Katy Keene Review: Chapter Thirteen: Come Together (Season 1 Episode 13)

If Katy and KO don’t get back together, I’m giving up on love.

Katy Keene Season 1 Episode 13, “Chapter Thirteen: Come Together,” serves its purpose as a finale, proving that friendship, faith, and a little bit of glitter are all you really need to make your dreams come true.

It’s not exactly a realist perspective but it’s nice to watch, especially in times like these.

Katy Keene choosing to end its premiere season on a high note by providing happy endings for all four of its core characters feels like the right fit for the series — especially when the gift of a second season isn’t guaranteed.

Katy, Pepper, Jorge, and Josie finding a light at the end of their tunnels feels well earned. They’ve all faced their share of real conflict, suffered loss, and managed to come out the other side stronger than ever.

The only real issue is how fast that resolution happens. Pepper and Josie’s stories, in particular, feel as if their conflict isn’t given enough time to breathe, before disappearing completely. 

Pepper Smith has been conning the people she loves since she was introduced in the pilot. All of that lying catching up to her, just for her to earn wild success an episode later, feels like somewhat uneven storytelling.

Pepper isn’t a bad person; she shouldn’t be portrayed antagonistically, but the level of betrayal exemplified throughout the series does not equate to a mere half episode dedicated to repentance.

The problem isn’t Pepper finding peace in the finale, but in her friends being given no time to recover from the fallout of her actions. Pepper’s happiness may have landed more appropriately if her deception had come to light earlier in the season. 

Josie (and Ashleigh Murray’s talent) was notoriously underused on Riverdale, and while she’s benefited from her time on Katy Keene, the show still finds a way to put her story on the backburner.

Josie’s character has grown exponentially, but her problems lie in direct correlation to her relationship with Alex, who both relapsed, and got shipped off to rehab in a span of under ten minutes. He left so quickly, I could physically feel the whiplash — I’m surprised I didn’t end up with a nosebleed, too!

Josie’s music has been stolen from underneath her feet, her boyfriend is carrying around an excessive amount of cocaine in broad daylight, and yet her entire storyline is wrapped up in a bare minimum of scenes.

There are simply too many aspects of Josie’s scenario that are glossed over in the finale. Xandra benefitting on Josie’s hard work feels barely dealt with, and the romance she’s built with Alex over the entire season is torn down with almost no emotional fallout.

Josie is a tough cookie, but she’s not devoid of emotion; anyone would feel turmoil over their boyfriend turning to drugs, and bailing on them for rehab. Wasn’t she completely in love with this guy two episodes ago?

Katy Keene obviously wants to shake off Josie’s major baggage before stepping into Season 2. The show seemingly wants that for all its characters, especially when it comes to romance (KO, COME BACK).

Wanting to give the core four endless possibilities going into a sophomore season is understandable, but dropping major plot points in order to achieve that goal doesn’t feel like the best way to get there.

At least Jorge and Katy are gifted with beautifully executed full circle moments. 

Jorge’s struggle with his father has been one of the most interesting conflicts of the season; a thread that has subtly woven itself into almost every one of his storylines. 

The climax of that struggle is beautifully poignant, and Keene places just enough weight on the moment, considering the subject matter. AIDs is quite a raw topic for a show like Katy Keene, and the more somber tonal shift felt refreshing and delicate. 

Jorge’s battles are never played light when they are deservedly heavy, and those aspects of grounded reality only elevate the series — proving that the show would benefit from occasionally taking itself a little more seriously.

This also rings true while evaluating the season-long arc of protagonist Katy, who now emotes beyond “cheery and likable” Barbie robot and displays a multitude of complex feelings, including pain, longing, suffering, and sometimes, even anger.

Now that Katy has finally experienced failure, her triumphs feel that much sweeter, and that mixed bag of outcomes allows for a deeper investment in her character. 

Katy does save the day (and scores a last-minute invitation to attend Parsons), but it’s simultaneously juxtaposed with both a personal (KO, COME BACK) and professional loss; a result of trusting too quickly, and jumping into bed (literally) with the wrong people.

Katy: I got into Parsons!

KO: Katy, that’s great!

Katy: I knew it wouldn’t feel real until I told you. It feels real now. 

She wins, but she also kind of loses, too, and is forced to deal with the fallout from her own mistakes. 

That’s a character journey worth going on.

At the end of the day, Katy Keene accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do, which is to provide a light, cheery, beautifully shot series to instill hope, and remind its audience anything is possible — even breaking out into random song and dance (backing track included) when the moment calls for it. 

There’s something very valuable in that message.

The series could stand to ground itself a little more; taking longer beats to revel in the very real topics it sometimes chooses to tackle, but it doesn’t have to lose it’s sparkle, either. 

Let the characters end on mountaintops, instead of dangling off cliffs. Keene is a world full of possibilities and opportunities, and that isn’t something that should ever change.

Most of all, Katy Keene showcases the importance of true friendship, and what can be accomplished when people believe in one another, no matter the obstacles set before them. 

That’s an important lesson to learn when you’re about to go head to head with Hiram Lodge.

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