Riverdale season 7, episode 10 was a perfectly blended milkshake of all the best ingredients of the show.
After taking some time away from the milk man mystery, Riverdale season 7, episode 10 spent most of its time exploring what happened to Brad Rayberry. Sheriff Keller asked Jughead for some information on the author’s next of kin, but of course, that hunt led Jughead and Tabitha down a much darker rabbit hole.
Jughead recalled that Rayberry may have had a wife, which led them to discover that he requested for half of his Pep Comics salary to be sent to a woman named June Simpson in South Carolina. After some fairly gratuitous snooping and perusing of all Rayberry’s personal documents, they were able to piece together a heartbreaking story.
Rayberry was married to June, a black woman, and they were very much in love. However, hatred and violence in their home of South Carolina forced them to separate until they could save enough money to move to Paris together. Knowing all of this, especially the fact that Rayberry was hoping that selling his novel would finally enable them to be together again, somehow makes all of his care and attention with Jughead even more special, and the fact that he’s no longer around to be his mentor even more unbearable.
Considering the fact that Rayberry’s final letter to June detailed his hopes of an earlier departure to France, Jughead and Tabitha came to the obvious conclusion that suicide was an unlikely cause of death for their mutually beloved author. Unfortunately, due to some serious biases and incomplete information about Rayberry being a dope fiend, communist, and draft dodger, Sheriff Keller wasn’t willing to listen to reason. Wait, the Riverdale adults are being completely nonsensical? There’s the show we know and love!
I was so happy June came to town to tell Jughead the heroic truth about his friend and mentor, since he definitely doesn’t need another father figure falling from grace. I’m so heartbroken for her loss, but I hope she saw hope for the future in the “friendship” of Tabitha and Jughead, and I love that she lit a new fire in Tabitha to join her parents on their tour. I will be sad to see the end of Tabitha and Jughead’s mystery solving partnership though.
As much of a blessing as June was in Riverdale season 7, episode 10, the neighbor with the thirsty cat was an even bigger help when it came to Rayberry’s case. Thank god her cat would know the sound of a milk man anywhere, because this might be the closest we’ve ever gotten to a lead in the case. At the very least, we have an approximate time of death, but given the likelihood that the milk man is acting for someone else, that could lead to more questions than answers.
The B storyline of Riverdale season 7, episode 10 was much less intense, but not without stakes for Barchie and Veggie shippers. Both of these ships have had a rocky road this season, with Archie and Betty continually being derailed by Uncle Frank and the whole team of people trying to control Betty’s sexuality, and Veronica and Reggie struggling to find a moment where they both have the time and the interest. Definitely not the strongest beginnings for Riverdale relationships.
Reggie was definitely right to ask if Veronica wanted to be caught, because right now I’m not sure she even knows. I do like how assertive Reggie is in Riverdale season 7 though, and if these two do ever become something again, I think they could have a much stronger foundation than they have in the past.
While the newly empowered girls had their sights set on the boys in Riverdale season 7, episode 10, Archie and Reggie were distracted by some other curvy characters. After getting his grades up, Archie finally got the keys for his jalopy back, which strangely both brought he and Reggie together, and tore them apart in different ways.
Reggie and Archie became such brothers in Riverdale season 7, episode 10. It was sweet to see them obsessing over the car together, bickering over who got to drive it, and then bonding over the privilege of having it and what that meant for their families. This is definitely the best the friendship between these two has ever been in the series, and I really love watching them together.
However, it was stressful to watch them ignore the lovely ladies they were on dates with, especially when these dates have been built up for so long! I’m interested to see what happens with this foursome now that B and V had to accompany each other to the alleged showstopping performance that Fangs put on in Centreville. It even looked liked Reggie and Betty might start building something while they were working on Bella! Riverdale season 7 is completely untamed territory.
Toni’s literary society, Black Athena, finally got underway in Riverdale season 7, episode 10. I feel like we saw a completely new side of Clay when he was monopolizing the conversation in the group, but it was clear that he was very excited about the discussion and I loved how open and helpful he was with Cheryl.
It was so great to see Cheryl open herself up to Toni’s world in this episode, and I loved how she decided to give Toni space for her own growth in the group while committing to her own growth outside of Black Athena. These two are building a great foundation that I’m sure will only grow stronger as they’re tested further.
Riverdale season 7 is serving up some of my favorite Choni material yet, which is good because we need some successful romance this season! Luckily we have Cheryl and Toni, Clay and Kevin, and Fangs and Midge holding it down for us, but here’s hoping we add a couple more names to that list in the coming weeks.