even as every single person who's ever known him warns me he's trouble because DEAD DADDY SOBBING" and honestly this whole Jughead faking his death thing can't come soon enough.

*Speaking of, I presume all this is to set Brett up/be part of Jug's novel; if so, okay, but still, dude! I wouldn't let that guy within a block of me.

[Auror]

9 minutes ago, Josh371982 said:

I dont get why she has to go from one guy to his best friend. Shit like that turns me off and makes me despise characters and the writing that they have to have couple swapping among best friends. Like Writers are lazy and wanna destroy friendships cause freinds have to bang each other when they dont have to. 

I completely agree with you. I hate it with a passion. It is so unnecessary. Sure, this stuff can happen in real life but TV makes it seem like it happens all the time and that’s not true. I expected this just because of the famous comic triangle. But I thought they already sort of explored it with the Betty and Archie kiss. I really believe it’s a set up. What better way to sell Jughead’s death... showing Betty moving on with Jug’s best friend. I think they’re all in on this plan and it is fake. At least I hope so. I don’t want the triangle at all either. 

Edited January 30, 2020 by Auror

[HeatLifer]

47 minutes ago, Snookums said:

Is anyone else as sick as I am over the level of Idiot Plot being required now?

Preach. It’s a problem I’ve been having with the show for awhile now. As well as the repetitiveness of everyone’s journey.  On Archie’s end, I really thought things would change with his character last season with that whole bear beatdown & “killing his past self” but yet, here we are again. This show is very much “same shit, different day.” None of these characters have truly grown or progressed & that’s something you’d think would happen by a Season 4. It’s part of the reason I’m down for some different dynamics and character interactions. I’m bored. Only thing keeping me awake is this Jug story because at least it’s beginning to show signs of intrigue. 

52 minutes ago, Josh371982 said:

I dont get why she has to go from one guy to his best friend. Shit like that turns me off and makes me despise characters and the writing that they have to have couple swapping among best friends. Like Writers are lazy and wanna destroy friendships cause freinds have to bang each other when they dont have to. 

I’m not gonna try to convince you to see things differently than you already do, I promise. We all like what we like. 

I will say that Betty/Archie have been teased from the beginning and I’ve always thought they’d eventually do something with it in some form, especially as the show goes on. I (personally) have no interest in seeing Bughead/Varchie constantly for however long this show lasts for. I’m like, are we going to be on Season 6 and it’s still Bughead/Varchie!? Something has to happen to shake things up or it’s just boring for some people. At the end of the day, we’ll probably end up in the same place, but for the sake of storytelling, something or another needs to change once in a while.

As far as the friendships, that’s another problem with Riverdale. Archie/Jug, Jug/Ronnie, Ronnie/Betty, Betty/Arch, etc, don’t interact. Only the couples do. And it’s weird.

Edited January 30, 2020 by HeatLifer

[Auror]

57 minutes ago, MollyWebber said:

They're not going to seriously mess with the couples. They're stronger than ever already in S4b. Bughead ended the year on a lot of best tv couples mainstream lists. Hell they even made some all-time best tv couples lists. Heading into Season 5 of 6, they're not just suddenly going to torpedo them.

However, it doesn't mean they couldn't mix it up via something creative like an AU, a storyline from Jughead's book, or a bizarro fast-forward and still end up with their endgames. Although I think her chemistry with Cole is stronger and I love Bughead, I still love watching Lili work with KJ and think they have more chemistry than he does with Camila. (And I think Veronica has better chemistry with Cheryl. Free Toni!) But they're not going to do a serious triangle or couple swapping. Certainly not this late in the game.

Above anything else, I love it when they remember that Betty and Archie are childhood friends with a longer history than any of the other characters. This is why I found it sweet he was comforting her and they were holding hands. If Barchie fans want to make something romantic out of it, that's their prerogative, although I know it's just them supporting each other as friends. My suspicion is they're putting on an act as part of the JugDEAD fake-out or it's a page out of Jughead's novel. But it's still nice to see KJ and Lili working together.

