TV Review: Riverdale (Season 3, Episode 12)

This week's episode of Riverdale, titled Bizzarodale, weirdly may have been one of the more grounded episodes that we've had in Season Three - but was all the more enjoyable for it. 

 

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Bizzarodale allowed the secondary characters of Riverdale to take centre stage, with Josie, Kevin, Cheryl and Reggie getting the main storylines, although arguably by this point Cheryl at least is pretty much a major character and Reggie has been getting a lot more focus in season three than ever before. If the idea of this episode was to sideline the "Core Four", it only partially succeeded, Betty and Jughead are barely present, but Archie and Veronica are still very much involved in this week's storylines.

The big day has finally arrived for Tom and Sierra, but Josie and Kevin have their minds on other things this week. Kevin is increasingly struggling in his relationship with the closeted Moose, wanting to finally have sex with his boyfriend but not wanting to have to keep their relationship private anymore. He very unwisely goes to Cheryl for advice, who is sympathetic, but of course ill-advisedly takes matters into her own hands.

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Later, we find that this week's Gargoyle King (no spoilers on who it is) was also sent to the Sisters of Quiet Mercy for some scary conversion therapy whilst in high school. This plot strand is a little bit of a misfire for Riverdale, since the gay villain trope is not exactly great. Consequences for Moose and Keven, after this revelation, are less than ideal. 

Meanwhile, Josie and Archie bond over romantic woes, which leads to an unexpected moment at the end of the episode. I don't think I'll be jumping on the Archie/Josie bandwagon anytime soon, but I'm curious to see where this goes. Still, after the incredibly Archie heavy episodes of the past few weeks, I was relieved to have a much lighter Archie episode this week.

Cheryl spends much of the episode trying to make up to girlfriend Toni, after her recent transgressions. This leads to a rather sweet moment at the end, and all is right with Choni once more.

After their misstep last week burning Hermione's drugs, Veronica and Reggie set out to make things right this week. Their plan leads them to Jughead's mum, Gladys, who along with his sister Jellybean is apparently sticking around in Riverdale for a while. It's suggested that they might have scheming in mind, which I for one cannot wait for. With the return of Gladys and Jellybean, it seems as if trouble is ahead in Riverdale once more. 

The parents of Riverdale also have their own almost run-in with the Gargoyle King this week, leading them to behave pretty much like they are still teenagers - cue break-ins, antidotes to cyanide, a search for chalices, panicked phone calls, and an awkward interruption of their teen children in the middle of sex (apparently Riverdale teens have an agreed sex time).

Riverdale will be taking a break next week but will be back with episode 13 on 28th February.