Katy Keene Review: Chapter Eleven: Who Can I Turn To? (Season 1 Episode 11)

Things just keep getting better!

Katy Keene Season 1 Episode 11, “Chapter Eleven: Who Can I Turn To?” proves that the series is finally hitting its stride by taking the time to invest in each of its characters, and their respective storylines. 

Keene is beginning to develop its own voice and direction. Depending far less on its predecessor, the series confirms suspicions it can stand on its own two feet, while also finding ways to succeed at all the things Riverdale has never quite figured out.

Every character has an important story to tell and each of those individual storylines is consistently woven together through layered and well-tended relationships between the show’s core four characters.

There is never a moment of triumph or loss the cast doesn’t share, and the fostering of their friendships is showcased throughout even the most minuscule moments of the series.

Somehow, Katy Keene has figured out exactly how to put friendships before romance, without making romance feel completely irrelevant.

Katy and her circle of friends will always come first, but it’s never positioned from a “bros over hoes” narrative, forcing any particular character to choose between friends and lovers. Instead, it allows each respective character their chance to live out their love stories, while gaining unconditional support from the people who know them best.

It may have taken eleven episodes, but “Chapter Eleven: Who Can I Turn To?” can balance every character with equal measure. At times, the show even manages to shell out more than one major story point per person, without ever making the episode feel rushed.

That alone is worth a standing ovation.

The presence of an undeniably talented cast doesn’t hurt, either. Johnny Beauchamp’s performance as Jorge Lopez continues to stun with every installment, but this latest chapter highlights his unbelievable talent. Jorge’s story is possibly the strongest of the series, giving Beauchamp countless opportunities to flex his acting chops.

Jorge: Stop making me feel like I’m something you need to get used to.

Beauchamp plays Jorge with strength when called for; fights with a father who just doesn’t understand his self-ignorance, and fights for equal opportunity employment are just a few examples. Jorge knows exactly who he is, by refusing to play by anyone else’s rules or definitions.

There’s also a sympathetic fragility to Jorge, though; something that comes out at just the right moments. Beauchamp can play delicate softness just as well as courageous toughness, and his breakup with Bernardo is made twice as heartbreaking by the vulnerability Jorge displays in their goodbye scene.

Of course, Beauchamp is lifted by the complexity and depth of Jorge’s storylines, all steeped with complicated emotions that show sometimes, there is no bad guy — only the fallout from imperfect love.

Lucy Hale is also at her best for “Chapter Eleven: Who Can I Turn To?” bringing humanity to Katy that’s absent in earlier episodes, making her officially a protagonist worth rooting for.

Scenes with Hale, much like Beauchamp’s, fluctuate so effortlessly from lighthearted to sentimental and moving; something that wouldn’t be possible without a leading lady able to handle the subtleties of the material.

Katy is finally getting a chance to stumble, fail, and fall a bit, which is all too important for her character going forward.

While it’s been a constant critique of mine to shame Katy Keene for allowing their main character everything she wants in the world of design, I’m proven wrong by the shocking news of her rejection from Parsons. A rejection, that feels much more weighted than anything at Lacy’s ever could, due to its connection to her mother. 

Katy’s career continues to be a point of contention, but her complex love life also heats up with this episode. The show is careful to never shame Katy for her sexual explorations, or implement any judgment when she chooses to navigate through more than one love interest at once.

Keene also makes a point to deem all of Katy’s (legitimate) love interests undeniably likable; both consistently championing her and proving they truly know her, at every given opportunity.

While both Guy and K.O. establish they’re worthy of Katy’s affections, they are vastly different characters that fit seamlessly into different parts of her life. Therefore, this makes it all the more difficult to pick and choose who to root for. 

It isn’t just Katy’s boy toys that feel individualistic, though. The core four, especially, are increasingly distinctive. Nothing feels repetitive, and it gives the show its pick of endless topics to approach.

In fact, the only topic Katy Keene hasn’t focused on is mental health.

That feels like a missed opportunity with the character of Alexander, who seems to constantly fluctuate between a state of depression and anxiety. With his alcoholic bloodline, the show has a real opportunity to deliver a great arc — one that would only further demonstrate how superior it is to Riverdale in handling the weightier storylines.

Katy Keene began as a confectionery treat so sweet, it made your teeth ache. By “Chapter Eleven: Who Can I Turn To?” it’s learning how to feel light and whimsical while getting to the root of its characters. 

For the first time, I can’t wait to see what comes next!

What did you think of this episode of Katy Keene? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Katy Keene airs Thursdays at 8/7c on The CW. 

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