Riverdale – Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Six: Betty & Veronica Double Digest

By starrymag | May 30, 2023

By: Jennifer Vintzileos

 

As Jughead (Cole Sprouse) mourns the loss of Brad Rayberry (Christopher Shyer), life around him is just as crazy. For Betty (Lili Reinhart), her session with Dr. Werthers (Malcolm Stewart) focus primarily on Betty’s interest in sex. Werthers tries to discourage the sex talk, but Betty is prepared with a quip at every turn. For Betty’s first sexual thoughts, she brushes off Werthers while remembering a memory of her (Evelyn Burke) and Archie (Maxwell Jando) in childhood playing “Operation.” And as for how much she thinks about sex, Betty’s montage leads into major kissing fantasies with Archie (KJ Apa), Fangs (Drew Ray Tanner), Jughead, Veronica (Camila Mendes), and Reggie (Charles Melton). 

 

Werthers chides her for having such thoughts, men in his mind are acceptable to have these thoughts…especially when Betty brings up Dr. Kingsley’s book and the discovery of her father Hal’s (Lochlyn Munro) special “magazines” that she found in his drawer. Ultimately, Betty shoots down the notion of marriage and explains to Werthers that she wants to find purpose in her life rather than to settle down. Later that night, Betty is visited by her mother Alice (Madchen Amick) with bridal magazines…Alice deciding to push that narrative and impress a sense of pride in her daughter if she were to tie the knot.

 

In Veronica’s world, she is eager to give away free tickets to a James Dean double feature to gain some momentum in the Babylonium. Cheryl (Madelaine Petsch) gives up a bit of a protest as she would prefer the larger screen at the Orpheum in nearby Greendale, but when Veronica promises a showing of East of Eden along with Rebel Without A Cause as the double feature, Cheryl is sold and is given several free tickets to hand out to her Vixens and non-Bulldog classmates. While Kevin (Casey Cott) is confused why they are handing out free tickets, Veronica explains how it is the concession stand that will help generate the income they need. With her own special stack in hand, Veronica then heads to the locker room of the Bulldogs to hand out tickets…eager to make an impression on Reggie. Later when Reggie heads to the concession stand, Veronica shoots her shot and asks Reggie out for a milkshake afterward…which he accepts.  

 

 

However, problems arise when Kevin tells Veronica that there is a problem with Clay (Karl Walcott) in the projection booth. Unbeknownst to her, the copies of the movie that she received were overexposed and not playable, leaving them with no movies and a packed crowd. Realizing that she needs to deliver the bad news, Veronica tries to placate the now-angered crowd with promises of vouchers for their paid concessions. But with Cheryl leading the charge and concession food fight, Veronica is forced to reimburse the patrons for their food and cancel her milkshake date with Reggie. The next day, Veronica takes to the phones to speak with the studio owner about the defective pictures but is brutally rebuffed and gaslit.  

 

 

Deciding not to take “no” for an answer, Veronica, Kevin, and Clay take to the phones to speak with various picture owners and procure additional copies of the film. Unfortunately, Veronica realizes that she has been blacklisted by every major Hollywood studio at the hand of her parents. But before throwing in the towel, Clay suggests reaching out to B-movie studios for their prints. On board with the idea, Veronica asks Clay and Kevin to reach out and start their new search. 

 

 

In her next session with Dr. Werthers, he tries to get down to the bottom of her sexual deviancy. Asking about her dreams, Betty shares her dream about being a teacher tutoring one of her students. While the student varies, Betty dreams mostly about Archie in the dream, eventually realizing that she has a class eagerly watching her every move. Eventually, Betty realizes that her dreams are her wanting to be seen for who she is and understanding herself.  

 

 

While waiting for an order at Pop’s Veronica runs into Jughead. Explaining her plight with the Babylonium, she was able to procure one single B-movie for showing. As Jughead listens, he pitches the idea that she provide a gimmick like William Castle did with “The Tingler” to go along with the movie. Castle put buzzers under the seats that would mildly shock the audience,  but would entice the audience to return for more.  Intrigued with Jughead’s idea, Veronica decides to try it out.  

