Riverdale S1 Ep 4 The Last Picture Show

Is it possible for me to like this show more? I mean, every week it pulls me in. This week it's all about the Twilight drive-in closing down- where Jughead happens to work. He's got an emotional attachment to the place and apparently lives there as well -all throughout the episode he fights the good fight, trying to save the drive-in, but his cause is lost (and how appropriate that the closing night movie is Rebel Without A Cause). Jug doesn't stand a chance though, because corruption is alive and well in Riverdale- and it hits pretty close to home. 

The other thing going on here is the relationship between Archie and Ms. Grundy. And it all comes out when Betty asks Arch about it and Veronica drops into the convo. To make matters worse Alice happens to find her daughters diary with all the details- and since it's Alice all you know what breaks loose. But let's back up a sec- how does this all happen? Well investigative journalist to be Betty does some snooping and finds out that Ms. Grundy is really Jennifer Gibson, and that her entire identity only goes back one year. Archie doesn't want to hear it but when Betty and Veronica break into Grundy's car (because of course) they find her real drivers license... and a gun. 

Betty takes the gun (why did she do that??) so when Alice stumbles across it in Betty's room, she reads the diary and that's that. So the Grundy/ Archie relationship that I thought was going to last all season is out in the open, and over. Alice and Fred confront Grundy and she agrees leave town- but it's betty who saves her ass by telling her mom that she'll lie about it all and make a scene if her mom prints the story. So Betty checkmates Alice. 

Let's talk about Betty. After last week she continues to own this show. Archie may be the main character but he's also the dumbest character, and it's amazing that Betty is attracted to him at all. But she's on fire here, driving the investigation into Grundy and pretty much running things. Veronica is startled to learn that sweet Betty knows how to break into a car! 

Meanwhile it's all going down at the drive-in. It's closing night and Veronica and Kevin are there when Cheryl shows up. "Make some room, outcasts," she announces as she climbs into the truck bed with them. The three of them under blankets watching the show was one of my favorite scenes. But other stuff is going on too- Veronica sees her mom doing business with one of the local gang guys. What's that all about? Well... that's the corruption I was referring to. Turns out Hermione hired the Southside Serpents to drive down the value of the drive-in so that Hiram Lodge can buy cheap. And Fred's company is contracted to raze the place.  

In other words, Veronica's mom hired Jughead's dad to terrorize the place so Veronica's dad can buy the land. Yup the guy she's dealing with is Jug's dad.   

Random Thoughts

Who broke into Sheriff Keller's house and vandalised the Blossom investigation? 

Cheryl for the second week in a row has all the best lines. 

"Riddle me this, hair models of the damned, why is Veronica's mother having a clandestine tete-a-tete with a Southside Serpent behind a dumpster at Pop's?"

However Veronica has a zinger of her own. When she learns about Archie and Grundy...

"Well, what is Grundy to you, anyway, your girlfriend? Your booty tutor?"

Hermione does put Cheryl in her place at one juncture. 

"She didn't know the difference between having money and having class, either,"

in response to Cheryl baiting her. Ouch...