Riverdale Season 2 Episode 15: There Will Be Blood Review

If you would like to read my review of last episode, click here.

Synopsis: Fred considers running for Mayor; Betty becomes increasingly suspicious of Chic; Jughead makes a major discovery in his quest to take down Hiram. (IMDB)

Writer: Aaron Allen

Director: Mark Piznarski

Rating: TV-14

Running Time: 45mins

“There Will Be Blood”starts off with Jughead continuing his investigation into Hiram Lodge and his plans for Riverdale. While FP suggests that Jughead drop it, he tells his father that their actions suggest they are scared. Meanwhile, the Andrews are having a dinner at the Lodges where the families discuss Fred potentially running for mayor. Fred seems to like the idea, but Archie is skeptical that the position won’t put his father in danger. And Betty convinces Kevin to catfish Chic so that he can learn more about her mysterious brother and his past. Just another typical day for these teens. (High school was never this risque right?)

This time let’s cut this episode into the ongoing situation with the Coopers and Blossoms and the Lodges activity in Riverdale. Cheryl finds out her father Clifford Blossom had a secret will that was not meant to be read until their family’s drug business was cleared up. Is this a game changer for Riverdale? Hal goes home to sit down with Alice and Betty, asking for them to kick Chic out. Alice is upset that Hal sold the Register to Hiram and he offers to share half the profit in exchange for a divorce.

Later, Betty comes home to find Polly there with her twins, Chic creepily holding one of them. She’s back for the will reading which apparently Hal did not tell them about. Meanwhile, Cheryl brings Toni over for emotional support, but her mom is obviously not having it. At the will reading, Clifford Blossom’s wealth is divided in half to his children and to anyone who can prove they have Blossom blood. Alice barges in and confronts Hal, knowing his motives and plans to take half of what is owed to her. As Cheryl gives a speech to the Blossom clan, a man enters and it appears to be the ghost of Clifford Blossom! Or so it seems… It’s really her father’s twin Claudius who was forced away by Clifford at gunpoint.

As Betty and Polly discuss getting their blood tested for the Blossom fortune, Chic refuses to get his blood taken which causes Betty to become curious. Whatever you’re hiding Chic, you’re screwed. Master Sleuth Betty solves every mystery she puts her mind to. Betty goes to Kevin to try to find out information on if he’s ever done a blood test, but after Chic suspects something Kevin says he’s out. She then decides to take matters into her own hands and steals some of Chic’s used dental floss to test. Who is Chic Cooper? As Chic starts to lose his centre of attention status to the twins, he takes them for a walk by Sweetwater River which frightens Polly and causes her to leave town with her children. As Polly leaves he cuts her out of the photo, only two remain. Chic is one creepy ass dude.

Now onto the ongoing changes in Riverdale. With the mayor’s office vacant, the Lodges sit Veronica down and ask her to help Archie convince his father to run for mayor so that they have someone of influence in their pocket. After Veronica can’t get through to him over the phone, she heads over and shows some campaign logo ideas to Fred and Archie. Archie is not convinced by her sudden interest in his father’s political career and starts a fight with her. He does not want the Lodges coercing them into being their puppets. Veronica confronts Hermione about her parents using her to make Archie and Fred do their bidding. She does not want to force him to do anything and Hermione says she understands.

Meanwhile, Archie goes to Jughead and talks to him about his investigation, revealing that Hiram Lodge secretly bought Pop’s. Veronica starts to try and work her magic, talking to Archie on the phone in front of her parents, but he seems a bit skeptical. With the new lead, Jughead heads over to Pop’s to figure things out, but Pop begs Jughead to keep it quiet because he does not want his family to know he lost his business. Pop goes to the Lodges and informs Hiram about Jughead’s investigation. Hiram is furious and suggests that Archie may not be as loyal as they first thought, but Veronica jumps on the grenade for him. When Hiram is about to scream at Veronica, Hermione intervenes and explains it was a great misdirect to throw at the curious Jughead.

Archie wants to stop his father from running and becoming a puppet for the Lodges so he goes to Josie and asks her to convince her mother to sit down with Fred and discuss the full extent of the mayor’s job. She gives him a ‘real talk’ on their role and the salary hoping it pushes him away from running for office. Veronica confronts Archie about his lack of loyalty to the family, but Archie says that he and his father cannot be a part of this without knowing the full truth and gravity of the situation. As they discuss it, Fred enters and proclaims he is the newest candidate for mayor of Riverdale.

Meanwhile, Jughead discusses his frustration with his dad who reveals that he and the Serpents trashed the drive-in to help Hiram purchase it for a much better price. As he is devastated by this news, Jughead receives a call from an inside source who wants to meet about information on the Lodges. Jughead goes to the bus terminal to meet the informant. Turns out it is the Lodge’s former doorman who explains Hiram received mail from Shankshaw Prison. Jughead turns to his father to try to find out some information. Luckily they have a Serpent on the inside named War Baby. Such a great name.

Archie confronts Hiram about his motivations and even threatens him to protect his family, but Hiram tries to explain his intentions are pure. As Archie leaves, Hermione and Veronica tell Hiram they received a call from Shankshaw about FP and Jughead’s visit to the prison and that they know everything. Knowing they have little time, Hiram invites Fred and Archie over to explain their plan: to open a private, for-profit prison. Fred is not on board with this idea and he storms out. Fred tells Archie to come with him, but he decides to stay and hear Hiram out. ALWAYS CHOOSE YOUR FATHER ARCHIE YOU FOOL. Jughead and Betty try to bring their story to Principal Weatherbee, but he refuses to publish something that attacks another student’s family.

The episode ends with the Lodges opting to go with plan B as Hermione decides to run for mayor leaving a saddened Fred to look at his unused campaign buttons. Penelope and Claudius Blossom discuss their plans to oust both Nana and Cheryl from the family to put their house in order, but this is overheard by Cheryl. Betty confronts Chic about the DNA test she did on him, revealing that the results prove he is not who he says he is. My bet is he is FP and Alice’s kid. Finally, Hiram makes amends with Archie as they agree that this is what is best for Riverdale. To seal their loyalty the perform a blood pact to protect the family and their interests. Does this mean Archie will have to choose blood versus blood pact? If he goes against Fred again I swear.

Questions

• How will McCoy’s return to law play into the town’s dynamic?
• Is a prison really Hiram’s end game? Will the prison be owned by Lodge industries to allow him access to certain criminals?
• Will Archie choose the Lodges over his own father?
• When will FP be revealed as Chic’s father?
• Who will inherit the second half of the Blossom fortune?
• Will Dark Betty take over?
• When will Penny return and will she help or betray the Serpents?
• Is the Black Hood really gone?

Overall, this was a good episode as the story rebounds from an abysmal episode last week. The characters feel like themselves as they all tackle their own personal issues as well as problems surrounding the town. From the secret Blossom will and the vacant mayor’s office, many twists were revealed in this episode that added some much needed layer to the back half of this season. With one question partially answered we can only hope that the drama, tension and shocking twists only getting bigger and better from here on out. This is foundation that the rest of the season will reside on.

Score: 8/10

What did you think of “There Will Be Blood”?  Let me know in the comments below!

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Dylan Phillips