Riverdale Finale Roundtable: Chapter Thirty-Five: Brave New World (Season 2 Episode 22)

The finale of Riverdale attempted to wrap up Season 2’s many storylines and lay the groundwork for something new in Season 3.

But did the writers succeed at tying up loose ends while still giving us something juicy enough to carry through the long summer hiatus?

Tell-Tale TV writers Lacy Baugher, Mary Misasi, and Alamin Yohannes discuss Riverdale Season 2 Episode 22, “Chapter Thirty-Five: Brave New World,” below.

• Lacy Baugher (@LacyMB)
• Mary Misasi (@dorothynyc89)
• Alamin Yohannes (@AlaminYohannes)

1. Veronica traded Hiram the Whyte Wyrm for Pop’s, and now she owns the diner. Good plan or bad plan?

Alamin: It may be a bad plan, but it’s a good thing. Veronica is cutting ties with her father at the perfect time as result of Archie’s arrest, which would have made it less about her relationship with Hiram.

She made this choice because her dad is a bad guy, and he will make his plans happen at her expense. At her mother’s expense. After a season of people working with and learning from Hiram, it’s nice to see people making the right choices.

Plus, Veronica’s plan for the lower level of Pop’s means more music on Riverdale. And I’m always here for that.

Mary: I think it’s a really great decision because her father is becoming even more and more volatile in his actions. The arrest of Archie may reflect on her in a bad light, but luckily I think her distance from Hiram will lessen the blow.

This moment actually proves just how little Hiram thinks of his family. It’s best for both Veronica AND Hermione to get far away from him.

Lacy: I’m admittedly having Peach Pit After Dark anxiety flashbacks over the inevitable string of B-list musicians that will now guest on Riverdale, but at least a regular music venue means we might see Josie for more than five minutes every third episode.

Even though I’m still salty about the quickness of Veronica’s about-face when it comes to her shady father, I also think separating her from Hiram is the best possible move the show can make for her character.

I would like to remember why I like her again, and giving her some new challenges — running a business, having to learn to live as a not-rich person — is probably the best way to do that.

2. Hiram’s nefarious plans for “New Southside” were finally revealed, and he had Archie framed and arrested for murder. What do you think of his villainous role heading into Season 3?

Alamin: I’m a fan of villains who are known to the characters of the show. While I understand the motivations (Veronica’s his daughter and Archie’s season had a rough start), it has never sat well with me that people support and collaborate with Hiram. People who aren’t actually villains themselves, that is.

Now, everyone is aware that Hiram is bad news. He even has his own team of villains, which means the two sides could clash next season. And that’s the type of high drama I expect and want from Riverdale.

Mary: Honestly, I’m here for it. Hiram is the type of villain I love to hate. His group of villains is also going to be interesting to see in Season 3. They are definitely all going to create conflict with the other side.

It’ll be great storytelling IF the show does it right. My only worry is that they’ll write this similar to the Black Hood story, which will leave me slightly disappointed.

Lacy: I’m here for the low-rent Riverdale version of the Legion of Doom, tbh. Even if Hiram’s supposed genius plan is apparently just “deal drugs.”

I mean, maybe it’s just me, but if all he wanted to do was sell Jingle Jangle to the local teens, there were less convoluted ways to go about it?

3. React to Betty’s Silence of the Lambs-ish confrontation with Hal at the prison.

Alamin: I found how the show deals with Betty’s “darkness” to be a bit strange and very inconsistent, but I think the confrontation with her father was necessary. Especially if the show is leaving Hal in the past.

The conversation was very chilling, but it always seemed like it was closing the door on Hal and more about how dark Betty really is.

Mary: I agree with Alamin about the weirdness behind how the show handles Betty’s darkness. I honestly wish it was something that was more consistent and controlled. I do prefer Dark Betty to Betty most of the time.

This makes me feel like the confrontation between Betty and Hal is a closing of the door on Dark Betty, which makes me really sad.

Lacy: I’ve said in the past that I find Riverdale‘s insistence on the idea that Betty carries around some dangerous darkness within her because she has relatives who were murderers to be completely ridiculous. That’s still where I’m at with this.

The show never seemed particularly interested in exploring the darker, rebellious side of a girl that an entire town expects to be a beacon of goodness, and preferred to give her a wig and a webcam. Good riddance to that, I say.

Mostly, I think Betty’s confrontation with her father was meant as a closing of the door on the Black Hood story, which is another choice I’m completely okay with. I wish we could pretend it never happened, but I suppose there needs to be some emotional fallout for Betty, at least.

