Editorials

Riverdale Review: Thanksgiving Includes Cannibalism & Framing Mr. Chipping (4×07)

Riverdale -- "Chapter Sixty-Four: The Ice Storm" -- Image Number: RVD407b_0275.jpg -- Pictured (L-R): KJ Aapa as Archie and Camila Mendes as Veronica -- Photo: Dean Buscher/The CW-- © 2019 The CW Network, LLC All Rights Reserved.

Published

1 year ago

November 21, 2019

Lizzy Buczak

Thanksgiving was an eventful holiday in Riverdale as Jughead and Betty linked up to solve the mystery of Mr. Chipping’s death, an ice storm hit Riverdale, and Archie got a gun pulled on him at his dinner at the rec center.

Oh, what fun.

Betty and Jughead’s sleuthing is always in tip-top shape, and Betty had an extra level of sass that I was lovin’. She looks sweet, but she’s not, okay Donna.

Unfortunately, no matter Jughead and Betty’s best intentions, Bret and Donna were one-step ahead of them.

Also, can someone please explain to me their idea of fun because wearing bunny masks and walking around with axes isn’t a joke. Bret’s lucky Betty didn’t kill him to protect Jughead.

Jughead hasn’t learned his lesson of not talking openly about his plans to unearth the school’s mysteries in public, and Bret overheard everything.

Therefore, Jughead and Betty may have thought they had the upper hand, but they were really helping Donna and Bret frame Mr. Chipping.

Women tend to not come forward about sexual assault out of fear that no one will believe them. Sadly, Riverdale is perpetuating that by offering up Donna’s affair storyline with Mr. Chipping, which seems to be fabricated in order to destroy his integrity and squash any doubt that his death was anything but a suicide from being a terrible person. At first, Mr. DuPont tried to convince Jughead that Chipping’s alcoholism played a role in his death, and when that didn’t work, they attempted to make him a predator.

Mr. Chipping was a favorite of the school until he wasn’t. And it’s those last words he said before he jumped that underline the notion that this was not a willing suicide. He was coerced or blackmailed by Mr. DuPont.

Everyone at Stonewall Prep is in on it, and they’re determined to shut Jughead’s investigation down because he’ll likely figure out the school’s deepest and darkest secrets if he doesn’t.

Then, there’s the fact that Bret and Donna set up a camera that is videotaping everything in Jughead’s dorm room including his more intimate moments with Betty.

Are they going to try to use that against him? Do they think they’ll have the same power of Jughead as they did over Mr. Chipping.

The good news is that neither Betty nor Jughead truly believed what was being presented, and Betty has it all mapped out on an investigation board so she’ll likely get to the bottom of this and any secret society that’s involved.

Archie’s good intentions of hosting Thanksgiving dinner at the rec center turned sour when Dodger’s family turned up for a side dish of revenge.

And look, it’s understandable that Dodger’s mother wants answers, but her actions and threats were stupid.

She wanted so badly to blame Archie when he wasn’t involved (at least not directly) with Dodger’s beating.

Also, your son is an asshole and a bully, Mrs. Dickinson, so I can’t say anyone feels too terrible about what happened.

The deep-fried turkey explosion caused enough of a distraction for Mary to grab the gun and threaten to kill ’em all if they didn’t get out of dodge. Badass Mary, you can stay.

Though, having Mary make comments about how much she misses having her husband around and their whole moment of grace was irritating. I hate when a show suddenly changes the narrative to fit the story they’re trying to tell. For most of Riverdale, it was just Archie and his dad while Mary was in Chicago. You don’t get to bring up all these old memories when you weren’t even here for the last few years.

But all of this was included for a greater purpose — Archie dedicated the rec center to his late father who would’ve been proud.

Hiram Lodge is Mayor already because, of course, he is. Why would anyone try to stop the most dangerous man in Riverdale from wielding an uncontrollable amount of power? He ran unopposed and won, and figured that meant he could shut down Archie’s festivities because “they were dangerous.”

Little did he know, Veronica was serious about not being part of the family and playing nice. The Thanksgiving dinner on the dining room floor is proof of just that.

Hiram seriously brings out the worst in people. Case-and-point, FP, who almost slashed his throat with a broken bottle and then decided there was no law against him being the Sheriff of Riverdale and the leader of the Serpents. Only in Riverdale, friends. Only in Riverdale.

And then we have the absurd storyline happening at Thistlehouse. The writers just won’t give this one up even though it’s bordering on disgusting at this point.

The storyline isn’t doing Cheryl any favors, and it’s a mystery as to why T.T is sticking around and accepting of all of this.

After they killed Uncle Bedford, Cheryl devised a wicked plan to scare away Aunt Crickett so that they could dump the body in Sweetwater River.

It sounds messed up even without revealing their unsavory plan.

Having a corpse of your dead brother around is one thing, but to pretend to serve up human flesh at Thanksgiving dinner and threaten to go public with the act of cannibalism to protect your maple syrup industry. Honestly, Cheryl’s gone off the deep end.

