The sexy teens are back! In case you need some catching up, you can find the season 2 finale recap/review here.

Woof! This was a pretty great beginning to the third season so let”s get started!

SPOILERS TO FOLLOW!

The episode starts off with Jughead narrating letting us know what has happened the past summer. It then shifts to what has centered around the summer: Archie’s trial. In the courtroom, both sides go back and forth before a break. The trail resumes where the judge announces that the jury is deliberating and then dismissed them. Gaining Archie 3 more days to spend time with his loved ones during labor day weekend and prove he is innocent.

The gang is then at Pop’s where Jughead asks two boys Dilton and Ben who are sitting in a booth what they are playing. One of them tells the other to be quiet. Jughead just shrugs this off and walks away. The gang then talks about what they could do to prove Archie is innocent but the only thing Archie wants to do is have fun with them, which they agree to. Then comes Cheryl. Riverdale never fails to put in the right songs for the right moments, even for something as simple as walking into Pop’s. She invites them to a pool party at her house. And let me note, she is not only walking the walk, but rocking the red leather serpent jacket like it’s nobody’s business.

Back at home, Betty tries to avoid her mother and Polly because of their constant talking of the Farm and leader Edgar. She goes to Archie’s to help him and his dad fix up the old car. They fix it and once Fred Andrews leaves them alone, Archie makes Betty promise her that she checks up on his dad. This tugs at you because a son is asking for someone to take check up on his own father because he won’t be there for him. Archie starting to accept what will happen to him, even though everyone around him hasn’t.

Jughead is seen walking with Fang and Sweat Pea. He’s already fitting into his role as the leader of the serpents. So far he seems like one heck of a leader and the role really suites him.

Back at her home again, Betty ain’t having it with the Farm that her mother is trying to bring upon her. She definitely thinks her mom and Polly have gone nuts. Whilst Polly and Alice believe she is in denial with what happened with her dad.

Now we jump over to Cheryl’s party where we learn of another new fling: Sweat Pea and Josie. Well, at least something going on there as Josie says she can’t have any “distractions” from her music. The attraction is here and knowing Riverdale, it ain’t going away. These couples in Riverdale just aren’t stopping. With every new episode you grow to love these couples more and more like Cheryl and Toni.

Jughead is just chilling by the pool when he sees one of the boys from Pop’s, Dilton. Dilton stares and gives off a creepy vibe. Fangs interrupts by telling Jughead that the Ghoulies have Hotdog. Hotdog is their dog who had been missing and now with Toni, Cheryl, Betty and Sweat Pea with them, they plan to take back Hotdog.

Jughead with the serpents, meet with the Ghoulies to get Hotdog back. They agree to give Hotdog back but if Penny gets Jughead’s serpent jacket. Jughead refuses at first and when one of the Ghoulies is ready to attack, Cheryl shoots an arrow at the Ghoulie first. Talk about some serious Arsenal vibes. Anyways, they have made it a fair game now. Not to bad for Jughead as their leader am I right?

Betty is confronted by her mom and Polly about all her lying. Alice figures out she hasn’t even been going to therapy and that her doctor isn’t real. Betty then argues with Polly and her mom about what the farm has been doing to them. Polly argues that Betty is the one who isn’t sane and from the look on Betty’s face she isn’t denying it. Immediately after this, Betty joins the gang on an adventure.

The four of them driving in the car that Archie and Betty fixed, really gives off a 50s vibe and overall a cool scene. Enjoying and having fun at the lake was the happiest part of this episode. Sitting by a fire, Archie tells them what a fun day it is. Archie is the only one that is assuming the worst but Jughead even suggests he runs away but Archie believes he is guilty of what happened to Cassidy and all the events from last year. It’s tough to see Archie in this light because he has always been known to never give up, but he’s accepted his fate.

Jughead is at the trailer preparing to leave for the courthouse when Dilton shows up. He starts giving off that creepy vibe again. Dilton says it wasn’t a game, and saying he’s “real”. Who’s real you might ask? Well he names drop what we have been wondering since before the season has started: The Gargoyle King. Who or what is it?

At the courtroom, the jury has declared they didn’t reach a verdict. It was 6-6. Meaning a mistrial. The prosecutor then states a plea deal that Archie could take. Archie says yes without hesitation despite his mother pleading that they should talk about it. It’s too late and Archie is escorted away, leaving his loved ones distraught.

I understand that Archie has felt guilty for what happened to Cassidy, but I don’t think he should be so harsh on himself. Taking this deal was a huge mistake on his part and he should’ve at least heard his mother out. He owed it to his family and friends to reconsider, no matter how guilty he feels.

Back at the trailer, Jughead finds a map Dilton left and decides to head towards the location. He comes across what appears to have been a ritual of a possible cult. He sees Dilton, Ben and a couple others bowing to a figure, presumably all of them dead. Jughead cries for help.

But wait, it doesn’t end there.

Betty wakes up in the middle of the night when she hears a baby crying. She goes outside and sees her mother, Polly and a couple others surrounded by a fire. Betty looks and she sees her mom and Polly holding the twins above the fire, and then drop them. The moment Betty sees this, she goes into an extreme shock that causes her to seize uncontrollably.

And now it’s over. This episode did not disappoint by any means. We won’t know for certain if Betty saw what she saw because that’s a pretty dark route to go down either way. But hey you never know where this show is going to take you. A whole lot of foreshadowing, and a pretty packed ending. Can’t wait how cults are going to fit into this season. I’m giving this episode 9 of Cheryl’s arrows out of 10.

What did you think of the season premiere? What do you want to see in this new season? Let us know over at @Superbromovies on twitter!!

Riverdale airs Wednesday nights at 8pm on The CW.

–Jacqueline Lainez