Riverdale is known for its twists and turns — but did the show completely lose the plot?
During a new episode of the hit CW series, which aired on Wednesday, July 27, Archie (KJ Apa) and Reggie’s (Charles Melton) friendship started to be explored as something more. The pair accidentally acquired a video from Cheryl’s (Madelaine Petsch) brother, Julian (Nicholas Barasch), of two men wrestling that stirred up unexpected feelings.
They later reflected on the surprising sparks — and their strong bond — while watching a sunrise together. Archie and Reggie ultimately acted on their sexual feelings by visiting sex worker Twyla (Alaina Huffman) — and presumably having a threesome with her.
“Now that we’ve expanded our horizons … I love you, Reggie,” Archie told his friend, who replied, “It seems like anything is possible at this point. I love you too, bud.”
Meanwhile, Veronica (Camila Mendes) and Jughead (Cole Sprouse) rekindled their short-lived connection. The romance, however, comes shortly after Veronica explored her attraction with her best friend Betty, leaving their relationship status up in the air.
In response to the onscreen developments, fans took to social media to question where the characters go from here.
“Everyone else is hop skip jumping around to different alternate romances of all sexualities every couple of episodes it is WILD and FASCINATING,” a viewer wrote via Twitter about Riverdale’s decision to explore every potential couple in season 7.
Meanwhile, another viewer slammed the series for seemingly setting up teenage Archie and Reggie to be taken advantage of by an older woman. (Archie coming to terms with how he was groomed in season 1 by his teacher Ms. Grundy was a major topic of conversation on the show.)
“Riverdale logic: let’s make grundy nice this season bc we don’t want to repeat what happened with archie and grundy in season 1! but let’s also make archie and reggie lose their virginities to a different grown woman predator instead!” the fan tweeted.
The possibility of the characters not returning to their time period after unknowingly getting trapped in 1950s has also confused viewers this season.
“I love how we’ve accepted the fact that riverdale is set in the 50s now, we went from ‘omfg I’m so glad Veronica killed her ex husband’ to ‘Gee willikers, I hope Archie asks Betty to the sock hop!’” a third social media user noted.
Riverdale, which is inspired by the Archie Comics, has set its seventh and final season in the ’50s after a comet destroyed the town. The main group of friends reverted back into their teen years in the new era and don’t remember their original lives.
Earlier this month, Mädchen Amick confirmed that the final season will end in the past. “I don’t know if I should answer,” she told Decider. “No, we don’t get out of the 1950s. So, I guess maybe that is a big spoiler. I will say you do experience the characters in different … dimensions, that you get to see a lot of closures that are outside of the 1950s. I can tease it that way. I think that’s saying enough.”
Petsch, 28, for her part, assured fans that the ending is worth the wait, exclusively telling Us Weekly this month, “I’m excited to say goodbye to Cheryl [and] I think her story has been completed really well. I think people will be happy with it.”
The actress also praised the series for teaching her some valuable lessons.
“The thing that Riverdale did that was really wonderful was [how] we would get scripts morning of — sometimes we would get new rewrites for a scene we were about to shoot in that moment. You really were in an environment where you had to work and think on your feet,” she added. “Like, you never really got to just settle in and I think that that is a really great boot camp for an actor who wants to continue acting.”
Riverdale airs on The CW Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET.