I love your thoughts. It makes sense. They cannot possibly mess with the main pairings too much. Yes, I honestly believe it's fake-out dead Jug or a novel. I also agree about KJ and Lili working together. They are criminally ignored on the screen and it's not right. Archie/Betty are two childhood friends who share a strong bond. We need to see it more. 

Edited January 31, 2020 by Auror

[Snookums]

It was bizarre to see both the Kellers onscreen again, wasn't it? I wonder if Mayor McCoy will appear from the ether soon.

[SourK]

Okay, my new guess is that Jughead has to disappear for some reason so that's why they all burn his clothes and say he died, and why Betty says he's never coming back in this flashforward. I have no idea why he has to disappear. I'm still tentatively intrigued to find out. Tentatively.

On 1/29/2020 at 9:16 PM, Lady Calypso said:

Frank better be a bad guy, because he's creepy, at the very least. He feels like he's easily playing Archie, and I want Archie to be wrong about Creepy Uncle. Frank keeps saying that Archie is so much like Fred, that it started to sound like a bad thing at the end. Well, in terms of how Frank may have really felt about Fred. I bet there's jealousy issues there. 

 

Yeah. This is actually a good example of where it makes sense to have a young character make a mistake. I'm super old, and I'm just like, "Uncle Scumbag isn't worth 800 chances. We know what he's about," but when I was 18 I would have felt differently. If I trusted the show more not to make Uncle Scumbag become a good guy, I'd be interested to see how this plays out.

I also completely missed that Mr. Keller worked at the construction site now and I get why they want to give the actor stuff to do, but it would make more sense if someone who had been there longer was the foreman.

On 1/29/2020 at 11:23 PM, thuganomics85 said:

Way to just fuck over your daughter, Alice!

I laughed so hard when that happened. It's like she can't help herself from sabotaging Betty whenever Betty's on the cusp of success...

16 hours ago, Chaos Theory said:

I keep thinking of the college cheating scandal when Betty’s story comes up.   The show made a point of saying she had a 4.2 GPA and extracurriculars so it was sketchy why she didn’t get in.   Jughead barely attended school. Probably has some gang activity on his file.   But has a singular talent in writing.  Before Shady prep school he might have gotten into Yale on a hella scholarship but now because of the prep school he gets in and Betty doesn’t.   

It also bothers me that, in the midst of all that, Jughead is profiting from Betty's personal tragedy at the exact same time that she's being punished for it. There's a lot of gendered stuff happening here and I wish the show hadn't just swept it out of the way with a romantic hug / "I'm here for you."

12 hours ago, HeatLifer said:

And, yes, we know Jughead isn’t dead. Cole isn’t leaving, etc, etc. But a part of me knows the writers acknowledge we know this —it’s whether or not they care to write a story that doesn’t just end with “He’s alive” that’s the question. Did they develop this as a story that goes beyond the “Is Jug dead or alive” question.

Maybe he's dead, but Betty keeps his body in the house and makes everyone eat breakfast with it. She is part Blossom.

10 hours ago, rmontro said:

So it turns out that Veronica and Cheryl are actually fermenting maple syrup to make the rum.  According to a link from Affogato in the last episode thread, that is not practical.  But hey, Riverdale stretching credibilty?  Say it isn't so.  I love that high school students are now running not only their own speakeasy and rum business, but have now taken over the local brothel and turned it into a gentlemen's club.

Imagine how cool it would have been if they had turned it into a club for affluent women who like to drink rum instead.

10 hours ago, opus said:

I'm not googling, but those tickle videos are real thing, right?

Yeah. There was a popular documentary last year called Tickled, and I'm pretty sure this story line is based on it. Basically, there's this one creepy rich guy who is alleged to have paid a ton of money to build up a tickle porn empire to satisfy his own fetish, and he allegedly acts really weird and aggressive when people challenge him about it, and sends fake ranting emails from his alter egos, etc. I don't think that's where Riverdale's going with it, but the setup with people being lured into the hotel room and talked into filming the videos is very similar.