 

 

Betty returns home to find her mother has brought a minister in for Betty to confess her sins and possibly perform an exorcism. While at first Betty laughs off the notion, she soon sees her diaries in full display on the coffee table…Alice has read them. Angered by the invasion of privacy, Betty storms out and decides to break into Werthers office to read his notes to level the playing field. Picking the lock on his desk, Betty finds all the confiscated contraband of comic books and slingshots…along with a copy of “Lolita”. Heading to Pop’s Diner, Betty finds Jughead and asks him about the book. Learning of its salacious nature, Betty reads the book in her bedroom later that night. The next day, she cheekily cancels her appointment with Dr. Werthers so she can finish the book and come prepared for battle in their next meeting.  

 

 

Utilizing Jughead’s advice, Veronica takes her pitch for “The Crawling Eye” to Riverdale High and informs her classmates of its one-week run. As Cheryl continues to try and dress-down the brunette, Veronica does not rattle and continues her promotion by having Clay and Kevin pass out gimmick eyeballs for free snacks in anticipation of the film. In addition, Clay and Kevin help to make paper-mâché eyeballs while Veronica approaches Archie and Reggie for some help with her “4D experience.” Offering generous compensation, both boys are in. That night, the Babylonium is full of patrons eager for the movie showing…including a indifferent Cheryl.  

 

 

As Cheryl is not buying it, Veronica puts her plan into action and uses a smoke machine to create drama. Patrons are confused but that quickly turns to fright and excitement as Archie and Reggie dressed as giant crawling eyes come out to scare the audience. The gimmick becomes a success and Cheryl actually enjoys the entertainment. From the booth, Veronica looks down pleased at her handiwork. 

 

 

The next day in Werthers office, Betty throws down the book “Lolita” on the doctor’s desk. Werthers admits that the book is his, reading the book to try and understand Betty’s mind. But Betty decides to let the good doctor have it, comparing him to Humbert and his coercion of Dolores in the book. Pointing out that it is Werthers who is the real deviant and sex-crazed individual, Betty ends their sessions and walks out of the office.

 

 

Heading into the Babylonium, Veronica sees the line for “The Crawling Eye” going out the door. With the 7:00 showing sold out, Veronica pleads with Archie and Reggie to help her out with the showings, and she would pay them handsomely. Archie and Reggie turn her down, but Reggie is eager to have that date. Veronica turns him down since work at the theater has begun to pick up, but she asks him to come by tomorrow and maybe she’ll be free.

 

 

At the Cooper residence, Alice storms in and angrily informs Betty that Dr. Werthers has cancelled all future sessions. Betty is pleased, but Alice will not let the cancellation stand. Before the call can go through, Betty confronts her mother and asks her why she’s not happy. Betty’s words strike a nerve in Alice and a breakthrough is on the horizon. Unfortunately, Hal comes in and ends the potential reconciliation between Alice and Betty….sending Betty to her room instead. Betty retreats to her room while Alice tearfully looks away. The next morning, Betty is greeted by a cold, docile Alice. Instead of continuing their conversation from the night before, Alice cancels the sessions with Dr. Werthers for good and instead tells Betty that she no longer has a mother. 

 

 

While Reggie waits patiently for Veronica in the lobby, she is on the phone with the pictures owner that initially sent her the overexposed James Dean films. Rather than hostility, Veronica is greeted with an eagerness to work with her and a copy of “East of Eden”. After Veronica’s call, she comes to greet Reggie only to find he has gotten tired of waiting and left. Returning to the Pembrook, Veronica finds that the locks have been changed by her parents as retaliation for her success. Not willing to back down, Veronica takes up residence at the Babylonium in the interim. 

 

 

With Betty and Veronica’s stories at a close, Jughead has finally completed reading Rayberry’s novels. Pop comes over to talk to Jughead, with Jughead ready to finish mourning and move forward. But before he can move forward, Sheriff Keller (Martin Cummins) finds the resident loner and asks for his help in solving Rayberry’s death.