4. Hermione won the election. Was this result a letdown or what you were hoping for?

Alamin: When this election storyline began, I was firmly Team Fred, but now I am really happy that Hermione won. When this race began, it seemed like either Fred, Hiram’s enemy, or Hermione, his ally, would win. At that point, Hiram getting more power was not very interesting.

Veronica and Hermione distancing themselves from Hiram makes her the better choice for mayor, as far as the show’s storylines are concerned. Hermione has not gone as far as Veronica, so in the mayor’s office she will have an interesting push-and-pull with Hiram.

He may expect to continue working his agenda through her office, but she may have some other ideas. It’s sure to get messy.

Mary: I’ve always been on Team Fred, even through this episode. However, when Hermione went to the Andrews residence after winning, I realized her winning could actually be a good thing.

She’s distancing herself from her husband and being a decent human being. I’m interested to see how far she will take this good side of her.

Lacy: I honestly couldn’t care less who the mayor of Riverdale is, since it seems that every authority figure in this town is just out for their own gain anyway.

I was personally rooting for Fred, just because Luke Perry hasn’t had nearly enough to do this season, but Hermione winning is fine with me. Largely because it moves her further out of Hiram’s direct orbit, and she was a likable person when she was doing her own thing before he came to town.

5. What was your favorite scene, moment, or line?

Alamin: Cheryl Blossom getting her Serpents jacket by far. I have not always been a big fan of the Serpents on the series (I think they took away from a lot of what I loved in Season 1), but Cheryl joining their ranks could be quite interesting. Hopefully they utilize that aspect of the show next season.

Mary: Honestly, I’m tied on a favorite. I really, really loved seeing FP step down as the Serpent King. The moment was made even better by him naming Jug his successor. I think that’ll be a turning point for the Serpents.

Jug is a judicial type of person and tries to bridge the gap between the North and South sides. And then him placing the jacket on Cheryl had me SCREAMING! My girl is gonna kill it with the Serpents.

My other favorite moment was Kevin and Moose kissing. They’ve been dancing around a more public display of affection all season, and the finale really gave it to us. I was smiling from ear to ear.

Lacy: I have two as well. One is, as everyone else said, Cheryl getting her Serpents jacket. That character is just iconic. If anything can save this messy gang plotline next year, it’s Cheryl’s presence.

Second was FP’s decision to name his troubled teenage son as the leader of a motorcycle gang that he used to run, and that this decision was on purpose.

I’m sure that Riverdale wanted this moment to feel, I don’t know, brave or meaningful or something — and clearly it did work for Mary, even if it didn’t for me. But I honestly could NOT stop laughing at it, mostly because it’s beyond the pale nuts to me that a man who worked so hard to keep Jughead away from that life is suddenly okay with him being in charge of the Serpents.

Plus, the fact that these, like, middle-aged tattooed men are completely fine with getting their marching orders from a teenager. Sure, show. Okay.

6. What are you hoping for more or less of in Season 3?

Alamin: I would like more of characters not named Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead. I will say this every chance I get: Josie and the Pussycats are substantial comic book characters, and they deserve better. A lot better.

Same goes for Kevin. And the new series regulars, Toni and Reggie. More of them all. That is what Riverdale needs more of. A solution could be bringing the story back into the high school. With more storylines at Riverdale High, the other characters are brought back into play.

Mary: I’d love to see Jughead in his leadership role. I think it’ll really turn a corner for him in his maturity. I’d also love to see more of Cheryl killing the game and bringing the fire. It’s her specialty, and she RARELY gets the screentime to do it.

Finally, I’d like to see less of Archie and Betty, because they honestly annoy me. Give Kevin his love and his due. Like Alamin said, bring the secondary characters to the front.

Lacy: Cheryl Cheryl Cheryl Cheryl Cheryl Cheryl. The end.

Okay, fine. One more thing. I’d like to see more of what the finale gave us pieces of: These kids acting like actual friends.

One of the worst parts of Season 2 for me was that not only were our core cast apart for most of the season, but when they were together, they barely acted as though they liked each other — or they were openly at odds. (And secondary characters like Cheryl or Kevin or Josie were just absent completely for weeks at a time.)

Lord knows most of us don’t tune into Riverdale for its thoughtful plotting or groundbreaking stories. We watch because we love these characters and their relationships with one another.

So while it’s fine to move from bonkers twist to another, I need them to remember that the friendships come first.

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What did you think of the season finale of Riverdale? Respond to our roundtable questions with your own answers in the comments below! You can also catch up with our review of the Riverdale Season 2 Finale, “Chapter Thirty-Five: Brave New World,” right here.

Riverdale Season 3 will return this fall on The CW.