Riverdale Recap: The Problem with Toni Topaz
Warning: Spoilers for Riverdale season two, episode six, "Death Proof," are ahead.
"In Riverdale everyone wears a mask, not just the black hood. But every so often the mask slips and our true selves are laid bare for all the world to see. Xoxo, Jughead." Just kidding, he didn't really say that last part. But this week's narration is definitely on point. Of course we've got the Black Hood who wears a literal mask, but we also have Betty Cooper, whose righteous persona we saw slip under last week's pressure from BH when she calmly delivered Nick St. Clair on a plate. Now, we have the mysterious Sugar Man, the drug dealer providing the Ghoulies with Jingle Jangle and the Black Hood's next target.
I'm going to cut right to the chase. This episode is pretty much an extension of last week's, meant to wrap up the various plot points and bring our most crucial relationships back together. As it goes, Betty comes clean with Veronica and Jughead, Archie has to work with Jug to stop the Serpents from joining the evil Ghoulies' drug trade, and Betty is sent on a quest from the Black Hood to identify the name of a drug dealer called the Sugar Man... with the help of Veronica and Cheryl. In the middle, we've got a ridiculous drag race, our kids are busted for their Jingle Jangle party, and Nick St. Clair gets what's coming to him. But there's also a more serious topic I'd like to address, so let's get started:
Nick St. Clair pays for his crime, but not the way you think.
After giving Nick's name to the Black Hood, Betty immediately rushes to the Five Seasons to warn him and his family. It turns out, he's fine. BH says he's not one of "Riverdale's sons," but he was happy to see the "real Betty Cooper." Cool cool cool. But even though Hiram and Hermione call the cops on Nick, he looks like he might get off completely scot free, because Penelope Blossom does not believe her daughter and tells everyone to keep it quiet, which is very upsetting. Luckily, Veronica ends up telling her parents about what he tried to do to her the night before his incident with Cheryl. They are... less than pleased. We learn at the end of the episode that the St. Clairs' car was run off the road and Nick will be in recovery for months. As Veronica says, "Oh well. Karma's a bitch."
Honestly forget Bughead, give me Rosie.
Alice Cooper calls all the kids and parents to address the "motley crew of liars, dope fiends, and fornicators” that attended Nick St. Clair's party. For some reason, Reggie readily admits that he provided the jingle jangle. Even though Sheriff Keller is there, he won't be arrested as long as he tells them where he got the drugs. It turns out he has a South Side contact. Mayor McCoy promises to bring down the South Side even if she has to arrest every teen at South Side High (which seems excessive but OK) and the rest of the kids are forced to pick up trash in a random, needle-infested park...
Which is where we get the next hints of romance between Reggie and Josie, mainly consisting of flirty banter like “I get you’re pretty much Beyoncé, but today you’re just like us commoners.” I'm still so here for it. If my twitter exchange with actress Ashleigh Murray is anything to go by, so is she: