S06.E12: Chapter One Hundred and Seven: In the Fog

[AnimeMania]

THE FOG COMES TO RIVERDALE — After uncovering what Percival (guest star Chris O’Shea) has planned for the town, Archie (KJ Apa), Betty (Lili Reinhart), Jughead (Cole Sprouse) and Tabitha (Erinn Westbrook) devise a plan to oust the current town council and instate their own. But when Percival catches wind of their secret meeting, he and Alice (Mädchen Amick) use an upcoming weather event to scare the town into staying in their homes…while they carry out the next step of Percival’s master plan.

Original Airdate: May 1, 2022   8:00-9:00 p.m.    CW

[Chicago Redshirt]

I feel bad for Tabitha and Jughead. Just about every other couple in Riverdale got their swerve on except for them. 

The notion that anyone in junior high within the last twenty or so years would have written paper letters rather than e-mail or text is harder to buy than all the Percival Pickens is the Devil business.

The trouble with Tabitha having undergone 1384 versions of the scenario they are now in is that there's no reason why she is not able to tell Our Heroes exactly what Percival's gameplan is and what led to the victory the two times that they got one.

[the-grey-lady]

1 hour ago, Chicago Redshirt said:

I feel bad for Tabitha and Jughead. Just about every other couple in Riverdale got their swerve on except for them. 

Pretty sure that's intentional on the part of the writers. I mean, Kevin and Moose had a kissing scene, and they reunited in this very episode. They're deliberately writing Jabitha as blandly content-ish (they can't communicate, which doesn't equal truly contentment) and utterly passionless. It'll be easy, then, when they realize they got into a relationship for the wrong reasons and decide they're not right for each other.

[ruby24]

Man, the show really doesn't like Veronica and Reggie together. I wonder what's behind their total unwillingness to let them have a real shot, twice over now. Reggie is the hottest guy on the show by far and I like looking at him- I feel like if he and Veronica aren't together we won't see much of him, since he's never had another love interest.

Meanwhile doubling down on Betty and Archie (at least on his end, I can't quite tell if she's really into it or not). Tabitha and Jughead are super bland and dull, so that breakup will be a loss to no one.

I actually prefer Toni and Fangs together, and that's the one couple I suspect may wind up the permanently changed avenue? Because I can't see Toni and Cheryl getting back together ever, or him and Kevin. And they probably shouldn't? They have Moose for Kevin if they want and Cheryl's storylines are so wacky she doesn't need a romance imo.

Edited May 2, 2022 by ruby24

[AAEBoiler]

So ... I'm not saying that Archie is the Trash Bag Killer but was that KJ pulling double-duty as the shirtless TBK in Betty's flashback scene?

[Diapason Untuned]

Hmm, Tabitha went back in time to figure out how to stop the Big Bad from destroying the world but it turns out Jughead may have to die to make it happen? It's a total coincidence this episode came out just before Multiverse of Madness, I'm sure.

Anyway, this was a surprisingly down to earth episode of Riverdale. I was very proud of Reggie this trip, I've thought that his relationship with Veronica was shaping up too much like Hiram's hijinks and I'm glad he figured that out and decided to try and be better.

If this is really the last we'll see of Penelope, going away to a convent in the Himalayas is kinda on brand for her. I'm glad Cheryl got to air her grievances at least.

 

10 hours ago, Chicago Redshirt said:

The trouble with Tabitha having undergone 1384 versions of the scenario they are now in is that there's no reason why she is not able to tell Our Heroes exactly what Percival's gameplan is and what led to the victory the two times that they got one.

TBF, there is some information she just might not have been able to get.

 

8 hours ago, ruby24 said:

I actually prefer Toni and Fangs together, and that's the one couple I suspect may wind up the permanently changed avenue? Because I can't see Toni and Cheryl getting back together ever, or him and Kevin. And they probably shouldn't? They have Moose for Kevin if they want and Cheryl's storylines are so wacky she doesn't need a romance imo.

Watching this episode, I was fairly sure that they're gonna go back to Choni.

Fangs' bad behavior is a sure sign that they're gonna break up to me. Remember Chad and Glen?

[thuganomics85]

Tabitha: "You're going to die no matter what, Jughead!"

Jughead:  "Well, shit!"

Cole Sprouse: "FREEDOM!!!!!!!!!!!!"

The rest of the cast: "Take us with you, Cole!"

 

I know this show is pretty much unpredictable when it comes to the characters, but out of the entire cast, I have to imagine Nathalie Boltt is the one that is always wondering what in the hell they have in store for her every time she gets a new script/asked to come back.  Because Penelope has been on a ride!  Started out as a smug socialite, has dabbled in everything from convicted murderer to dominatrix and has done wacky things like plot a whole Dungeon & Dragons style game to fuck with some teens and even gaslights her own daughter to make her think her dead brother is haunting her.  And now she's back as a nun!  Sure, why not?!  As usual though, credit to Boltt for always being a pro and never bring less than 100%.

So, while Percival is off using a mysterious fog to make himself mayor, the couples on this show all get paired off and do their own things.  Archie and Betty definitely seem to come out ahead (for now?) by not only being this close to actually saying they are dating (gasp!), but there might even be a mini Archie or Betty on his or her way.  Or maybe it will be twins!

On the flip side, Veronica and Reggie hash things out and have now decided they are toxic with each other and seem to have broken things off for good.  Granted, their relationship was never the healthiest, but it feels like the show never really gave them a chance.  Did like how they made sure to work in an aftermath of a TV-14 strip poker session though, because I imagine someone burst into the writers' room and was like "Listen up!  You know how many episodes it has been since we've seen Charles Melton shirtless and Camila Mendes' ass in tight underwear?!  Rectify this!!"

