Riverdale The Outsiders

Riverdale is back after a hiatus and picks up right where it left off. Polly has taken refuge at The Pennybrooke with Veronica and her mother, while suspicion rests on Jughead's dad FP as to whether he was involved in Jason Blossom's death. The viewers of course know that Jason's varsity jacket was seen in FP's place, but the characters don't know that. By the end of the episode though FP's guilt, or at least association, looks pretty sure. Is this guy playing both sides of the street? Spoilers for this episode of Riverdale. 

Jughead is settling in at Archie's place while Betty and Veronica set up a baby shower for Polly. Alice is furious at the idea but Betty puts her foot down and defies her mom, basically telling her she can support Polly or just get out of the way. Betty is not to be messed with when she's pissed! Oh and her relationship with Jughead seems to be coming along too- I'm glad the show is taking it slow but at the same time not having misunderstandings and communication issues destroy before it's even started. They seem to be playing a longer game with the relationships here, and that's nice. Speaking of which, Archie has a date with Val this week too, so they're still going. 

Fred meanwhile is having trouble getting his construction project off the ground when his work crew are hired out from under him- by Clifford Blossom. Turns out the Blossoms started their business on that land, and he wants it back. Does anyone else think there's something about this land that is going to be a big deal? I mean Jughead lived at the drive-in when it was there, the Serpents hung out there, veronica's dad bought it but Blossom wants it. Anyway Archie and a few of the guys decide to help his dad out, but one of the guys- Moose- gets beat up by some thugs one night. Apparently someone does not want this project to get off the ground... 

This leads of course to a typical Archie decision. Thinking that the thugs might be Serpent members, he decides to go to the bar where they hang out with Moose to see if they can ID the assailants. About as smart as it sounds. Naturally things get rough and FP saves Archie's bacon. But now Archie knows that Jughead's dad is a gang member, and he's pissed that his friend didn't tell him. Although you can understand why Jughead wouldn't exactly announce it from the rooftops. Polly meanwhile announces that she wants both Alice and Penelope Blossom to come to her shower. No sparks there. 

The shower mostly goes well until sure enough Alice and Penelope get into it. Alice wants Polly to come home, but learns that her husband Hal offered to arrange an abortion for Polly. Furious, she confronts him and when he is unapologetic (hinting that Alice may have had an abortion as well when she was younger and "not ready") she kicks him out, telling him that he should know what she is capable of by now. Ooh what's that all about? And later Jughead and Betty go to see FP, and Jugs asks him point blank if he had anything to do with Jason's death. His dad denies it although he admits Jason came to them needing money, and they let him run drugs for the gang. 

The ending is the kicker though. FP gives the Blossom varsity jacket to Joaquin to hide, indicating that he's more involved than he's letting on, and Polly makes a decision to go to the Blossoms to live. This is devastating to Betty and her mom, and they break down together to the strains of Neil Young's "My My, Hey Hey." Seems like an effective song choice as Polly enters the Blossom home and Penelope is clearly pleased- like a cat eating the canary. This show knows how to close out episodes.

Random Thoughts

"His name is Moose. He'll be fine," Jughead tells Betty and Veronica after Moose is attacked.   

Archie is not only reckless but he can be a jerk as well. When he comes up with his harebrained idea to go to the biker bar, he guilts Jughead for not going. Hello- you're all gonna get your asses kicked. Jughead's the smart one lol. 

Juggy's at the shower anyway. He and Betty are a cute couple. 

FP is turning out to be pretty sinister- he talks a good game but when we see him with Joaquin at the end, he says he has a role to play. Is he playing Fred and Jughead and everyone else? And Joaquin is showing signs of remorse over leading on Kevin, apparently at FP's behest. 

FP tells Hermione that the thugs who beat up Moose are from Montreal, hinting that Hiram might have had something in the works. Is he playing her too?