[HeatLifer]

30 minutes ago, SourK said:

Okay, my new guess is that Jughead has to disappear for some reason so that's why they all burn his clothes and say he died, and why Betty says he's never coming back in this flashforward. I have no idea why he has to disappear. I'm still tentatively intrigued to find out. Tentatively.

Ooh, good points. I don’t know why, but I also thought maybe Betty and Jughead had broken up. There was something so overly dramatic and very teen-like about Betty’s “I keep waiting for him to come back and he’s never coming back.” And it also would explain why Archie just looked sad that she was going through this vs. being devastated himself about the disappearance/death of his friend. 

30 minutes ago, SourK said:

It also bothers me that, in the midst of all that, Jughead is profiting from Betty's personal tragedy at the exact same time that she's being punished for it. There's a lot of gendered stuff happening here and I wish the show hadn't just swept it out of the way with a romantic hug / "I'm here for you."

Yeah, they’ve been in a rough place the past two episodes in particular but it always ends with a Full House 30-min later bonding session. But I think it’s clear their problems will continue.....

30 minutes ago, SourK said:

Maybe he's dead, but Betty keeps his body in the house and makes everyone eat breakfast with it. She is part Blossom.

🤣🤣

Edited January 31, 2020 by HeatLifer

[The Wild Sow]

22 hours ago, Chaos Theory said:

I adore the character names on this show.  A chemistry teacher named Dr. Beaker.    I am  guessing next week an English teacher named Ms. Alcott.

And here I was wondering who the heck is Dr. Beaker -- and what has he done with Mr. Flutesnoot?!  Archie Comics had a perfectly good chemistry teacher on their roster.

Beaker is a Muppet.

[Chicago Redshirt]

3 hours ago, MollyWebber said:

It was made clear he had and still has no intention of writing that story much less profiting from it. He told her he panicked during the interview but never intended to go through with it. This show tends to sweep away a lot of shit but they addressed this before they made up. I'm actually enjoying their dynamic more this season. They're not perfect and I like that they called each other out on their shit. 

Just because he told Betty after being caught that he had no intention of writing the Brown Hood story doesn't mean he in fact did not have any intention of writing the Brown Hood story. As far as I'm concerned, he totally was planning to write the Brown Hood story until he saw how Betty reacted, and then said he wasn't as an excuse. There was nothing other than his say-so to indicate that he was going to tell the Brotherhood to go kick rocks before he was going to exploit his girlfriend's trauma for a book.

On 1/30/2020 at 3:33 AM, UNOSEZ said:

I pretty much read recaps and cruise the boards to figure out if I'm gonna watch the episode.. This one sounds like a "stash" and watch later I do wanna know of Toni was actually a member of this quiz team or did she just exist as the fourth member 

In the run-up to the championship, Toni and Veronica each answered a question or so correctly, while Cheryl was mostly just there. In the championship, I think Betty all but singlehandedly answered the questions.

[Snookums]

Quote

 In the championship, I think Betty all but singlehandedly answered the questions.

Yeah, Cheryl turned to Toni and asked "Why are we even here?" to which Toni unfortunately did not reply "Well, I answered a geometry question, babe. You just seem to wear lipstick."

I get they wanted Betty to look super-smart so it would be even more plausible that she must have stolen the answers (ALICE. GET SOME HELP FOR YOUR GODDAMN ISSUES) but I would have been simmering with resentment if I'd been recruited for this "team" like, a week ago, been forced into sixteen hour buzzer practice/memorization sessions, and then just told to stand there like Jason.

[Chicago Redshirt]

On 1/31/2020 at 1:46 PM, MollyWebber said:

The way the ep was written and how they've written Jughead's character and his relationship with Betty thus far including this ep, there's nothing to suggest he was going to exploit her trauma. His say-so was absolutely enough based on his and their history. Jughead doing anything he knows could hurt Betty is not how the storyline, his character, and their relationship is being written. Now if she changes her mind, I can see him following through on the Brown Hood story with her blessing.