Fangs is getting ready to go to war with Kevin now, which, as much as a goober I think Kevin is, does Fangs really think going full Serpent on this joint will play well in court?

Oh, and Moose is back apparently.

Tabitha has basically been using her powers to Doctor Strange here way through things and has discovered that no matter what happens; win or lose; Jughead will end up getting Tony Starked.  Yeah, I'm sure it will all workout.  But I can't wait to see what crazy way they do it!

[the-grey-lady]

On 5/1/2022 at 10:40 PM, ruby24 said:

Jughead are super bland and dull, so that breakup will be a loss to no one.

Including to Jughead and Tabitha.

And to the actors to play them, who look like they're abjectly miserable when they have to share screen time.

Edited May 4, 2022 by the-grey-lady

[SourK]

There were so many amazing moments in this episode, but the funniest one was definitely Betty and Archie having a heart-to-heart that starts with her saying she hasn't been on birth control since the trash bag killer held her hostage in a well "Not that I'm blaming TBK" and then him going, "How long were you with TBK? In the well?" as if he has to specify where, and then ends with her describing how she had to dismember a corpse Dexter-style and him being like, "Yeah, we've all been through some shit."

Second funniest: "... ever since that horrible night when my dad dressed up as the Gargoyle King to try to scare us while we were having sex."

Third: Tabitha gets mad at Jughead for reading her mind and then gets mad at him for denying that he's reading her mind, because that's the only way they can communicate. What do you want, Tabitha?

On 5/1/2022 at 11:52 PM, Chicago Redshirt said:

The trouble with Tabitha having undergone 1384 versions of the scenario they are now in is that there's no reason why she is not able to tell Our Heroes exactly what Percival's gameplan is and what led to the victory the two times that they got one.

I think the idea is that she popped back to the past, changed something, and then popped to the future to see how it turned out, so she doesn't necessarily know the details. But I don't know why she didn't just stick with one of the scenarios where they won. Or maybe she did, but she didn't mention what she changed?

On 5/3/2022 at 1:31 AM, thuganomics85 said:

Did like how they made sure to work in an aftermath of a TV-14 strip poker session though, because I imagine someone burst into the writers' room and was like "Listen up!  You know how many episodes it has been since we've seen Charles Melton shirtless and Camila Mendes' ass in tight underwear?!  Rectify this!!"

Without joking at all, I'm creeped-out by how transparently the show runner treats these actors like dolls in his weirdly sexual dollhouse. This would have been an extremely awkward thing to film, and there's no reason it needs to exist.

[tennisgurl]

10 hours ago, SourK said:

Without joking at all, I'm creeped-out by how transparently the show runner treats these actors like dolls in his weirdly sexual dollhouse. This would have been an extremely awkward thing to film, and there's no reason it needs to exist.

Seriously, its always been creepy, but its gotten worse and worse. Its like the show runner has a list somewhere of his own personal fetishes' and is using this show as an excuse to get good looking people to act them out. Its embarrassingly silly but also quite uncomfortable.

How many hats will Penelope wear, and how many chances will Cheryl give her? She's been a socialite, a cult leader, a dominatrix, a brothel owner, I guess a nun is the next logical step. Of course, everyone keeps giving Cheryl chances no matter how awful she often is and how many batshit crazy things she has done to people, so glass houses I guess.

These writers really just hate the idea of Reggie and Veronica don't they? Its too bad, they really do have great chemistry and they make way more sense as a couple than Archie and Veronica ever did, but the show just wont let Veronica really be into him the way he is into her.

I guess Percival's first step in his master plan to trigger the apocalypses, is to start a fog and turn the town into Silent Hill for a night? Honestly, if I'm picking evil towns, I would choose Silent Hill, at least it doesn't have as much weird sex stuff. I am still waiting to find out that this is yet another alternate universe, the superpowers and demons seem like they belong in a different show. Riverdale has always dabbled in possible supernatural events, but they always pull back, but now we are getting a full on superhero story? Its so random, even by this shows insane standards. 

I cant blame Fangs for being pissed at Kevin, who has always been a wishy washy drip, but Fangs announcing that he wants to raise Fangs in the "serpent way" probably wont do him many favors in a custody battle.

Edited May 4, 2022 by tennisgurl

[Dobian]

We can add Dexter, Silent Hill, and Storm of the Century to the growing list of things this season has borrowed from.

[Dobian]

On 5/4/2022 at 6:11 AM, SourK said:

I think the idea is that she popped back to the past, changed something, and then popped to the future to see how it turned out, so she doesn't necessarily know the details. But I don't know why she didn't just stick with one of the scenarios where they won. Or maybe she did, but she didn't mention what she changed?

Jughead died, that's the catch.

[rmontro]

On 5/4/2022 at 12:09 PM, tennisgurl said:

These writers really just hate the idea of Reggie and Veronica don't they?

Yeah, I was actually rooting for them there, and they just dissolve into their usual pointless bickering.  What a waste.

It was really nice to get a break from Percival for a change, since he was barely in it.

I don't believe that Betty would have a problem with dismembering a body.

[Affogato]

On 5/5/2022 at 6:34 PM, Dobian said:

We can add Dexter, Silent Hill, and Storm of the Century to the growing list of things this season has borrowed from.

John Carpenter’s The Fog.