The only redeeming factor here is that she never actually served up Uncle Bedford for dinner, she just made them believe she did.

But still, it’s in everyone’s best interest, including Cheryl and Toni’s, if Riverdale drops this deranged storyline.

What did you think of Thanksgiving in Riverdale?

Is Donna lying about Mr. Chipping?

Click to comment

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The Vampire Diaries

Why Caroline Forbes Never Needed a Man on ‘The Vampire Diaries’

Published

3 hours ago

December 4, 2020

Lizzy Buczak

Why Caroline Forbes Never Needed a Man on The Vampire Diaries

This is a story about a girl named Caroline Forbes.

Caroline is not the same woman she was when The Vampire Diaries first premiered in 2009.

In terms of character growth, the vapid perfectionist — brought to life by the impeccable Candice King — underwent the biggest evolution in the show’s eight-season run.

Though she was introduced as a shallow, oftentimes insufferable teen, with time, she blossomed into a strong-willed and impressive young woman who knew what she stood for and always stuck up for her friends.

Most of all, she grew into a fiercely independent.

She was no longer the girl that needed a man to feel a sense of worth — a stark contrast from the Caroline we met on The Vampire Diaries Season 1, who looked for love in all the wrong places.

In those early episodes, Caroline was a control freak who took on as many extracurriculars she could squeeze into her schedule (head cheerleader, in charge of dance committees, town activities, and more) to be the best.

Deep down, however, she was insecure and sought validation from the opposite sex, and then blamed herself when she didn’t get it. Not being “the best” made her feel worthless.

We saw that on full display on The Vampire Diaries Season 1 Episode 1, we saw that a smitten Caroline tried to date brooding newbie Stefan Salvatore. When he told her it would never happen and chose Elena instead, Caroline was heartbroken and drowned her sorrows.

“How come the guys I want never want me?” she asked Bonnie before wallowing in self-pity and emphasizing that she was never good enough.

Teenage Caroline was a bit neurotic and even downright mean, as she lashed out at everyone around her, including her closest friends. Her toxic behavior was mostly fueled by insecurity and jealousy.

While these characteristics undoubtedly gave the character substance, they also gave her something much more important — room to grow. And that growth was wonderful to watch over the years.

Elena was always put on a pedestal, but Caroline was a constant work in progress, which leaned in her favor as it allowed her to flourish and surpass her story arc.

On the road to becoming your best-self, hardships are unavoidable, and Caroline went through her fair share.

Her eventual complexity, good nature, and thoughtfulness made her a far better lead than Elena. Upon Nina Dobrev’s departure, she (along with Bonnie, who also deserved better) carried the series.

Since Caroline’s self-esteem was effectively shot, she became the perfect target for any man who would give her even a smidge of attention.

Damon Salvatore was the first to prey on and manipulate Caroline for selfish reasons.

And it didn’t stop at Damon. In those early seasons, Caroline dated nearly every single man in Mystic Falls — Tyler, Matt, Klaus, Stefan, and Alaric, along with supporting characters like Liam and Jesse.

While the relationships usually progressed naturally, it was obvious that Caroline was trying to find herself and fill a void.

Through these relationships and the subsequent heartbreak, she was able to grow into a strong woman.

That strength was always within her; she needed help finding it.

Caroline was “revamped” — pun intended — when she turned into a vampire. Again, she was the victim of someone else’s selfish games, but it was a turning point for her and, quite honestly, the best thing that could have happened to her character.

Her transition wasn’t wasted or used simply for plot development as she found both physical and mental strength while gaining a new outlook on life.

Read the full post at TV Fanatic!

Editorials

All the Baby Yoda Merch Every ‘Mandalorian’ Fan Needs

Published

3 hours ago

December 4, 2020

Lizzy Buczak

Since The Mandalorian picked up steam in 2019, Baby Yoda has been all the rage. Some might even say that the force is strong with this little green one.

Fans have been waiting for Baby Yoda merch since the premiere, but since the alien, known as The Child, who bears a striking resemblance to a young Yoda thus earning him the name, was such a huge secret, merch hasn’t been available until now!

We may be in quarantine, but at least you can re-watch the series in your Mandalorian swag!

Or, if you have a big fan in your life, you can buy them something from this list to cheer them up!

Check it out below… and if you can’t wait for season 2, here’s everything we already know about the upcoming season!

Disclosure: We may get a commission from retail offers.

Baby Yoda Funko Pop

A Baby Yoda collectible Funko Pop? All Star Wars and Baby Yoda fans need this. Add it to your collection. Pre-order now. It will be available May 15.

Credit: Amazon

Mattel Baby Yoda Plush

Do you have the urge to just hold Baby Yoda tight and never let him go? Same. And you can with this 11-inch plush! Get him now!

Credit: Amazon

Bedding!

Okay, so Baby Yoda might not be on the bedding per se, but if you’re a fan or have a child that is, how can you resist this spread? Let the force be with you day, night, and when you take a nappie. Get the bedding now!