I agree that there is nothing in Jughead's character or the Bughead relationship to suggest that he would deliberately and knowingly traumatize Betty by bringing up Black Hood stuff.

YMMV, but I think there's ample stuff in his past to suggest that he might not have thought about it prior to Betty showing it was a big deal for her. That when it comes to his writing, he becomes single-minded and focused. 

If the writers wanted to show us or tell us that Jughead was aware that bringing up the Black Hood past was potentially traumatizing and that he had any qualms about it, they could and should have established that in any of a half-dozen ways.

A shot of Jughead looking conflicted after meeting with the Brotherhood. A voice-over of Jughead explaining that he was conflicted about it. A scene where he tells Brett (or really anyone besides Betty) about the conflict. Change the scene where he tries to pitch a Baxter Bros. version of the G&G storyline that he also lived through and he gets rejected and they insist on the Brown Hood. Jughead threatening to quit rather than write something that would dredge up bad memories for his girlfriend but then being threatened into potentially staying by the Brotherhood saying that they'll just get someone else to write the Brown Hood storyline that they want.

[HeatLifer]

I think the takeaway from the Betty and Jug scenes is that he’s just not being truthful about certain things. Obvs to show some cracks in the relationship before Betty supposedly kills him. Jug’s intention is never to truly hurt his friends and family- he just doesn’t think further than himself and his wants/needs sometimes. 

Now whether there’s any point to take any of this seriously within the story, I’m not sure. I do think there’s a larger game being played here. Every day my theories change, so I’m off the fictional Jughead story one today. Only bc I realized it would be really strange for Jug to write a story about Betty killing him with her serial killer genes. Seems like an awkward convo starter. “So I was gonna write about Betty’s dad being a killer but I decided to write a story about her killing me instead!”

[tennisgurl]

Oh Archie, the part where he walked into the kitchen and saw Uncle Frank looking so much like Fred and smiled was just so heartbreaking, especially knowing how this will certainly end badly. I dont think he will turn out to be a Riverdale style bad guy, like a serial killer or a mobster, I think he means well and does want to help out, but is kind of a screw up who takes short cuts and makes dumb choices with stuff like alcohol and gambling, and will end up inevitably hurting Archie and leaving, despite how happy Archie is to have this part of his dad back. 

It was honestly weird to see that flash of Archie and Betty together, I forgot that Jughead and Betty even knew Archie and Veronica! Yeah, this wasnt the best episode for either of Bughead, between Betty's obvious jealousy about him getting into Yale and her confusion that he would get in and not her, while Jughead was strongly considering using her family tragedy for his big break. I mean, Betty isnt wrong that Jughead got in because of his secret club connections (it certainly wasnt his impressive volunteer work and extracurriculars, unless you count being part of a gang as being a student leader) and Jughead clearly didnt want to use Betty's life, it was obvious from the start that this is all they wanted from him. 

I would have loved it if Betty found out that the reason she didnt get into Yale is because she spent all of her time solving increasingly ridiculous mysteries and not enough time to get good enough grades, do volunteer work or other things to make herself stand out, and her recommendation was probably written by the Gargoyle King. But no, of course its serial killer dad, a pain in the ass even from beyond the grave. You know Yale, I dont think anyone cares about a serial killers kid going to your school. People will probably be impressed that no one needed Photoshop to get in this time!

This isnt your first rodeo Betty, always shred and burn the evidence! Freaking Alice, screwing things up even when she tries to "help". Now Brett gets to smirk another day. I really like the idea that we are getting flashes from Jugheads book, it really comes across as the kind of ridiculousness that he would be into. 

Its wild seeing BOTH Kellers in an episode, even if they were in totally different plots. Kevin just cant catch a break when it comes to guys, its always gangs and cults and tickle porn.

Edited February 5, 2020 by tennisgurl

[Aryanna]

Why does Riverdale act like rum can be made quickly and doesn't need to be aged?