Riverdale: The Wicked and the Divine (Recap)

Riverdale amped up the drama this week, which was a relief after last week’s not so thrilling return. Last week laid out the details, but this week brought the good stuff.

The Lodges are gearing up for Veronica’s confirmation, which is going to be a real Who’s Who of Riverdale society, and Hiram’s crime family. As Archie gets in deeper with her father, Veronica starts to question whether she really wants that to happen. Faced with the reality of her family’s world, she’s not sure she wants to pull Archie into that.

Photo by Katie Yu/The CW

Hiram invites Archie to work at a high stakes poker game. When he overhears a crime boss plotting to overthrow Hiram, he’s torn between protecting Veronica (and the Lodges) and the FBI’s demands. Archie ultimately decides he can’t leave Hiram in the dark and tells him what he overheard, and Hiram quickly takes action to protect himself.

Betty and Jughead are back to investigating and looking to solve the mystery of the defaced (deheaded?) statue. The Sherriff is breathing down Jughead’s back about the vandalism, and the mayor is working to push the Serpents out of their homes. When Jughead realizes that someone is pulling the Mayor’s strings, he’s determined to get to the bottom of things.

When the Snakecharmer turns up, she and Tallboy threaten Jughead’s place in the Serpents, but when he and Betty discover that Tallboy was to blame for the damage to the statue, and at Hiram’s request, Jughead is on sturdier ground.

At confirmation Veronica has a moment of doubt about her choices, but Archie renews her strength. She’s decided that she doesn’t want to get Archie in over his head and warns him away from her family, but when she tries to tell him, Archie lets her know that he’s not going anywhere.

And, the moment I’ve been waiting for…Bughead is back people! There’s bound to be trouble though because despite Jughead coming clean about what he’s been up to, Betty is still keeping her webcam work and that kiss with Archie a secret.

As the night comes to an end, the FBI agent comes to tell Archie that Papa Poutine was found dead, obviously at the request of Hiram. Someone sends a message to the Lodges to threaten that the Lodges’ plans and activities aren’t so secret anymore. After Alice and Chic are surprised by an unexpected visitor, Betty comes home to find a bloody surprise at the Cooper household.

Riverdale is back, and I can’t wait for next week.

Riverdale airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on the CW .