Credit: Amazon

Baby Yoda Backpack!

Take Baby Yoda wherever you go with this slick backpack that’s ready for any adventure! Grab the backpack now!

Credit: Amazon

Trading Cards

Are you even a real fan without trading cards? These cards are made just for a Baby Yoda fan and follow the journey of The Child! Buy trading cards now

Credit: Amazon

Lego Brickheadz!

These Lego Brickheadz give you Baby Yoda and The Mandalorian. You’ll be able to create an authentic display complete with signature weapons! Get your Brickheadz now!

Credit: Amazon

Baby Yoda Whiskey Glass

Okay, so this one isn’t for kids, but hear us out — Baby Yoda is technically 50, so a whiskey glass dooooes sort of make sense. Buy it now

Credit: Amazon

Collectible Figurines

Hasbro has several different Baby Yoda figurines with various poses including reaching (for the radio controls), eating a frog, sipping his tea, and more. The release date is May 25! Find out how to purchase

Credit: Amazon

Jigsaw Puzzle

There’s nothing more enjoyable during quarantine than doing a jigsaw puzzle with a Baby Yoda smiling back at you. Grab your puzzle now

Credit: Amazon

Precious Cargo Tee

This T-shirt isn’t joking, you’ve got precious cargo in your pocket… it’s Baby Yoda! Grab the tee now

Credit: Amazon

Netflix

Virgin River Season 2: Theories About Who Shot Jack in That Jaw-Dropping Cliffhanger

Published

1 day ago

December 3, 2020

Lizzy Buczak

Virgin River Season 2 Theories: Who Shot Jack?

Virgin River season 2 ended on a jaw-dropping cliffhanger. For a quiet, scenic town, there’s sure a lot of danger lurking in those woods.

If you’ve watched the season finale, then you know that Jack’s life is hanging in the balance.

In the last few moments of the episode, Mel arrived at Jack’s bar and found him bleeding out from an apparent gunshot wound.

This begs the question: who shot Jack? And why?

There’s a few theories floating around on the internet, and we’ll get to those in a moment, but Martin Henderson, who plays Jack, told TV Line that he thinks the prime suspect isn’t the most obvious one. “I always joke that it’s most likely Charmaine. It does pop into your mind!”

Let’s break down some potential theories:

Charmaine

Charmaine is definitely one of the top suspects considering her big fight with Jack. Charmaine was pretty crazy throughout the season as she went through a series of mood swings. You just never knew what you were going to get with her. The pregnancy hormones likely played a role, but Charmaine’s been a pretty unstable character even before the pregnancy. And maybe after the constant back-and-forth with Jack, her jealousy over Mel, and finally realizing that they’d never be together romantically, she finally snapped. This wouldn’t be the first time Charmaine tried to “get revenge.” Let’s not forget she spread rumors about Mel being a home-wrecker and straight-up told Jack she wouldn’t allow him to be the father of their twins. We don’t know what a woman that’s been hurt is capable of. Hopefully, we’re all just misjudging Charmaine because I think if she can truly accept that Jack doesn’t love her in that way, they could make great co-parents. Otherwise, she’ll be in prison and Jack will be raising those babies with Mel!

Calvin and/or Jimmy.

Calvin (or one of his right-hand men like Jimmy) is the go-to suspect since he has plenty beef with Jack! It’s also the most obvious choice, so we have to consider if Virgin River is the kind of show that wants amp up the shock factor or take a more predictable route. The war with Calvin and Jack has been brewing for most of the second season with Jack meddling in his business and trying to stop him from expanding his fentanyl enterprise. We know Calvin isn’t above killing a man who has gotten in his way, but he’s also had plenty of chances to do it before. Why now? Maybe the LAPD shut down Calvin’s operation after Spencer testified and one of Calvin’s men acted out of loyalty since they knew Jack had a hand in it. Getting involved with Calvin, especially by trying to sabotage his business, is a recipe for danger and disaster.

Brady

Brady is also a potential suspect, but I just don’t see him going through it. Despite his fallout with Jack, he respects him. Not to mention, he went out of his way to help Spencer get out of town, which allowed him to testify against Calvin’s “lumber” business. Brady may have been motivated by money at first, but when he realized what was going on, he realized he had to do the right thing even if it meant going to prison. So, while Brady could’ve shot Jack because he botched up his investment, I just don’t see it panning out. And if it turns out to be him, color me shocked!

A Random Druggie Looking to Score?

We’ve seen our fair share of those in Virgin River this season, so maybe it wasn’t a planned shooting? Slim chances here, but you never know who might waltz into a bar in the middle of the night looking for trouble.

Ricky

Again, super slim chances. Actually, the chances are nearly non-existent because Ricky is a good guy who has simply been struggling to make the right decisions because of his love for bad gal Lizzie. He may have exchanged some words with Jack previously, but there’s no chance he has it in him to shoot the guy who has given him a job and supported him!

Who do you think the culprit is? Hopefully, Netflix will renew the show for a third season soon so we can get #JusticeforJackSheridan!