It’s only getting weirder folks! Riverdale is giving us one heck of a season to be curious about. Let’s get started.

SPOILERS TO FOLLOW!

The episode begins Betty and Jughead are examining the Gargoyle King and the game. They realize that there could be a connection between the game and the farm.

Veronica and Betty are at Pop’s where Veronica reveals that the speakeasy is ready to open but has not opened it yet because she wants Archie there. Betty convinces her to open it up anyways and Veronica reluctantly agrees. Back at school, Jughead and Betty see that Ethel is back at school despite having had a seizure and is seen talking to a girl who is also a part of the farm, Evelyn. Betty continues to speculates that the game and the farm are connected.

Kevin and Josie stop by Pop’s where Pop leads them to the speakeasy. Reggie and Veronica are already there and it looks like one heck of a place. Just then Pop calls them and Veronica has a visitor: Penny Peobody. Penny then says the Ghoulies will be willing to offer Pop’s protection while also implying she knows about the speakeasy. Penny then says she will “let her chew on it”.

Back with Archie at juvie, the warden takes him for a ride somewhere. It is none other than an unknown place where the warden recruits fighters for “The Pit”. Archie sees Joaquin struggling to fight and agrees to fight in his place. Talk about serious fight club vibes. Archie is then taken to train with the other “fighters” where he learns that the guards place bets on their fights and profit from it.. I like this type of storyline but I just hope it doesn’t ruin or effect the main plot of this season.

Veronica goes to Cheryl and Toni to spread the word about her speakeasy. It’s looking to be pretty fancy as Veronica is going all out.

Jughead and Betty go to talk to Ethel about the game. Jughead asks if there are instructions and Ethel says that there is a scripture but he must be worthy. Jughead agrees to meet Ethel that night at Dilton’s bunker alone.

At Pop’s Reggie gives Veronica a package sent to her. They open the box and its jingle jangle. Then a phone call from Pop comes saying Sheriff Mineta is here to “inspect” the place. Veronica goes to meet Mineta while Reggie has to hide the Jingle Jangle. Veronica shows him the speakeasy and he finds nothing. Seemed a little pointless and too blatantly obvious that we all know it’s Hiram.

Archie is suddenly woken up by prison guards who take him to the Pit. There Archie faces an opponent but instantly knocks him out, much to everyone’s shock. This impresses the warden.

Veronica goes to see Cheryl and Toni again for help. This time she wants leverage against her father because she knows he’s the one behind Penny and jingle jangle sent to her. Toni reveals that the Ghoulies place is the White Wyrm. This is also where the jingle jangle lab is and they sneak in to take pictures of it all for leverage.

At Betty’s house, she is greeted by other members of the farm. She asks about Edgar but Alice says she must get to a certain level before meeting him. Betty is surrounded by Evenlyn, her mom, Polly and the others, Evelyn reveals that she can tell them anything. Things get pretty uncomfortable as Evelyn tells Betty she knows about the guy her and her mom killed and a lot of other personal stuff. This causes Betty to accuse the farm of being connected to the Griffons and Gargoyle game. Before Betty storms out, it looks like she about to seize but doesn’t. Evelyn as a character certainly sparks interest but she just comes off as creepy too.

Jughead goes to meet Ethel where she has the game ready to begin. They continue to play the game and then get to the point of having to drink gargoyle blood, aka possibly the poison that killed Dilton and Ben. Jughead chances it, but he’s a main character, so yeah he’s good. Ethel then hands over the scriptures and as Jughead looks over them, Ethel drinks the gargoyle blood from a different cup. She begins to react to its effect as Jughead calls 911. Ethel is then at the hospital, alive, while on suicide watch. She thanks Jughead but keeps referring to him as hellcaster, for being able to finish the game. This was eerie because she seemed very different now.

Veronica confronts her father and tells him to back off or she will go to the FBI with photos of the Jingle Jangle lab. Before he can decide if he agrees, Veronica leaves the room. While Archie is in the Warden’s office where the Warden tells him that for his next fight, he needs to make it last longer for entertainment. Back at his cell, Archie imagines what his father would tell him and is left to think.

At Pop’s, Cheryl and Toni make an entrance to the speakeasy as power couples do. The theme was what I loved the most as it was the “roaring 20s”, a time very notable for speakeasies. Riverdale always knows how to do a theme with their own twist.  As the gang is beginning the night, Hiram stops by. Veronica lets him into the speakeasy. Kevin then introduces Josie onto the stage where she gives a lovely performance singing. It was visually entertaining with the silhouette dancers which gave it a nice touch.  The scenes switch between the speakeasy and Archie’s fight. Archie wins the fight.

Then at Archie’s cell, a guard tells him that he is the new champ. Aka the mad dog. The warden gives Archie a bottle for his victory but when he leaves, Archie snaps. He throws the bottle and takes his anger out on his cell. He sits and then reaches for a book that belonged to mad dog that contains a small rock hammer. Archie tells the other fighters about this as he believes Mad Dog kept it as a reminder that there is still a world outside to get back to. Archie convinces them that they must escape and they are in. Gee not like i saw that coming a mile away after they are treated like puppets (sense the tone).

Meanwhile, Jughead and Betty go back to his place where they are confronted by Alice and FP about playing the game after they find the instructions. FP decides to burn their only copy and just as they believe no one can play the game anymore, everyone at Riverdale high has a copy of the scripture. Ethel is seen praising her king, The Gargoyle King. Ethel believes everyone will be playing the game, and come to praise the King. The last shot is of Ethel looking through the hospital curtains, to the king himself. A creepy but very Riverdale moment.

I knew that there wasn’t only going to one copy of the scripture because I mean, it’s Riverdale. I’m excited to see what kind mess this will bring. This episode wasn’t bad but just predictable with the whole prison fighting and escaping storyline. The speakeasy fit nicely with how unique the show is and overall a weird episode, in a good way. I rate this 7.5 of Archie’s punches out of 10.

What did you think of this episode? Let us know over on twitter @superbromovies!

Riverdale airs Wednesday nights at 8pm on The CW.

-Jacqueline Lainez